Chapter 34: Broken and Beautiful. 

*

"Time heals all wounds, 

Unless they are deep. 

Time doesn't heal deep wounds, 

It only teaches us

To live with it."

-2am-

*

"I am adopted" Aanabia stared at Yazdan before letting out a sigh.

"Now I am thinking you are hell bent on making me not like you. But let me tell you Mr. Yazdan Ras- I mean Mr. Yazdan Zaeef. That is not happening" Aanabia glared at him and he let out a small smile. I am glad you are not giving up on me.

"My mom and dad adopted me when my parents died in a car crash" he spoke and Aanabia frowned at him.

"My biological parents are Hafsah Zaeef and Asfandyal Ali, my dad and my biological mother were siblings." He paused and gauged her expression. Give me some response, Aanabia. He watched her raise an eyebrow before heaving a sigh. 

"Well, don't leave me stranded." she muttered and he gave her a small smile. Find a woman who communicates with you without words, huh. Guess I just found myself one. 

"I had a little sister, a year old. Yasharah. We were headed to my dad's work, at Gold Coast when we met an accident. I don't remember anything about it, save for a few nightmares here and there, nor do I remember anything before it. I know my parents and sister because mom and dad told me about it when I was 7. I lost them when I was 3 years old. My dad thought this was the best way since my biological father's families were not in the capacity to afford for me. So mom and dad took me in and I guess they became everything for me. I don't remember my biological parents much but I am blessed with amazing parents and I am glad for them. I have amazing siblings and they refuse to believe I am adopted though" he laughed at the latter bit. It hurt him to speak about but not so much because he barely remembered it. It was over 20 years now and he was glad he was over that phase. He smiled when he saw Aanabia staring at him with wide eyes. It is not really a big deal anyway. I think. 

"What?" he asked her and she heaved a sigh.

"Thank god it is that" He frowned. Why is she thanking god that I am adopted?

"What?"

"No. No. I am not thanking god that you are adopted. Maybe I am because that made us meet. But anyway, I am thanking god that its not some terminal illness or some ish" she muttered and Yazdan stared at her before bursting out in laughter. Terminal illness? Doesn't I am adopted fact, hinder her?

"Yazdan!" she whined and Yazdan sobered up, before letting out a small cough.

"You thought I had terminal illness?" She shrugged and Yazdan chuckled again.

"Anyway, what are your thoughts on me now?" he asked her and watched her turned a shade of pink. He smiled. She then looked up and shrugged at him.

"It doesn't matter I guess. I mean I lov- like you" Love me? "And not your past or your family. I mean I don't know them yet and when I do, I would love them like you do" Yazdan smiled at her little mutterings. She is nervous. 

"Safwah and Sahl are my little twin brothers, by the way" he told her and she shrugged. He let out a small laugh. "I seriously thought you would know"

"Their eye color differs from yours" Yazdan raised an eyebrow. This is the first time someone told me that.

"How so?" he questioned with interest.

"Yours is silver gray and theirs is gray" she noticed huh. He grinned at her before she got uncomfortable with it. He let out a small laugh and leaned onto his bed.

"Yazdan?" she called out after a moment of silence.

"Yeah?"

"Why did you tell me about your family?" Yazdan tilted his head towards her and let out a small smile followed by a yawn. Sleepy.

"Because I like you too" Aanabia stared at him frozen in her spot. Is she having second thoughts?

"What?" she finally spluttered and Yazdan rolled his eyes before closing it. I can't face her. Why couldn't I have just written a letter like the olden days? I could have sent her a message? Anything besides blurting it out. Good lord, Yazdan. What is wrong with you! He heard Aanabia sniffed laughter and opened his eyes. He glared at her before she grinned at him.

"You are so adorable when you blush!"she cooed and Yazdan frowned, blushing harder in embarrassment. She let out another laugh.

"I like you more. Don't worry"

Unknown to them, the youngest Zaeef sibling stood by the door, his hands frozen over the door handle. He witnessed a love confession. From his brother.

"Why am I always in these situations?" he muttered to himself before turning around and standing by the door to not let anyone inside. He had to do this for the sake of Yazdan Zaeef.

Second brother down. He thought with a grin.

-

Nahal stared at the nightlight of the city ahead of them. Yahyah stood beside her, looking at her with a small smile. She is beautiful.

"What is it?"

"You are avoiding me" he stated it rather than questioning it. He liked her, what was so wrong about that?

"Of course I am. What else do you expect me to do?" she muttered and Yahyah heaved a sigh.

"I gave you time, Nahal. What is so bad about me that you cannot like me?" he questioned and Nahal turned to him with a glare.

"Wrong with you? Nothing Yahyah. Nothing is wrong with you. Which is why we cannot be. You know nothing about me. How can you still love me?"

"I like you, Nahal. And as for not knowing you, I will know only when you tell me! I cannot just hire a private investigator to go over your details, you know" he muttered and Nahal shook her head, before looking away.

"You don't get it, Yahyah" she sounded desperate. Yahyah saw the way she clenched to the railing as if it were her life.

"Don't get what?"

"I- I cannot do this. Seriously. I need to make a living, make sure my mom doesn't work so hard. I need to make my career before anything"

"You have a career, Nahal and I am not going to stop any of that!"

"I can't get along with your mother" silence ensued.

"Neither can I" he muttered, running his hands through his hair.

"What?" Nahal stared at him with a questioning look.

"See. This is what I am talking about. I tell you everything. Every little thing that's bothering me and you tell me nothing" he told her and she sighed.

