There are only two times I want to be with you. Now and forever.

Ache was an inferior word to define the pain I felt in my entire body, I difficultly opened my eyes; the room was filled with the morning light coming from the closed balcony door. I rubbed my eyes, sitting up. I was startled with Aaliyan's presence. He sat beside my bed on the floor, his face rested on the bed as he slept.

Slowly, the incidents from last night appeared on the slate of my sleepy mind. Ugh, I had fallen asleep while he carried me home. Sensing the pain in my foot, I stared at it and found it treated with an ointment and it was wrapped in a bandage. Aaliyan had done it. I took a deep breath and realizing that I was still in the lengha from last night I got up only to fall back. I couldn't walk.

"What are you doing?" It was Aaliyan's drowsy voice, behind me.

"I need to get changed, I can't walk."

"Should I help?"

My heart skipped a beat, my breathing caught in my throat. "Getting changed?"

He laughed huskily, making my heart beat faster. "No stupid, help you walk."

"Yes," Seeing no other way, I replied in the affirmative.

Aaliyan went to the intercom and ordered someone to come to my room. He came to my side and crouched down before me. "Someone will be here to help in a minute, how are you feeling?"

"Pain."

"Where?" He took my foot into his hand, analyzing it.

"My body is breaking with pain," I muttered, restless and petulant.

"Okay, you get changed, I'll call a doctor." He stood up, taking his phone out of his pocket. When Jannat came inside after knocking, Aaliyan gazed at me one last time and left the room.

I got a hot bubble bath not forgetting to wrap my foot in two plastic bags with the help of Jannat. Then, she brought breakfast, when I was done with breakfast; Ghazi appeared with an aged doctor.

The doctor examined my foot and then checked my temperature and blood pressure. He predicted that I might get a fever in the night. Then, he prescribed some medicines and told me that the bandage will be changed every day and I am not allowed to walk for a week until the wound was completely healed.

When he left, I facepalmed. I had just gotten up from my bed after long sickness and now another week. I got anxious and angry. Ghazi came back after leaving the doctor downstairs.

"I think you got Nazar."

"Got Nazar?"

"Evil eye," he sat on the couch opposite the bed, now there was not a table after Aaliyan had graciously kicked the previous one. "Hmm, I know whose evil eye that might be."

We both laughed, knowing whom he was talking about. "That girl, damn Musca, she is the most arrogant person I have ever seen."

"She has the right to be, she is so pretty after all." I gave a reason.

"Whatever, but she didn't have a right to get me fired. It was me, I didn't need the job but think if it was some struggling poor guy, his life would have been disturbed for months." He sighed. I nodded, understanding. Then he shrugged. "What would you do all day long?"

"Surf internet, read something," I pouted.

"Hm theek hai, I'm going to university." He got up and left, but he didn't close the door properly. I cursed now I had to wait for someone to come and close it.

I could hear voices coming from outside and it was Aaliyan's voice; I could recognize it in a thousand voices. He was talking to someone strictly. My ears stood up like a rabbit's. He was speaking in Urdu but I could make out most of the things until they were not difficult words.

He was saying, "Don't disturb her but you won't leave this chair, never, but if you do, call someone else to sit here. She does not like nagging so do not go inside until called. Make her eat her food and medicines on time. And...take care of her, understood?"

I was smiling softly throughout, warm feelings bloomed in my heart as a sunflower blooms when sees the sun. The knock on the door made me come out of my trance, I replaced the smile with a flat face.

"Come in."

It was Aaliyan, entering with his usual mesmerizing fragrance, in a grey suit, he looked fresh enough to be eaten raw. I jerked my head. Stupid Musca!

"These are your medicines," he gave me a paper bag. However, he had some packets in his hand from which he was taking the tablets out. He went to the bedside table and filled a glass with water. Coming to me, he gave me the pills and the water. I swallowed them with water.

"I'm going to work, I'll be back in the evening, Jannat is outside, call her if you need her."

I nodded.

"Is the pain too much?" he asked, worried seeing me so silent. I shook my head. "Do you need anything?"

I nodded. "Take me to the balcony." Like two years old kid I raised my arms for him to pick me up. He didn't waste a second and picked me up. He walked us to the balcony, putting me on the chair, he took my feet in his hands carefully and placed them on the table.

