"It's. Not. True." Mateen repeated his words, inching forward on the table. His eyes glued to Hajra, who was looking back at him wide-eyed, with a look of shock and disbelief. Just as she'd averted her gaze; Mateen twisted in his chair towards left. His both arms resting on the table, in front of him; as he watched Alishba with cocked brows.

"Your curiosity satisfied, yet? Or do you want to hear every little grisly detail of someone else's life, that has nothing to do with you, whatsoever?" His tone was sharp, laced with the slightest hint of annoyance; as he gawked at her with a look of discontentment. The unexpected attack had caused Alishba's face to turn a bright shade of crimson, while she gaped at him at a loss of words. However, Mateen's verbal assault was far from over.

"Don't you get embarrassed? Pushing yourself forcefully into someone's life, even though, clearly your presence is unwelcome?" Until now, Hajra's eyes were fixated to her hands in her lap, in shock; but after hearing this, unintentionally, her eyes lifted to gape at him, stunned. His gaze was still fixated to Alishba; who was by now, near tears.

"Mateen, enough Man—" Ammar tried saying by putting a hand on Mateen's arm and nudging him out of his delirium. He had been squirming uncomfortably in his seat since Mateen had first said those words looking directly at Hajra, but was by now near death from the awkwardness hanging in the tense atmosphere. It was quite literally piercing through everyone sitting there, who were beseeching Ammar with pleading eyes to stop Mateen.

"How pathetic. Please get a life and don't ever come to me again, holding expectations that I will quench your thirst for gossip—" Mateen ended in a bored tone and without sparing anyone another glance, got up and left.

"What a prick—" The icy silence was broken by Samara, who sat beside Alishbah and rubbed her shoulders in consolation.

Ammar sat silently in his place for a long moment, rubbing his temple in defeat; before getting up with an exhausted sigh and following after Mateen.

———————————

Hajra had shortly afterwards left the table, without Aymen. She didn't wait to hear everyone's standpoint on Mateen's actions. Somehow, more than half of them were still siding with Mateen's stance. According to them, Alishba had it coming for always being nosy every time and Mateen was right to shut her down. The rest were of the argument that he could've politely turned her down, instead of making a show out of her, in front of everyone.

Unlike them all, Hajra didn't care about his sentiments at all. All she could think about was that time on stairs, 2 years ago; when she had pushed him away. And she didn't realise it until now, but that was maybe the last time she had directly experienced Mateen's wrath.

Hajra hadn't thought much of it, until this moment. She had naturally assumed that Mateen was just waiting for the right moment, to attack again. She was always on her toes, ready for a surprise attack. But never once had the thought crossed her mind that her words from that time, might've had even the slightest effect on him. And how could she have? When he had never stopped bullying her the whole year, despite her apparent display of anger.

So then—what in the world—?

"Don't you get embarrassed? Pushing yourself forcefully into someone's life, even though clearly your presence is unwanted?"

Hajra's eyes were glued to her notes, while she thought hard to sort out this puzzle. And in the midst of it all, she'd missed the sound of his footsteps approaching.

"Is this the file for patient on bed 13—" Mateen was standing over her head, with his eyes on the file in Hajra's lap. Startled by his unanticipated presence, Hajra flinched away from him and backed away on her revolving chair. Mateen watched this reaction with a hint of surprise. He took in the look of shock on Hajra's face, who was looking back at him like she had seen a ghost.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to startle you—"He returned quizzically, before extending out his hand for the file.

"Can I see it?" His voice was blank and so were his expressions, as he awaited Hajra's response; who kept on watching him at a loss of senses. Finally, grabbing hold of her remaining wits, she averted her gaze and handed the file over to him.

"Thanks." He mumbled, but didn't leave. Instead turned away to the desk to click pictures of the patient's notes on his phone.

"Do I have something on my face?" Mateen asked plainly, without looking away from his file. For a moment, Hajra couldn't register his words and when she finally did, she realized that she had been staring at him nonstop. With a sharp gasp, she finally turned away from him and didn't look up, even when he had placed the file on the table, in front of her; before leaving.

