Waliyah's P.O.V.

"Welcome to Athens, Greece." The airport announcer said as Samar and I stepped out of the departure gates. I looked over at him to see him looking around in awe just as I was a few seconds ago. Samar has a soft smile on his face as he looked down at me,  "This place is so beautiful," He said to me softly. Unwillingly I smiled back at him, in awe of this side of him, a side that I never got to see in the four years of our marriage.  

Samar and I walked out of the airport and began to look for the rental car area that Bauji had booked for us as well. "Should we ask someone?" Samar asked, 

"Yeah," I sighed as I looked around for a kind face.

  Samar gently grabbed my hand unexpectedly and began walking towards an old man, "Excuse me, Sir,"  He turned to face us, "Would you please show us the way to rental cars?" 

He smiled at us, "It's just down this path, it should be the first building to your right." 

Samar smiled back at him, "Thank you, Sir," I looked down at our hands, as I quietly followed him afraid of the unknown location I felt a sense of security as I kept close to him.  Samar and I barely spoke to one another the whole time on the plane, we both didnt know. what. to say to one another. This was a strange and award situation that our. families had pushed us into, and without disrespecting them, there was no way to get. out of it. 

Samar filled out the formalities as I waited for him outside without luggage. Within a few minutes, Samar came to with car keys in his hands, "Let's go." He said to me before grabbing his luggage and began walking infront of me. We both had this weird unsaid tension between us since we got off the plane. I cleared my throat helping him load my suitcases into the trunk of the car, he was about to walk around to the driver's side but I grabbed the back of his shirt. 

"Samar," I say breathing out heavily, 

He turned to face me, "What?"

 I wanted to ask him if he felt just as anxious and weird as I did but what came out was, "Do you even know where to go?" 

Samar rolled his eyes at me, "I know where to go." Well, that was vague, as he got in the car, I slowly walked around and sat down in the passenger seat.  Swallowing harshly I sat back and looked. out the window. The car was filled with silence, it was different in the plane, there was chatter from other people, but here it was just the two of us. 

"How do you know where to go?" I asked wanting to fill the awkward silence. 

"Now you want to talk?" He asked defensively,  

"Samar-"

"For the past six hours, you have not said a word to me as if I would bite your head off Wafa,  and now you want to talk to me?" What is he so mad about? "Very convenient."

"Samar," I say, "I do not want to fight right now, all I asked was how you know where to go, especially without navigation. It was just a question." 

"Why didn't you talk to me on the plane?" He asked like a child. How do I tell him that I. . .

"I was scared," I admit hoping to end this pointless argument.  "I had never been on a plane before, or even outside of Lahore, so sorry that I didn't want to talk." That wasnt the only. reason. . .I just. . didn't know if this was the right decision coming here.

He looked over at me surprised,  "Really? You've never been outside of Lahore?" 

"Nope," I say shaking my head, "Never had the money, Baba struggled a lot to even run the house at one point. So the four of us never made unnecessary demands. As long. as we had food, and a. roof over our head, we never asked for anything." These were the conversations we should have had when we had a relationship we could name but whatever. 

"I am sorry," He sighed,  "I didn't know,"

"Whatever," 

"Well, um. . ." Samar began, "The reason why I know where to go is because when we were younger Bauji used to make all of us take family trips here.  The place we. are. going to is an old family home, here in Greece.  Atif Bhau's dad was a big businessman here, so before moving back to Pakistan, this used to be our summer vacation destination." I know his father had passed away when he was merely ten so I did not push more about the topic.  Our lives were so different when we were younger, I lived in poverty, while he thrived in his wealth. 

"Okay," I said not knowing what else to say to carry on the conversation more. Samar and I had nothing in common other than we cherished the relation we had with Amal.  That was it, Amal was the only common factor, and when she passed, that was the end of our commanality. Samar cleared his throat and turned the radio on, filling the silence that made both of us uncomfortable.  I leaned furthur into the seat, getting comfortable, as we drove to our destination. 

Allah Miyaji.  . . Please, let everything go alright this week.  . . Please. 

. . .

Lugging our lugage into the lavious family home, the Qureshi's owned.  Samar and I set up two different rooms, for one another not wanting to create more tension between us than there already. was. I cleared my throat as I laid down on the comfy bed, turning on my phone, I texted Api that we had landed and arrived. safely at our home.  My stomach growled loudly as I tried to hide my cold body under the warmth of the sheets.  

"Wafa," Samar knocked on my door, "Wafa, let's go get something to eat." I really did not. want to have to interact with him anymore today. I had enough of alone time with him, the first six hours on the plane, and then two more hours in the car. "Wafa."

"I am not hungry." I answered,  "Stop annoying me and let me sleep." Truthfully I am starving but if it gets me out of spending more time with him, then I will happily go to sleep hungry.

"I know you are hungry Wafa, you barely ate anything before we left home, and then on the plane, you didn't eat anything." He noticed. "Go to sleep after, come eat dinner with me."

"I think I know my body better." I retort,  "I am tired, leave me alone."  I do not know why he is insisting so much. He never cared before,  so what is with the switch now? I thought he left as there was silence for a few minutes before the door is opened, revealing a very irritated Samar. 

"Get up," Samar said firmly basically storming over to me, he grabbed my arm and yanked me up from the bed so I was on my knees infront of me. I never noticed how much taller he was from me,  until now even with. the help of the bed, I still wasn't eye level with him.  

"What part of Leave Me Alone do you not get?" I snapped,  "I thought I told Api to tell you to mind your own goddamn business as soon as we landed in Greece.  Did it not get through your thick head Samar?"

"You are my responsibility." He snapped back, "I promised Bhabhi I wouldnt force you to do anything that you did not want. to do meaning I won't take you anywhere, I will not force you speak to me."

"Good."

"But I also promised to take care of you, so that means to keep you fed, warm, and healthy. So get up, and grab a jacket, we are going to get something to eat."  

'I am not a child." I said back firmly,  "I-" My stomach growled loudly interrupting my words. My cheeks burned in embarrassment as my words didn't match what my body wanted.  

Samar smirked as I quieted down, "Let's go." Not having anything else to say, as I was betrayed by my own body. Climbing out of my bed, I followed him out the door. Samar kept the. stupid smirk plastered across his face. as I grudgingly sat beside him once again.  "Let's go get some pasta."  

"Lets," I say softly sinking deeper into the seat. 

My heart felt a slight flutter as we drove to the restaurant. . .I have hidden the love that. I had held for Samar in the past six months behind my anger and hatred... now that we are alone, and only have one another to speak to.. . .I do not want my feelings to arise again. . . I do not want to go through the pain he put me through again because if he hurts me again.

I do not think I will be able to survive this time.