"I need coffee, my phone and there's a book in the right bedside tables' drawer, that," I ordered with the glory of a queen. Aaliyan didn't say anything, he seemed okay to be getting orders from me. He went away and came back with my phone and the book.

"Don't read this," he said, giving me the book.

"Why?" I was amazed. Asmat gave it to me. She was praising it so much and she said, it was spiritual and I would fall in love with the book, luckily it was the English version of it.

"Urdu writers don't write about normal people, their characters are from Mars and Jupiter, no one is as perfect as Jihan Sikandar and Salar Sikandar."

I smiled, dying to tell him, that you're Aaliyan you're. However, I stayed quiet.

"I'm going," he said. I tilted my head and nodded. "You can call me if you need me."

I again nodded. It was obvious in his hopeful eyes that he wanted me to stop him and ask him to stay. But, I was not the old Musca, now I was his cousin too.

"Okay," with a sad expression he left. I sighed and stared at the huge garden before me and at the end of it; there was a construction site, where men worked with iron and cement, it was so noisy. I cursed at myself; I forgot to ask for headphones or earplugs.

I turned my head to shout at Jannat but I got startled. Aaliyan Haider was standing there, with headphones in one hand and earplugs in other. The struggle with I controlled and hid my smile deserved to be noted in history.

***

The doctor was right, the other two days, I was burning in fever and my body ached as if I was an old leaf crushing by someone's foot, my bones were breaking. I was restless, anxious and angry all the time. I was fed up of lying on my bed, in my room for four days now. I had not got out and I was already feeling insane.

One of those days was mama's death anniversary. Mami had organized a Qur'an khawani, in which people recited the Qur'an intending to give the deceased sawab which meant we could give the deceased rewards.

I couldn't walk so I had recited Qur'an for mama in my room. Late in the night I had opened her letters and reread them. They were the only things that connected me to her, somehow.

These days Ghazi sat with me most of the time, talking about everything but mostly, his tongue kept rolling off Sara's name, he seemed to have a hate-crush thing with her. However, she was a narcissist and didn't look below her knee and people like me and Ghazi were even below her feet in her opinion.

However, Aaliyan and Sara were Bonnie and Clyde, but only killing me without a gun, by laughing, chatting, and teasing each other. I understood that they were best friends and dated in their school life, this was a normal relationship but my heart, burning in the fire of envy and insecurities flashed such images in my mind, I felt immobile, unwanted and unneeded, as if the world was ending for me. I wanted to burn Sara alive, and it was not even just a thought.

I heard stories about them from Ghazi and writhed like a fish out of water, on my bed. I was the most helpless. Couldn't even go downstairs, grab Aaliyan by his shirt, and lock him somewhere away from Sara. I was powerless.

Today, I almost cried in agony. "Take me downstairs, I'll eat with everyone."

Ghazi drowned in thoughts and stared at me with his golden same as Aaliyan's eyes. "How?"

"Pick me up?"

He jumped back like I was a snake ready to bite him. "Toba, no, Bhai kya soche ga?" [No, what would Bhai think?]

"What?" I laughed. "You're like a brother to me Aryan Haider." After so many days, I took his real name.

"I won't do that I am sorry," he stood up from the couch and dashed off as if I was making him pick me up on gunpoint. I laughed again, those innocent brothers. I opened my phone and listened to a TED talk.

I had completed the book "Peer e Kamil, The Perfect Mentor", which Asmat gave me and I was grateful that I read it. I cried a lot while reading it. It had hooked me and cleared so many viewpoints of me in the sense of religion and society. I was still in the trance of that book. God, I loved it.

The door opened slowly, I looked up, Aaliyan was standing in the doorway in his black full-sleeved shirt and black jeans, with his hair messy. I sniffed his perfume, damn I loved it, even when he left the room it stayed in the room, with me.

"You called me?" He asked. I put my phone away.

"No," I frowned.

"Aryan said, you called."

I raised my eyebrows, oh that donkey! "Nah, I didn't."

"Okay, how are you?" He was standing still, neither coming in nor going out.

