"There always was a memory of Zulekha Akram that would take me fifty steps backwards for the one step I had taken forward!"- Hisham Hosseini.

Ethan!

Ethan Williams!

The most friendliest guy on the planet after Khaleel Othman!

Also, about to be the most recent guy to disappear from the planet and that too... FOREVER!

Feeling greatly irked for some reason whatsoever and with his blood reaching maximum boiling point, Hisham closed his eyes as he slowly and angrily pinched the bridge of his nose, the utmost urge to kill Ethan and bury him 6 feet under, growing stronger and stronger with each passing minute.

Wait, what was all this even about?

Had the guy wronged him?

Nope!

Were they friends?

Yes! Well, I mean NO!

They USED to be friends but not anymore! Definitely NOT from this very microsecond onwards!

Don't even bother asking why because the answer to that was simply...

Because! Just because, okay?

Not having even a single bit of a logical answer to any of his very own questions is exactly what made Hisham to inwardly lose it even a tad bit more and the only thing he ended up resorting to, was to was angrily stare at Isma, who chose to even more angrily, stare back!

Both reliving their conference room moment...

Their 'I absolutely hate men' and 'I absolutely hate women moment'!

Wanting to of course very much sail his own boat, Hisham chose to intentionally mistake Isma's extremely seething look for an utmost 'fear of having been caught' look only and only because he intended to pass her off as nothing but...

A deer caught in headlights!

Yes! That was the only thing that would help him sleep at night so please...

Shhhhhhh!

Speaking of 'getting caught' and that too must he say, in EXTREME BROAD DAYLIGHT only but gave him the rightful rights of silently raising a few of the very many burning questions he had.

Firstly, was this the very same woman from back in the conference room?

The so called 'All men are trash' and 'Absolutely all men are dogs' AMBASSADOR?

Well, why was she sitting with the ENEMY, then?

Just to make it crystal clear, HER enemy and NOT his!

She had completely come off as if she greatly disliked men right?

Then why was she sitting with one?

Or was Ethan NOT a man?

Deep down, why did he so wish that he actually wasn't?

Ugh!

What was all this, really?

Could someone please explain?

Well actually, on second thought, there absolutely was no need of any kind of explanation.

He had it all figured out...PERFECTLY... and that too from EXPERIENCE!

Women were simply hypocrites!

Every single one of them!

The most accurate definitions of the word CONTRADICTION!

That was a fact!

A fact he could sadly die for!

And here right now, right in front of them was an act of hypocrisy at its very best- Isma Taib sitting with a man!

Why did it seem to be affecting him so much though?

He barely even knew her...

I mean this was just but her first day at work!

Or second; in his life...

Wait, what?!

Realising that Hisham was inwardly, fiercely battling it out with something that seemed to be greatly affecting him and upon catching him steal glances at Isma literally every few seconds, the most cheekiest grin ever broke out on Khaleel's face and he wasted absolutely no time, in pointing at the table right beside Isma and Ethan's and saying...

"I call all DIBS on that table!"

Hisham's entire body instantly went all rigid as soon as he realised which table Khaleel was talking about and he couldn't help but swallow bitterly before replying with an extremely loud...

"NO!"

"What but why!?"

"Just because!"

"That's not an answer!"

"Just know that I'd rather sit on the floor, Khaleel!"

"Oh please, it's just a table, Hisham! No big deal!"

"Exactly Khaleel, exactly! It's just a table and there should be no big deal either; in choosing another table from the seven billion that are here!"

Turning to face Hisham, the most neutral expression on his face, Khaleel raised one of his eyebrows quite inquisitively and then asked...

"If it's just a table, then why does it seem to be affecting you so much, Hisham?"

"It's absolutely NOT!"

"Yeah and I'm a DINOSAUR!"

Closing his eyes, Hisham couldn't help but take in a really deep breath and while pulling off the most expressionless face ever, just in order to prove his point, he said...

"It's...It's...it's not affecting me at all! Trust me...It's just that...that...table...it's...I mean...IT'S NOT OUR SPOT!"

Khaleel immediately shook his head as an emotionless laugh escaped his lips and with quite a noticeable hint of sadness laced in his voice, he asked...

"This SPOT you talk of; did you by any chance leave behind a FOUR year reservation for it?"

