Night time for a medical student is always reserved for studying, or that's what Izaan Shoaib used to tell himself. Night is silent and calm, a perfect setting to let the big words of a medical book drill into your mind. Complicated process to make sense and difficult terminologies to look a bit easy.

But tonight he decided to skip all that. He was sprawled on his bed, with his headphones in his ear and a soft melody, the one he was so used to since the song was sent to him by Kumail. The guy was pretty big on music unlike Izaan.

He was lying on his back and scrolling through his phone. Useless apps. But wasting time like this had never felt so fulfilling before.

To think of it, nothing had felt this fulfilling before. He was smiling more than usual, his normal was morphing into something which was once a rarity. And he was happy.

Happier than he ever was.

He had always been the one to live his life with set rules and never regret them. Being happy wasn't the goal. Getting things done was. And if in all this he got even a tiny bit of happiness then that was more than enough.

That was before Safwa Kirmani.

She came into his life like a barely there detail. When someone just slips there and you're perfectly fine with it because it doesn't even matter. Three years back when he was officially introduced to her, Izaan had no idea this girl was going to change the course of his life one day.

The friendship with her came easy. She was easygoing. Or maybe together they were easy for each other. He knew of her and she knew of him but it was just a few months back when they started knowing each other. Filling up the blank spaces of the tiny details and that somehow, made it all the more evident that how they could be the puzzle pieces missing from each other's life's jigsaw.

He wouldn't say he wasn't afraid. He was. He always was. He did his best to run away like he always does. But this time running away was exhausting, like he was making himself do something which wasn't aligning with the vast workings of the universe. Like he was doing an injustice to himself and Safwa both.

And at last he stopped running because it was getting too much to bear. Maybe embracing what life was offering him would be a better choice, not a wise one but a better choice nonetheless because he was tired of the games he was playing with his heart and then his mind. He was tired of this constant state of rope pulling.

So he sat down and just let things run their course. Sometimes with disapproval and over the time with a smile on his face.

Love came to him easy but he made it difficult till he realized he didn't have to. It was okay. It was okay to accept and okay to let it pull him further in.

Because if accepting with open arms was going to feel this amazing then he was a fool to noy try it earlier.

How could he run away from something as homely and as striking as Safwa Kirmani was? She broke all his defenses without doing much. And how far he was going to gather the bits and pieces to build those walls back when all she was going to do was break them again.

So for the first time he didn't even try rebuilding the defenses. He just let them stay the pieces they were. Instead he welcomed her into his heart and whatever she came with.

And so far he wasn't regretting it even a bit. He doubted he'd ever will. This was looking like the bigger plan anyway. His small plan of running away died its own death.

Standing on the seashore, looking at her and the eternities she held in that smile of hers, he realized that this was his destruction along with his salvation so why he'd hell bent upon seeing it from the goggles of a man who was here to lose, when this was what he was gaining. The radiant smile of hers which could marvel any star and even galaxies.

The decision was made in mere seconds, or even less than that. The always perfect planner didn't think things through and just went with his instinct.

And here he was now.

So happy

So in love

Maybe going with your gut feeling wasn't so bad.

Scratch that it wasn't bad at all.

It was easier than breathing. The first haze of uncertainty lifted and now he could see clearly how profoundly fortunate it was to be loved and to give love.

His terrain of thoughts was broken by the pinging of his phone and notification popping up.

Hesham changed the group name to 'one taken two mistaken'

Sarim: The hell, talk for yourself!

Hesham: I believe in unity

Sarim: Says the guy who's leaving no chance of shooting his shot

Hesham: Right now my only concern is not getting shot down by Zoni though

Sarim: ...Zoni?

Izaan: Progress I see.

Hesham: You know what I see? Confusion

Izaan: Regarding what exactly?

Sarim: Izaan, you fool don't give him ammunition

Izaan:....

