Chapter 3: Onyx Eyes. 

* 

"You will fall in love, 

dear one. 

If you stare in his eyes, 

and look deep enough, 

To find his buried soul"

-2am-

*

Yazdan stared at the woman with a frown. Why was she not moving yet?

"Bhai?" he turned around to the door and found the boy in question. Beside him stood a woman. The first thing that caught Yazdan's gaze were her onyx eyes. He looked away, to Zul.

"I have been waiting since 3:30pm" he said, his tone neutral. He was not angry at Zul. He simply wanted to know why he was late. 

"Ah right. I am so sorry." he said before turning to the woman beside him. She gave him a small smile.

"I was with Miss. Sadaf, Bhai" he said and Yazdan nodded at him, his gaze falling on the woman again. She had a dark hair that was covered partially under the large dupatta and she had bright onyx eyes. He had never met a woman, or a man for that matter, with such bright onyx eyes. She had a smile playing on her lips.

"As salaam alaikum. Aanabia Sadaf" she said, smiling at him even brightly. Yazdan nodded.

"Wa alaikum mus salaam. Yazdan" he left his surname out. He did not want another repeat of what had happened just now.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Yazdan" she gave him one last smile before walking into the office.

Zul smirked.

"Shall we brother?" he asked and Yazdan rolled his eyes.

"Let's go"

The two walked down the steps toward the Mercedes with the rain splattering over them. Yazdan unlocked the car and the two rushed in before he turned on the ignition and the AC.

"Aren't you the least cold?" asked Zul, turning the AC down. Yazdan shrugged, pulling his seatbelt on. Zul smirked at him and turned to face him.

"Seat belt" reprimanded Yazdan and the younger one rolled his eyes before pulling it and buckling up. He then turned back to Yazdan again. 

"So.............?" he questioned his brother. Yazdan kept his focus to the road and ignored the youth beside him.

"BHAII!" he whined and Yazdan shrugged.

"What do you want to know?"

"What was that between you two?"

"What was what?"

"That! The interaction. There definitely was something" said Zul, smirking.

"There definitely isn't anything. What are you? Romance writer or something?"

"I just may be. Who knows" he grinned and leaned onto his seat.

"What are you brewing?" Yazdan questioned as Zul plugged in his phone into the AUX. He smirked at his brother and hit the play button. As soon as it began, Yazdan pulled the AUX out causing Zul to whine. Yazdan was not one for romantic music. 

"Why did you do that?"

"There was no chemistry whatsoever so I suggest you quit it." replied Yazdan, pulling into the parking lot of Yahyah's building. Soon, Yahyah was in the backseat with a grim expression.

"What bit you today?" questioned Zul, plugging back his phone in the AUX.

"Rough one. Turns out she is the one whose designs for the hybrid green car got selected by the Ibrahim Corp., for production." muttered Yahyah and Yazdan let out a small laugh.

"Am I missing something?" questioned Zul and the boys merely shook their head, no.

"Ah mom called. She said the neighbors have invited us for dinner tonight"

"Oh great"

*

Afternoon fell really fast. The boys had showered and changed before praying Magrib.

"Boys, we are leaving in 5 minutes" called out Zaiha from the living room. She pulled out her phone from the charger to see two missed calls from Hifzah, their neighbor who also happened to be a lawyer. She smiled and tapped call. After a few rings, Hifzah picked up.

"As salaam alaikum" said Zaiha, taking a seat on the couch. She pushed back her hijab a little so that it didn't cower over her face.

"Wa alaikum mus salaam, Zaiha. How are you?" asked Hifzah and Zaiha let out a small laugh.

"If you are asking about the time we are coming, we will be there in 5 minutes"

"I love how you are a lawyer and read between the lines" laughed the other woman on the line.

The two chatted until Zul entered the living room.

"I am ready, Ma" he said, pulling the cardigan over his t-shirt. Zaiha hung up and turned to his son, assessing him. She smiled when she saw he was dressed nicely and not in some ripped jeans and t-shirt. She seriously did not get how torn clothes were fashion nowadays. She walked over to him and pushed back his cut short dark brown hair a little.