Quite taken aback by Khaleel's question, Hisham's eyes slowly drifted to that one table that held some of their most beautiful and most memorable lunchtime memories and his heart couldn't help but literally sink to its greatest depths upon seeing that it was fully OCCUPIED!

What? How?

Didn't they know?

Didn't they know that, that was -The Hosseini Brothers' Spot!

Their Spot! - Their Special Spot!

Then?!...

Hisham's sudden, slow growing silence began to get quite unnerving for Yasir who till now, had been quietly and patiently been listening to his brothers bickering and the only thing he ended up saying for the first time in a while was...

"No one waits for no one, Akhi! People tend to move on...a bit too quickly at that!"

Wanting to get rid of the sad nostalgic atmosphere he had mistakenly created and in quite quick bid to change it, Khaleel quickly interjected with...

"Yes! Exactly! We were the only ones who waited for you, Hisham and that too, for FOUR years! Therefore you owe us! So, you better pay up! I charge per hour by the way and I only accept credit cards. I don't know about Yasir though..."

That made Hisham and Yasir to loudly chuckle and Hisham waited not even a second to reply with...

"Oh please! The only thing I owe you Khaleel Othman is a smothering KISS!"

Khaleel then vigorously rubbed both his cheeks in preparation and while pointing to the table right next to Isma and Ethan's once again, he said...

"Whenever you are ready! You know where to find me!"

Drilling holes on Khaleel's back using his eyes as he watched him slowly and very much eagerly walk away, Hisham casually shoved his hands into his trouser's pockets, leaned back on his heels and then asked Yasir, in the most casual tone ever...

"Any tips on how to kidnap, kill and bury without a trace?"

"How many people?"

"Minimum two; for now!"

"Il let you know by tonight!"

"Great! Thanks!"

"Anytime!"

They both remained silent for a whole minute after their small exchange afterwich they had a small hearty laugh and with his eyes finally finding their long lost sparkle, Yasir couldn't help but say...

"I missed you Akhi!"

"I missed you too Yasir; though it's been months since I got back!"

"No, I missed this Akhi! The one you keep hidden! I felt him even if it was just for a few seconds!"

Tears stained Hisham's eyes as words got stuck in his throat and he quickly opened his mouth to say something but didn't and upon sensing the conflicting aura around him and not wanting Hisham to dwell too much on it, Yasir quickly said...

"I think it's high time we joined Khaleelo, otherwise he will catch feelings for an entire month!"

"Ugh, do we really have to?"

"Ummm, I think so!"

"Let's just say that we got lost while trying to look for the table! He just might believe us!"

Yasir shook his head in disbelief as he laughed, held out his hand for Hisham to take and smiled when his Akhi gently though very much RELUCTANTLY got hold of his hand and began to guide him towards that one table Khaleel had apparently been DYING to sit on.

Getting to the table and as much as it was quite unnecessary, Hisham still helped Yasir to get seated, afterwich he very much angrily and very much loudly pulled out a chair for himself, which caused Isma to quickly turn and look at him causing their eyes once again meet, only for them to both roll their eyes in the most exaggerative manner ever and look away.

As much that particular eye roll of an exchange had been somewhat extremely short and discrete, it had still not gone unnoticed by Khaleel and since he was here for nothing but the drama, he softly 'whispered' out to Yasir, though loud enough for everyone on the two tables to hear...

"Guess what? The girl who confused Hisham for a Personal Assistant is sitting right beside us. I am not even kidding!"

That caused Ethan to instantly choke on his food and Yasir couldn't help but smile really hard, trying his very best not to laugh as it slowly dawned on him as to why Khaleel had been continuously insisting on sitting at this very table.

Spirals of shock immediately coursed through every single fibre of Isma's body and she quickly opened her mouth to say something but no words came out while Hisham on the other hand only but quickly hissed...

"Khaleeeeeeeeeeeeel!"

Choosing to totally ignore the huge and dangerous amounts of venom laced within his Hisham's voice, Khaleel only but chose to continue...

"I really wouldn't blame her though; he does kind of look like a Personal Assistant and not a CEO! I mean there are a bit of way too many reasons to pass him off as one!"

"Right?!" said Yasir much to Hisham's utter disbelief.

"I think it's his eye colour!"

"Nah, I think it's the shape of his jawline!"

"Could be the hairstyle too!"

"Or the nose! It's always the nose!"

"Shoes too! Trust me, it must be the shoes!"

