Love Starts After Nikkah Chapter 26

There was silence prevailing in Sikandar Villa as two crucial inhabitants of the family were not there. Chirping of birds was resounding in the quiet house where Sahir was sitting on the kitchen table, and Saba was making bread omelet. Sunlight from the window was illuminating the kitchen, making it the coziest part of the house.

Putting the breakfast in front of him, who was busy with mobile, she sat beside him. 

"When is your last lecture?" He asked and took a bite of bread.

"3 pm."

"Do you have any plans with your friends afterwards or want to get home?" 

"No plans." 

Laziness was etched in her expressions so Sahir didn't ask more questions.

"I will come around 7 pm." He announced while taking the last bite. 

"Hmm" 

She replied while lazily taking bites of her breakfast.

As soon as Sahir left, her gaze went toward each nook of the kitchen, frustration taking a toll on her nerves. 

"How will I manage the whole house alone?" 

Nervousness settled in her nerves which she shook away and stood from her place to get ready for university.

While she was going to step out of her room, she remembered that today is the last date to submit fees. 

She swiftly went toward her cupboard and took out fees from her cupboard. 

"I should start taking freelance projects now."

She thought while gazing at a few notes left in her drawer.

........................

Anger rippled in her orbs and a strong urge to shriek with frustration hit her which she took control of.

It had been half an hour since she was standing in the line to submit her fees, and now the University account office was telling her that there is an error in submitting her fees.

"Kindly come into the account office so that we can solve your issue." 

Accountant signaled her through the small window at which she nodded her head and headed toward the office door while taking a deep sigh to control her frenzy nerves.

"Assalam o Alaikum!" She greeted to the person who was sitting into the account office

"Walaikum Asalaam! Tell your roll number and we will do adjustments in the system."

She told her roll number and was taking out the money from bag when a girl stepped into the office. Having layers of makeup on her face, long hair falling on her back, doused with heavy perfume and clad in a tight fitting dress, she stood near the accountant's table and greeted him with a chuckle.

"Walaikum Asssalaaam" Accountant greeted with excitement and amused smile etched on his face.

"My viva is going to start so I want to take out money from my account for notes. So, please do my work within a minute."

She said in a friendly tone and leaned a bit forward on the accountant whose eyes lit up.

"Noo. I don't want to do it in a hurry. You have to wait for a few minutes." 

 

 Accountant said with a pout while leaning against the chair headboard.

Saba rolled her eyes at this scene while her blood started boiling.

"My issue has been resolved?" She asked but the girl and accountant ignored her.

"Please! You are the best accountant in the world." The girl said with puppy eyes at which a chuckle escaped from the man's lips.

Girl also laughed along with the man while her orbs went toward the office door where a boy was standing, gazing at her questionably. Saba also followed the gaze and saw impatience etched on the boy's face.

She frowned and became curious about the whole situation.

Accountant asked the girl her roll number, the clacking of his keyboard echoed in the office, and then frown settled on his face gazing at the screen.

"I don't know your name was Waheed." He commented with sarcasm while gazing at the girl who nervously chuckled.

"Please take out the money. Our teacher will insult him if he does not make it on time." There was a plea in her tone at which the accountant took a deep sigh and took out the money.

Whole situation became crystal clear to Saba and she felt disgusted at this scene.

"Girls are exploited everywhere, and a lot of time they allow it due to their stupidity."

She thought while gazing at the girl who was taking 300 from the accountant with a triumphant smile.

As soon as she left, the accountant cleared his throat, leaned forward on his computer and started doing Saba's work. Professionalism was again etched on his expressions.

Coming out of the office, she gazed at the same boy and girl standing in front of the classroom, laughing and holding their hands.

Shooking her head, she went toward her classroom.

"That's why Allah has put some boundaries on opposite genders." 

She thought while stepping toward the classroom.

………………

In the classroom, Sahir felt tiredness and frustration on Saba's face at which different thoughts hit him.

"Maybe anxiety is taking a toll on her nerves."

He gazed at her lazy gait when he dismissed the class. Taking out his schedule on the mobile, he found today his 3-4 slot was free.

…………………..

At 3 pm, she came out of her last class, and took out her mobile to dial the driver's number. At that minute, a message popped up on her mobile.

"Come out of the university and meet me in front of Girls' school now." 

Reading Sahir's message, a smile etched on her face and heart bloomed with happiness. 

As soon as she locked the car's door, he ignited the engine.

"I was free so I thought to have lunch in a cafe with you." 

