Hey! I am back again :D :D

My holidays are just about to end so, I thought I needed to gear up and update as much as I can because Monday ke baad mera kya hoga, even I don't know. LOL

Oh by the way, if I don't end up updating before Eid,

Eid Mubarak to all of you in advance!! =D

HappyReading

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~~~HUSSAIN's POV~~~

"And this area is just amazing. I have been living here for about three months and I love the people," Jabir uncle smiled warmly at me as he showed me around the neighbourhood.

"Of course uncle," I smiled back and he knelt down to pick up the morning newspaper.

"Oh wait!" I stopped Him and bent down, "main utha deta hoon."

"Thank you," he patted my back and I lifted my hand to my chest, bowing down a little.

"How can you not know your seven times table?" I raised my eyes to spot Madiha on the far corner. About six children sat in front of her and one was standing, with their book in Madiha's hand.

Subha subha iska daant ka kota shuru.

"Kal toh ki thi? Kahaan hai book? Show it to me!" She scolded the little girl and she quickly pulled out another book.

"Yeh aap hi ki beti hai?" I blurted out of nowhere and my eyes widened.

Shit! Yeh kya pooch liya uncle se?

"N-nahi woh a-aap aur aunty itne sweet hein and she is always getting angry," I stuttered, backing up my stupid question.

Uncle chuckled and shook his head, "issi se toh ab meri aur Ateefa ki zindagi hai. She is strict at times but, her heart is like pure gold."

I nodded, still staring at her and uncle sighed, "yeah, somewhere down the line, she has forgotten how to smile... Hamari wajah se khud ke liye jeena bhool gayi hai. Life is never fair but, it has been extra cruel to her."

I frowned at his words and looked down, "Ji? Main samjha nahi?"

"Arey suniyein!" Aunty's voice interrupted our mini conversation, "market se dhoodh le aayein zara!"

"Abhi laya," uncle yelled back and turned to me, "I'll be back soon!"

"Why? You wait here and I'll get it," I insisted but he shook his head. "No I need my morning walk anyway."

I nodded and he left. I turned my attention to Madiha. Yesterday she gave tuitions to three batches and now she even has morning classes. Iske paas saans lene ka time bhi hota hai kya?

"I need neat handwriting tomorrow! Ok?" She now had her paws around another student's neck and I rolled my eye.

"Bache hein, subha subha saans toh lene do!" I chuckled and all the eyes turned to me. The kids stared at me in amusement while Madiha narrowed her eyes at me.

I blinked at the kids and smiled, "aaj chutti!"

Within a blink, they grabbed their bags and raced out of the garden. I watched them disappear and then I realised what I had just done.

"How dare you?!" Madiha growled, marching towards me and I backed off.

"Wow! Easy woman! You needed a break anyway. Ek class se kya farak parta hai?" I shrugged, holding my hands up in the air.

Small crinkles formed between her eyebrows as she blew air out of her mouth. Maybe trying to cool herself down.

"You won't understand how much each class means to them ... and to me," she replied lowly, blinking at the floor, "This was equivalent to one student missing out on one whole week."

She walked past me. I gulped and rolled my lips inwards. That was her source of income. Yeh kya kiya Hussain?!

"Hey look, I am sorry," I called out but, in vein.

~~~MADIHA's POV~~~

Pata nahi kya samajhte hein khud Ko? Ab inhein kaun samjhaye yeh classes kitni zaroori hein mere liye. Now all those kids will go home and their mothers will come here. Ugh!

"Arey arey! Why are you so angry!" Amma asked me as I entered the kitchen and picked up a glass.

"Why did abba have select such an idiot paying guest? Could he not find someone better?" I asked and Amma snatched the glass out of my hand.

She filled it with cold water and gave it back to me, "here, drink this and cool down first."

I took a large sip and kept the glass down, "I don't like this new guy."

Amma chuckled and shook her head, "why? What did he do?"

"He sent all my students home, Amma," I complained and she smiled at me.

"Bas?" She raised an eyebrow at me and I frowned. "Bas kya? Now I won't get paid for today. You know how hard it's going to be by the end of the month?"

"Oh ho, just relax," she sighed, getting back to pealing the potatoes, "it won't be hard because now we have the bond money."

"Bond money?" I frowned, "didn't abba already pay Adil Chacha?"

"There is still a good amount left and wait," she paused and turned around. Opening a drawer, she pulled out a few notes, "take this for your abba's medicine and don't tell him or else he will find another way to use this money."

I shook my head and took three crisp notes from her. It looked like Hussain had just withdrawn them from the bank before giving them to abba.

"Farishta hai woh jise ALLAH ne hamaare liye bheja hai," amma held my hand and I looked down at it, "ab dekho, uske aane se Adil bhai ke paise vapis kar sakey hum. Warna pata nahi aur kitni baatien sunni parti."

I nodded at her and she caressed my cheek, "now be nice to him. Okay?"

"Ji," I sighed, "aap kitchen dekhiyein aur main kapre sukha kar aayi."

"Okay," she nodded and went out from the back door.

I entered the laundry and picked up the basket of washed clothes. Now that I have time before work then I might as well help Amma.

