"Your presence is an unexpected distraction that sparks an undefined feeling within me, leaving me in a state of delightful amusement."

Happy reading....

The sun had barely risen when Shaziya opened up their small grocery shop.

The morning routine was familiar and comforting-sweeping the floor, dusting the shelves, and taking inventory.

She meticulously noted down the items that were running low and discarded the few that had expired.

Finally, she took her place behind the counter, adjusting her scarf properly over her head.

As the morning progressed, a group of schoolchildren came into the shop, chatting excitedly as they bought juice boxes and packed cakes.

Shaziya smiled at their youthful energy, her heart warming at the sight of their carefree happiness.

Among the children, a little girl, who couldn't have been older than seven, caught Shaziya's eye.

She was trying to reach a candy packet that was placed too high on the shelf for her small stature. The girl's braided pigtails bobbed up and down as she jumped, her efforts earnest but futile.

Shaziya couldn't help but smile at the sight.

She walked over and gently asked, "Which flavor are you looking for, little one?"

The girl turned her head, her big brown eyes lighting up as she saw Shaziya.

"Strawberry!" she exclaimed, her voice full of excitement.

Shaziya reached up and grabbed the packet, then crouched down to the girl's level.

"How many do you want?"

The little girl's face broke into a wide grin. "The whole packet!" she declared.

Shaziya chuckled softly, shaking her head. "That's a lot of candy. Are you sure your parents would want you to eat so much?"

The girl blushed, realizing she had been caught in her excitement.

"It's the last time, I promise," she said, her voice dropping to a whisper, her cheeks turning a shade of pink.

Shaziya couldn't resist the cuteness of the moment.

She caressed the girl's chubby cheek and said, "A promise is a promise. But remember, too many candies aren't good for you."

The girl nodded solemnly, as if taking the promise to heart. "I promise!" she repeated, her voice full of earnestness.

Shaziya found herself charmed by the little girl's innocence.

"What's your name?" she asked gently, as she handed the packet to the girl.

"Zoya!" the girl chirped, her braids bouncing with her enthusiasm.

Shaziya smiled, "That's a beautiful name, Zoya. But why are you here alone? Shouldn't someone be with you?"

Zoya pointed outside. "My Mamu Jaan/uncle is coming soon! He always picks me up after I buy my candy."

"How far is your home?"

"Just few blocks away. He'll be here in ten minutes, I think," Zoya said confidently as she happily started on one of the candies.

Just as Zoya finished speaking, the sound of a car pulling up outside made her eyes light up.

"That's my uncle!" she shouted, hopping off the table she had perched on. "He's here to take me!"

Shaziya laughed softly. "Careful, Zoya! You shouldn't jump like that."

But Zoya was too excited to heed the warning. She giggled and twirled around, her candy clutched tightly in her hand.

The door to the shop opened, and Shaziya's smile froze as she saw who stepped inside.

It was Azlan.

For a moment, both of them just stood there, staring at each other in surprise. The unexpected encounter left Shaziya momentarily speechless.

Azlan was the first to recover. He smiled warmly and greeted her, "Assalamualaikum, Shaziya."

"Wa-Alaikum-Salaam," she replied, still a bit shocked but managing a small smile.

Azlan looked around the shop. "This is your family's shop?" he asked, genuine curiosity in his voice.

Shaziya nodded. "Yes, it is."

Zoya, who had been watching their interaction with wide eyes, interrupted with a mischievous grin. "Mamu jaan, do you know this pretty didi?"

Shaziya felt a blush creep up her cheeks at the unexpected compliment, and she tried to hide her smile.

Azlan glanced down at Zoya, a twinkle in his eye as he nodded. "Yes, Zoya. I do know her."

Zoya's curiosity only grew. "Then why have you never brought her to our home?"

Shaziya's eyes widened slightly in nervous anticipation, unsure of how Azlan would respond.

He seemed to notice her discomfort and quickly came up with an answer. "Shaziya is a new friend of mine, Zoya. I haven't had the chance to introduce her to you yet."

Zoya seemed satisfied with this answer and returned to her candy, clearly content with the explanation.

Shaziya, however, couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions-relief, nervousness, and something else she couldn't quite put her finger on.

The morning had taken a turn she hadn't expected, and she found herself wondering what the rest of the day might bring.

------

The sun poured into the classroom through tall, narrow windows, casting a warm glow on the rows of desks where students sat, seemingly attentive.

But Safiya wasn't among those listening. Her mind wandered far away from the lecture, floating somewhere between the events of the previous day and thoughts of Azlan. She leaned on her hand, staring absently out of the window, completely oblivious to Mr. Preet's voice explaining something about international marketing.

From the corner of her eye, Haider, noticed how zoned out she was. She hadn't even written a single word in her notebook.

Trying to snap her back to reality, Haider leaned over and poked her arm with his pen, whispering, "Safiya, you're missing the class!"

She simply shrugged, smiling to herself, lost in a world of her own.

Haider bit his lip, shaking his head. "Crazy," he mumbled under his breath, amused by her daydreaming.

The lecture continued, but Safiya remained in her daze. Even as students packed up and the bell rang, signaling the end of class, she didn't move. The classroom slowly emptied, but Safiya sat still, her gaze fixed on nothing in particular.

Suddenly, a loud voice broke through her trance, "Ms. Safiya, stand up!"

Startled, Safiya jumped up from her seat, her heart pounding. "Yes, Mr. Preet!" she stammered, half panicked as she stood straight, expecting to be scolded.