She nodded her head, and felt the whole day's frustration leaving her body.

Music was echoing in the cafe while a few tables were only occupied. Sitting on the chair, flashes of her first outing with Sahir came in front of her orbs.

He placed the order and excused himself to use the restroom. Saba was gazing all around the area when someone came near her.

"Hello Saba!" Her eyes rounded and she turned her orbs to find Zarina and Zaheer standing there.

Her heart skipped a beat and her gaze involuntarily went toward the area where Sahir had gone.

"Are you alone?" Zarina asked her at which she shook her head, mind was a hodgepodge of different thoughts.

"Do you remember me, Saba?" Zaheer asked with a friendly smile at which she nodded her head, unable to utter anything.

They both stood near her with confused expressions when Sahir came near the table.

"Assalam o Alaikum!" He greeted both of them with a smile and gazed at Saba's face which was becoming pale.

"Walaikum Assalam." Zaheer replied while shaking his hand.

Saba felt a questioning gaze on her so she took a deep sigh, gulped down her nervousness, and maintained a smile on her face.

"They are my school fellows, and he is my husband." She introduced them and stood from her chair for the first time.

"Yeah, we have met before." Zarina said with a friendly smile at which she also smiled.

"Come, join us." Sahir invited them, at which frustration again settled in Saba's nerves.

"Thank you so much!" Zarina said while sitting on the chair, and Zaheer also followed her suit.

Sahir smiled and went toward the counter to place the order.

"I don't like this thing. And you both know the reason." Saba snapped as soon as Sahir left them.

Smiles dropped off from both of their faces.

"Look Saba, Zarina told me about the misconception and I just want to clear that part." Zaheer said at which she gazed at him with red eyes.

Flashes of her and Zaheer name on the arm of chair was coming in front of her orbs at which bitterness etched in her being.

"I was unaware of that whole chaos you have to go through in school. We have met only once when you all came into the boy's campus. I never intend to do anything wrong." 

He was talking swiftly while gazing at Sahir's back. 

 

"I was jolly! I did some wrong things but it was my teenage faults. Now, I have moved on." 

Zarina added at which she gazed at her with red eyes. 

"Those teenage faults eat up my golden school years. Deeply hurt my trust in friendship." 

She thought but didn't vocalize anything as Sahir had come back. 

"Order will take fifteen minutes." He told them with a friendly smile at which they nodded their heads.

The rest of time there was light hearted conversation about careers and studies in which Saba mostly remained silent.

Three of them noticed this thing but didn't comment on it.

Later on, lying alone in the dark room, flashes of school year came in front of her orbs. Zarina and Zaheer's words were echoing in her ears causing the fog to lift off from her mind.

She took her mobile from the side table, opened her Instagram, clicked on Zarina's profile and started writing messages to her.

"Thank you for coming today and clearing the confusion. I appreciate it but please never speak of that part again. I have no grudges against you and Zaheer."

After sending the message, she was going to close the app when gaze fell upon Asma's profile picture. Her lips settled in a tight line, and fury rippled in her orbs. Putting the mobile on the side table, she turned around, and started gazing at the vacant wall.

She knew Sahir had felt her rude behavior during lunch and was curious about it, but she can't allow him to question her about that part of life. 

That part of the past was hers and she wanted space related to it, and Sahir had to respect her space.

………………

Sun was camouflaged with dark clouds, heavy with rain, ready to fall down on the bustling city of Islamabad.

Saba was standing in front of the stove, making biryani for dinner. Through the window, she saw darkness prevailing in the city, eating up all the light of mid-day.

Cold breeze hit her, at which a smile etched on her face. There were traces of her yesterday's spoiled mood in her attitude, but now she wished to wash them off with pure water of rain.

After a few minutes, thunder boomed into the city and heavy pour fell on the city, causing excitement coursed through her body.

She ran toward the back lawn, her steps echoing into the vacant house, and stood under the pour, letting herself soak completely. 

Face toward the sky, she let cold droplets hit her body, freeing her mind from every worry of life. Relaxing her body, and just focusing on rain, happiness burst in her veins.

…………………..

Sahir opened the front door and stepped into the house with exhausted expressions and a throbbing body. He came into the kitchen, drank water and started to move toward his room. On his way, he passed the window which opened toward the back lawn. He casually glanced through the window and saw a beautiful sight. 

Smile etched on his face and he stepped toward the back lawn where she was busy enjoying the rain. Stepping into the heavy pour, chill swept across his tired body but he ignored it.

