"She is like the kind of beauty that gently falls like snowflakes. Falling softly onto the white covered snow, silent, subtle, fragile to touch, but beautiful. She is made of winter, thunderstorms and scars, yet she possesses the gentle touch for the broken heart. When you meet her you probably won't notice her right away, for her beauty is the one that whispers ever so subtly, capturing your heart and soul, before entrancing your eyes."

* * *

A tense silence hovered over the men who were seated in Zaheer's home office.

Zaheer reclined against the back rest of his swivel chair, with his hand placed beneath his chin, his elbow resting upon his work desk, he contemplated over the matter.

Luqmaan's hands rested on either side of his chair, he clutched the arm rests firmly, awaiting Zaheer's reply.

Suhaib leaned forward, his fingers drummed against his knee as he glanced around the office room, nervously.

Since they had arrived he was a jumble of nerves.He apologised in the best way he could, but not once did his gaze meet Zaheer's stormy eyes.

Zaheer was extremely furious and he had every right to be, for Suhaib had broken his daughters heart and he didn't know if he could entrust his precious duagter to a man who made such rash and immature decisions.

He wasn't sure what to do now, he was sure his daughter would accept Suhaib without a second thought.

Yusaira thought she hid her sadness well, but it was evident she didn't whole heartedly agree for the recent proposal.

On the other hand, his close friend wanted to make Yusaira his daughter in law, he didn't know how to refuse him without even allowing them to come and see her.

He didn't know how to say no.. He was in a dilemma, but would he really keep this piece of information away from Yusaira?

She deserved to know Suhaib was back and she had a right to make her own decision, but his close friend was important to him as well and she was still a young girl. She wouldn't understand now, but maybe later on in life she would understand why he didn't want her to marry Suhaib.

Finally coming to a conclusion Zaheer rested both his arms on the table.

Zaheer's words sped up Suhaib's already erratic heart beat.

This was it, this was his battle of fate and it had now ended. He was unaware what his destiny had in store for him.

He scanned the grocery list, whilst pushing the trolley, making sure he hadn't forgotten anything.

He hated grocery shopping, but his mother insisted that he should do the shopping once in a while.

She always said, one day when he would be a married man, he would thank her for training him and his wife would thank her for being blessed with a helpful husband.

He stopped at the isle filled with snacks, tossing a few slabs of chocolates and four packets of crisp.

He was sure all of it would be devoured in a few hours. His siblings would polish all the goodies in just one day.

He made a mental note to hide a slab of his favourite chocolate before they could get their sneaky little hands on it.

Just as he wheeled the trolley towards the end of the isle, he stopped dead in his tracks.

The girl who caused him to stop so abruptly was already staring back at him, a look of surprise as well as hurt, painted on her face.

She wore a long black skirt, a long sleeved turquoise top, a loose black scarf, decorated with white and turquoise feathers, was loosely wrapped around her head, a few wisps of her hair escaped the scarf. Her face was free of any makeup, not even a faint line of kuhl in her eyes.

She looked so different, so modest and decent, so unlike the Ameera he knew. She didn't tie her scarf properly, yet she still looked so much more modest and her modesty made her look ten times more beautiful.

He shook away his thoughts, as she approached him, wheeling her trolley forward.

"Asslamauaykum."

She greeted softly.

It felt like she hadn't seen him in ages.
She noticed the stubble on his face, he was growing his beard once again. Even though his beard was still not grown completely, he looked much better than when he was clean shaven.

"Wa alaykumsalam."

He replied, he really wanted to ignore her and walk past her, but he didn't want to seem too rude and abrupt.

He was happy to see the apparent change in her, he couldn't fulfill his promise of helping her, for he would be interacting with a non mahram, surely he did speak to her before, but then he was deviated and he wasn't mindful regarding the commandments of Allah, now he was trying to get back on track.

"How have you been?"

She had found out about his sister's death from Talha.

"Better,Alhamdulillah. You?"

He glanced behind her, hoping the quee thins out by now, he hated waiting.

"Good. I've been trying to get hold of you for a long time. It was important."

He gave her a brief look.

"What was it about?"

"Are you married yet?"

She randomly questioned.

He shook his head.

"Would you ever consider marrying me?"

She  asked bluntly as she looked down, afraid that he would see the tears in her eyes, if he said no.

He stood frozen, unable to answer.

"There are alot of other men in the world."

She met his piercing gaze.

"But there's only one Suhaib that I have fallen for."

He shook his head.

"I'm sorry!"

He whispered, hastily wheeling his trolley away from her.

He didn't want to see her broken look. He wished he didn't say that, but he had no choice, even if Yusaira was not written in his fate, he could never bring himself to marry Ameera. He didn't want to marry someone because he pitied them, in his opinion, that would be a very unhealthy marriage. He didn't want things to turn out bitter somewhere along the line.

Yusaira helped her mother set the table, her stomach rumbled with all the mouth watering aromas that filled their flatlet. She hadn't eaten since the morning, for she had been feeling utterly neauseuas, as well as nervous.

She didn't know what she had gotten herself into, but she had to go through with it now, it was too late to back down.

Just as she placed the last of the items on the table, the phone rang.

Her mother hurried out of the kitchen, mouthing that they had arrived.

She motioned for Yusaira to go into the garden. She would wait there until the boy was ready to meet her, then he would join her outside.

She scurried into the garden, making herself comfortable under the gazebo, she opened her novel, keeping herself occupied until the boy came to see her.

She thought reading would help her calm down, but unlike other times when reading was her escape, the words seemed to dance on the page and she never understood a word she read.

After half an hour, she was still looking at the same page, lost in her thoughts. When she heard faint foot steps approaching her, she refused to look up. Keeping her book open, she pretended to be very engrossed in her book.

She sure would give him a bad first impression. This must be a very rude way of behaving.

When he sat down opposite to her and greeted her, her eyes shot up.

Her eyes widened, when she saw who it was. Tears filled her eyes, was this some kind of a sick joke!

Was she hallucinating or was Suhaib actually here, seated infront of her?

She replied to his greeting, but sat dumbfounded.

What was he doing here? Didn't her father say his friend's son was going to come?

She hoped he didn't end up coming after this, for she would be such a mess then.

Her lips quivered as she looked at him, she swallowed the lump in her throat.

"What are you doing here?"

She questioned in a shaky voice.

He sighed, meeting her gaze.

"I came to apologise. I'm sorry that I left and made you feel like I never cared about you. I was extremely grieved over my sister's death, that I thought the best thing was to run away. I realised my mistake and I also realised that I really and truly want to marry you, if you are willing to give me a chance, I will prove to you how much you mean to me."

Tears trickled down her face, she nodded happily.

" I forgive you! "

She didn't need to think twice about it, she knew what she wanted all along and she wasn't going to put up an act of anger or disappointment. She was just so thankful that Allah SWT had decreed for her what her heart really desired.

Taeeba suddenly appeared in the garden, yelling at the top of her lungs.

"Yayyy! Let the celebrations begin!"

* * *

4 more chapters..