ہم لبوں سے کہہ نہ پاۓ اٌن سے حالِ دِل کبھی
اور وہ سمجھے نہیں یہ خاموشی کیا چیز ہے

Ham labon se keh na paye hale dil kabhi
Aur wo samjhe nahi yeh khamoshi kya cheez hai

***

"What do you mean?"

"Armaan bhai, neither you are that dense nor I am an idiot. You exactly know what I mean." Ahad spoke. He was staring at Armaan form a long time and, Armaan could swear he never felt so exposed and so speechless in all his life.

"And don't try to lie or make things up, I have evidence."

"Honestly Ahad, I am still not aware of my own intentions." Armaan said.

"Bhai don't-"

"I am not lying Ahad, what will it get me? Yes I was looking her way and it wasn't only in the functions. I tend to find her everywhere and that's what making me crazy. I don't know if what I am feeling should be there in the first place. It all feels so right even though I know it's far from right."

"So you yourself don't know anything right?" Ahad asked making Armaan look at hik for a moment and then nod.

"You know bhai what I want to do now?" He again asked and this time Armaan didn't say anything, letting Ahad complete his sentence.

"I want to slap some senses in you, and I apologize for this rude comment but I swear I want to!" Armaan's eyes widened hering Ahad.

"What the hell?"

"Exactly what the hell? What the hell is wrong with you. Everything, literally everything is right before your eyes yet you have chosen to turn blind."

"Ahad mind your words!" Armaan warned but Ahad ignored it royally. Morals and ethics can wait.

"You know what? I am not going to clarify anything to you when you yourself don't want to clear things out. I am so gonna leave you in this mess made by your head and also with a warning that if your intentions aren't clear, don't even dare to look in my sister's way."

"Watch what you're saying Ahad, do you think I am some kind of pervert?" Armaan's voice rose a bit. Yet Ahad seemed to be unfazed, he was still glaring Armaan.

"I do not think any such things bhai. I know you." Ahad felt like he was talking to a wall . In all what he said, Armaan catched the least important thing.

"All I am saying is that please, sort out your mind. "

"I am trying!" Armaan exclaimed and pinched his eyes as if pain.

"Should I give an award?" Ahad murmured under his breath but it didn't miss Armaan's ears and he immediately glared Ahad.

"Aren't you crossing line way too much Ahad?" Armaan asked raising his eyes.

"With due respect my brother, this time I have to because when it comes to you and my sister, it will always be her. And you know this." Ahad said and without even waiting for hearing what Armaan was saying walked past him.

And Armaan could only see red.

______

2 months later

The university campus was uncharacteristically calm this morning as if everything has stopped for a long time. The reason was lack of students around. It was early morning and most of the students were either not there or in the classes giving their exams.

It was finally the last examination of the economics masters students. And it was quite fitting to say they were relieved. So were Saman and Ahad. The two had been going through hell for last two months, trying their best to get decent scores.

The last bell rang exactly at 11 and soon the eerily calm university was filled with excited voices. Some were lingering around not wanting to say goodbye so soon while some were way too eager to leave and two amongst them were Saman and Ahad. The duo walked out of the main gate and made their way towards the car that was waiting for them.

A huge smile was plastered on their faces but as soon as they reached the car Ahad's smile dropped immediately. He glanced at Saman who was still smiling and before the person sitting behind could even look at them Ahad opened the back door and pushed Saman inside and followed by.

"Are you crazy?" Saman shrieked as she recovered from the sudden attack by Ahad.

"Shift." Royally ignoring her Ahad said making her glare him.

"Done guys?" Armaan's calm voice made the duo look away from each other and sit at two far ends.

"Yes bhai." Ahad spoke in a low tone making Armaan nod and start the car.

For the past two months things had started changing for the three of them. Ahad and Armaan were avoiding each other at any cost. Armaan hadn't been able to get an answer for his 'feelings' and this has pissed Ahad badly. While uncharacteristically, Ahad had become civil towards her and unknown to her way more protective too. Thankfully nobody had paid any attention to these changes as Saman and Ahad had been busy in their exams while the family had family things going on.

