Hooriya was staring at the tiny card with ten digits printed over it. She was contemplating whether she should save his number or not.

“He said we will make nice friends. Then I should save his number.” She smiled and quickly saved his number in her contact list.

She quickly opened WhatsApp and was about to send him a Hi, but she stopped.

“That will make me seem desperate.”

The very moment Rizwan sent her a picture of good morning on WhatsApp. Hooriya made a face and mumbled colourful words for her jerk of a cousin. She had refused to marry him yet he was hell bent on irritating her.

But then an idea struck her mind and she forwarded the same good morning quote to Zayan.

💘💘💘

Zayan was cuddling on his bed, not willing to start his day so early.

“Zayan, wake up!” He heard his brother's voice.

With a sigh he got up from the bed and folded his quilt before putting his phone on charging. He turned on his mobile data and opened WhatsApp. An unknown number had sent him a good morning. He frowned. He clicked on the profile picture. It was a black and white snap of two girls hugging each other. Both of them were wearing specs and looked like biological sisters through their facial similarities. When he paid more attention on their faces, he realised that the one on left side is Hooriya.

“So it's Hooriya's number.” He smiled and saved it by her name.

“Zayan, Hoor isn't eating her food.” Ayan called for him again.

Zayan put his phone down and went to see his baby who wasn't eating anything. When Hoor was done drinking the milk and eating the egg and left to roam around, Zayan freshened up and entered his art room. He arranged the colours and took his brush. However, when his paintbrush met the white canvas, no imagery came to his mind. There was only one face in his imagination. Hooriya's face. So he began painting her. It took him ten long hours to complete it. He didn't eat or drink. He simply wanted to draw her and keep staring at her. At last, when he was done painting and Hoor was back frok her excursions, he picked her in his arms and slept on the marble floor while hugging her.

Two hours later, when he woke up, Hoor was gone again. He looked at the wall clock which showed it was nine at night. His stomach grumbled, pleading for some food. He yawned and went to the kitchen. When he opened the fridge, his eyes beamed at the sight of delicious pink strawberries. He quickly pulled out the small basket of fresh strawberries and the jar of melted chocolate. He dipped a strawberry in the melted chocolate and ate it with much pleasure. In no time the entire basket was empty and his mind was intoxicated by the sugar rush. Zayan went to his bedroom and slumped down on the bed.

The next morning Zayan wrapped Hooriya's painting in a white cover and sent it to her home as a gift. While he began making another portrait of her. The one that he will keep for himself.

💘💘💘

Hooriya was making cheese sandwich for the breakfast when she heard Hoorain calling for her.

“Hooriya, there's a parcel for you.”

“What parcel?” She asked loudly.

“I don't know, but its big.”

“Alright, I'm coming.” She quickly poured the tea into three cups. Hoorain didn't consume beverages so she made lemonade for her. Hooriya put the sandwiches and drinks on a tray and went to the dining table.

She put the breakfast on table and quickly went to the living room to take a look at the parcel Hoorain was talking about.

Hoorain was lost in her phone while the parcel rested on the couch. It was big, but flat.

“Looks like a portrait.” Hooriya mumbled and began unwrapping it. When her eyes fell on what was inside, she was left awestruck. It was her painting.

“Wow, Hooriya!” Hoorain exclaimed as soon as her eyes fell on the painting.

There was a signature of Zayan Shabbir at bottom left. Of course, it should be him. He was the only artist she encountered in her life.

“Breakfast is on the dining table. I'll come after hanging it in my room.” Saying so Hooriya quickly took the painting to her bedroom upstairs.

She put the painting on the bed and dialled Zayan's number. He picked the call on the second ring.

“Hello, Zayan.”

“Hey, Hooriya, did you like the painting?” Zayan asked nervously.

“Yeah, it's... beautiful.”

“I am glad you liked it.”

“Zayan... what made you paint me?” Hooriya asked with hesitance.

“I am interested in you, Hooriya.” His tone was calm but it stirred a storm inside her.

“Interested, in a sense?” She asked, even though she understood his words pretty well.

“I want to be with you, Hooriya. I like you.” It took him a lot of courage to muster up the confidence to say those words to her.

“Isn't it too early to say that?”

“Yes, it is. How about we meet for lunch and see if we can work out or not?” He smiled.

“That's a smart way to take a girl on date.” She commented with a smirk.

“Oh, you caught me.” He grinned, rubbing the back of his head.

“Alright, but you'll have to tell my parents about it yourself.” She put her condition.

“Are you serious?” And her condition scared the hell out of Zayan. He'll have to take her parents' permission to take her out!?

“Yes, I don't want to keep it from them. I mean, why should I lie to my parents for something I don't even know is permanent or not?” She shrugged.

“Well, you are right. I'll meet them when I'll come to pick you tomorrow.” He agreed after a few moments. He himself wouldn't keep such things from his father or brother.

“Good, I'll send you the address.”

“Have a good day.”

“Likewise. And thanks for the painting.”

“Pleasure is mine. Bye.”

“Okay, bye.” And the call ended.

Both Hooriya and Zayan were waiting eagerly for the next morning.

•••

Question: If you were a painter, whose portrait you would've painted?

Me: Mohit Raina as Mahadev 😍
Literal magic ✨

•••

Now I want to talk about a serious topic. Few days ago, I interacted with a guy on Wattpad. And he told me that there are some, actually many, girls on Wattpad who message him to sext. And that he has to block a lot of girls on daily basis.

As a person who has read erotic romances from time to time, I can understand that reading about sex can make you think about sex all the time. I've gone through that phase. But let's be practical. It's not worth it. We can do much better than that.

About those girls, I was shocked when he first mentioned it. Because I used to think that this slut behaviour is limited to profile picture and bio only.

And see, reading erotica is alright. Masturbating is a personal and a healthy choice. But messaging a stranger to sext is unacceptable.

It also tells us that how constantly reading mature content can also effect our moral values.

So be careful with your reading preferences. Because reading can change a lot in your personality.

•••

And I want to mention something else. Few weeks ago I was trying hard to make a Wattpad friend understand that reading toxic and abusive content is not good. But her reaction was that, Hey, it's okay. She was saying the same again and again.

Don't keep this attitude. Because this mentality will disgust you as an adult, especially a woman.

•••

I'm done for now.
Bye 👋