Hesham: Confusion regarding winter or a summer wedding

Hesham: Or you could go with spring one. Wedding season rolls whole year in Pakistan anyway

Hesham: We can all distribute the duties among each other

Sarim: Someone shut him up

Hesham: A very shut up to you too you unsuccessful Romeo. This is about the successful Ranjha here.

Sarim: Stop being a bitch

Izaan: Don't call me Ranjha!

Hesham: But in all seriousness,

Sarim: I just snorted seeing you spelling seriousness right.

Hesham: *Ignoring Sarim so hard he will start doubting his existence* So, Izaan in all seriousness, how does it feel to be God's favourite

Izaan: Whenever I talk to you the feeling actually intensifies

Sarim: Bingo, Izaan!

Hesham: You fuckers are no fun. I'm going to Safi. She will give me far better responses than you two.

Hesham: Speaking of Safi, has she given you your muh dikhayi present yet?

Sarim: I'm laughing. Sorry Izaan.

Hesham: Don't be shy, Izzu. We know how hard it was for you to come around so a Muh Dikhayi present really does suit you.

Hesham: Fucker I said don't be fucking shy

Sarim: He's gonna either turn the chat off or block you.

Hesham: He wishes. No one can block The Hesham Baig

Hesham Baig has been blocked.

He chuckled seeing an influx of messages from Hesham threatening him to unblock him. Shaking his head he pulled the pillow over his head and sending a good night text to Safwa closed his eyes.

He didn't even have to wait for her to reply. He knew he'd definitely find a text back in the morning.

He always did.

____

Roshna closed her book and sighed. Swiveling into her seat she turned around where Izaan and Kumail were seated behind her. Both gave her quizzical looks which she returned with a scowl of her own.

"Okay, Izaan Shoaib, spill."

Izaan raised an eyebrow and then realization dawned on him.

"What do you want him to spill?"

Kumail was confused when Roshna pointed towards Izaan who was chuckling and hiding his smile and went back to his book.

"This! Have you seen how sickeningly giddy he's looking! Something's definitely up!"

It did nothing to wipe the smile off Izaan's face. Kumail was also looking interested in knowing the reason now but it was Izaan Shoaib. He was happy didn't mean he would be blurting his guts out to every friend of his. He just nodded mysteriously and picked his folder and bag got up.

"What? A guy can't even smile around here?"

Both Kumail and Roshna shook their heads simultaneously.

"After Dr. Naeem's lecture. No way!"

Izaan shrugged his shoulders. He had no plans of telling them anything right now. It was maybe pretty childish but he hadn't planned on telling anyone anytime soon about this new development in his life. He wanted to keep it to himself like you keep something so personal just to cherish the feeling of only you knowing it some more. His closest friends already knew but they were, well his gang and them knowing it wasn't something he was a little bit perturbed by. But getting more people informed of this wasn't something he wanted to do yet.

As he made his way out of the class, Kumail turned towards Roshna.

"Wanna bet he's in love?"

"What's there to bet? It's pretty obvious."

Kumail whistled, earning a glare from Roshna.

"What? Can't I show my astonishment? Izaan Shoaib is in love. Talk about the sun rising from the west."

"It's not that far-fetched you know. He's been acting pretty differently since a while. I'm happier than I'm curious because whatever that is, it looks good on him."

Kumail smiled, genuinely agreeing with her.

"So, even Izaan Shoaib is down. You know what it entails?"

Roshna didn't even give him a response. She knew what was coming next.

"We should also do something."

"We are studying for the upcoming assessment after the next lecture."

"You think you are slick?"

"I just think you're a dumbass. Now get up!"

He made a face at her lack of acknowledgment of what he was hinting at. Roshna shook her head at his oblivious ass. If he paid a little more attention, he'd have his answer. But that was with Kumail. He was oblivious and such a dunce.

_____

If Safwa Kirmani could count the things she was good at on her fingers, she'd place baking on the first spot. Yes, having a good dressing sense and knowing business tactics was a close second but baking would always be her forte.

