Zaid was at work, looking out it his window contemplating some documents when he got a call.

"Kahan ho?" Mubashira asked him.

"Iss waqt? Kaam pe hoon, aur kahan hoon ga."

"Oh."

"Kyun?"

"Nothing. I came back early and koi ghar pe nahi tha. Socha I should ask."

"Haan. Woh, aaj Ayra mehke gayi hai. She'll be back tomorrow."

"Bata aise rahe ho like I care. Chalo, shaam ko milte hain. Bye."

"Bye."

Zaid loosened his tie and sat down. He was in peace for once. Mubashira had left first to see her dad for the week, and seeing no competition, Ayra had left to go visit her bhabi for the day. Zaid knew Mubashira well enough. Her calm behavior was only a tactic. He didn't care. As long as she was peaceful, it could be whatever reason. But she had helped him get married to his first love. He decided maybe he should show some appreciation.

He picked up the phone and made some arrangements before returning his attention to work.

Zaid came home late in the evening. The sky was turning dark and would be time for dinner soon.

"Assalamo alaikum," he said, leaning in the door frame of the old guest room.

"Walaikum assalam," Mubashira granted him a quick look before she returned to looking through her stuff.

"You came back early. Pure hafte ka plan nahi tha?"

"Tha to. Lekin friends ke saath shopping chali gayi aur raaste mein ghar closer tha to yahaan aa gayi."

"Nice," Zaid commented and turned to leave, but stopped. "Suno?"

"Haan?"

"New dress li koi?"

"Haan," Mubashira replied, confused. "Do teen. Kyun?"

"Favorite pehen lo. Let's go for dinner," he told her and left, missing the huge smile on her face.

An hour later, Mubashira was ready and waiting in the living room. Zaid also joined her not too later.

"Acche lag rahe ho," Mubashira commented, expecting a compliment back.

"Thanks. Dress accha hai. You're looking beautiful."

"Thank you," Mubashira smiled and fixed her hair. "Tum ne bataya nahi hum kahan jaa rahe hain, to yehi pehen liya. It'll look good anywhere. By the way, where are we going."

"Ziyada door nahi," Zaid offered his arm and escorted her to the side of the house. "We're here," he announced, opening the door the backyard.

Mubashira gasped at the sight. Lights had decorated the trees and the grass, even a few scattered across the pool. A table was decorated with flowers under the big tree.

"Wow! This is beautiful! Yeh sabh kis liye?"

Zaid smiled as he watched her. "Tumhare liye. Tumhe thank you karne ke liye," he went ahead of her to the table.

"Ao," he invited her, and she took his hand and helped herself to the seat. He tucked her in and went over to his chair.

"Drink?" Zaid asked, holding out the bottle.

Mubashira held out her glass. "Sure."

Zaid poured her drink first and then his own. He watched her over his glass as she put down hers.

"Toh, is meherbani ki wajah?" Mubashira asked again.

"Tumne mujhe mere pyaar se milwaya. Uska thank you karne ke liye. Aur, sorry karne ke liye bhi."

"Sorry?"

"I know I haven't been nice to you. Aur main yeh bhi jaanta you ke yeh batwaara tum pe asaan nahi hai."

"Tum khush ho, what else do I need?"

"Jo tum chaaho. Maang sakti ho," Zaid offered.

"Mujhe tumse jo chahiye tha, I've told you. Chalo," Mubashira smiled. "Shall we eat?"

She lifted the lid off her plate and smiled at what she saw. "Pasta!?"

"Your favorite," Zaid smiled as he revealed his own place.

"Tumhe kaise pata?"

"Tum bhool rahi ho. Shaadi hamari abhi hui hai, but hum bachpan se eik doosre ko jaante hain."

"Woh time kitna pehle guzar bhi gaya, pata hi nahi chala," Mubashira reminisced as she started eating her food.

The couple talked over dinner for some hours and took a walk in the backyard when they got tired of sitting. Zaid even offered her his jacket when he noticed she was getting cold.

"Light colors suit you," he complimented as he put his coat on her shoulders.

Mubashira smiled and pulled the jacket closer.

"Khilti ho."

"Andar chalte hain. Tumhe bhi thand lag jaye gi," Mubashira said, already aimed to head inside.

"Sure," Zaid agreed and walked in with her. Her new room was on the first floor, and he walked her in.

"How's the room?" Zaid asked, looking around like a visitor.

"Thik hai."

"Kuch change karna ho to bata do. Main arrange karwa doon ga."

"Main bhi karwa sakti hoon," Mubashira replied. She took off his jacket and held it out for him. "Thank you for the jacket."

Zaid reached out to grab it, his hand on her fingers. "Waise," he still held the jacket and walked closer, "jacket yahaan bhi hang ho sakti hai."

He was standing in her space, so close that she had to look up at him, and he had to grab her arm so they could stay standing. Mubashira swallowed. She recognized the meaning behind his words. He was melting for her. And she was winning. Maybe this was like the movies. She would lose the race, but win him.

Her fists were pressed against his chest and she could feel his heart racing. Or maybe it was her pulse racing in her wrists. It didn't matter, they were in sync.

She didn't realize he had slipped one hand behind her back. Her fists reflexively opened when he pressed her closer to him.

"Zaid," she gasped.

Zaid didn't reply. He kept slowly leaning in, until their noses were crossed against each other, and he was inhaling her breath. Mubashira grabbed his shirt and closed her eyes, and he pressed his lips against hers. He waited there, waiting for her reaction to continue.

Mubashira finally kissed him back. He parted their pressed lips and kissed her properly. Zaid released her arm and moved his hand up to her neck, thumbing up and down her pulse.

The caressing of her jugular vein made her breathless and Mubashira pulled back to gasp for air. "Zaid," she breathed his name again.

"Mubashira," he echoed, his hands still holding her the same way as he touched his forehead to hers. He snuck quick kisses, eyes reading hers in case she changed her mind. He walked her backwards to her bed until her calves hit the mattress and she sat down.

Zaid still held her neck as he sat beside her. She was looking at him with tears in her eyes and he smiled and kissed her forehead, feeling a tear rolling onto his thumb.

Zaid looked at her and thumbed circles in her cheeks. "Tum rote hue bilkul acchi nahi lagti."

Mubashira giggled and buried her head in his chest. Zaid laughed and hugged her. He pulled all her hair to one side and pushed her back up to face him. She placed a hand on his cheek and he leaned in to kiss her again.

It was going fine, and she loved the feeling of having him near her. She leaned back, and he followed her as she laid on the bed. Suddenly, her heart raced faster for something else entirely, she just didn't recognize it yet.

Zaid's hand traveled up her waist to the shoulder of her dress. His lips moved down her jaw to kiss her neck. Mubashira wanted to open her eyes, but felt like she couldn't. Zaid lowered the shoulder of her dress down to kiss her skin, but her mind had flashbacks to something else.

Immediately, Mubashira started to panic.

"Get OFF me!" She screamed.

Zaid only moved back just a little bit to look at her, confused. He thought they were on the same page.

"Mub..."

"Door raho mujhse! Get off!" She pushed him and Zaid crawled off the bed.

"Khabbar daar jo mujhe haat lagaya!" She warned him as she clutched her dress closer. "Meri permission ke baghair tum mujhe haat bhi nahi laga sakte. Get out!"

Zaid didn't think she was conscious for a discussion and quickly left the room.