Zara's POV

I fondle the flower near my nose and admit its confectionary and redolent odor to enter my olfaction. I love how its fragrance is similar to sweet candy. It's a weird thing that he has given this flower to me even if his mother has asked him to do so. I can't believe I am the first one who has accompanied him here after his mother.

"I am the first person whom you bring here?" I ask as we start walking side by side. He just nods his head.

"Haven't you bring your girlfriend here?"

"She doesn't like secluded places like this. She is a fun-loving girl. She will get bored to hell if she comes here," he replies as a grin adores his lips. This smile is enough for anyone to decipher that he loves that girl so much.

"Thanks for this." I sniffle the sweet fragrance of the flower. He only shakes his head as he eyes me.

"How did you meet her?" I ask. I don't know why I am curious to know about him and his life even it is related to his girlfriend.

"You will laugh when you will get to know this," he lets out a laugh as he looks at me.

I confusedly look back at him not grasping what he implies.

"Why would I?" I question back.

"Because its really dramatic, " he says, "I was invited as a chief guest of her university inauguration ceremony as our company has taken care of the funds of that particular university and she was there."

"And you did fall for her? Oh my God! That's so cliche," I say while laughing.

"No there's more to it, " he adds as he turns towards me with a smile on his face.

"She had lost her badge and coincidently I had seen it while falling so I just gave it to her and..."

"And that's how your love story has begun. It can easily pass as a plot of a cliched novel. " I laugh while saying. I can't believe I am laughing insanely right now.

I cover my mouth with my hand to control my laugher when I see Armaan looking at me with a smile on his face.

"You look pretty while smiling. Keep on smiling like this, " he says, the smile never leaving his lips.

And at that time, the smile on my face worn out. Does he even know what he has just said? From the sudden change of his expression to a plain one with a hint of daze, it's clear he has said that in a stupor state. He just sighs and scratches the back of his neck as he turns around so that his back is now facing me. I roam my eyes anywhere else than him. I squint my eyes when someone fluffy white with a black fluid comes into their vision. In this darkness, I can barely decipher it out.

I walk near the railing where this thing is laying. I crouch down near to it and look at it more closely. My eyes gape open in panic when I actually make out what it is. A small puppy is laying there severely injured and smeared in blood. I carry the puppy carefully in my hands. Some vehicle has surely hit him and passed without even looking back at poor him.

"What's wrong?"

I turn back to see Armaan standing behind me. I stand up with the puppy in my both hands. The blood from his wounds is dripping through my hand and falling on the ground. I sigh an air of relief when I notice his one eye is partially open. Thank God, he is alive.

"This puppy is bruised. Let's take it to the hospital," I answer in panic.

"First we need to stop the bleeding. Wait a minute, " he says and looks around. He rushes behind me. My eyes widen in shock when the puppy's eyes start closing.

"Don't die, " I whisper as I caress its head.

"Give him to me," Armaan soon comes with a discarded shopping bag in his hand. I give the puppy to him. He winds the bag around the puppy's body as he softly presses his wounded stomach area to stop the bleeding.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

I wrap the small cloth on the puppy as I make him sit on the fluffy blanket. I smile seeing him looking at me with his green button-like eyes. I have brought him home after visiting the doctor. The Doctor has bandaged his wounds and it's my choice to keep him with me at least for today. I will drop him again to where he lives when his wounds will heal. I can't believe some people can be this careless while driving. If I wouldn't have seen that puppy today, he may have died by now.

"Is he fine now?"

Armaan asks when he sits beside me. I just nod my head and caress the puppy's head. I can't remember that after how many days, I have spent my whole day out. And that place is something which I will always enjoy to go. A smile crosses my lips when I realize we have another thing in common. We both like the same type of places. I look at him who is busy playing with the puppy. I don't know when I have started enjoying being in his company. It's always him who gives me calm and peace in difficult situations when he himself doesn't even know. Whether if it was his soothing words when I have lost Dad or when I am suffering due to what is happening these days.

"Armaan?" Unknowingly, my heart urges to thank him for all of these.

"Hmm?" He just hums in response without looking at me.

But Zara, he is the same guy who has planned to make your life hell and he has come right on his plan. He has done what he has told you. He doesn't even like you.

Frustratingly, I clench my fingers in a tight fist. I can't fall for him. Even he has apologized, I still can't forget how he has hurt me.

"What were you saying?" He asks me, now giving full attention to me.

"Nothing, " I say and get up to walk out of the room.

            *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

I bite my lower lip in a nauseous state as I enter the veterinary medical care. The smell of different medicines, various animals, and blood strike my nostrils. I have taken the puppy along with me today at University so that I will leave him to its habitat right after the day off. I have sent him to veterinary care near the University so that they can take more care of him.

I gently rub the puppy's fluffy chin when the doctor gives him to me. Its a relief that he is healing pretty fast. The only big wound is which is present on his stomach. I walk out of the veterinary when striking sunlight daze my eyes.

"Who is this cute little fellow?"

Someone raises a question behind me and I can certainly comprehend whose voice is this. With that, all the thoughts flow in my mind like a swiftly ebbing torrent. I clench my jaw in frustration when he comes near me. Every time I start liking him but in the end that stupid ruins everything.

"My pet," I say and walk ahead of him.