—————————————

Hajra was getting ready to leave when she was stopped in her tracks by an unknown person.

"Assalamualaikum, child—" An elderly man called out to her and she returned his greeting with a small smile; ready to help him with his query. The eyes looking back at her were filled with warmth and standing behind him was a man in suit, who appeared to be his son. He was standing at a safe distance from the elderly man and from first impression, Hajra gathered him to be a visitor, who must've been searching for some admitted patient.

"Can I help you?" She asked with a smile and before she could hear his reply, his eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh—You're Hajra! It's so nice to finally meet you, dear—" The elderly man suddenly beamed and reached out to pat the top of Hajra's head, which Hajra helped him with, unintentionally; by slightly bending towards him.

"Noman—It's her, yes?" He posed the question to the man standing behind him, whose response came in a curt nod and Yes, sir.

Hajra was watching this whole turn of events, flabbergasted; when a voice from behind put a halt to her reverie.

"Daado! What are you doing here?" Mateen's happy voice clashed with Hajra's ears and even before she could turn to face him, he had come over to hug his Grandpa.

"Oho!! My precious child! It's so good to see you!" His Grandpa exclaimed sentimentally, while engulfing Mateen in his warm embrace.

"Daado, why are you here? Noman why did you bring him here? I was going to come home tomorrow anyways, Daado—" Hajra stood in her place, dazed; gawking at this unexpected situation play out. She was finding it impossible to believe the look of cheerfulness on the coldhearted and insensitive jerk, Mateen's face.

"How was it possible for me to not see you on your birthday—Noman told me you had a night shift today, so I asked him to bring me here, to see you—" His Daado interjected with a hearty chuckle and eyes gleaming with mischief; while he dotingly patted Mateen's cheek.

"Daado. I am too old for birthdays—You really didn't have to come all this way—" Mateen grumbled, but the eyes looking back at his Daado were full of warmth and adoration. Hajra who was watching all this at a loss of words, suddenly caught Mateen's gaze and before she could've successfully averted her gaze; his Daado pulled her into the conversation.

"Ah—I was just meeting your lovely friend here—" He remarked kindly, gazing up at Hajra with a warm smile. Despite her better judgment, Hajra was finding it impossible to not return his kindness with equal enthusiasm. He had barely finished, when Mateen cut him off quickly.

"Daado—We are not friends!" He added hotly and both Hajra and Daddo turned to him with a frown at this outburst. Until, Daado started laughing out loud and playfully patted Mateen's back.

"What was the saying, Noman? Ah—! A strong denial is an affirmation—Isn't that right, Hajra dear?" Daado laughed to himself and while Mateen turned away with a roll of eyes, Hajra found herself smiling back at Daado. She found this elderly man's kindness contagious and couldn't help but melt.

"It's very nice to meet you, too—" She returned with a small smile. Hajra couldn't possibly imagine whatever the intolerable and hateful Mateen could've said to his grandpa for him to have this kind of response towards her. But whatever it was, she didn't care to know. The last thing she wanted was to get involved with Mateen Abbasi.

Unintentionally, Mateen's gaze trailed towards her; whose eyes looking back at his Daado were full of warmth; unlike the loath and scorn she always held for him.

"Hajra dear, please forgive this stupid child and his even more stupid Daado's nonsense." He was saying, until he ushered Hajra to come closer, so he could whisper to her.

"He might act tough, but on the inside he is a real softie." Daado's whisper was loud enough for the ears of all 4 of them standing close to him, but still hearing this had caused Hajra's eyes to widen in disbelief. Before she could retort with a comeback, her gaze caught Mateen's who was gaping at her anxiously.

"Daado—Stop it please! You're embarrassing me. Seriously! You're the only one who believes that." Mateen tried saying, but his Daado was far from finished.