So, right now her panic would look such an out of place kind of thing to anyone who had the privilege of tasting anything baked by her. But she couldn't put in words the reason for her fidgeting, what she'd tell them? That it was her first time baking something for Izaan after their confession, her first time visiting his place for that matter as well and she was uncharacteristically, nervous.

She had told herself to keep it together, it was just Izaan and his family, the people she'd been visiting for quite some time now. She had made a place of herself in their house but nothing was working.

She was aware that Izaan hadn't told any of his family members of the new progress in their relationship. Same was true for her. She hadn't told both Nusrat Aapa and Phupho about it. Though Nusrat Aapa did have a clue knowing that it was in her lap that Safwa had first gotten the striking realization that she actually was in love with Izaan, but after that Aapa hadn't brought it up and Safwa was thankful for that. It just didn't feel right, including everyone into this secret of theirs when they themselves were getting accustomed to the idea that they were finally more than friends.

The gang knowing that wasn't something out of the ordinary. Because Safwa was sure that they even knew it before her or Izaan had any idea. She made a mental note of having a conversation with Hesham over it once he was free from the new case he was working on with Zonish.

Memoona auntie had greeted her with her usual motherly warmth and lots of praises. Abba had perked up on seeing her because he had found himself a new book and he wanted to discuss it with her and then give it to her to have a read. She got immersed in the usual clatter of Ansari House and its members that for a while the idea that she was in her newly found boyfriend's house with his family got out of her mind completely. For her they were just Abba and Memoona auntie. Their bond with her was older than whatever was going on between her and Izaan.

She was in the kitchen, giving last touches to the baked goods when Izaan came into the kitchen, totally unaware that he'd find her. She'd come unannounced. Just like she came into his heart.

They both smiled at each other. A knowing smile but the warmth of it hadn't faded, it had formed into something more meaningful.

"I didn't know you were coming over."

"Yeah, I just thought of paying a visit to Memoona auntie and Abba."

Izaan raised an eyebrow as if asking her is that it? The real reason for her coming here. Safwa looked away. She was trying her best for the cute basket behind her won't come into his notice but it did.

"What we've got here?"

He asked, straining his neck. Safwa panicked a little but then moved to the side so the basket would be in his total focus.

"Also, I might or might not have baked you something."

Izaan stared at it, the aroma was also now coming in full force. Safwa was standing close by biting her lip in anticipation.

Suddenly the Muh Dikhayi comment of Hesham from last night popped into Izaan's head and he, even though trying his best, burst into laughter.

A complete, full fledged laugh. His eyes turned into crescents and his cheeks looked full. Safwa forgot everything else, her line of vision was just him and his infectious laughter.

"Did Hesham ask you to bake this?"

He asked once his laughter had subsided. Safwa shook her head and then she pouted. She was already nervous and look at him! laughing on her face.

"Are you laughing at my baking!"

He immediately sobered up.

"No! Why would I?"

"Then why did you? Do you have any idea how nervous I was? This is my first time baking something for you after our....well whatever. I skipped my class for this. Got up earlier than the sun and see this! I even burnt my finger!"

She pushed her hand in front of him. The burn was just the size of a scratch but it was a burn nonetheless.

Izaan immediately went into panic mode.

"I really didn't mean to...I wasn't laughing at this. Shoot! I was...God! Fuck Hesham!"

Safwa gave her a very offended look when he held her hand.

"Come with me."

He took her straight to his room and opened his medical box.

"You really didn't have to go through such a hassle just to bake something for me."

He was examining the burn closely.

"Why not? You love those cookies."

Izaan looked up and then looked away. Her radiance was sometimes too much to directly look at.

"Still, I laughed and made things worse."

"I can bet it involved Hesham somewhere. His involvement always ensures chaos."

Izaan couldn't deny that.