~~~HUSSAIN's POV~~~

"Hello? Hello?" I yelled when I couldn't quite catch what Shehry was saying from the other end of the phone.

"Oh yaar! Hold on.. I will call you back!" I yelled again and ended the call. Phone main chilla chilla kar hi gala kharab ho jayega mera.

I dialled Shehry's number again and pressed the phone against my ear. While waiting for the call to connect, I looked out in the open and saw her. She fiddle with some clothes and pulled out a bedsheet to hang. Throwing it over the rope, that was horizontally attached to two pillars, she disappeared behind it.

Ek isse kaam se fursat nahi hai.

The sudden beep near my ear, snapped me out of my daze and I realised that I was on the phone. The dial tone went blank and I sighed, ending the call. I guess Shehry might have gone to sleep already.

I kept my phone in my pocket and looked over at Madiha. She was still shuffling through the clothes in the basket when I decided to approach her. I guess I should apologise again for what happened.

"Hey!" I greeted her and she turned around instantly.

"Woah!" she jumped back and lost her balance.

I gasped as my arm absentmindedly slid around her waist and surprisingly held her firmly in a diagonal position. She breathed loud, shallow breaths from her slightly parted lips and I glared at her face. With her eyebrows knitted together, yet again, she blinked at me.

"Leave me," the words escaped from her lips and I blinked, jumping out of my thoughts. "What?"

"I.." She turned her head slightly to look behind her and turned to me again, "I said leave me."

"Ok," I whispered, pulling my arm out again and her eyes widened. "Aah!" She screams before shutting them tightly.

While gravity pulled her down, my hand brushed past her arm and I grasped on to her wrist, holding her in a firm position again. Those long lashed parted as her eyes sprung open. Her face turned pale, she looked like she had just witnessed a ghost.

"Madiha!" A loud voice filled the air around us and Madiha, who was too shocked to move a second ago, tugged on to my arm with her free hand.

"Oh yeah!" I choked out like an idiot and pulled her up again.

"Pagal ho? Aise chorne ko kisne kaha tha?" She hissed at me and I scratched the back of my neck. Those eyes.. So damn angry like abhi kacha chaba jayegi.

"Mad- arey Hussain!" Aunty's voice made me look away and I found her near the back door of the house.

"Come on, have breakfast both of you," Aunty said and I nodded. "Ji abhi aaye."

"Amma I'll put the washing on the line first," Madiha replied and turned around but, not before shooting an angry stare at me.

"Ok but, be quick. You don't have much time," Aunty said to her and walked back inside.

I looked at Madiha, who was busy with the clothes again, and chose to walk away. Just then my mind clicked and I walked closer to her instead.

"Madiha!" I called out her name and she flinched a little. I smirked to myself when she gripped on to a pillow cover tightly.