"I'm fine," I moved my lips into a smile, I knew I was pale and looked like a ghost with sickness.

"Are you taking medicines?" He finally decided to come in; he closed the door behind him and approached my wounded foot, which was enfolded in a white bandage.

"Yes," I nodded. He crouched down and took my foot into his hand. Damn, I shivered at that simple concern filled contact. I was insanely awkward.

"Does it hurt?" he stared right into my eyes.

"So much," I mumbled talking about everything.

"What can I do?" he inquired with concern.

I grinned with humor. "Kiss it maybe?"

He smirked. "Vile!"

"And dangerous," I chuckled. "I'm fine."

He stood up and walked to my side, and sat beside me. "You don't look fine." his hand cupped my cheek. I couldn't refrain from leaning into his touch.

"I'm fine," I mumbled when Aaliyan removed his hand. Aaliyan without saying anything picked me up. "Aryan told me you wanted to eat with everyone."

"That guy's a traitor." I encircled his neck with my arms. "He wouldn't pick me up."

"He is wise, knows what he should do and what he should not." He walked us out of my room. "I'd have broken his legs if he was in this position with you."

"He is your brother." I was amused.

"And you're mine."

"Dream on!"

I nuzzled his neck, it was getting impossible not to, my eyes were hooded, "How much your perfume costs?"

"Eight hundred dollars," he simply said as he descended the stairs.

"Isn't it too expensive?"

"It is."

"Do you pay your taxes?" I was being doubtful.

He laughed. "I do, and I love perfumes, I want the best ones."

"Where does all this money come from? Are you corrupt?" I bit my lip, wondering.

"No. I inherited half of it and worked for it to grow. It's been ten years since I have been working."

"Hmm," I traced his ear's structure with the tip of my nose "Don't apply it, makes me lose my mind,"

"I'll be applying more." I sensed the smirk in his voice. I smiled and caught his earlobe between my teeth. He winced.

We were on the second floor now. I could sense it without even seeing.

"Someone will see Musca." He tried to get away.

"Let them see," I touched his stubble with my hand, holding him in place.

"Musca!" he jerked his head multiple times to get away, growling.

"Shh," I whispered in his ear, and held him in place, smirking. I love timid and nervous Aaliyan.

"M-mummy!" he yelped in fear. I turned my face right away in startle, only to find no one.

A thunderous laugh left Aaliyan's mouth. "Let them see, or batao?" he mimicked me.

"Stupid, fool, idiot," I hit his head. "I could have fallen, stupid. Don't talk to me, idiot."

"Acha sorry," he pecked my cheek. "Don't tempt us both."

"Promise me you won't apply this perfume ever again!" I warned.

"I will, I mean I will...not." he teased.

"Good," I again caught his earlobe in my mouth, I didn't know about the future but today he had the perfume on and I was insane to be doing this. We were on the first floor and a minute away from the dining hall.

He stopped. "Musca...mummy..."

"Liar!" I bit his neck.

"Musca, mummy," he warned shaking me. My eyes widened, I did sense a presence and mumbled giggles. I did not dare look up; my cheeks heated up. I hid my face in his shoulder in embarrassment. "God!"

"Mummy, supper," it was Aaliyan's nervous voice, I wanted to laugh but I wanted to be swallowed by the earth too. Mami went away, I thought because her chuckle was distant and Ghazi Haider was laughing like an old kangaroo.

"Damn you!" I said to Aaliyan.

"Yes, I was the one mewling in my ear."

If I were standing, I sure would have stomped. "Take me to my room, I won't face them."

Aaliyan chortled. "Come on, no one will say anything to you. But yeah, if my dad was alive and he saw us in this position then it might have been a different story."

"What about my mother?" I was suddenly interested in knowing her reaction.

"She, um I don't know, she was always eager to get us married so I can't say."

He shrugged and took me inside the dining hall. Aaliyan put me down on my usual seat with Ghazi. I mumbled a thank you to him and turned to Ghazi, who was barely holding his laughter.

"Shut up or I'll get you killed!"

It only made him laugh more. I took a fork and assaulted his arm. It made his mouth shut, as he winced and glowered at me. I turned and sat straight in my chair only to find Aaliyan smirking at me, eating from his plate.