"Plus, I was just trying to mess with you. Your laughing actually eased my nerves too."

"You shouldn't have been nervous in the first place."

Safwa rested her face on her palm. Her one hand was still in his hold.

"I won't be. Because if you can keep on checking my pinky nail sized burn, and putting ointment on it, I have nothing to be nervous about. You are a keeper."

She laughed at his stunt expressions. Music to his ears.

"Well that I'm. A keeper."

"Now are you going to tell me what Hesham actually said to you that you were about to burst a lung or should I start with my guesses?"

Izaan groaned. Now he would have to recount that embarrassing conversation to her but how could he say no to this? Her whole attention towards him, a smile on her face and her hand in his?

Never.

Later, when they had laughed about the conversation from last night, Safwa and Abba had had their book discussions and Memoona had learned a new recipe from Safwa, it was time for her to leave. And she hadn't called her driver. Izaan didn't even ask why. It just felt fitting that he'd himself drop her back to her place.

"Amma, I'm going to drop Safwa home."

Izaan announced entering the kitchen and then realized. Memoona was humming a soft tune. He almost did a double take.

"Amma?"

She smiled his way and then raised an eyebrow. Izaan looked sideways scratching his neck. A gesture when he was caught doing something.

"Go, what do they say in movies? Yeah, Go Simran, live your life."

"Amma, That's..."

"Just go!"

She chuckled at his embarrassed self and once he was out of the kitchen, Memoona let the biggest smile she'd supported in a while bloom on her lips.

"May all the evil eyes off you two."

She got back to what she was doing but her smile never left her face for a long time after that.

The same couldn't be said for a very pissed off Ibsam standing in the hallway. He had seen the whole exchange with a very bitter expression on his face. Something acrid was burning in his mouth, making way towards his whole body. He didn't like what he saw. Not one bit.

______

Musa Behroze's house is situated in a mediocre locality of Karachi, the part which isn't frequented by people from posh areas like DHA and Clifton often. There's a row of small houses, some are just skeletons of cement and bricks while others do have finishing touches of whitewash and paint, that is also chipping off from various angles.

They had gotten this address with more difficulty than they were hoping for. The thing about closed cases is, they are like graves. No one wants to open them. Because the remains often tell hows and whats people are so vehemently trying to cover. Musa's case was also a closed one so it was only natural to not have easy access to everything related to it, including his house where his mother now resided, dead or alive that was yet to be seen.

Zonish leaned against the car looking over at the expanse of the locality. Hesham was at some distance, asking people about Musa's mother's whereabouts. She was also doing that a while back but resorted to standing by the car because apparently her clothing was getting frowned upon.

Funny, jeans and a shirt could do that.

She didn't want to cause any scene so instead of asking the people what their problem was, she just shook her head and got back to their parked vehicle.

"They look surprised. Seems like no one ever comes asking for Musa and his mother."

Hesham came to her side. His face had eased out of the frown that settled on his face when the people won't stop eyeing Zonish weirdly. His annoyance was directed at them, not her, Zonish realized this when she was coming back to the car and that left a small smile on her face. Not a full fledged one. Just a smile curl of her lips.

"Did you manage to get the location though?"

He nodded, opening the door of the car. Zonish also got inside, there was a visible shift in her sullen mood now that they were one step ahead of finding something out.

The said house was two lanes away. Right at the end of the street and more debilitated than any building in the area.

It was a small single story house. The condition of the front door and walls was the same as a ruin, inside was pitch dark. For a moment Zonish was sure there was no one inside but then they saw a woman coming out of the ajar door. She looked at the both of them with a frown. She was pretty young, in no way she could be Musa's mother.

"Is it Musa Behroze's house?"

Zonish asked. The woman nodded slowly.

"But Musa died years back."

She thought it important to inform them.

"We know that. We are actually here to meet his mother."

"Maa jee?"

She exclaimed, surprised. It was sure that not many people used to come here with this prospect.