"Badi ammi wants us to go back to haveli. Nobody is at home right now." Armaan informed.

"Why? I wanna go to hospital!" Saman exclaimed making a small smile appear on Armaan's face.

"We can go later Saman, let's not trouble everyone." Ahad spoke calmly making Saman look at him for a while and nod.

Farha had gone into labor early this morning and the whole family had gone under panic mode. Most of them were in the hospital with her and the elder men were in a political rally. Talk about timing. The chaos of them leaving for the rally hadn't ended when the ladies had to rush Farha to the hospital. And then Ahad and Saman had to leave for their last paper in hurry. Everything and everyone were in a frenzy this morning.

"I have to leave for hospital, will you be okay alone?" Armaan asked as soon as they reached the haveli.

"We won't be alone practically, the staf will be around." Ahad spoke stepping out of the car. Saman glanced at him with surprise at his tone but refrained herself from saying anything and followed him. The two didn't even wait for another moment and walked towards the house. Armaan sighed. What had he walked himself into.

"What's wrong with you Ahad?" Saman asked as soon as they entered the living room of the haveli.

"Nothing."

"Why were you being so rude to Armaan bhai?" Saman asked making Ahad stop in his track and turn around. He watched her with calculating eyes.

"And why do you care?" He asked making Saman frown.

"Ahad you were being unreasonably rude to him, what happened?"

"Whatever it is, it's between us. You don't have to worry."

"Ahad why are you being like this? Is something wrong?" Saman asked. She was genuinely worried now. She had seen him going way too silent and detached after the wedding and it certainly was troubling her.

"Nothing is wrong Saman! Can't you just leave it?" Ahad shouted making her eyes go wide. He had never used such tone with her even if things used to go worse. She was still in disbelief and before she could say anything Ahad had gone away.

___________

It was almost midnight when Zeeshan reached Alamnagar and even though he was excited to be home after a whole month he was also warry. The whole month was worst for him, he had hardly been able to get through it. He had a small fight with Noor before leaving. He wanted her to come with him but she couldn't as it was her residency's last month. He had no problem with that,as he should've but what had angered him was her nonchalance towards his leaving. He had already told her that it would take at least a month for him to return but it seemed like she was least affected by it. She had just nodded.

Then he couldn't hold more and told her that she didn't care about him and some more stupid things that he shouldn't have. She was a calm person but hearing everything he said she too had lost her calm and straight away told him that she really didn't care. Zeeshan had to leave the very next day and their fight was unresolved, their first fight. Even though they had been in touch with each other through texts, but it was limited to greetings and 'how are you'.

Zeeshan knew it was his fault mostly but not entirely. Noor had surely confessed to him about her feelings on their wedding but it seemed like nothing as such was really there. She was still so far from him. And it pained him to no extent.

Zeeshan's plan clear, he was not going to inform anyone and just sneak in but seemed like everything was against him. He had forget that the main door of the haveli would be closed. The guards on the main gate was up but for opening the entrance he had to wake someone up. He should have informed someone but thanks to his smart self he was standing in front the huge double door,staring at it.

He took a huge breath in and getting his phone out of his pocket dialled a number. It took a while for his call to be answered and he sighed in relief.

"Armaan are you up?" He asked.

"No I am still sleeping." Armaan sounded done but not sleepy.

"Quit your sarcasm, can you come down and open the main door. I am outside." Zeeshan said rolling his eyes.

"What?"

"I said come down and-"

"I heard that idiot. But what are you doing here?" Armaan asked.

"Armaan can you please just open the door? I am tired." Zeeshan pleaded.

"I can't. I am not home." Armaan replied making Zeeshan slap his head.

"Then why the fuck were you wasting my time. Cut the call." Zeeshan spoke gritting his teeth and the very next moment the call went off. He was exhausted now,both physically and mentally. He dialled another number and after few rings a sleepy voice greeted him from the other side and he pinched his eyes.

"Hello, Zeeshan?"

"Noor can you open the main door?" he spoke trying to control his haywire emotions.