Having shortly choked on his food, Ethan took a large gulp of his water, inhaled sharply as he tried to recollect himself and with nothing but a look of disbelief etched all over his face and with his eyes set on Isma, he somewhat loudly exclaimed...

"What?! You confused him for a Personal Assistant? I had clearly told you sixth floor, CEO'S office!"

That was enough to grab Hisham's full attention and he immediately spat out...

"WHAT?! YOU WERE THE ONE WHO SENT HER?"

"I...ummm...I technically did but I was just doing my job?! I think?"

"You do know that you sent her up despite her being LATE, right?!"

"I WASN'T late!" Isma instantly exclaimed.

"Yes, you were!"

"No, I wasn't!"

"Yes, you were!"

"No, I wasn't!"

"Ethan, was I late?"

With trembling hands Ethan got hold of his glass, nervously gulped down the rest of his water and with his eyes continuously shifting between Isma and Hisham, he just didn't know what to say.

What could he say even considering...

One was just the newly confirmed CEO- His boss!

He still very much needed the job!

The other being a newly found friend!

A good friend; one whom you knew you could go a long way with!

Ugh, could someone please just kill him? Slowly though...

"Ethan?" asked both Isma and Hisham simultaneously, still waiting.

"I...ummm...honestly, you guys are really scaring the shit out of me right now! I promise I am going to start crying in the next five seconds!"

Not caring and having absolutely no patience at all, Hisham shouted...

"WAS SHE LATE OR NOT? YES OR NO?"

"No! She wasn't! She still had a whole ten minutes with her!"

"There you go! See?"

"See? See what?"

"That I wasn't late!"

"Yes, you were!"

"I so wasn't!"

"Yes, you so were! Plus, he just said that he is feeling scared. You are clearing intimidating him that's why!"

"What? Me? Intimidating?"

"Yes, you! Who else?"

"Ugh!"

"Double ugh right back at you!"

They angrily stared at each other, the urge to strangle the other strongly coursing through both of them and Ethan who still hadn't gotten the message that it was probably the best time to shut up, innocently asked...

"Okay but Isma, I had told you CEO's office! Who else would be in the CEO's office if not the CEO?"

"In my defence, while preparing for my interview I had gone through this company's website and the only CEO shown there was Mr.Hussein Hosseini. I simply was just but doing my homework..."

"Well you clearly failed at your homework! So go away!" said Hisham.

"One does not simply go away because they failed. They stay back to find out where they went wrong and try again!"

"Wow! Where was she with that piece of advice four years ago? Akhi could really have made use of that!" whispered Yasir only for Khaleel to quickly reply with...

"Same question, bro! Same question!"

Upon seeing that what he had purposefully sparked probably wouldn't ever finish and not that he minded since he was here for nothing but the juice, Khaleel said...

"Do you both mind pausing things for a second so that I can go grab some food? All this bickering been making me feel starved! I probably would enjoy it more once I'm stuffed. So if you guys could kindly...like...pause...two minutes? Il be right back!"

Standing up, he quickly asked Yasir...

"Bro, what should I get you?"

"A cheese burger, fries and a coke. Thank you!"

"What about you our Personal...sorry...I mean, MR.CEO?"

"Is there Sabr on the menu today?"

"Highly doubt it!"

"Then just get me a cold bottle of water!"

It barely took Khaleel even less than two minutes to get back and just as he was settling in, Yasir nervously said while looking out in Isma's direction...

"I am sorry we didn't introduce ourselves. We are the Personal...sorry I mean...the CEO's brothers. I'm Hosseini...sorry I mean I am Yasir Hosseini!"

Smiling at Yasir's nervousness and wanting to of course extend the joke forward Khaleel too said...

"And I'm Othman...sorry I mean I am Khaleel Othman!"

Cringing to the max at the amount of lameness his brothers were showcasing, Hisham palmed his face as he deep down wondered what impression Isma would be having of them only for his heart to slightly warm up and for a small smile to play at the corner of his lips when she replied with...

"I'm Taib...sorry I mean Isma Taib!"

She had played along!

Something Yumnah would have done too...

Wait, why was he comparing them?

Isma quickly stared down at her food, trying her best not to laugh but upon seeing Ethan, Yasir and Khaleel also trying not to laugh only but made it overly worse for her.

Her thoughts then slowly began to drift and it wasn't long before she zoned out once again...

The brothers...

They seemed nice! Really nice!

Yasir! Was he really blind?