"She's inside. I'm her neighbor. Because of her failing health, she can't do much so I come here everyday to take care of things as much as I can. Come, I'll take you to her."

The kind neighbor moved back inside and made room for them to pass through the door. They reached a small hallway which was completely empty and dark. At one end was an open veranda, and on the other hand was a small room. The light was on inside and it was a relief for the eyes which were getting tired of the dark prevailed everywhere.

"Maa Jee?"

The young woman called out, leading them towards the room. Limited and dusty furniture, a cot and a table with few utensils around. In the middle of it a woman was seated on a mat. Her wrinkled skin was indicating the decades she'd seen. Her head was covered with a white Chaddar.

"Rukhsana, you forgot something?"

She asked. Her voice was feeble. As if she wasn't used to using it much.

"No, No, Maa Jee! There are these kids to see you."

"Kids?"

She finally looked at them. Her eyes were squinted as if she was trying her best to make out their features.

"They asked for you as Musa's mother."

There was something in her old dull eyes that shone at the mention of her son's name.

"Musa."

She took his name as if she was cherishing the feel of it.

"Maa Jee."

Zonish sat in front of her. The softness on her face was something Hesham had never seen before.

"How are you? We aren't here to do any harm. I swear. We just..."

She looked around as if she didn't know how to tell her that they were here to know more about her deceased son.

"The bulb of this room was again acting up. I told Musa, do something about it! And my precious boy said, Maa jee! Don't you worry! Today after coming back from work I will change all the bulbs in this house. You won't sit in darkness ever again. Musa lied. Musa never came back. Neither did the light in this house."

She chuckled humorlessly. Something in it was so melancholic that it could put the drab interior and poor neighborhood to shame.

Rukhsana wiped her tears and then turned to Hesham.

"You want to know about Musa right?"

Hesham nodded and then again looked at Maa Jee and Zonish.

"We still can't believe it. Whatever that happened. But one thing I can still say with conviction, Musa wasn't into any such thing they made him out to be. He was a simple guy. Poor but ambitious. His life revolved around his mother. Maa Jee this, Maa Jee that. My husband still vehemently believes in his innocence. We all did, and we still do. He got mixed up in the wrong crowd. His timing was wrong. We couldn't even know if someone would even come to his rescue. But then that Lawyer came to our help. We were hopeful it would work. But it didn't. He.."

"Lost the case."

Hesham finished it for her. Zonish was by now standing by the shelf. There were two photo frames placed there. A man was smiling in both.

Musa.

Zonish looked at Hesham. There was so much exchanged through a single look between them.

Spending some more time with Maa Jee and Rukhsana, they gathered as much information as it was provided to them. Prodding Maa Jee for answers didn't look good to them. It would be so cruel. So they let her say what she felt like seeing. She just shared her memories with her son and even from a mother's point of view, the guy seemed as harmless as any normal citizen is. Rest of the facts were filled up by Rukhsana. They had no proof but they had memories, vivid and unrelenting. And sometimes memories speak louder than any tangible proof out there.

They were close to their car, Rukhsana had just gotten back inside after saying her goodbyes to them. Both Hesham and Zonish were silent. An agreement was made between them. There was more to this case than the file was letting on, just like they had guessed before even taking it.

"Mothers really are precious."

Zonish whispered. Hesham glanced in her way and saw her wiping her eyes quickly lest he should see.

"They really are."

Maybe it was the mutual understanding of growing up without one, but they both could feel something had shifted in their equation after that.

"You hungry?"

His equivalent of 'are you okay?'

"Yes. Yes, I'm."

Her equivalent of 'I'm. I'm okay.'

So, without further ado, they drove through the street. They had a dinner to catch.

_____

"Ammi, will you stop complaining? I told you Mohid was busy so I couldn't visit."

