Read the previous chapters if you forgot what the story was, cause before writing I did forgot everything and had to reread it.

•••

The atmosphere in Thameem's apartment was calm and serene as the clock ticked six in the evening. It was not yet time for dusk, but still, the sky was gradually veering to pitch black. The mistiness and light drizzling of rain from the previous day's morning were still there. It looked like the clouds were about to bump and pour down.

As the weather seemed rainy, Thameem knew there would be massive traffic on the road. He didn't want to risk it and miss that girl who asked him to meet. But more than him, his sister Sheha was more thrilled to meet her. She even prepared her set of questions for her little interrogation. Reading countless mystery novels and watching movies, she was already great in this field and always fancied investigating and interrogating a person.

"Bro, get ready fast, or else we will miss her!" Sheha reminded, eyeing at the clock and her brother, who stayed composed, pondering something and being in his deep thoughts.

"Sheha, don't you think something is wrong? Why would she call me after stealing the money? Why she needs to meet me?" He voiced his thoughts.

"Whatever the reason is, we'll only know if we go there right now!" Saying this, she dragged him to his room to brush his coffee-coloured hair as it was messy.

"Okay, Boss, let's go," Thameem announced and started the engine.

His other sister, Sabaah, was not going with them. She departed to visit her husband and family in Abu Dhabi. Their Nikkah was held two months back and planned the wedding seven months later. Hence, along with seeing her brother and enjoying time with him, she was also excited to spend one week in Abu Dhabi. Ayaan, her husband, came in the afternoon along with his sisters and picked her up.

•••

The clock streaked half-past six. She knew it was early, and yet she was a little furious. She wore a long ivory shade, full sleeve gown with florals and left her dusky black hair open. She had a weird way of making decisions, and it kept changing by a specific deadline she kept in her mind.

If they come here within five minutes, I'll leave my hair open like now, and if they come after that, I'm going to tie this up! She murmured to her inner self.

There were no specific reasons or any logic for the conditions she kept to herself. She was like that, prefer this attitude of her, and will continue to be like this. Taking out her phone from her plum-coloured sling bag, she decided to take a few pictures of the place where she was seated as it was near a big luxurious fountain.

Ten minutes passed, so she slowly took out the satin scrunchie from her bag and tied up her hair in a high ponytail. Folding her arms against her chest, she waited for them.

Just when she was about to call Thameem, she saw him entering the restaurant long with a girl. She saw him picking up his phone from the jeans pocket while looking around the place. It was evident that he was clueless and was searching for her. In a swift, she grabbed her phone and dialed him.

He took the phone in a second, and she abruptly spoke, "I'm on your left. Come." He glanced at his side and saw her sitting on a two-seat table with a straight posture. Her voice felt commanding, but he ignored it and strolled towards the table with Sheha.

Thameem greeted her with salaam, to which she replied back while nodding and gestured them to take the seat. Sheha glanced between the seat as there was only one. So, like a good desi girl, she dragged a chair from the table nearby, placed it on their table, and smirked at the woman sitting in front of her.

"I asked you to come, and you're here with a friend?" She inquired while grinning.

"She's my-" Thameem was interrupted as Sheha cut him off.

"You never told him to come alone." Sheha glared.

"I was not talking to you. I'm asking him, what was your name? Tha.. yeah, Thameem!" She said while scowling back at Sheha.

"And who told you I'm his friend?" Sheha inquired, raising her eyebrows.

"Sheha, no. I'll manage this." Thameem pleaded, looking at his sister's eyes.

"Then who are you? His girlfriend? Huh!" She laughed, completely ignoring Thameem's presence. She was liking the girl sitting in front of her, shooting back questions at her in same wavelength as her, and was enjoying this.

"What if I am?" Sheha challenged. Thameem face-palmed hearing her response.

"Let's talk about why we are here." He initiated cause they were here for a reason and not for a small catfight.

"I very well know you are not his girlfriend." She confidently replied, totally scorning what Thameem said.

