I can't sleep. I tried everything. Counted sheep until I thought I could almost smell them. Ugh. This is why I hated men. They made you lose sleep over them. I turned over in my bed, sighing. I grabbed my cell phone and scrolled through pinterest for a while. I love Pinterest...It's like internet's little black hole. After an hour of pinning a million DIY projects and recipes (That I won't ever bother trying) The clock still read 2:30.

"I want to be with you completely."

"...It's not sudden. It hasn't happened overnight...I think it happened when I first saw you...."

I was mulling over each and every word Shehzer had confessed. It seemed impossible, that a guy like Shehzer would ever be into me. He was beyond gorgeous, educated, smart, wealthy, and caring to boot.

It doesn't matter though. I'm already in a relationship that I can't back out of. Ammi, and Dad are super happy about it. And so am I. Isn't Areeb all those things that Shehzer is? Plus I have known him for longer.

EMV glares at me, 'Aren't you conveniently forgetting that Areeb is having existential crises?'

Oh. His cynical approach towards life, God and religion was troubling me, but I didn't put much stock into it. Areeb was one of those 'All bark and No bite' people. He was probably just spewing all psuedo-intellectual religious crap to get a rise out of me and Adiba. Right?

I decided to text him. He is almost my fiance, if anyone should keep me company at ungodly hours, it should be him. Part of my insomnia was HIS fault.

Me: Hey, There?

Areeb: Yep. Just about to go cliff jumping. :D #YOLO. Will send snapoos (Snapchat pictures)

Huh? WHAT? Cliff jumping? in Pakistan? At 2 in the morning

Me: WHAT???? Where are you?

Areeb: Oh. I forgot to text you. I'm on a five-day trip with the guys. Malaysia Baby. ;)

Is he insane? who gets up and goes on an adventure trip one week before their engagement? I am annoyed and worried at the same time. During his university years, he had started doing extreme sports. A lot. I thought it was a phase, but this seems bordering on addiction. He had returned from Turkey just this month, where he had done some deep sea diving without SCUBA equipment

I was also miffed that he hadn't bothered to inform me. His almost fiancee. We have barely started a relationship and he was already acting like he didn't owe me a little heads up on his whereabouts.

Me: You complete ass! :@

Areeb: What? what did I do?

Me: A heads-up would have been nice! 'Hey Mina, my future wife, I am about to leave the country for a few days. I have an idiotic urge to throw myself off cliffs. Bye.'

Areeb: Wow. You're angry. :/

Me: What gave that away? genius? Ugh....

Me: Ali was planning a pre-engagement guitar night with some friends and family. How is that going to happen without you?

Areeb: Oh...Wow.. okay, sorry babe. I'll cut the trip short. I can always go again next month. When is he planning it?

Me: Forget it.

Areeb: Minnie...please don't be angry. Pretty please.

He sent me dozen cutesie emojis. And I finally relented. I told him the date and time. He promised to bring me a souvenir from Malaysia. I told him to get back in one piece. He said he'd try.

I did feel kind of better after talking with Areeb. It was old, comfortable, familiar. EMV decided to throw in her two cents, 'But it didn't rattle your ovaries did it? No fireworks here huh?...hmmph shame...would have been nice to experience that with someone...Oh WAIT. You DID experience that! *smirk*'

Sigh. I recited all the Dua's (Prayers) my Mom had taught me. When I still couldn't sleep, I decided to raid my fridge. I had made a blueberry cheesecake earlier. (Betty Crockers is a GODDESS!)

I decided to pig out a little. So I tiptoed past my parents' room, and the dragon's cave. I came into our kitchen, slowly cracking open our fridge. The Cheesecake sat half eaten, glistening, surrounded by heavenly halo-like light (or maybe it was just the tiny fridge light. Who cares?)

I gingerly took out the beauty. I felt like hissing "My preciousssss" a la Gollum from Lord of the rings. But I stopped myself. Thinking about Gollum at 3 in the morning was creepy.

Before I could dip my spoon into the creamy goodness. I heard someone approach me from behind.

"Step away from the cheesecake and nobody gets hurt" My brother whispered menacingly.

I narrowed my eyes and turned around. "I don't thinks so. I made it...Makers Eaters!"

"You think I'm joking?" He brandished something threateningly at me. It was the Dragon's wooden cane. I wasn't intimidated, and I eyed him coolly.

"you think I AM joking? Cheesecake is no joking matter brother. So I suggest you go back to wherever you crawled out from, and let me eat in peace." I boldly lifted a heaving spoon to my mouth.

He lunged. We ended up playing silent tug-of-war over the cheesecake bowl. Neither of us willing to surrender the dessert. It was hugely non-classy I assure you.

"I'll give you....10 rupees...if ..you let..go..." Ali panted.

"You cheapskate. I can't even buy a decent-sized Cookie packet with 10 Rupees.!!" I grunted back, tugging the snack towards me.

"..I..I...I'll tell...I'll tell you about My crush...I .."

Hmm...That intrigued me. Ali had always been mum about his love life. I alwasy imagined my older brother as an asexual insect, you know? Un-marriagable and hideously unattractive. Mom and Dad had often prodded him to consider settling down, but he was obsessed with building his career in Finance.

I pretended to not give a shit. "HUH? Aren't you already married to your work?"

Tug. Pull...

"Uhh....No...I actually like someone. A Lot."

"I don't care" I SO CARED. WHO IS SHEEE??

"It's Adiba."

I immediately let go of the bowl. WHAT THE HELL????? MY BROTHER WAS INTO MY BEST FRIEND??? He almost fell over with the excess force. Clutching the bowl to his chest like a new-born baby, he proceeded to calmly shovel the remaining cheesecake into his mouth.

"Are you serious?"

"As a funeral." he replied, still calmly eating.

"Why did you tell me right now?"

He waved the bowl under my nose, as if to say, For food. DUH!

He was impossible.

"What are you going to do about it?"

"Hmm....actually I needed your help for that. I want to know what kind of guy Adiba hopes to marry. Then I want you to help me become that guy." He smiled at me.

"You're insane....Why would I help you?" I scowled.

"Because I love you, and you love me too....and also because I saved this for you."

He hands me an almost empty bowl with a tiny, mangled bite of cheesecake in it. "..and also, because I'll always have your back baby sis. But this time, I need to have yours."

I take his measly peace offering. I am actually beyond ecstatic about it. Not that I'd ever let the idiot know about it. I always wanted to have a sister. Adiba as a real-life sister would be too good to be true.

"I'm in. let's do this!" I inform Ali as I lick the bowl clean.

Author's Note:

Aacckkk!!! Super excited about this particular impending couple!! :D

Photo in the description is of "Ali". He is an adorably cute Pakistani Actor (And probably my oldest local celebrity crush)"Shehroz Sabzwari" who is married to "Adiba"/"Syra Yousaf" in real life! :D They make a beautiful couple Mashallah!!

Thoughts?