Feeling an intense gaze on her back, Saba turned around and saw Sahir gazing at her with a smile. Her orbs rounded and blush crept on her cheeks. 

She gave a shy smile to him, lowered her orbs and stepped toward the exit with a lower face. 

"No. No," he said softly while holding her wrist.

Her orbs rounded and gazed at his face with anxiety while life was pulsing in his orbs.

"You are looking beautiful!" 

He came near her and commented while they both were soaking into the heavy pour under the dark sky.

"Thanks." She murmured and softly took out her wrist from her grip.

"I am feeling cold now." She again murmured and took long strides toward the exit, leaving Sahir alone with glinting orbs and a smiling face.

……………..

After enjoying the pour for three to four more minutes, he went toward the room to find it vacant. After changing his wet clothes, he felt cold and pain settled in his tired and cold body.

He was going to lie down on his bed when mobile rang, and Saba told him to come down for dinner. 

There was complete silence during dinner, only the voice of rain falling and thunder echoing into the house, causing Saba to blush now and then and Sahir smiling at her.

Afterwards, she sat on the couch and started doing her phonetics assignment while he lay down on the bed. His body started burning, and pain rippled in his body.

She was completely immersed in her phonetics assignment when she heard him coughing.

"Do you need water?" She asked while pouring water for him.

There was no reply from his side so she came near him and shook his body a bit which was under the duvet.

He took out his head from the duvet and Saba saw his red eyes. Reluctantly, she put her hand on his forehead which was burning.

"You are having a fever." Worry was rippling in her tone

He nodded his head and raised his body a bit with the help of his forearms.

"You should take Panadol." She said and rushed toward the medicine box, taking out the pill and giving him the water.

"Thanks", he murmured while taking both things from her.

                      ...............

Clock struck 10 pm when she finalized her assignment and switched off her laptop. Putting It away, she took out her duvet when Sahir's voice stopped her.

"Saba?" 

Yes? Do you need anything?" She stepped near him and saw his sleeping face.

"I am having a severe headache." He only said this and gazed at her face. Nodding her head a bit, she went toward the other side of the bed.

After a few seconds, Sahir felt her soft hand on his forehead. Her massage helped him with headache and he slowly went into the slumber.

Leaning against the headboard, Saba kept massaging his forehead until he was snoring. Taking her hand from his forehead, he gazed at his face while mind was a whirlwind of different thoughts. 

Thunder boomed in the city and the whole area bathed in darkness. Rain had stopped falling and a bright moon was illuminating the room. 

Remaining on the bed for some moments, gazing at his face, she checked his temperature by putting her hand on his forehead, and turned around to stand from the bed when a hand grabbed her wrist.

The moonlight was reflecting off from different objects, casting a silvery glow in the room. She turned around and gazed at his face under the soft rhythm of silvery light. 

They both were in the corners of the bed, and intertwined hands were in between. 

She gazed into his orbs while the whole world turned silent, gazing at both of them while holding their breaths. 

Clock kept ticking and when its small hand completed half of its journey, the mirror of the clock reflected Saba taking off her wrist from the grip of Sahir's hand.

Sahir kept gazing at her when she stood from the bed and went toward the couch while deadly silence remained echoing in the room.

Nodding his head a bit, and gazing at her, he lay back on the bed while she went toward the couch.

Whole night, thunder kept booming, and sleep remained away from the eyes of both individuals.

…………………

Saba's eyes fluttered open when bright sunlight was illuminating a part of the room. Panic settled in her expressions and she turned her gaze toward the clock which was showing 10 am.

"Oh my Allah! My lecture!" She slapped her forehead and frustration encapsulated her body.

"What happened?" Sahir asked her in a sleepy voice.

"I missed my lecture! I have to submit my assignment today, and I missed that too."

She covered her mouth while lineaments of tension embossed her features.

"Don't worry, Saba. I will talk to your teacher and will request him to accept your assignment."

"It was Sir Asad's assignment and lecture." 

"Don't worry. I will help you with it." He said with an expressionless tone at which she nodded her head.

She was going to step toward the washroom when his voice freezed her foot.

"And thank you for the night." 

She gazed at him who was gazing at her with expressionless orbs. Nodding her head, averting her gaze from his orbs, she went toward the washroom.

"I want answers to my question before pursuing this relationship, Sahir. Until now, you have taken all the decisions. Now, it is my turn."

She thought while opening the door of the washroom.

"I know you need time to accept the change in this relationship. So, I will give you space and will ensure that we both remain together till death departs us."

Sahir thought while sprawling out of the bed.

………………….