"Tch tch. I think he is only ageing in number, Hajra. His mental age is still 8 years. You're not getting a nice lady, if you don't put a stop to this lying habit of yours, Abdul Mateen—" Dado added tragically, but Mateen taking no notice of his teasing words, took hold of his shrivelled hand in his own.

"Yes, yes. You've embarrassed me enough to last me an entire lifetime. Let's go, now—" Not paying him any heed, Daado reached out to pat Hajra's head once again; who still couldn't believe the unconvincing change in Mateen. She had never seen him act like this—So defenceless. Not even with Ammar, whom he hung around with always.

"It was very nice to finally meet you, Hajra dear. Take care, until next time, InshaAllah—" Daado added finally, before Mateen began to cautiously pull him away by taking hold of his free hand and slowly kept in step with him, while he walked with the support of his walking stick.

Leaving behind Hajra, to watch after them with a lump of bizarre emotions, welling up inside her.

—————————

"Where's that brat Ammar? And Isra—" Daado questioned, while Mateen walked him over to his vehicle.

"Ammar left just a while ago and Isra is still at her Uni—But Daado, you shouldn't have done that—infront of her—That's not why I tell you everything—" Mateen grumbled with a pout, as they stopped outside the hospital, awaiting Noman to bring about the car.

"Why not? I was only helping you—You said you like her." Daado added innocently and Mateen turned to look at him astounded.

"When?! When did I ever say that, Daado?!"

"When you said you hate her—" For a long moment, Mateen couldn't say anything.

"And by that—you took this meaning?" He deadpanned and a knowing smile formed across Daado's face, as he pulled away his hand from Mateen's grasp and reached up to pat his cheek.

"You're never honest with yourself, Abdul Mateen. A person who lies to himself is a weak hearted person, but my Abdul Mateen isn't weak is he—?" Daado's voice was soft and his gaze looking back at him was gentle and full of wisdom.

"The only other time you said you hated someone, was your parents, because they didn't make it to your 7th birthday party—You threw a tantrum, just to get their attention, didn't you?"

"Daado, you're psychoanalysing, again. Sorry to disappoint you, but I am simply a mean and coldhearted guy, through and through. And that's the only reason I don't give a damn about anyone. Very sorry to burst your bubble, Daado; but your precious grandson is an unbearable jerk, who hurts people just because he can—There's no other reason to it—" Mateen remarked blankly and turned away with a sigh to watch their car approaching.

"Do you know why you pretend to be the bad guy, Abdul Mateen?"

"Daado—" Mateen turned to Daado with cocked brows and face full of scepticism, but his grandfather only kept on smiling back at him.

"I'll tell you why—Because you think it's far easier on you, if people hated you right from the start, than to have your heartbroken by their rejection; since you couldn't live up to their expectations—You push people away before they can. It's your defence mechanism." Daado added with a gentle smile and Mateen could do nothing, but gape at him stunned at this revelation.

"Honesty is the best policy, my dear child. Always remember—" Daado continued, without paying any mind to the shock floating in his grandson's eyes. He reached up and Mateen had reflexively bent down, to let Daado place a kiss on top of his forehead.

"Work hard. I'll see you tomorrow, InshaAllah—" Daado said finally, before stepping into his car. Mateen stood in his place for a while and watched him leave.

When he turned back, Daado's words were still ringing in his head. But before he could make it inside, he ran into her—who's feet had immediately halted in their tracks, at his sight.

"You said you like her."

Daado's words continued to resound in his head and turn his world upside down. As always, Mateen found it impossible to look away from those unyielding eyes. But for the first time since he had set eyes upon them, those piercing eyes were looking back at him without a hint of loath. Instead, there was something else—Something, he was finding it impossible to recognise or name.

'I don't. I don't like her.' His mind kept chanting the words like a mantra, but his conscience was refusing to have any of it anymore.

Assalamualaikum! Hope you guys liked it, InshaAllah❤️
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ANNOUNCEMENT :
Owing to some work, I won't be able to update for atleast a week. 🙈
Please bear with me, until then. Thankyou❤️
See you guys in next update, InshaAllah 🥰