But then she blinked, her eyes focusing on the now-empty classroom. Confused, she frowned and turned around, only to find Haider leaning back in his chair, laughing uncontrollably. His mischievous grin spread across his face as he held his stomach, clearly enjoying her flustered state.

"Very funny, Haider!" she huffed, glaring at him as her face flushed with embarrassment.

"Sorry, couldn't resist," Haider chuckled, wiping a tear from his eye. "You were just... so gone, I had to do something!"

Without missing a beat, Safiya grabbed the thickest textbook from her table and swung it playfully at Haider. "This is for scaring me, you idiot!"

Haider dodged, still laughing. "Okay, okay, truce! But seriously, what's got you so lost?"

Safiya paused, thinking of Azlan, but quickly shook her head. She wasn't about to confess what had her so distracted.

"None of your business," she said, trying to sound nonchalant, but her cheeks betrayed her, flushing slightly.

"Uh-huh," Haider teased, raising an eyebrow knowingly. "Someone's daydreaming about a certain someone, huh?"

"Shut up!" Safiya protested, pushing him toward the door. "Let's just get out of here before Mr. Preet comes back and really yells at us."

As they walked out of the classroom, Haider kept smirking, clearly enjoying teasing her. Safiya rolled her eyes, but deep down, her thoughts drifted back to Azlan once more.

-----

The university canteen buzzed with the usual chatter of students. Plates clattered, laughter echoed, and the smell of freshly brewed tea filled the air.

Safiya and Haider sat at their usual spot, sharing a plate of fries while chatting idly about the day's classes. Safiya was still a bit annoyed from

Haider's teasing earlier, but the comforting atmosphere of the canteen began to ease her mind.

As they talked, Haider noticed a girl, shy and hesitant, approaching their table. She wore a nervous expression and clutched an envelope in her hands, her eyes flickering between Safiya and Haider as if gathering the courage to say something.

"Do you know her?" Haider asked, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

Safiya glanced at the girl, then back at Haider.

"No," she said, shaking her head. Then she noticed the envelope, and her eyes widened in realization. "Oh my God... Haider, she's coming for you!"

"What?" Haider blinked, completely thrown off. "What are you talking about? You're making no sense."

Safiya smirked, leaning in with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "I think she's here to propose to you!"

Haider's face flushed in disbelief, his usual confidence faltering. "No way... You're joking, right? This has to be a mistake."

But Safiya wasn't backing down. "Why wouldn't it be? You're tall, you're handsome, and-dare I say-you're actually a decent guy. Any girl could easily fall for you." She shrugged as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Haider was stunned. It wasn't the girl that caught him off guard-it was Safiya's words. She had never said anything about him that wasn't related to their studies or casual banter. Hearing her call him handsome, and decent on top of that, made his heart skip a beat.

A playful smirk spread across his lips as he leaned in closer, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Wow, Safiya," he murmured, staring into her eyes. "That felt really good to hear. Please, go on."

Safiya immediately regretted her words, realizing she'd given him way too much ammunition to tease her.

She rolled her eyes dramatically, pushing him away with a light shove. "Ugh, I should've just kept my mouth shut."

Haider chuckled, unable to wipe the grin off his face. Watching her act so dramatic, her face flushed with mock annoyance, he thought to himself how adorable she looked even when she was trying to be stern.

Just then, the girl arrived at their table, nervously fidgeting with the envelope in her hands. Haider's eyes widened, and he quickly shot a desperate look at Safiya, silently pleading for help.

Safiya, enjoying the situation way too much, simply smirked and mouthed, "None of my business."

Haider glared at her, his earlier confidence quickly vanishing. "Traitor," he mumbled under his breath.

The girl finally stood in front of Haider, her cheeks flushed red as she clutched the envelope tighter. For a second, there was an awkward silence. Haider could practically hear his heart pounding in his chest.

"Uh... Hi," Haider stammered, trying to sound casual. "What can I help you?"

The girl looked down, blushing harder, before finally speaking.

"I-I just wanted to give you this," she said softly, holding out the envelope toward him. Her hands trembled slightly.

Haider hesitated, his eyes flickering between the girl and Safiya, who was watching the entire scene with barely-contained laughter. With no other choice, Haider took the envelope, unsure of what to do next.

"Thank you..." he said awkwardly, hoping that was the end of it.

The girl nodded quickly, then turned and hurried out of the canteen without another word, clearly too embarrassed to stick around.

As soon as she was out of sight, Safiya burst into laughter, clutching her stomach as she leaned back in her chair. "Oh my God, Haider! That was priceless! You should've seen your face."

Haider sighed heavily, dropping the envelope onto the table, not even bothering to open it.

"Of course, Safiya," he muttered sarcastically. "Really appreciate it."

Still giggling, Safiya wiped a tear from her eye. "Hey, it's not my fault you're so popular!"

Haider shook his head, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Yeah, well, I'm sure you enjoyed every second of it."

"Oh, absolutely," Safiya said, her grin widening. "But seriously, are you going to open it?"

Haider glanced at the envelope, then shrugged. "I'll look at it later. Right now, I'm more interested in why you were so eager to compliment me."

Safiya immediately groaned, knowing she had dug herself into a hole. "Haider, drop it already."

But Haider wasn't about to let it go. "No, no, no. You said it yourself-handsome, decent guy. Come on, Safiya. It's the first time you've ever acknowledged my many, many amazing qualities."

Safiya groaned again, covering her face with her hands. "I regret everything."

Haider laughed, enjoying every second of her discomfort. "No takebacks, Safiya. I'm going to remind you of this forever."

She shot him a playful glare, but deep down, she was glad to see him so happy, even if it was at her expense.

*****

Haider ☺️

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