Zara's POV

"Because now I have come to think of this, I guess I probably know your husband," he replies with a smile.

Instead of getting intimidated by his statement, I bend forward with my both arms resting on the table, I return him the smile, "Is that so?"

He first stares at me with a blank expression like he has gone into a trauma then in a split second, the side of his eyebrow lifts up as a mocking expression crosses his face.

"So you think I am lying?" He questions.

"You know what Shaiq?" I lean back so that my back hits the crown of the chair, "it's always like that. You start something with so vigor and in the end, it turns out nothing but an airless balloon."

"So I think, this time also you are beating around the bush. " I take a sip of the coffee.

"You have got to know so much about me in such a little time. Aren't you?" He smirks.

"I was right, isn't it?" I chuckle in sarcasm.

He just nods his head. Stupid!

"Well, I have serious advice for you; stop doing this already otherwise people will not believe in you anymore, " I assert, this time with a straight face.

"If you are asking then I will surely try to not do this." He picks up his phone and blows on its screen.

"Afterall, you are one of my friends," he declares with a smile.

There is something wrong with the way he says friends, a strange and unknown feeling which prompts me to stare at him more than I want. Despite being dubious of his smile, I brush it off as I know he is always crazy like this.

"So, your marriage, was it arranged? Or out of love?" He wipes his phone's screen with the tissue.

"I am sure it is love marriage considering how you guys were laughing and having fun back then."

I laugh inwardly at his comment. Does he really think my marriage with Armaan is based on love just due to we were laughing at something? And that laugh is also due to me being dumb, forgetting my phone.

"What are you planning for yourself, Shaiq? Love or arranged marriage?" I ask him back.

His hand working on his phone stops abruptly as he peeks at me with a bewildered look.

"Love in the form of arranged marriage," he mumbles.

I look at him with confusion. What does he mean by this?

"What?"

"I want to make sure that the one I like will be wholly mine," he replies as a smile adorns his lips.

"Do you like someone? Who is she?" I ask in excitement.

"I'll tell you at the right time."

I pout my lips in disappointment.

"Is she from our University?"

"I said that I will tell you at the right time."

Idiot! Stupid!

I cross my arms on my chest in dismay. A sigh leaves my mouth seeing his amusing expression. I am sure he won't tell me now at any cost. But I am happy for him.

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I flip the top cover of my laptop down in distress when after struggling for the nth to turn it on, all my effort is still in vain. I am yet to complete my assignment but it seems like I won't be able to do it. I lay the laptop beside me on the bed and hold my head between my both hands. Shaiq is right; that professor Wali is a devil and he will kill me if I won't submit him this assignment.

Like a spark, an idea flickers in my mind which spurs me to lift up my head again. Should I really do it? Won't it be awkward? But that's the only alternative right now.

I let a deep puff of air enter my lungs prior to getting up. I slowly twist the knob of the door which permits the hot air to embrace my face. I walk out while my mind is still perplexed whether to do it or not. I fidget my fingers as my eyes are looking for the right place. If I remember correctly, he has said that his new room is the one right next to mine but I am not certain of this.

But why I am feeling so apprehensive right now? It's not like I am going to do a crime or whatsoever. I always end up getting nervous in front of him. It's almost midnight. What if he is sleeping? He may get angry at me for disturbing his sleep.

Regardless of anything, I have to do this at any cost. With this in mind, I walk towards the brown wooden door immediately next to mine. My eyes spot the faint white light appearing from inside through the crevices of the door, convincing me that its actually his room. I close my eyes to let another breath to exhale from my mouth. Without letting any other thought to penetrate my mind, I knock the door with my knuckles.

I restlessly bite my nails when there is no response from inside. I hope he is not sleeping. I raise my hand again to knock the door, but before I can reach, it opens on its own, revealing a sleepy Armaan. His eyes are puffy and swollen. He frowns his eyebrows in question. I am sure he was sleeping earlier.

"What brings you here?" He asks as he covers his mouth to stop a yawn.

"I actually need something, " I mumble.

Why always I become like this in front of him?
He gazes at me with knitted brows, like I have said something really difficult.

"I mean, I have to make an assignment, and my laptop isn't working so can I use yours?"

"Sure. Come inside," he asserts and walks back.

I pause for a moment before taking small steps towards the inside. My eyes roam around the interior of the room. This room is smaller than the one I am using but the little amount of furniture is making it comfier and wider than the other one.

Armaan goes to the side table of his bed where the laptop is settling. He is in some sweatpants and a T-shirt. This is one of a few times I have seen him dressing causally otherwise he is always in a three-piece suit. The black T-shirt is giving the perfect view of his toned biceps as the veins of his hands go tensed and thicker when he lifts the laptop. I shake my head in embarrassment when I realize that I was checking him out a while ago. What has gotten into me?