What about Khaleel though?

Were his eyes really that blue or were those contacts?

Peeking and upon seeing that Isma had zoned out, Khaleel opened his mouth to say something only for Hisham to quickly stop him...

"Stop talking to her, already!"

"What but why?"

"I don't like her!"

"Well, congratulations because she clearly doesn't like you either!"

"Exactly! Then why are you still talking to her?"

"She doesn't like YOU but she clearly likes us and we like her back!"

Hisham loudly snorted as a sarcastic laugh escaped his lips and it wasn't long before he too got lost in an ocean wave of memories.

Did his brothers really like her and did she really like them back?

Why hadn't they ever said anything close to the same when it came to Zulekha?

He had never really asked them if they liked her or not but one thing was for sure...

ZULEKHA AKRAM DISTASTED BOTH YASIR AND KHALEEL...

GREATLY!

FLASHBACK...

A frown!

A deeper frown!

An even deeper frown!

With his eyebrows tightly scrunched together and with his frowns getting deeper and deeper with every passing second, Hisham let out the most loud, frustrated sigh ever as he furiously texted Khaleel.

I kind of don't come into this chat in peace, Khaleel!

Neither do I, Hisham! Neither do I! Therefore, let's try keep things as short and as simple as possible! Simply choose one, Hisham! Simply choose only one. HORROR OR ACTION?

DISNEY!

Awesome! I really wanted to watch HORROR too!

I said DISNEY!!

Isn't that exactly what I am saying as well? HORROR!!?

No! It's D-I-S-N-E-Y (DIZ-NEE)!

Right? Same thing...H-O-R-R-O-R (HO-RUH)!

Oh please!!

What?

The last time you watched a horror movie Khaleel, you ended up sleeping at the Hosseini Mansion for a MONTH!

Got absolutely no memories of that!

Really now? Well, it's a real pity that Yasir can't say the very same. He still seems somewhat SCARRED!

Excuse me?! In my defence, we ALWAYS and I mean ALWAYS had a pillow wall between us and I ONLY held his hand when the clock struck midnight and whenever there was any sort of paranormal sound!

Which I am guessing must be all night?

Shut up!

Okay...SPARE WHEELER...sorry I mean THIRD WHEELER!

Ummmmmm, excuse me?! Yumnah didn't seem to be complaining so why are you? Plus she should still be thanking me till date and that too...ABUNDANTLY! I got her to have the whole room to herself!

For a whole 31 days?!

28!

Sorry?

It was the month of February, so 28!

Wow, so you do know how to count?

Excuse me? Your point being?

My point being that if you do know how to count then you should also learn how to spell. How about we start off with the easiest word there is...D-I-S-N-E-Y!

N-O (NOOO) Plus, I have absolutely zero interests in watching a MOUSE cook!

Psssssht! Remy is a RAT!

Same thing!

Khaleeelooooo, come onnnnnn....

It's either my way or the HIGHWAY, Hisham! No in between!

Fine! I'll take the highway then!

Good for you and while you're at it, kindly take the very first EXIT and go get lost in I don't know...LOSTVILLE?

Nope! I will take it to get to your house and that too in the next FIVE. See you!

Don't bother! I am not at home!

EVEN BETTER!

Loudly laughing to himself while sending the last reply and with his eyes sparkling with nothing but joy, Hisham quickly shoved his phone into his blazer's breast pocket and then hastily and very much excitedly made his way down the stairs, only for him to come to a quick halt and for the most loving smile to creep up his lips, the very second his eyes fell on his beautiful wife, who was lazily outstretched on their much expensive couch, watching her favourite TV series.

Knowing without even a single doubt that he could for sure spare her a few of his minutes, he slowly walked towards her and despite her small, barely audible protests; which for some reason he found extremely cute, he gently lifted her so that he too could have a seat but more so, so that he could to have her head safely and gently resting on his laps.

Lovingly staring at her, he slowly lowered his head and then softly whispered in her ear...

"Hey Habibty!"

Knowing very well that she wouldn't reply and not bothering to wait for it, he then proceeded to place the most loving feather like kisses on her forehead, her cheeks and just as he was about to cutely kiss her nose, she turned her face away and said...

"Hisham, please! I am watching!"

He smiled because he knew that he was pestering her but he really had no intentions to stop because it only was for a little while.

Slowly turning her face towards him again, he lovingly tucked away the few strands of hair that were on her face and then asked...