"Main door? Are you here?" He heard some shuffling from the other side and the slight raise in her voice as if snapped out of her drowsiness. He smiled.

"I am coming." Noor said but didn't hang up. And after few moments she was standing in front of him, in a disheveled state and ragged breathing. Zeeshan removed the phone from his ear making her do the same.

"Can I come in?" Zeeshan asked as she didn't say anything for a long moment. She nodded and moved away still in haze. Zeeshan suppressed his smile and walked in and closed the door behind him. The two didn't speke anything from there to their room but then, they were still silent when they were in the room.

Zeeshan kept his bags on the couch and slumped beside it. He closed his eyes feeling the chill air of the air conditioner hit his sweaty body. He was tired to bones and already could feel sleep coming to him but before that Noor switched on all the lights of the room. He pinched his eyes in displeasure and then opened them. The first thing he noticed was the clean, wrinkle free bed
He frowned and looked at her who was now picking up the jug from side table.

"Have you eaten?" Noor asked sensing his eyes on her.

"No, I am full." He replied making her nod and then walk out of the room.

Noor came back with water and found him already asleep. Still slumped on the couch in a weird and uncomfortable position. A small sigh left her mouth as she watched him for some moment. She was still not out of the initial shock of him coming back sooner than he was going to.

Keeping the pitcher on the table she neared him and gently tapped his shoulder making him murmur something that she couldn't decipher. She frowned and again tried but he only groaned.

"Zeeshan go to bed at least." Noor said making him finally open his eyes slowly. He got up and without even wasting a second went towards the bed, removing his shoes on the way and almost fell on it. Noor gasped his name at the way he fell on the bed, but he wasn't in his senses certainly to even hear her.

Noor had a pretty tiring day today and she had only wanted to have a good sleep. But then Saman called her to sleep with her as Mansha was in hospital with Farha and then her husband came in the middle of the night. Ruined her sleep and also her calm. She knew now falling asleep would be a task. And she had a busy day tomorrow too.

Switching off the lights she layed on her side and faced him, who was now snoring lightly. She smiled,finally. The lighting was faint but she could see him clearly, and she wanted to just do the same for whole night. He had been away for so long and they weren't on good terms. He was angry on her and she too was frustrated by him but then that couldn't stop her from missing him.

And she would be lying if said that she didn't miss him dearly.

_________

Zeeshan groaned loudly when he came into his senses. His mind was still hazy but the cluttering sounds hitting his ear time to time was making it hard for him to continue his sleep. He still felt exhausted.

Changing sides he opened his eyes and found the source of this early morning noise sitting in front of the dressing table. All his annoyance flew out of the opened window and a soft looked formed on his face. Putting his hand under his head he kept looking at her.

Noor was aware of his eyes on her, yet she played oblivious. She had no time for anything else right now, specially morning fight. She concentrated on the task at hand and she was doing it quite well but the continuous staring was messing with her. She sighed for nth time and took out her tint and as she was applying it she heard him speak and froze.

"Oh that's why you look so flushed all the time!"

He sounded as if he had found the most mysterious mystery. Coming out of the initial shock Noor looked at him and then the realisation hit him. He pressed his lips and sat up, now himself looking flushed. Clearing his throat he scratched his neck and looked at her sheepishly. Noor gave him a blank stare and grabbed a tissue to remove the tint.

"Don't." Zeeshan spoke hurriedly making her look at him again with a straight face. He smiled at her and then pointed at the tissue.

"It looks good." He whispered and got down from bed. Noor too looked away and kept the tissue back. She peeked in the mirror and found him going towards the washroom. She sighed in relief, he shouldn't be seeing her blushing like this.

"Drop me to the hospital." She spoke as she heard him opening the washroom's door. Zeeshan hummed in reply and went in.

And as Zeeshan couldn't see her blush, Noor too didn't see how huge of a grin he had on his face. It was better this way or else what reason would he give, that he liked it when she ordered him like typical wives.

__________

"MashaAllah look at him, he is so beautiful!" Saman gushed as she saw the new family member for the first time, while the baby boy was oblivious to everything and in deep slumber. The little prince had no idea how much excited the people around him were. Farha's room was crowded given that she had just reached here, and whole of the Shah gharana was here. The elder ladies were tending to her while her baby was with his khalas and mamus.

