"Mahnoor tum abhi tk yaha kya kr rhi ho? Chlo Tahir taya abbu aa gye hai", Urooj pulled Mahnoor with her to the living area where everybody was gathered to welcome Tahir and his family.

Her eyes went up to Farha, who was wearing peplum top with a bootcut jeans, her sunglasses rested on top of her head. Even though they were sitting inside and sun has already set.

She is beautiful, that was Mahnoor's first thought. Different than Mahnoor in so many that she couldn't help but glance at her cotton kurta and unmatched salwar.

Farha was sitting beside Shahna her legs crossed as she laughed at something.

"Zarim dikhayi nhi de rha" Tahir asked as he put down the cup of tea on the table.

Suddenly Shahna looked hesitant as she replied, "Wo bhaijaan uski koi bhot important meeting thi..bss ata he hoga"

Tahir nod his head but Mahnoor didn't miss the glance his wife, Yumna threw at him.

When everybody sat down for dinner, Mahnoor sat quietly beside Urooj who talked constanly with Farha.
Zarim still hadn't arrive, even though Laiba had call his brother multiple times, he just won't pick up the phone.

The dining table was filled with noise.

Tahir taya was narrating some incident from years ago while Yumna kept correcting half the details. Laiba sat beside Farha, asking endless questions about life abroad, and Urooj jumped into every conversation whether she was invited or not.

Mahnoor remained mostly silent.

Her attention stayed on her plate, occasionally responding when someone asked her to pass a dish.

Across the table, Farha sat comfortably amongst the family as though she had never been away.

Farha was five years older than her. And then suddenly she rembered what Zarim said that night,

"Tumhari umar kya hai, Mahnoor? Aur meri kya hai? Ek baar bhi socha tumne?"

Sitting across from Farha, she found herself wondering if that was exactly what he had meant.

Farha wasn't like her at all. She wasn't awkward or uncertain, constantly second-guessing herself before speaking. She moved through every conversation with an ease that made Mahnoor painfully aware of how out of place she felt beside her.

Farha looked like she belonged in Zarim's world.

Confident.

Accomplished.

Elegant.

A woman.

Not a girl.

The thought left a bitter taste in Mahnoor's mouth.

She lowered her gaze and reached for her glass of water.

Just then the sound of a car entering the driveway echoed outside.

Then footsteps echoed through the hallway.

And before she could stop herself, her heart reacted first.

Zarim stepped inside, loosening the knot of his tie.

His meeting had gone on far longer than expected. Three missed calls from Laiba, two calls and a message from his mother were still sitting unanswered on his phone.

He was already preparing himself for whatever family gathering he had forgotten.

Then he entered the dining room. And remembered.

Farha.

Right.

She was supposed to arrive today.
For a second, guilt flickered through him.

"Janab ko ghar ka raasta yaad aa gaya?" Tahir remarked dryly.

A few chuckles followed.

"Assalamwalekum," Zarim said as he greeted the elders.

His gaze briefly landed on Farha.

She smiled.
Yet strangely, he felt nothing beyond mild acknowledgment. Just a reminder that he had completely forgotten she was coming.

And for some reason, that realization left an uncomfortable tightness in his chest.

As if there was something else he should be paying attention to.

His eyes moved across the table. Until they stopped.

On Mahnoor.

She wasn't looking at him.

Instead she was listening to whatever nonsense Urooj was saying beside her, nodding occasionally.

A faint smile appearing at the corner of her lips.

The sight hit him unexpectedly.

Last time he saw her when she stumbled on the stairs and he saved her from falling.

"It's none of your business." The sharpness of her reply flashed through his mind.

The tightness in his chest worsened.

And he found himself staring a second longer than necessary.

"Zarim?" Shahna called.

He looked away immediately.

"Hm?"

" Khana thanda ho raha hai."

"Ji."

And as he pulled out the empty chair beside Farah, he ignored the strange feeling that had settled somewhere between disappointment and fustration.

⋆‧°𓏲ּ𝄢

The days that followed slipped by quietly. One day turned into another. Then another.

Before Mahnoor realized it, weeks had passed. And her exams were coming to an end.

