▬▬▬▬▬

▬▬▬▬▬

"So, what's all this?" Nuha asked as she felt the sand beneath her feet sink deep under her weight. Her black hair flowed down on her back in waves and twirled gently with the soft brush of wind that caressed her face, her eyes found Haider's as they came to a halt by the shore.

"Nothing" he simply smiled with a small shake of his head, "I heard about your mother I'm really sorry" he said taking her hand in his making her lower her eyes to their intertwined hands.

"It wasn't something any of us could've stopped, I tried but that's all I could do" she whispered into the silent night, the wind whistling lowly, the waves crashing against the shore and kissing their feet with their cold lips.

"So how was dinner?" Haider asked feeling the silence gnaw at him, being with Nuha was anything but a moment of silence.

"It was nice" she whispered smiling softly at him, her attire, the hairstyle and her soft voice; everything was making her look like a fairy who descended the sky for this special night.

"I hope you had fun" Haider said making Nuha chuckle at the nervousness that was surrounding them.

"I did" she said still smiling making him loose his stiff posture and flex his shoulders to feel a little free.

"Gosh...." Haider exhaled dramatically making Nuha grin wider as her eyes followed his movements.

"what?" She asked with a small squeak to her tone.

"It feels so weird having you beside me and still have it so quiet like Nuha from a week before would've been screaming and getting her dress all wet from running into the water like a kid" he exaggerated gesturing at the water that shimmered a light blue under the moon. 

"Ah.... yes" Nuha nodded while tapping a finger on her cheek.

Haider tried taking her hand back into his but she pulled it away taking a few steps away from him making him furrow his eyebrows.

"What? Let me hold your hand" he said trying for the third and not succeeding, the woman kept stepping backwards.

"Then what's stopping you?" She asked with her lip tucked under her teeth and hands held behind her back. The two were already knee deep in the water and the growing smile on her face was a clear giveaway that this was about to be a chase, Haider tried again only to have cold water splashed on his face.

"You—" Haider tried again but this time the chase had begun. Nuha's laughter rang in the starry night sky as she tried running at her full speed but the water was an obstacle, not that she mind.

They're feet tore through the restless surface of water as the man chased the woman who's dress was now sticking to her body, her hair starting to curl at the ends from the water that the two were continuously splashing at one another and her smile so bright Haider did not mind getting his expensive shirt ruined by this woman yet again.

After a long while he caught up to her, his arms wounding around her waist pulling her to himself, a wide smile on his face and hers. Nuha felt her heart beating violently against her ribcage and cheeks hurting from smiling so much and Haider yet again felt himself slipping into the enchantment of her presence.

"Nuha" Haider brought her attention to him making her eyes meet his.

"Haider" she replied tilting her head making him smile softly at her wet face, water droplets shining on her cheeks and her hair sticking to her face.

"There's something that I've been wanting to ask you for a really long time" he started making Nuha nod her expectantly.

"From the first time you ruined my shirt to now...." He said making her chuckle in rememberence.

"You've always meant something special for me" he spoke softly making her smile softly with a dreamy gaze.

"And after these many months that we've faced together I want to finally ask you this question" he said lowering himself down on the shallow part of the ocean near the shore.

Nuha's eyes widened Haider now brought a soaked velvet box out of his pocket, a chuckle slipped past his lips as he felt the wet surface of the box and opened it making water drop from it.

His face warmed up as made sure the water didn't end up taking the ring with it before looking up to meet Nuha's gaze.

"Will you be my forever? Will you marry me Nuha?" He asked making her gasp. Her cold hands regaining their warmth and so did ger face.

"I...." Her mouth fell open as she gazed into his eyes that were full of affection... For her?

"You're all that I've ever wanted in my life, you're exactly the person that can keep me with you and yet not make me feel bound, you're my freedom Nuha, my heart's freedom. I don't feel restless when I'm with you, you don't make me feel trapped in the name of a commitment, you're my peace, the fruit to my quest for the perfect girl that'll make me hers, and you did it." He said making Nuha feel a flutter in her gut, was it from the cold or the way this notorious heart breaker was on his knees... for her.