"I wouldn't have let you fall."

~~~MADIHA's POV~~
*That night*

The unexpected rain soaked up the whole garden and even my bench and the chalkboard were wet now. Ya toh barish hogi nahi; aur agar hogi toh bin bulaye hehmaan ki tarhaan ho jayegi. And bin bulaya mehmaan reminds of that new guy. Hussain Asif. Pata nahi kya problem hai uski? Apne kaam se kaam rakhna toh use jaise aata hi nahi.

I sighed as I tiptoed on the moist mud, leaving deep imprints of my feet on it. I kept my hands on my hips and wondered how I am going to carry the heavy chalk board inside. It was completely drenched and that was a disappointment. Now what will I do tomorrow? How will I teach those kids?

Suddenly I felt someone's presence behind my back. I could hear someone breathing.

"Main kuch madad kar doon?" I flinched, turning around. Hussain, stood only a couple of feet away from me.

"Aap ko logon ko darane main maza aata hai?" I blurted, frowning at him.

"I didn't mean to scare you," he scratched the back of his head and stepped away.

"It's eleven pm and you came out of nowhere," I raised an eyebrow at him, "how do you expect someone to not get scared?"

"S-sorry," he mumbled and I shook my head, turning to the chalkboard again.

"Aap hamesha apne teacher mode main rehteen hein?" He asked out of nowhere and I looked up at him. "Ji?"

"Uhh come on help," Hussain quickly knelt down and held the chalkboard from one end.

"Yeah," I chocked out and gripped the other end of it. We carefully carried it to the shed and kept it there; safe.

"You were yelling at Haidar yesterday and the girl this morning and then at me... All most all the time.. So just wondering," Hussain commented as we walked back to the main door of the house.

"They are my students.. I have to act strict or else they will think they can get away with anything," I said in my defence and Hussain stopped walking.

He turned to me and raised an eyebrow, "so am I also your student?"

"Kaash hotey toh aisi chichori harkatein nahi karte," I said out of nowhere, referring to the wink, and instantly bit my tongue.

What if he gets angry now and leave? Gosh, abba has already used the bond money; we won't be able to return that anytime soon.

To my surprise, Hussain shrugged his shoulders and continued walking, "Toh bana li jiyein student.. Let's see how good you are at your work."

He stopped and turned around, "chalein teacher ji.. Pehli class abhi rakh lete hein."

I frowned at him and he chuckled, "ab toh ek introduction ho jaye? Apne new student ki khatir. Please teacher ji?"

"Don't call me that!" I snapped. He was clearly making fun of me.

"So what should I call you? You didn't even introduce yourself to me." He complained and I started walking again.

I blinked and he sighed, "fine I'll go first. I am Hussain Asif, I am twenty six, from Houston and I am here for a business trip. Now your turn."

I sucked in a deep breath and smiled, "good night, Hussain."

I almost walked around him when he muttered, "nak-chari!"

I gasped and turned to face him, "excuse me! I am not a nak-chari, okay?"

"Woah! Lady!" He raised his hands in the air and stepped back, "prove me wrong then... Introduce yourself."

"Fine!" I snorted and took a deep breath.

Easy Madiha, you know you are not what he thinks you are so, prove him wrong. Just say it with a smile on your face.

I extended my hand and waited for Hussain to shake it. Once he did, I pulled it back and intwined my fingers. I blinked at my own hands before looking up at him again.

"You know my name, larkiyon se age poochte nahi, and you know where I live and my profession already," I said in one long breath and paused, "ho Gaya? Now Goodnight."

"Bas?" He asked, in disbelief and I nodded, smiling at him but, smirking inside my.

"Mom said that Faisalabadis are fun loving people! But I guess she was wrong," he basically taunted, directing that statement at me.

"And now you are taunting me!" I voiced my thought, folding my arms in front of my chest.

"What? Me? No teacher!" He widened his eyes and pouted, "zaya hona hai maine aapke haathon? I love my ears way too much. Kaheen keench diye toh?"

He touched his ears and I couldn't hold back my giggle, "you are pulling my leg now!"

"Shukar hai you realised," he shrugged and I gasped.

"How mean!"

He chucked and shoved his hands in his sweatpants' pockets, "good night Madiha. I am glad that I could make you laugh... Even if it was for a few seconds."

He winked and turned around. I gasped and frowned at his back. He winked at me? AGAIN?

'I am glad that I could make you laugh.'

Yeah, he really did! I don't remember when was the last time when I laughed properly.

"Hey Hussain!" I called out and he stopped walking. "Ji teacher?" He asked as he turned to face me.

"Don't call me that," I rolled my eyes and he chuckled.

"Toh intro de do?"

I extended my hand again and waited for him to accept the handshake. Once he did, I smiled.

"Madiha Kasim Qureshi."

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WOAH OK! :0

The name clicked? :P

I'll see you in the next update :)

LoveAlways!