"Why do you think so?"

"Because, girl, you are not his type!" She said, raising her shoulders and eyes brows in a mocking manner.

"His type? You know what his typ-"

"Enough, you both. She's my sister." He calmly stated, to which she plainly muttered, "Whatever."

"Bhai, I don't like her," Sheha whispered.

"I can hear you."

"That's why I said." Even Sheha was enjoying this first encounter now.

"Sheha, leave it. So, I know your real name is not Thanaz, and I don't care whatever it is. You know why I'm here and is here for a reason." He jumped to the main point without loitering their meeting anymore.

"Of course, good man, I know why you're here. And my name? For now, just call me Thanaz."

"Okay, Thanaz, listen, you know how our, I mean how my boss is. He wants you to bring back all the money and wants you to surrender to him. Even though you took out the money recklessly, without being scared, there still might be a reason for your doing."

"So?" Thanaz asked as if she was not so disturbed or bothered by what he was telling.

"So, if you truthfully tell me the reason why you took it, I'll try to help you. I'll try to convince my boss by stating your situation. Or I'll try to compensate the stolen money with my own."

"Why should you pay for the loss I created?" She curiously questioned him.

"My bhai is amazing like that." Sheha proudly stated. Thameem rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"I'll give back the money," Thanaz said, waving her hand at someone.

"What? Really? Then that's great!" Thameem became happy. All this while, he conversed without directly looking at her eyes. But hearing this, he accidentally gazed at her eyes and smiled widely. And that's when he noticed her. She looked bold and robust, unlike the cashier girl he saw from the cafe.

"Bhai! Are you a fool to believe a fraud girl like her? Remember, this is not her first time taking other people's money by conning them!" Sheha reminded, folding her hands.

"Huhuh! It looks like someone has done a background check on me, impressive."

They saw her nodding at a person in the far end and got up by saying, "Anyways, I didn't bring the money today as we never agreed on anything regarding that. But, the food here truly is so finger-licking good. Enjoy it, and let's meet tomorrow at, same time to discuss the rest."

Just on cue, the waiter came and placed a wide variety of Arabic cuisine on the table. It had Pita, a thin Kuboos, hummus, Arabic rice, two different types of grilled chicken, Falafel, Zaatar, and Kunafeh for dessert.

Sheha's eyes almost bulged out, and even Thameem was highly shocked by seeing all the food. Thanaz had a victory smile seeing their expression. She had already ordered the food while she was waiting for them.

"Enjoooy the food. And don't worry, the food is on me!"

"By youu?!" Now even Sheha was stunned. All these food on the table were her absolute favourite dishes, and she was squealing like a kid.

"Yes, yes! Yours truly, Thanaz! And again, don't worry, I bought this with the money that I stoleeee." She dragged the stole word, mockingly, winked at them, and fleed from the place instantly.

Thameem was about to get up and stop her as their conversation was not over. But, he knew very well that no one should get up from the table when food was served. And, Sheha was already immersed in eating, totally forgetting why they came here.

They both took their time and finished eating all the savoury and the Kunafeh at last. Just like she said, the food was too finger-licking good. Even good surprisingly seemed a small word for the delightful cuisine they had.

"Oh no, Bhai! I forgot to ask my set of questions! My interrogation flop hogaya." She hit her forehead on the table, realizing how she forgot about it.

"You were blind when all the food came. It's okay. We will meet her again. You can ask at that time."

•••

After having a small night drive, they went back home being exhausted and pleasant as the day was not that bad as they expected it to be. Thameem certainly thought she would deny her doing. She would lie. She would cook up some stories. But, surprising him, she didn't do any of them and proudly served them the food with the money she stole. But still, he felt terrible. The food they had was from someone else's money. It didn't belong to her nor him. Nonetheless, he could not do anything about it.

He called his best friend Shazil after taking a quick shower. And quite like he expected, his friend teased and laughed at him.