Irma hugged Farwa sideways and rested her head on her mother's shoulder. The warmth immediately felt like a safe and secure cocoon. Sarim just smiled at both of them sipping the coffee Irma had just handed to him.

For the past few weeks, Irma's lack of visits was a constant worry for Farwa. There was nothing serious regarding it, Mohid was busy with a new project his company had started and Irma thought that leaving a neck deep in work husband to fend for himself when he got back home wasn't a good choice so she didn't visit. But Farwa was a mother and mothers often tend to worry unnecessarily, she pestered Sarim so much that he was here this particular Tuesday evening, at Irma's place and to say Irma was pleasantly surprised would be an understatement.

They could tell Farwa wasn't the only one who'd missed her daughter, the daughter in question was also equally involved in it. Both of them were plastered to each other so much that Sarim had to throw a few snide and very jealous comments around but they didn't pay him any heed. Irma just pushed a mug of coffee in his hand to keep him occupied as both mother and daughter discussed matters which were out of Sarim's comprehension.

He stood in Irma's lounge window. The apartment was in a well off area of Karachi and seemed like the neighborhood was also nice. The window looked over the vast gardens outside and also faced the adjacent building. The sun was setting on the horizon and the rays collided with the window glass casting an orange hue around. The setting was perfect.

"You like the view?"

Irma asked, standing next to him. She had extended the plate of cakes and cookies towards him. He silently took one.

"It's nice."

"I remember you once told me an apartment like this is your dream place."

Sarim immediately threw a worried glance towards Farwa, who was sorting some of Irma's haphazardly thrown decorations in the name of interior.

"Can you keep it low. You know Ammi!"

"She's not even listening. Chill."

Irma assured him. Her eyes were following the path of a fading ray of light.

"That plan is still on right?"

"About having an apartment like this?"

"About breaking free, Sarim."

He was taken aback. Irma was always understanding of his desire to get away from his home life but she never fully supported it, too entangled in the sentiments of prenatal love. So her asking him this was bound to make him surprised.

"Who are you and what you did to my sister."

She laughed at this. A breezy sound. Too good to hear and equally good to feel.

"People change, Sarim. I think that breaking free isn't as bad as I used to think it was."

He nodded, taking another sip of his coffee.

"How's your job hunting going? You sounded pretty serious when you told me you were going to apply."

There was a pause. Then she replied with the same air of nonchalance which had become a part of her personality since the past six months.

"I'm not doing anything about it right now. Mohid's busy and it's just me to take care of things around here so maybe right now's not the right time."

Sarim nodded, understanding where she was coming from. He didn't, for the first time, show his displeasure over Irma not looking for ways to be independent. And he wouldn't know that it disappointed Irma greatly. His insistence on her finding a decent job as soon as she could was something she was looking for so much at this moment. She needed to hear it. But he didn't say it.

"Whenever it suits you then. Mohid's doing fine right?"

She smiled and nodded. They got immersed into another discussion over Sarim's university life, his friends and of course Elaf. Maybe that was the reason Sarim couldn't see how on the mere mention of Mohid, Irma had tightened her grip around her sleeve the end of which was bunched in her palm.

______

The thing about being in the last year of your under-grad studies is, the looming cloud of professional life and venturing into it is almost always upon you. If their professors' warnings weren't enough, the career drive flyers were all over the notice boards announcing the representatives of different companies would visit their university soon and give them heads up about what they required for securing a job there.

The day of the job drive was happening to put it mildly. Students from all faculties and departments of engineering were gathered in the main hall. Booths and tables were set up where the people sent by companies were sitting. A seminar and then came the never seen mess of students getting career advice and criteria information from them.

Elaf took the water bottle from Marva and silently watched around and sipped from it.

"They said I needed to up my cgpa by a few points if I wanted to secure a position in their internship program."

Rabea whined which didn't go unnoticed by Elaf but she chose to not comment on it.

