“O Allah, make this book a guide to those whom you wish to guide.”

“O my people! Truly, this Life of the world is nothing but a (quick passing) enjoyment, and verily, the Hereafter, that is the home that will remain forever.” (Surah Ghafir, 40 : 39)

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'The blessed month of ramdan has arrived and it won't wait but this book can wait.pls do not waste your time,dear readers'.

"Twenty One.

Twenty two.

Twenty Three..."

Safina Mehek sighed contently, clapping and rubbing her palm with her dupatta after counting the guava's which she had collected with so much hard work and threw down in the green grass. she was panting heavily because of climbing the guava tree and pulling the bright emerald and lemon coloured guava's. It was fun as well as exhausting.

She rested her head against the rough tree, her legs hanging either side, enjoying the climate.
Safina covered her face with her purple colour dupatta, as the sun shined, kissing her face through the tree, which was playing hide and seek with the clouds. Though the sun was bright, it didn't had much effect because of the windy climate of December; calm and soothing. It seemed like the heavens were going to pour.

Safina enjoyed doing something adventurous; although climbing a tree and pulling out fruits won't count as adventurous for some people but for her it was; given the amount of love and care she was blessed by her family. Her parents would have a mini heart attack if they saw her like this; resting atop in the thick rough branches of guava tree and her brother? Well let's just say Adeel would give her loads of treats which includes all her favourite chocolates and ice creams and fruits, so that next time when she will be alone at home, she won't pull out any such stunts like this.

That's how pampered she was!

To sum up in a few words, She was everybody's favourite.

But now, there was no one at home, except her. Her parents had gone to her Heena phupi's(Aunt) place and her brother Adeel was out playing football with his friends, since it was Sunday.

Safina started climbing down the tree and hearing the creaking noise of the black iron gate being opened, tightening her grip on the tree, she turned her head and tried to look at the person, walking in.

Well, out of all the people she knew, she wasn't expecting to see him and she didn't know whether to hang in the tree and embarrass herself or loosen her hold from the tree and fall free and sprain her ankle.

Well, guess what?

She chose the latter.

____

To say, that Rihab Yunus was astonished and flabbergasted at the sight in front of him would be the understatement of the decade.
He rushed forward as she fell down in a seconds of lighting with her dupatta flying everywhere and landed with a thud on the plush velvet carpets.

Who knew Safina would have laid down the carpets in the garden, just in case she fell down?

She was her own savior!

Rihab stopped in his steps as he gazed at her from afar, whilst she got up quickly, dusting her hands and ran away inside while his voice was only heard by him and the squirrel's and the birds.

"Saf... erm.. Ms. Mehek.. "

___

Rihab couldn't help but remember the time when she had saved him.

"Help." Rihab had yelped in pain as he tightened his grip on the banister, hanging helplessly

"Help? Where?" He heard someone's voice and couldn't help but thank ALLAH right that instance.

"Here.." He yelped gripping the bannister tightly, his fingers and Palm were turning white because of the tight grip.

And a moment later, Rihab heard an earth shattering scream.

"who.. are you.. stop shouting.. ahh.. help me."Rihab yelled as his breathing heaved up in the fear of falling down anytime soon.

"Why on earth I decided to climb down from the this damn broken pipe. Ya allah, am not even married. Please save me.. oh God."He mumbled to himself praying that whoever was screaming their lungs out would stop it and do something to help him climb back on the terrace.

"Chor.. chor(thief) "Safina started yelling.

"Stop.. shouting and.. help.. me.. else you will be responsible for my.. my death."He yelled mustering all his strength. It was getting too hard to keep hold on the bannister that he started reciting kalima.

"Who.. who are you? what are you doing here and why would I will be responsible for your death huh?"He heard her ask in a stern voice.

Like seriously?

"What? Instead of helping me, you are interviewing me?"Rihab asked looking up but he couldn't see her and his neck and shoulder was already sprained.

"Yes.What if you are a thief and erm.. and I can't come near you to help."

"Ughh!! Hello madam, Iam Rihab Yunus, 25 years old, currently in state of 'almost dying!' I came here with Dani and Ayaan. You are the one, witnessing me falling down, so you will be res.. responsible. Wanna know anything else?"He said sardonically, trying to keep calm, gritting his teeth in frustration.

"And... " Safina started but stopped and after a moment of silence, she said,

"Let me call someone for help."She said but before she could run Rihab said in a low and wavering voice.

"I can't.. I can't keep my hold till you call some one."

There was a beat of silence as Safina took few step forward and could see him, eye shut tightly and hanging from the bannister.

"Pls help me Ms.Interviewer!"He said in a almost pleading tone.

"Where the hell is watchman and these two romeo's!"He said sardonically.

Romeo's were his friend, Daniyal and cousin, Ayaan. They had come to meet their Brides before the Nikah day and it was all Rihab's plan to climb the pipe of kinza's (Daniyal's bride's) house that lead to the balcony. Daniyal and Ayaan had went inside the home to meet their respective bride's and since Rihab was getting bored, alone, he decided to climb down the pipe.

Now he was struck here and was almost gonna break and fracture his ribs and bones.