One afternoon when she stepped inside the haveli after coming back from university, she found the living room occupied by nearly every elder in the family.

Several diaries lay open on the center table.

"Yeh wali date kaisi rahegi?" Yumna asked, adjusting her glasses.

Tahir leaned forward.

"Nikah pehle rakho. Baaki functions baad mein."

"Haan, lekin hall ki availability bhi dekhni hogi," Shahna replied.

Mahnoor's steps faltered.

For a moment, she simply stood there.

The reality of it all suddenly felt different. The dates were being finalized now, the venue discussions had started, Guest lists were being prepared.

She slowly stepped back, before lowering herself onto the bench in the lawn. The weight of everything settled heavily on her shoulders as she stared ahead in silence.

She had known this would happen ever since Farha had arrived.

Nothing about this was unexpected.

So why did it still hurt?

A dry laugh almost escaped her.

Perhaps because knowing something was coming and watching it happen were two entirely different things.

The sound of the main door opening pulled her from her thoughts.

Darood stepped outisde, phone pressed to his ear as he instruct someone on the other line to pick up some file.
Darood Pasha was tall, broad-shouldered and perpetually dressed like he had just stepped out of a business meeting, he carried an intimidating presence that often put strangers on edge. But Mahnoor had known him her entire life.

To her, he was simply an important person in her life who had spent years looking after her like an annoying, overprotective brother.

Darood ended the call a moment later and slipped the phone into his pocket. Only then did he notice her.Sitting alone.

"Kya kr rhi ho tum yaha pr?" he asked

"Aise he" she shrugged her shoulder.

Without waiting for permission, he sat down beside her on the bench.For a few moments, neither spoke.

"Ab sach btao" he said

"Bss abbu ki yaad aa rhi hai" her voice cracked as she looked down towards the grass.

His eyes instantly softened.

The answer caught him off guard. Mahnoor rarely spoke about her father. Not because she had forgotten him. But because there were some losses that never truly left.

"Bss abbu ki yaad aa rahi hai," she repeated quietly.
"Mai kuch saalo mai graduate ho jaungi or woh yaha nhi honge" words spilled out of her.

Darood gently kept his hand on her head and said, "Lekin unki dua or mohbaat humesha tumhare saath rhengi"

Mahnoor looked at him with her tear filled eyes as a small smile break out on her face.
"Ab ye rona band kro or ja kr fresh ho jao mai kisi ko kehta hu tumhare liye lunch ready kr de. Din pr din patli hoti ja rhi ho".

Just then Zarim was entering through the gate after long day from work when his eyes fell upon them.
Mahnoor and Darood sitting together on the bench.
From where he stood, he couldn't hear their conversation. He only saw Darood's hand resting briefly on her head and Mahnoor looking up at him with tear-filled eyes.
Then a small smile appeared on her face.
Something in Zarim's chest tightened unexpectedly.

He frowned, the reaction made no sense.
Why was he even paying attention?
Mahnoor could sit with whoever she wanted.
It had absolutely nothing to do with him. Yet his steps slowed for a fraction of a second. As though he was witnessing something he wasn't supposed to.
Mahnoor laughed softly at something Darood said next. The older man immediately flicked her forehead. She swatted his arm in protest. And Darood grinned.

The sight was ordinary and completely innocent. So why did it bother him?
Zarim's jaw tightened.

His gaze lingered on them a second longer than necessary.

Then without another glance towards the bench, he continued towards the house.

Unfortunately for him, Darood had already noticed him.
"Oi!" Darood called out.
Zarim stopped.
Mahnoor immediately turned around. Their eyes met for the briefest second. Then she looked away. As though his presence no longer affected her at all.

And for some reason, that bothered him more than it should have.
"Idhar aao," Darood called again. Zarim walked over.
"Tumhare ghar wale andar tumhari shaadi plan kar rahe hain aur janab ab aa rahe hain."
A dry smile tugged at Zarim's lips."Office bhi chalana hota hai."
"Haan, bas tum hi chalate ho." Darood remarked

Mahnoor quietly excused herself and walked back to her room.
And Zarim, he couldn't help but glance at one last time before he focused on whatever Darood was saying.