"Yahyah. I know you don't get along with your mom but she is your mother. After what she did with Aanabia, I don't think I can see her in the same light"

"Exactly why I am against her on this. I have nothing to do with Saher and her case. Believe me on this, Nahal"

"I want to. But you did not see my sister bawl her eyes out for Yazdan, you didn't see her pray all night for his safety. You didn't see her lost in the thoughts of Yazdan. I did. I saw how much she loves him and how much it hurts her if Yazdan is hurt. Now you tell me, if she is so much hurt now, how much more will she be when Yazdan agrees to marry Saher"

"He won't"

"You cannot guarantee it"

"I can. 200% he won't."

"Okay. So he won't marry her, what if he marries someone else? What will happen to my sister?"

"He will not marry anyone apart from Aanabia, okay? He likes her too much to do so! For heaven's sake, he keeps all her roses in a freaking box under the bed. What more proof do you need?!" by now both of them were pissed off. Their voices were an octave higher but not high enough for it to reach inside.

"What?" Nahal questioned him and he nodded. Why can't she just believe me?

"Can we leave them be and talk about us please?"

"No"

"Nahal. You have to face the music one day. Tell me. Talk to me"

"I don't know about us okay! I don't know if we can last, I don't know if you'd stay with me after having children, I don't know if you'd leave me alone in my hard times. Yahyah, I don't know! I don't want anything to do with heartache, why don't you understand?" Yahyah stared at her with disheartened eyes. So this is the matter.

"If you don't know, why are you crying? If you don't want heartache, why are you crying? You are hurting yourself, by denying me"

"Your mother will never say yes to us"

"It doesn't matter. Qaidah ma will and we can make it work. I stay there most of the time anyway"

"Qaidah ma?"

"Yazdan's mom. I stay in Australia most of the time"

"You will leave here soon?"

"Until I marry you. I will not" Nahal gaped at him. Should not have said that?

"And if I say no?"

"Say yes. I love you, you will learn to love me. Say yes and we marry as soon as possible" Nahal raised her eyebrows in amusement.

"Are you sure you can handle me?"

"Handle you? Oh I can handle you" Nahal glared at his words before slapping his arms causing him to laugh.

"I mean handle my insanity, my temper tantrums and things. Not man-handle me"

"I never said I would man-handle you. Jeez"

"Yahyah. I have a very bad temper-"

"You don't" she huffed. He knew her well. Oh I know you, Nahal.

"I can't cook"

"You baked me cakes! Who says you can't cook?" gosh why is she lying.

"I can't clean"

"Your desk is the most organized and neat of all desks in the office, including mine"

"I can't bear children"

"We can adopt"

"I cannot handle kids"

"Then I will handle the children"

"I- I have- uh..."

"Have?" Yahyah was amused at how many things she could come up with to not marry him. Jeez. She is creative, I have to give it to her.

"I cannot be a housewife"

"You don't have to. You do whatever you like"

"I don't wear a Hijab"

"Hijab is a choice, not your imaan. Besides, who am I to judge" Nahal huffed again. This guy really had answers to everything. She then grinned maniacally. Yahyah saw this and raised an eyebrow.

"I have Erotophobia" Yahyah stared at her and stared at her until he burst out laughing. Nahal rolled her eyes.

"Yahyah, take the damned hint. I don't want you" Silence ensued. She glanced over to him and he stared ahead. So this is what heartbreak feels like? He gasped for air and took deep breaths. Yahyah had faced a lot of rejections in his life but this one, this one hit him deep and he knew it would scar him forever. Deep breaths, Yahyah. You can do this. Allah is with you. 

After a few moments of silence, he spoke.

"Are you sure you don't want me?" he asked her, a hurt expression taking over his features. She sure she doesn't want me?

"Yes! I would not be coming up with so many excuses if I liked you"

"Most of your excuses were lame. But I get it. I guess" Yahyah turned away from her towards the night light. I was so hell bent on getting her to like me back, I forgot that she has her opinions. But why does it hurt so much? I liked her, not freaking love- okay scratch that, maybe I did love her. Maybe I still do?

"Yahyah?" she whispered beside him and he let out a small forced laugh. Calm down, Yahyah, it is fine.

"I am fine." He muttered before pulling out his phone and dialing Yazdan's number. Please be done, I cannot hold this anymore. He picked up on second ring. He asked Yazdan if they could head inside. Yahyah hung up and turned to Nahal with a small smile.

"Let's head inside."

"Yahyah" she whispered in a concerned voice. Yahyah smiled at her.

"If you want me to let you go, you've got to stop showing concern over every little thing, alright?" he told her and she merely nodded. He grinned at her before walking towards the glass doors. He opened it and stepped into the warm room.

Oh dear heart, forget what happened. If Allah wills it, it will be. 

******

[A/N: Guys, remember Grandma Zaeef talking about her daughter in book one? If you don't, it is fine. She is Yazdan's mother. Yazdan was too small to remember the fine details about his life with them. The Zaeef's have always been his family so it doesn't really hurt him to talk about the incident. (I am explaining this in case some of you think Yazdan is insensitive.😂😂😊) So yeah. :)  ] 

Thank you so much for the AMAZING comments so far. Update! :) 

I read this the other day and I think it is beautiful. 

'What is the relationship between you two?'

'I call it............. love' 

Ayiayiayiiii. It was beautiful. :) 

ANYWAY: Since I made you guys wirthe in suspense yesterday, I am giving you all a double update. (Maybe a few hours haha) You can love me now and not plan on my murder. 😁😁😂😂😂❤❤

| R - C - V |

xx, 

-aalihha.