Her eyes were fixed over a table in the far corner. A girl with a friendly smile was giving students career advice. Mostly people from the mechanical engineering department were going to her as her company was a famous name in mechanics and machines.

And by people Elaf meant guys. Mostly guys. Because the girl was so dismissive of the girls that she wasn't even trying to even hide it. The man sitting beside her was just showing his full jawset whenever she'd get over with a girl asking for career advice in mere minutes but would give guys not less than half an hour to contemplate their options for a job.

"Could she be any more obvious?"

Marva asked with disdain. It wasn't just Elaf who had felt it. Her friends around also shared the same sentiments. From the corner of her eyes, Elaf could see Mishal scowling at the girl too. Elaf had just seen her being dismissed from the table too and that really dampened her already sour mood. Mishal was the best among the girls in their class for heaven's sake!

They had their Fluid Mechanics class right after this shitfest. Professor Zahoor was one of the organizers of the event and surely he'd definitely want to know what the students' thoughts were about it.

Elaf had made up her mind. She wasn't going to sit silent without informing her professor about this detail that the representatives of a famous company were still living in the 18th century.

As expected Professor Zahoor had excitedly asked the students about this new experience. There was a mix of murmurs and loud shouts. None of those made any sense. But Elaf had raised her arm and so, she immediately came into the professor's view. He smiled and encouraged her to say her mind and oh she was so gonna say it.

The class was in complete silence when she got up. Half of the girls who were aware of her no shit attitude already knew what she was going to say and they were looking forward to what the professor would say in reply.

"Sir, everything was good and we got a fair idea of what we should expect and what can be the expectations of the companies willing to hire us. But one thing which made me and I can say many girls of this class shocked and disappointed was the behaviour of the representatives of Deikon manufacturing industries."

A frown appeared on Professor Zahoor's face which gave Elaf the courage to complete what she was seeing.

"They weren't really interested in giving girls of this class any career advice. The woman sitting on the desk had clear aversion to the task. The man wasn't any better. When both of them were pulling teeth to cater to every query of the male population of this class."

The girls around her nodded their heads but loud and collective groans could be heard from the guys sitting at the back of the class.

"Well, she was doing the nice work, Elaf. Given the fact that half of you guys gotta get married straight after graduating so what's the point?"

Uzair WhateverHisSurnameWas earned himself a scathing look from Elaf.

"I second this. This debate of equality between girls and boys really loses its factual basis when you look at the reality. No offense to anyone but for the guys it's mandatory to get a job right after graduating while there's no such compulsion for girls. That's how society works. So, if guys are the direct audience and target for companies who want actual employees then what the fuss is about?"

Ibrahim. The same notion in better and calculated words. Haystack anyway.

"With full offense to whom it may concern,"

All heads turned towards Sarim who was looking straight at Ibrahim.

"We are the society you just blamed for this difference of standard between girls and boys. What you are talking about is something that comes after Graduating, if you will actually graduate might I add."

Loud snickers. No one ever doubted Sarim Haider's ability to tear someone a new one with dignified words.

"Right now both the girls and the boys in this class are getting the same education. All your arguments are based on would be's. Girls would get married. Boys would get jobs. It's all in the future and very much debatable. Right now, sitting in this class all of us are at the same level of career chances because we are getting the same education so why the difference? Instead of calling that company and its employees out for weird behaviour you guys are making it an issue of your ego. Do better."

Seemed like everyone agreed with this but Uzair wasn't going down without a fight.

"Accepted, Haider. But why Elaf here has a problem with it anyway? As far as I remember she doesn't even come under the list of top fifteen students of this class and I see no other girls speaking up. Sorry to break it to you, Elaf but even if they would consider giving girls career advice, you weren't going to get anything out of them."

Instead of snickers the class had erupted out in loud protest at his crude wording.

"Shut it, Uzair."

Someone shouted from the side row. Sarim's lips were pressed into a thin line. He had never lost his cool in class, generally a mellow tempered guy but now he looked like he wouldn't hesitate giving Uzair a piece of his mind. But before it could come to this, Elaf spoke up.

