Ummid Miya sat staring at Shaahid. While the later gulped down toasts one after the other.

" Listen. Salman bhai visited my dhaba just twice or thrice, over the four long years he stayed in Fareedpur, before Allah called him up for tea. " , Ummid said.

" How good did he look? " , Shaahid asked with bread in mouth.

" Even more handsome than you. "

" I am not handsome. I'm a dark badlooking human. " , Shaahid grinned.

" Yeah. I'm handsome. The same me whom my wife mistook for the caterer instead of the groom on our Nikah.
You ain't. " , Ummid miya heaved a huge sigh.

" Your wife has always got eye problems. You know that well. " , Shaahid licked off the butter from his fingers.

" I would have bought this, only if I didn't have mirrors at home.

Anyways, Salman bhai was terribly handsome. Always turned a few heads to him when he walked. And was soft spoken as well.
Quite reserved too. Unlike you, who can even talk to a wall for a week.
Girls like that kind. Not yours. "

Shaahid twisted his lips. Ummid miya was on a spree of insulting him again today.

" By the way, do you remember the money you are getting soon? " , he tried to divert him.

" I remember, but won't be very optimistic before I actually get it. " , Ummid blinked.

" Good that people are reasoning with me these days. Instead of blindly trusting me. "

" I don't distrust you. But money matters are not my thing. Otherwise I would have been the manager of Oberoy Grand by now. But look at my dhaba, it couldn't be extended even a slice for the last ten years. Thanks to freeloaders (like you). " , he gulped back the last part.

" Instead of putting the whole blame on me, why don't you accept that you spend have of your earnings for your wife's gifts to keep her happy, and the rest half for your Malikganj-waali girlfriend to help her abort pregnancy once in a month?! "
Shaahid got up and winked.

Ummid miya was so stunned, it seemed he had got epileptic fits.

Shaahid walked out of the dhaba.

___

" Where is Azaad? "
Shaahid asked one of his friends.
" He told me yesterday that he would talk to me regarding someone today, in details. Why is he nowhere to be seen? "

" Sir, he is running high fevers since yesterday. Don't know when he'll make it. "

Shaahid sadly walked into the chamber of the heavy principal, who was engrossed in phone watching something. While doing so, his eyes looked quite lusty. And he licked his lips often.

Shaahid sighed within.
The uglier a person looked, the more was he deviated to nasty deeds.

" You summoned me sir, I guess. "

" Oh yes, Shaahid miya, sit down. "

" It's Hussain. "

" Whatever. "

" Okay, Adnan Akhtar Sir ."

The principal now looked up, frowning.

" It's Adnan Sami. Not Akhtar. "

" Whatever. " , Shaahid watched the ceiling.

" Do you know you can be fired for misbehaving? "

" No, I won't be. Because you're generous. "

Silence for sometime. He was watching Shaahid carefully, shrinking his eyes.

" Ahemm..

I heard you are making students teach students. What kind of a teacher are you? "

" I believe only a student can empathise with a student. That's my style. But I assure, the syllabus will be finished in time. "

Adnan danced his eyebrows.
" Fine. I'll wait for this month. Hope your students do good in the monthly tests. "

" I promise, 'our' students will do good. "

" By the way, where do you stay? "

" I'm a non-paying guest at Saajid Ali's house. " , Shaahid smiled.

Immediately, Adnan's face dropped.
He concentrated back in his phone.

" Did I hurt you? " , Shaahid asked.

" No. But please don't hurt me with any foretellings now. I can't take all these. "

Shaahid got up, trying to calculate the connection between Saajid and Adnan.

___

" I don't know any Adnan Sami.
I'm hearing it for the first time that he was Salman's principal.
Maybe, Sakina knows about him.
But why are you asking? "

Saajid said, sitting behind his counter at the shop. Shaahid sat on a long stool before, sipping tea. It was three in the afternoon.

" Chuck it.

I'm trying to gather as much possible information regarding Salman Siddiqui. "

" Do whatever you can, but heal my sister. I can't see her talking to the air and giggling and blushing and thinking that I'm her enemy. Sometimes I really find it eerie like everyone else. " , Saajid bhai's face looked like a drooping mango about to fall from the tree.

" I know. I'm finding ways to bring her back to reality. It will take time. But I'll succeed I believe. "

" I know you'll succeed. You are not like anyone I've ever known. That's what makes me believe you a huge much. Don't fail me. "

" I hope I don't fail myself. " , Shaahid blinked.

___

At seven thirty, Shaahid walked in through the main gate, only to find Sakina standing like a possessed human in the garden, staring at him.

" Hey, Sakina ji!
What struck you? "

" You dumb sleepwalker. You massacred my love life. " , she groaned.

Acting as professionally as he could, Shaahid fell from the sky.

" Me? Sleepwalk? Massacre?
Please explain! "

" Oh ho ho!
As if you don't even know you sleepwalk! Who stays as a tenant in someone's house having all these bullshit problems, that too just beside the landlady's room? "

" Firstly, I had told Saajid bhai regarding my sleepwalking habit. He was okay with it. Secondly, how did it massacre your love life? Did I jump into your bed when you were making out with someone? "

" S-H-U-T-U-P!!!!! " , Sakina screamed, and a 110 Richter scale earthquake hit the Pacific Ocean.

" Stop, stop!
You'll massacre the Solar system now! " , Shaahid pressed his ears.

" Listen you bloody fool. If I find you coming between me and Salman even when you are unconscious, I'll kill you. He's not answering calls, did not even come today. If this continues tomorrow as well, I'll throw you out of the house. "

" Wait, wait. Please explain!
I sleepwalk when I'm asleep. That's after 12 in the night, the earliest.
Was Salman here then? In your room? "

Sakina suddenly went conscious. She looked around.

" Yes. He was. I'm an adult. I can decide when to call my boyfriend. I don't...need...err...anyone's permission for that. " , she almost whispered.

Shaahid chuckled.

" Fine. I'll tell Saajid bhai to not get perturbed, because you are an adult. "

" Excuse me. Are you trying to blackmail me? " , Sakina pursed her lips and flared her nostrils.

" Heh Heh.
I don't 'black'mail white girls with red hair.

But yeah, if you blame me for fucking no fault on my part, or try harming my peaceful stay in this house, I can send you not only a black or a white but a VIBGYOR of mails, and make your life hell in your own house.

Vroom. "

Grinning, Shaahid walked away.

And Sakina could only ruffle her own hair, and groan at the man who swayed into HER personal house... as if he owned it, without a tinge of regret or hesitation.

Fuck you, life!