"You have a pet and you didn't inform me," he complains as he soon matches my pace and stands next to me.

I stop and glance at Shaiq who has the whole world's strangeness in his eyes.

"What is this?" I shove the phone's screen in front of his eyes.

His big eyes get wider in surprise right after they travel from me to my phone. He rubs his nape agitatedly as a strung smile appears on his lips.

"Zara...its because.." He stutters.

"What did you say?" I ask in a loud voice.

"You were looking cute while sleeping so I just thought to save that moment for you," he says in a clutter, "It's not like I have taken the picture from my phone."

"Don't ever dare to do that again. I am looking horrible in those photos," I say while glaring him.

"I won't do that again, I promise and you weren't looking horrible at all. You were looking so pretty," he says with a toothy smile.

"What?" I ask as I walk towards him.

"Nothing," He stands his both hands in the air," I was saying I am sorry."

I peek him with my side-eyes. This idiot can't get any better. But I like him how the way he is. He is so pure and full of joy. I suppress a smile seeing him looking at me with worried eyes like my acceptance of his sorry means the world to him.

You always used to tease me, now it's my turn to tease you.

"On one condition, I'll accept your apology, " I announce.

"What is it?" He asks the next moment with his black eyes glistening.

"I want a treat from you, " I say with a smile.

His smiling face instantly changes into an anxious one. I try hard to not smile at this.

"What treat?"

"Buy me a cup of coffee, " I reply.

"Just a coffee? Let's go back to the University then," he says. The smile returns to his face.

"Not University's. Take out your stored money from your worn-out pocket and buy me an expensive one from a cafe. "

He raises his brow in confusion.

"That's the treat of a mere sorry?" He mumbles more to himself than me.

I can't control myself more seeing his helpless face and burst into laughter.

"I was kidding, you stupid!" I say in between my laugh.

He again confusedly looks at me.

"No, I will buy you one. Let's go," he says.

"Maybe next time. Now I have to drop this puppy to his house. He is maybe missing his mother." I explain as I caress the puppy's head.

"What do you mean? That puppy is not yours?" He asks.

"No. I have found him the last night in a bruised state so I took him to the hospital," I reply.

"Should I accompany you?"

"I don't know. It's up to you," I reply.

                *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

I roam my eyes here and there near the same place where I have found that puppy. To my dismay, there is not a single dog or puppy there. I can't believe this puppy is alone here. And if he has no one, I won't be able to leave him here as he is so little and can get hurt again.

"Zara! Look there," Shaiq whispers.

I follow his notion to the corner of the fence and a smile comes across my lips seeing a female dog looking at the puppy in my hand with apprehensiveness. Her watery green eyes are glimmering in this darkness. She comes near me and starts whining. The puppy also starts moaning some little noises. I bend down and leave the puppy on the ground. I smile when he runs to his mother as soon as he gets freed. At that moment, I find a relief down my heart to see this wholesome moment.

"It was so beautiful to see them getting united, isn't it?" Shaiq says as we both are walking all to his car.

I nod my head as I reminisce the moment again. That was so sensual, so heart touching.

"This place is really nice. I haven't come here before. How do you know about it?" He asks as he turns to face me.

I smile when I recall the events from yesterday. That is indeed the best day of my life. This place is really giving me home feelings. Like I have missed this place for my whole life.

"It's because..." I get interrupted by the ringtone of Shaiq's phone.

"Wait a minute, " he says with an apologetic smile and excuses himself.

He comes after a while in a perplexed state. He is constantly rubbing his forehead and walking here and there in trouble.

"What's wrong?" I ask worriedly.

"I am destroyed, I am devastated," he whispers.

Why he is acting like a lunatic old woman right now?

"Huh?" I ask not understanding him.

"My father will kill me. What have I done? Why can't I remember anything?" He is still talking to himself.

"Have you gone nuts?" I yell to gain his attention.

And I get succeeded in this as he looks at me right after.

"Zara, I  am sorry. You have to go back on your own. If I wouldn't show my face to him right now, he will eat me raw," he mumbles.

"What do you mean? How will I go back? My car is still in the University," I reply in panic.

"Look, Zara, I am really sorry. You take a bus from here and then go to University or else call your driver. I will tell you everything later, " he says as he rushes out and sits in his car.

"You idiot!" I yell.

"I will give you a treat twice. Two cups of coffees on me, I promise!" He takes his head out of the glass window of the car as he speaks.

In a blink of an eye, he has gone. I stomp my foot hard on the ground. It is that stupid's idea to come in his car here. There is as usual no one here at this time. I call the driver but he isn't picking up. What will I do? I don't even know that this area has a transport system or not. I walk out to the main road. I sigh when there is not even a single car out there. Should I go all the way back to the University? But it's so distant from here.

Shaiq this time I will surely kill you, break you in pieces, and will feed these puppies with your meat.

"What are you doing here?"

I turn my head behind where I have listened to the voice. I sigh an air of relief to find the person standing there.

                   *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Salam peeps!

So I am back with another chapter. Do you like it?

Who do you think has come in the end?

I can't believe this book is gonna complete 10K reads. This is so much. And thank you so much to every single soul who has read it and showed their love. To be honest, when I started this book, I wasn't expecting this much amount of reads. Again thank you so much. If it weren't for your support, I wouldn't have come this far. I lobe you.😘💟