"Now, it is perfect" Zul grinned and took out his phone, opening Snapchat. He stood by his mother, the two almost of the same height, with his phone extended. They took selfie's waiting for the other two to arrive downstairs.

Yazdan got dressed in a pair of jeans and white shirt, pairing it up with a maroon cardigan. It was simple and easy (That was because those were the first things in his still-packed suitcase). He tied his long hair in a man-bun at the back, making sure that no hair escaped. 

Yahyah on the other hand, got dressed in dark jeans and shirt, giving him a dark look. He liked it. He was tanned and the dark look made him look intimidating. Or so he thought. His hair was short and pushed back, unlike Yazdan's. The only thing the two shared was their similar dark beard that was neatly trimmed. 

Upon seeing the two boys, Zaiha grinned.

"I have handsome sons, Masha Allah" she said, grinning. "Now, lets go"

The three boys followed Zaiha out of the house and Yahyah locked the doors. Zul handed them separate umbrella's and they made their way to the neighbor's place, opposite to theirs.

The first thing that Yazdan noticed was that the street looked ethereal with the rain residues and bright fluorescent lights. It was still drizzling lightly though. The house next door was similar to theirs, two storeyed and a large courtyard with white fences. The gates opened and the family made their way towards the porch.

"As salaam alaikum!" Zaiha smiled brightly at the woman who was standing by the veranda, away from the rain. The courtyard was dimly lit with the garden lights.

"Wa alaikum mus salaam" the boys replied along with Zaiha, who moved up and hugged the lady.

"Ah so good to finally be able to make it here" said Zaiha with a small laugh and the woman grinned back at her.

"Tell me about it. These must be the boys" she said, looking over Zaiha's shoulders to the three boys who stood there awkwardly. Zaiha turned to them and nodded.

"Zul, the youngest. Yahyah, the second and Yazdan, the oldest" said Zaiha, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

"I am pretty sure I am older than you" whispered Yahyah harshly to Yazdan.

"By a day only" replied Yazdan, smirking.

"Nice to meet you all. Come on in" the woman dragged Zaiha by her hand towards the main door. The boys left the umbrellas by the wall and took off their shoes before heading inside.

The inside of the house was much warmer than the outside. It was bright and large. The living room was modern, with a few paintings here and there and a black sofa with similar coffee table. A large TV screen hung on the wall with a few fairy lights.

"This is an all-female house" said the woman, when she saw the boys gawking at her style of living room. Zaiha glared at the boys and turned to the woman.

"I hope we are no trouble, Hifzah" she said and Hifzah smiled brightly.

"Of course not. I longed for a friend and I guess Allah has answered my prayers" she grinned and Zaiha let out a small laugh.

The woman talked and the boys set awkwardly. Yahyah and Yazdan were seated together on the three sofa while Zul had the other three one to himself.

"Oh I almost forgot. I had to tell the girls that you are here. They have been eager to meet you" said Hifzah, standing up. Zaiha raised her eyebrows in question. "My daughters. Give me minute, they were in the study doing something. Lord knows that one is reading the same book for the nth time while the other one must be drawing"

Yazdan and Yahyah exchanged looks. Little children in their neighborhood?

A few moments later, sounds of thumping came from above the the boys looked up to ensure that it wasn't an earthquake. Hifzah let out a small sigh causing Zaiha to chuckle.

"Trust me, the boys can be worse" she whispered to her and Hifzah smiled.

"As salaam alaikum!" The two girls appeared at the base of the stairs with wide smiles. That was until their gaze met certain Gray and Brown ones.

"What the hell?" gritted out Yahyah and Yazdan let out a small laugh and covered it with a cough. Zul saw this and smirked at Yazdan.

"These are my daughters, Aanabia and Nahal"

**** 

Hi. Salaam. 

How are you all?

So...... My second year of Medical School begins tomorrow, I have a paper at 8am tomorrow and I am here updating. hahaha. 

| R - C - V |

Love, 

-aalihha-