All sort of thoughts were filling her mind, and none of them was ready to believe him. Trusting a man was far from her sanity, she must've had to loose a few screws to end up like her mother or Ayat because of a man.

Haider scrutinized her expressions and he felt his heart stopping at the way she tried slipping her hand out of his.

"Believe me. I know it's hard but Nuha please... I beg you give me one chance and I'll make every bad experience vanish from your life. Trust me" his tone was so soft Nuha wanted to throw herself at him and say a big yes but then again was she even in her senses to say that.

"Marriage is a very big commitment Haider" her voice was stern and serious making him nod with understanding.

"I know... And I won't hurt this whole thing, but I want you as my wife not a girlfriend, you're more than a girlfriend Nuha and I'm very sure about my decision the rest is yours to decide" he said slowly getting up after not receiving an answer.

A heart broken smile pulled his cheeks up and he gazed at Nuha's guilt stricken face with desire. A desire to have her trust, a desire to make her happy.

"Haider I'm—"

"It's okay. I guess I rushed it a little. I should've discussed it with you before" he said putting his hands on her shoulders reassuringly.

Before Haider could even turn his back to her he felt a small hand taking hold of his.

"Haider" a soft whisper pulled him out of his reverie making him meet her eyes.

"Yes" she said making him furrow his eyebrows.

"What? You don't have to feel obliged—"

"I just said yes"

"Because you don't want me to feel bad?" He said making her shake her head at him.

"I said yes because I think I can give this a chance" she said gulping her anxiety down, keeping her negative subconscious down and letting her gut take over her decision or else she would've remained in this constant fear of her till her last breath.

"Are you sure?" He asked cupping her face making her nod yet again with a beautiful smile on her face.

"It's like we're getting married tomorrow, all this just happened really out of the blue and I wasn't even expecting this so I didn't know if this was a prank of reality" she admitted making him narrow his eyes at her.

"My finger is waiting" she said pulling her left hand up for him to see the empty finger.

"Yes..." He exclaimed with an even wider grin on his face.

"Uh uh" she shook her head in denial making him furrow his brows.

"On your knees" she said pointing to the ground that they gave reached making the man roll his eyes and obey.

"Miss Nuha Idreesi, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife in the coming future?" He asked grandly making her chuckle before nodding her head nobly.

"Yes" she said before jumping on her toes as he slipped the elegant diamond encrusted band on her finger.

Loud squeals rang on the beach as the man hauled the woman up in his arms twirling around in sheer happiness making the star gush at the two and check their scrolls to erase hardship that may come in their way.

Fireworks enlightened the sky making them grin at the show, their eyes came back to one another's and spoke volumes of unresolved feelings and doubtful minds but nothing could stop them from feeling serenity of the moment.

"I love you" the man confessed under the canopy of wild fireworks placing her forehead against her making nuahs close her eyes to relish the calm of the night.

"I'll try my best to be the best for you" she said in return making the man grin like a child before bringing his lips down to her for short yet lingering kiss.

"Oh my god I'm going home" the woman was again her loud self feeling her cheeks heat up, the man - her man - laughed at the way she fanned ger face making her feel all sorts of things.

His laughter did something to her heart, the deep rumble of his tone made her smile even brightly in delight knowing she was reason behind it. This man was the same man she had a crush on and now on this night he had proposed her.

Life couldn't be more peaceful than this.

But boy was she's wrong. Since at the other end of this story a man was banging on the door of her apartment with a sinister grin on his face making the woman behind the door get ready to welcome her past to it's end......

Assalamualaikum guys how are you all?

A short update for you guys... Since I was in the mood to write one but didn't want to burn the flame in search of a long update.

I hope you like it.

Allah hafız.

Love
Hafsa Tahir