I facepalmed in frustration, I lost control. Damn. "Don't look at me!" I mouthed to Aaliyan, whose golden eyes were shining like the brightest of stars. He only intensified his stare. I bit my lip in nervousness. Goodness!

"I'm getting married." Uncle's announcement made me jump in my seat.

"What? How can you?" My eyes widened and my mouth opened. It was my reaction.

"Ap anti-nikkah logon ki batein na sunai! Who's the girl?" [Don't listen to anti-marriage people's talks]

Aaliyan discarded my question with his arrogant remark and with a smirk turned to Uncle.

"You don't know her," Uncle blushed, his light brown skin turning pink. "She's a colleague. I like her a lot. She loves me and I think we'd be happy."

"That's great!" Sara shouted in excitement.

"What about Asmat?" I was restless.

Uncle frowned. "What about her?"

"How could you...she loves..." I flinched and turned to Aaliyan. "You! Take me to my room right now!"

Aaliyan like an obedient child stood up from his seat and came to mine, effortlessly picking me up, he had a smirk plastered on his face. I turned my gaze away from his sexy face. I was annoyed at everyone.

Suddenly, I had a headache. How could Uncle do that, did he never saw the love in Asmat's eyes or did he never thought how she sacrificed her self-esteem for him and boldly expressed herself. The Asmat I knew could be a bitch sometimes but she was a modest girl and no one in the university dared to talk extra to her. She only showed boldness to Uncle and he did that? I was fuming.

As soon as Aaliyan put me on my bed, I grabbed my phone under the pillow and called Asmat.

"Uncle is getting married," I replied to her energetic salaam.

"What?" she screamed. "To... what? Who? Why?"

"I don't know," I said, annoyed. Aaliyan kept staring at me in shock. "He just said he is."

"I'm coming." She rasped.

"No! Listen!" She cut the call making me curse.

"Tum larkiyo k pait mai batain nahi teherti?" [Can't you girls keep secrets in your tummy?" Aaliyan was asking, irritated.

"Shut up, she deserved to know." I rebuked. Aaliyan obediently put a finger on his lips and went to sit on the couch.

"She's coming," I whined after a moment. "It will take her twenty-five minutes." I stared at the wall clock. "What if there's a huge drama. Shit!" I chewed my fingernails in nervousness, thinking about Uncle's reaction. I regretted calling her. Damn. Aaliyan was right. Couldn't I refrain from calling her? Shit shit shit!

"Don't worry," Aaliyan said.

I nodded. "Come here, take me downstairs."

"Why don't you hire me for this?" he asked with a sarcastic smile as he neared me.

"Shut up, because of you, I can't walk." I gritted my teeth; his hot smile gave me the feeling of burning in anger and also the coldness spread on that anger staring at his beauty.

"Because of me or because of your stupidity?" He bowed. I wrapped my arms around his neck, his scent engulfing me again as he picked me up. Damn!

"If you could just listen to me for once." He husked and damn his hot voice. I could listen to it forever, sure but I wouldn't have admitted it. Only if I could unlove him!

Downstairs was another drama waiting for us, Aaliyan stopped us at the last stair as a fuming Asmat marched into the house, tears streamed down her cheeks and her eyes were bloodshot. "I will kill your Uncle!" she threatened in a cracking voice.

"Asmat please listen to me..."  I assumed my excuse didn't come out as strong and convincing because of the current position I was in. She ignored me and ran off to the dining hall listening to Uncle's distant voice.

"Aaliyan!" I whined in frustration. "I'm so stupid."

"I told you." He shrugged.

"How am I gonna stop this." My head spun.

"You wouldn't have to, Uncle will deal with it."

"Take me to her, I have to comfort her, she is my friend."

"I think you're the one who needs comforting right now." He bowed his head to my face and rubbed the tip of his nose on my cheek.

I frowned. "Who said your opinion was needed?"

Aaliyan kept doing what he was doing, not paying heed, even in the moment of anxiety the tingles in my body were going wild.

"Stupid! Take me to her." Luckily, I was still in my senses, and Asmat's shouts were becoming audible.

"Okay," he sounded disappointed but he walked in the direction of the dining room anyway. Allah, how will I stop this!