Saman was holding the baby close to herself and wasn't in any mood to pass him to anyone else, much to their dismay. Especially Ahad's as everyone had met the prince except him and he couldn't even snatch him from Saman, or even ask her. Courtesy to him being a jerk yesterday.

But then he couldn't control more.

"Saman give him to me now." He spoke making Saman look away from the baby and watch Ahad with scrutinizing eyes.

"No." She replied and again went back to admiring the little bundle of joy, while Ahad groaned. He went near her and tapped her arm making her shrug off.

"Saman!"

"No!"

"Please." Ahad pleaded in a low voice making Saman look at him as if asking what he meant by his 'please' and she realised that it wasn't just for the baby. She raised her eyebrows but nevertheless passed the baby to him carefully.

"Be careful." She said.

"Sorry." She heard him whisper back and frowned. Ahad looked up from the baby and again whispered the same and she could only observe him. He didn't seem to be joking, he was really apologizing.

Saman didn't give him much reaction and giving him a small nod got up and walked away. She wasn't going to accept his apology so easily. Coming out of Farha's room Saman made her way to the kitchen,

Not too long after Saman had come to the kitchen, Ahad too followed her.

"Saman yaar meri baat to sun lo ek dafa!" He said as he neared her. Saman turned towards him and scowled.[ Saman atleast hear me once.]

"Bolo." She said folding her hands making him sigh and then lean against the counter.

"I am sorry foe shouting at you. I shouldn't have talked in that way but I wasn't in a good mood." He said sincerely.

"That much I figured out Ahad and also that there is something going on between you and Armaan bhai." She said making him frown. He straightened and carefully watched. There's no way she knew.

"What?"

"I saw how you were talking to him. What has happened?" She asked raising her brows.

"Don't worry it's nothing serious, just some brothers talk."Ahad lied smoothly, he had no other option. Whatever had occurred between him and Armaan involved her and until Armaan wasn't clearing out things he couldn't let Saman know anything.

"Really?"

"Of course and why do you think there's something worse. Come on why would I and Armaan bhai out of all be on bad terms." Ahad said and chuckled making Saman relax a bit. She agreed to him on this.

"You think too much. So am I forgiven now?" Ahad asked smiling at her.

"Yes. But you have to get me ice cream now." Saman said making his smile drop immediately.

"Yaar Saman nahi!" He cried earning a glare in return.

"Soch lo phir." She said making him sigh. [You sure?]

"Right now?" He again asked.

"Actually no, but today itself." Saman replied earning a big cheeky grin from him.

"Haye meri pyari behan, thank you so much." He said and after ruffling her hair almost ran out only to bump into Nadia who was entering the kitchen. And so leading to the grand fall of glasses from Nadia's hand and then their breaking. The three of them gasped seeing the shattered pieces scattered around. Ahad and Nadia immediately sat down but before Nadia could even pick a single piece Ahad called her name making her look up.

"Don't, you may get hurt." He said and started picking it up himself making Nadia frown and again forward her hand only for Ahad to look up and then grab her hand. He pushed her hand away and glared her making her take her hands back. Nadia watched as he picked up the broken pieces himself and only when he was done and had looked up she moved her eyes from him. She got up quickly and walked out of the kitchen while Saman and Ahad disposed the trash.

"Dekh liya, ek thank you nahi bola jata madam ko." [Did you see? She can't even say a thanks. ] Ahad spoke rolling his eyes making Saman sigh.

"Stop it now and go." She said sounding done with him. He gave her a wounded look and went out, while Saman could only sigh again.

Ahad and his tantrums.

So normal and something she was habitual of, just like most of the things in her life. This was the normalcy Saman always wanted to have in her life, but somewhere in the deepest corner of her mind a voice was whispering. A chant that she was ignoring with all her might.

That whatever is there now, doesn't and can't be there forever.

______________

Assalamualaikum everyone.

How are you all?

I don't have much to say,so will see y'all soon.

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