"How about you stare at your husband for a change? Just for a few seconds? You stare at that TV all day anyway!"

He then gently got hold of her hand, slowly brought to his cheek and with his lowered head towards her and with nothing but love in his eyes, he whispered with nothing but sincerity in his voice...

"I love you, Zulekha!"

His words didn't seem to hit any chord in her heart even in the slightest because she instantly sat up, roughly and angrily pushed him away while shouting...

"HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU HISHAM THAT I AM WATCHING?"

"You watch that damn thing all day! Can't you give me some time?"

"Time for what? Time for you to tell me the CRINGIEST of all things?"

Immense hurt instantly flashed across his eyes and he wasted absolutely no time in saying...

"I sincerely mean it every single time I tell you that I love you! Sorry if you find it CRINGE! In fact, I don't even know why I bothered! I should just have left!"

"Left? Left to go where?"

"To Khaleel's!"

"To Khaleel's to do what?"

"It's movie night!"

"What? Wasn't it movie night just 3 days ago?"

"No! It was movie night 30 days ago! It's been a whole month!"

She remained silent for a while and just as he began standing up she said...

"What do you guys even do there?"

"What do you even think we do? It's MOVIE night! We watch movies!"

"I don't believe you!"

"DON'T!"

He then began walking towards the front door and just as he was about to near it, she called out to him...

"Hisham?"

"Yeah?"

"Is it okay if you don't go for the movie night this time round? Stay back? With me?"

For a second he almost fell for it but deep down he knew that she was just trying to manipulate him and probably didn't mean even a single of her own words.

"Sorry Zulekha but I simply can't. Movie nights mean a lot to Khaleel. He always had them with his parents and that too without fail and since his parents passed away, we've only but tried to uphold his family's tradition!

"Well he isn't two! One night won't hurt him!"

Completely ignoring her he reached out for the door knob only for his entire body to freeze when she said...

"Well just know that as your wife, I am extremely uncomfortable with you going for these so called movie nights! I don't trust what you guys do there! I very well know you men!"

Despite being immensely hurt by the hidden allegation in her words the only thing he ended up saying was...

"Did you just say as MY WIFE? MINE? If as my wife, you had tried to reciprocate even if it was a tiny bit of the love I was showing you just a seconds ago, then I would have willingly stayed back! I would have cancelled on my own brothers. I would have chosen you over Khaleel but you gave me no reason to stay, Zulekha. You pushed me away so I am sorry but my brothers it is!"

"Brothers! Brothers! Everything is your brothers! I HATE THEM!"

"Whatever did they do to you?"

"I just hate them!"

"Why? Give me one reason why you hate them and I promise that I will stay back and never ever go for any other movie night!"

She remained silent for a while and then said...

"You don't have the heart to hear it, Hisham Hosseini!"

Shaking his head he once again tried to make if for the door knob only for her to say...

"Your family is everything for you, Hisham but you fail to see that I left my family for you!"

"I NEVER ASKED YOU TO!"

"Excuse me?"

"Yes, I never asked you to leave your family for me, Zulekha. In fact, you're the one that keeps keeping me away from mine. You have the utmost liberty to meet your family wherever and whenever but whenever I want to do the same, you seem to have a problem!

"I am a family man and always will be. You asked to live separately and I obliged! So if we were to keenly look into things... I am the one most affected here. I am the one that's on the verge of losing his family...

"Losing them because of you!"

It almost had seemed as if she had been lost for words after what he said and he too had not waited for a reply.

That night; he ended up choosing his brothers- his family and in return...

HIS WIFE DIDN'T SPEAK TO HIM FOR A WHOLE TWO WEEKS!

***

Memories like these were what made him resort to being the man he was today and he really was sorry to say this; but he had absolutely no regrets.

The more closed he kept himself from women, the less the chances he had of getting hurt.

Feeling completely distraught from the flashback he had just had, he quickly muttered to his brothers that he needed to leave since he had some pending office work and just as he was about to stand up...

Isma got into the most delirious of all coughing fits having chocked on her Mac and Cheese!

Not waiting even a second to see if anyone else would try reach out her, Hisham simply chose to walk away but not before placing before her...

HIS STILL SEALED BOTTLE OF ICE COLD WATER.

***

PLEASE DO VOTE AND COMMENT.

HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE CHAPTER.

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

ASALAM ALEIKUM.