"No cursing please!"Safina said looking down to see if there was someone who could help them.

"Stop your advice for later mohtarma and help me!"He was totally drained and Safina had to strain to hear him.

"Here.."She said rapidly, extending her hand.

Rihab was confused seeing someone's hand covered in a dupatta but nevertheless, he took hold of her while safina tried with all her might to pull him up.

"Use your brain and keep your right leg up and then push yourself up."She fumed and Rihab chuckled lightly even though he had the urge to reply and smack her for the rudeness but she was helping him so he did as told and as he managed himself over the bannister, He took a deep breathe as his breathing was rapid and was sweating profusely, his chest was heaving up and down,murmuring 'thankyou' and Alhamdulillah to Allah subhana wa ta'ala for sending someone to help him, he finally looked at the person who had helped him and was taken aback to see the Niqaabi.

Those eyes! She was his saviour!

Safina pulled her Palm abruptly which he was still holding and ran away from there as soon as possible.

He had looked at her eyes for only a mere second, but it made him feel something, something new and indescribable and he didn't know what was that!

Sighing he sat down with a loud thud, rubbing his red Palm and sprained neck.

He had wanted adventure in his derring-do!

And He experienced a deathly adventure.

Coming out from his long reverie Rihab walked towards the door and ringed the bell.

For some unknown reason, He was feeling happy. They were meeting almost after an year.

But still, he remembered her eyes. Deep black; they spoke volumes.

"Kon?(Who is it?)" Came a voice from the other side of the door.

Rihab was tongue tied on what to respond. His sister Rashiya'a had asked him to hand over a note to Safina.

"Is Adeel at home?" Rihab asked and bit his tongue.

Where did that come from?

"No."

"Erm.. Rashiya'a gave her NoteBook."Rihab said.

"What note?"Safina asked, confusion lacing her voice.

"Didn't She call you?"Rihab asked mentally planning to scold his sister. Shouldn't she have informed Safina that she was sending her book through him? Well, Rashiya'a had to face his brother's wrath.

There was silence for a moment before she said,

"Oh yeah, I didn't hear my cellphone ringing."With that Safina opened the window which was right beside the door and extended her hand a little, to get the book.

Rihab smiled at the gesture. She was something he'd never be able to describe.

As he kept the book on her Palm, his eyes almost bulged out noticing a Ring on her ring finger.
Safina drew back and closed the window, while he stared at it in confusion.

Was she engaged?

And even though this was their third meeting, he hadn't seen her yet, except for a single glance whilst she was falling from the tree. 

____

Safina scolded herself mentally for not checking her phone as she
slumped on the sofa tiredly. She was out collecting the guava's for more than two hours. She had nine missed calls from Rashiya'a, her friend and two from Kinza, her bestie and Sister-in-law.

After talking to Kinza, who wanted to know why she hadn't visited them with her parents, while Safina told her what she had been doing, laughing gleefully about her stunts skipping the part where she had jumped down after noticing Rihab coming in.

Safina gained few scoldings from Kinza and a demand for the guava's before she hanged the call.

Safina tried calling Rashiya'a, but she wasn't picking up. She didn't know the reason why Rashiya'a had sent her psychology notes.

After collecting all the fruits in a basket from the garden, Safina made herself a mug of hot brownie and was enjoying it with a dollop of ice cream when the bell rang.

"It must be Ammi and daddy!"Safina mumbled walking over to door with a spoon of hot brownie.

Lazily she opened the door wide and walked back but stopped short realising who she saw.

It was him.

Wow, ways to embarrass herself.

Quickly covering her head with the dupatta, she stood against the door and asked.

"Yes?"

"Rashiya'a isn't at home!"Rihab said, his voice wavering and even though Safina wanted to laugh at that, she knew something was wrong hearing his tone.

"What?"

"Do you know anything about her? Did she tell you where she was going?" He asked rapidly.

"No no. I don't know anything."

"Please, I know you are her friend and you might know." Rihab asked helplessly staring at the maroon coloured door.

"What happened actually?"Safina asked curiously.

"Her engagement's cancelled!"

Safina was shocked. She couldn't imagine how Rashiya'a must have felt. Her friend was in pain and she never knew.

Just then Safina thought about the note, which Rashiya'a had sent her without any reason.

"There had to be something important in that."She mumbled to herself as she ran to her room.

Safina turned each page carefully going through, in case Rashiya'a had written anything about the situation.

___

Rihab sat in the stair, his hand in his hair, trying to think of every place, his sister might have gone after her engagement was cancelled by the groom. He vowed to get back to that guy. How could he hurt his sister? That guy didn't know what he had put himself in.

"What are you doing, here?" Rihab looked up and saw Safina's brother glaring at him in anger.

Rihab stood up, dusting his jeans.

"What's going on?" Adeel demanded.

Safina was alone at home and a guy sitting at the door step was not the scene any brother would expect to see.

Oh no.

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Assalam alaikum. How are y'all?

What do you all think about the first chapter?

Is Adeel gonna misunderstand Rihab and his sister?

What is going on with Rashiya'a?

And how was Safina and Rihab's second and third encounter?

If you are wondering about the first encounter, then you have to read UNKNOWINGLY HIS.