"I'm aware of that, Uzair, thank you very much. But the fact is, I wasn't just the only one who faced their very biased behaviour. Even those girls who come into the top ten also felt it. Mishal and Naveera for example. Turns out not being at the top of class doesn't stop you from having an opinion, if that were the case, Mr. Uzair here whose surname I really can't recall right now, wouldn't even have a chance. You failed the Complex Variables course last semester. Wish you a happy enrollment."

Professor Zahoor who was till now acting more like a silent spectator, came into action as soon as Elaf sat down into her seat.

"I have heard your objection and I will be delivering those to the authorities as it is. Any kind of biased behaviour really contradicts the fine process of learning and as Sarim, right now all of you are at the same level of that learning. So we will see about this issue."

He had immediately started his lecture after that leaving no room for further argument.

When the class ended, Elaf was getting her things when she felt the familiar presence behind her. Her hunch was right. Mishal was standing close to her looking nervously over her things.

"Hi, Mish."

"Hi, Elaf."

The awkwardness would make anyone assume that they were never best of best friends but that's about university life and life in general. You lose some. You gain some.

"Listen, I just wanted to thank you for taking a stand for us all. You always do but I didn't think you'd specially mention me."

"Why wouldn't I? You are the best student in this class after Sarim."

"Yeah, but the way we ended things. The way I behaved and all that stuff still stood up for me and other girls in this class. That's commendable."

Elaf gave her a nod of acknowledgment.

"I'm sorry about how I behaved with you over that mild argument. I shouldn't have brought your parents into that."

"You weren't wrong. I was neglecting my studies and I was lying to my parents. It was a fair point."

"You left the dramatics club."

"I got kicked out but that's another story."

"That's not good. I mean why? You were the best that they had."

Elaf smiled lightly. Mishal really lived in her own bubble. Almost the whole campus knew why she was kicked out.

"That's about it. Sometimes even the best isn't enough. But it's okay. I'm focusing on my studies. I might not be in the top ten but I'm trying my best here."

"Uzair was an ass to say that to you."

"Fuck him. Who is he even?"

Mishal popped her eyes at the cussing but laughed nonetheless.

"I'll see you around, Mishal."

"Yeah. See you, Elaf. Bye."

The abrupt goodbye was an indication that they might be now on good terms but they weren't the best friends they were once. And it was perfectly okay.

"I see this shitfest at least got you an old friend back."

She was just outside of the class when she heard his comment and smiled.

"I can say you were about to get an enemy on your back the way you were glaring at Uzair."

"His day will come. One day. I'm not gonna leave it to just this."

"Calm down, Hero! It's alright. I got him good."

"That you did."

Sarim remembered how she had set him right in his place.

"By the way how was it with you though? I can bet the companies would be flocking around you."

"They were close but I didn't pay him much heed."

"How modest. Our humble kind Sarim Haider."

"Yeah, that's what I thought. They were good but that's not where I see myself."

"Ahan?"

Elaf's interest has piqued.

"You mean these companies aren't your dream workplace?"

"Well, a workplace is a workplace. There's nothing dreamy about giving into capitalism. But I do have a company in mind. If I land myself a job there that will be a good thing."

"You seem quite ambitious to get there."

"I'm. I once did an internship there and their whole setup really stuck with me."

"You will get it."

"Easier said than done but I take your word on it."

"Oh you'll surely get it, Sarim. Have some faith in yourself."

He didn't know that but he knew that he would try his best like he always did. Her faith in him was an added boost.

___

A/N: I've tried building the foundation of many upcoming scenarios in this update. You can guess a few xD

Life update is, I've started working on the book I'm going to post after this one gets concluded. I'm excited because it's coming out pretty fine.

I hope you all are having a nice weekend. Stay safe.

Love,

Aims.