"Here." He forwards me the laptop when he comes near me.

"Thank you," I mumble as I take the laptop from him.

"I'll return it to you soon," I tell him.

He nods his head and shows me an assuring smile. I am about to walk out when he stops me. I stare at him with an uncertain expression when he takes the laptop from my hand.

"Password, " he explains as his fingers move on the keyboard with sync, in a hurry.

I nod when I acknowledge he is putting in a password. He gives the laptop back to me. My gaze falls on the screen and seeing the picture on it makes my eyes become fixed on it.

The picture is of a young woman smiling at the camera. Her eyes are twinkling like stars and her white, clear skin is glistening. She is so beautiful. Her smile makes her eyes to get narrow. But why does her face reminds me of someone?

"Who is she?" I ask in a haze.

Armaan looks at the screen on my question, "my mother," he replies with a smile.

No wonder why she looks similar. Armaan is exactly like his mother. The way her eyes are narrowing due to the smile reminds me of the time when I see him smiling.

"She is so beautiful," I whisper, my eyes still locking on the screen.

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I straighten my back to avert the cramps as soon as I push the save button. My fingers are hurting due to typing for straight three hours. I take out my USB from my drawer and insert it into the side of the laptop.

My eyes are still fixed on Armaan's mother's picture. She looks so soft and kind. I scroll the cursor on her lips. This smile; it's so genuine and considerate.  Unknowingly, the cursor gets clicked on the folder on the far right. A smile appears on my face discerning the folder is filled with the pictures of the same woman, Armaan's mother.

I scroll through every picture one by one and with each preceding photo, the smile on my lips gets deeper. I click on one photo and it reveals her with a small boy. It's most likely Armaan. How cute he was back then.

I close the folder when I go thought every picture. I am about to shut down the laptop when I spot another folder. Out of curiosity, I rotate the cursor upon that particular folder but something in me prevents me to open it.

It's not good to look through his personal things. The first one gets open by mistake but now I shouldn't do this.

"Are you done?"

The laptop in my hand gets slipped when his voice comes into my ears but thanks Allah, I pick it up at the right time. I gasp and hurriedly shut down the laptop.

"Yes, I am done," I reply and stand up in a haste.

I forward him the laptop. My heartbeat is still rushed. What was I even thinking to do? That's so dumb. I panic when I remember my USB Is still attached to the laptop.

"Wait a minute!" I shout.

"My USB, " I point at it as a nervous smile engulfs me considering I have just yelled at him again.

"Oh, " he takes out the USB from the laptop but the glassy handle of it pushes against his hand, bruising the skin.

He lets out a sigh. My eyes widen in alarm seeing blood oozing out of it.

"It's bleeding," I let out in a loud voice.

His gaze goes down to his hand but there is no sign of pain or discomfort on his face. Seeing blood makes me get more scared.

"It's okay. It's just a small cut," he declares.

"Small cut? Look how blood is coming out of it," I reply, "Wait a minute."

I search the ointment through the drawers in a hurry. After a while, I find it and grab the first aid kit.

"What are you doing?"

"Don't question me and sit there." I grab his arm and make him sit on the bed, completely ignoring his question.

I take out the ointment from the tube and apply it on the back of his hand as I sit in front of him. I slowly rub the ointment with the pulp of my fingers and he flinches in pain.

"And you were saying it's nothing," I smirk.

"When you will rub this hardly then it will surely hurt," he replies.

"I am sorry, I will do with care now," I mumble.

I unwrap the bandage and place it on the scrape on his hand.

"Do you have any idea what you are doing to me?"

My moving fingers working on his hand come to a halt, as I abruptly look up at him. I don't even realize his hand is still placed in mine. His voice is so different than before; deep like he is in a stupor. He is staring at me without blinking his eyes. But what does he mean by this?

"Huh?" I ask, not comprehending anything.

All of a sudden, he takes his hand out of mine which renders the aid kit and envelope of bandages on my lap to fall on the floor with a thud. In a blink of an eye, he plops his broad hand on side of my face; the same one which has got bruised. My eyes get wide in shock when I feel his warm and rough lips on my soft ones. He presses his lips more hardly on mine which prompts me to shut my eyes tightly.

 
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Salam guys!

So how is the chapter?

If you like it then don't forget to vote and comment.

This is my first time writing a romance scene so I don't know if its good or not.

Anyways, do you have any guesses what will happen next?

For those who wanted #Zarmaan scene, do you like it?

Till next update, Allah Hafiz.