"Bro, she tricked you again!" Shazil's chuckle was uncontrollable.

"No, she told me she'd meet tomorrow and will give the money back." Thameem tried to explain.

"And you seriously think she will call you again? She's a big fraud, and even you know that clearly." Shazil spoke the facts.

"I think she will come and give me. She might've gone somewhere urgent today. If she was a big fraud, why did she contact me in the first place?"

"Well, that's true. We can't say anything. But one thing is sure; she is no ordinary girl."

"Yes, I agree. And I still think that there might be a reason for her doings. Some urgent financial needs or anything." He stated his thoughts that were still lingering on him.

"Awww, meri poor boy! You are too innocent to understand a con artist. Anyways, all the best with your next encounter, my boy!" Shazil chuckled in a teasing way.

"What encounter? And why are you excited about it? I'm tired, Assalamu alaikum."

His friend said the salaam back, and they ended the call. At that exact moment, Thameem received a message from an unknown number.

Tomorrow, 7 p.m.

Roseleaf Cafe

He didn't need to check who that person was as he already understood it was from Thanaz. But it was not the number she called him the previous day.

Does she have many sim cards? Is she really a big fraud? He pondered before going to sleep.

•••

The next day came, Thameem went to meet along with Sheha as he didn't want to meet her alone, just the two of them. He didn't feel it right, and like the last time, Sheha was excited to meet Thanaz and thrilled to continue their small bickering session.

Thanaz came, casually talked with them half an hour, and then swiftly got up, saying she had to go somewhere. The next day, same time, another venue came. Just like the previous days, she got up and went away in the middle of the conversation.

One week passed just like this. Thanaz was making various excuses as urgent calls, washroom, and much more and never coming back. All these seven days, Thameem patiently waited to hear her reason. But, she never told them, and instead, she kept asking questions.

It was a Sunday night; she didn't message the venue or time for the next day. It was like a routine, getting a message or phone call from her at night, the place to meet. Now Thameem was sure that she was playing with him. She was making him come here and there every day and making a fool out of him. He got enough of meeting her.

He kept his phone in the living area and hurried to slumber. When he was almost in his deep sleep, Sheha came and nudged him to wake up, holding his phone in her hand.

"Bhai, it's her."

"She might be calling to tell the next venue. I'm not picking. Let her do anything." He said and went to sleep again.

After few minutes, the phone kept ringing. He didn't like anything disturbing his precious sleep, and at the same time, he does not like declining the call from someone he knows. Slowly, he grabbed his phone from the bedside table and attended.

"Hello?" He asked in his thick drowsy voice.

"Th-Thameem...Thameeem." He heard her sobbing. He got panicked by hearing her muffled voice. This was not what he presumed.

"What happened? Where are you?" He asked like a gentleman.

"I-I'm at my h-house. I-I'm sc-scared."

"Thanaz, calm down. Any problem? Why are you crying?"

Okay, he knew that was a stupid question cause a weeping person does not say their reason while sobbing.

"Th-Thameem... I-It's...it's..." Her voice was then cut as there was some loud thud of a sound.

"Tell me your address. I'll come."

He knows she tricked him way too many times. But hearing a person in their worst, not knowing what happened, and ignoring is not in his book. So, peeking a look at his sister, he rushed outside his apartment to her house as soon as he got the address.

-

Assalamu alaikum/Hey

Yessss, I finally updated after 9 freaakingg months! Oh my, I didn't really know it was this long since I updated.

In Sha Allah, I'll try to update regularly from now on. I'll not keep you hanging and yes, more of their encounter is coming!

What do you think is happening or going to happen?

Also, I started writing this from 7:00 a.m. and now it's 7:53 p.m. I totally forgot how to write🤧 It took me soo many hours to pen down this🤦🏻‍♀️

So don't forget to VOTE & COMMENT

Cause I deserve it after this many hours🤧 Okay, I'm going to sleep.

Lots of love
Thatabayagirl ❤️