Kano State, Nigeria.
2018.

Falak was bored the next day because they didn't leave the house and she didn't cause him any problem which irked her. She wanted to use the whole first month of their marriage life torturing him in one way or the other. So she buckled her belt to do something today, though it is not deadly, she just wants to cause him discomfort in one way or the other.

She got dressed in sweats and and add her new black after dress abaya on top. She picked her phone and left the closet to find Shaddad who is silently working in the backyard she made. That irked her again because she didn't get why he is launching the place she made. He didn't bother making it look comfortable when he was living alone and now that she did it, he has the nerve to sit.

"So, Statue, I think we should do something today other touching your laptop, don't you think?" She placed a creepy sweet smile that he would've find beautiful if not that this Falak in front of him is in for his life so he won't exactly say beautiful.

He stopped his fingers mid word and continue to stare at his wife as if he wants to figure her out. The only thing he knew is that she won't do anything too stupid but it is still stupid nonetheless though he can give it a try. She won't let any awkward silence come between them and that is something he likes about her, gradually, he will get to like everything about her but for now, he should get to know who this Falak is.

From the first time he's known her, she changed with each passing time if he would say so himself. The first time he met her, she was all awkward and childish and when she came back after her first year, she became more beautiful, a little bit mature and blunt and then he didn't get to see her much till after she graduated and this time, she was more blunt, ventures, dareful and stood tall like a woman.

He is not a stalker but there is almost nothing he doesn't know about her life ever since she dropped her feet in the Palace. He knew she is just something to protect. Growing up amidst males, he didn't get to have that attachment with a female and be protective and when their stepmother came along, they were very protective and respective even without talking to her all the time. They liked their attention and the different feeling of having a woman in their home.

All the attention Falak is getting from his brothers is because all of them craved for a woman in the house. That pink colour stuff and feminine scent and soft voice, they got that when she came along. Her mother and her brought nothing but happiness in the Palace and even the servants will agree with that. When Falak will go back to school, the house will go back to it's cold self and the Princes will be scary again so everyone is just waiting for her to come back all the time.

"What?" He scrunched his face at her when she beamed, showing her extra white teeth in the open.

Another thing he started doing in her presence is showing emotions. He was so used to not moving the muscles across his face that whenever he smiled or moved a muscle from his face, it ached and feels so weird. But the thing with Falak is, she won't let him go off without that smile or emotions. She acts like she doesn't understand him and he will have to talk longer and show expressions for her to understand.

Yesterday that they didn't do anything special, she sat him down and kept talking about her life in the village and India and he didn't get any chance to interfere or correct her when she says something wrong. Like how she called a dormitory then he figured that that was the abbreviation of it so he kept quite and keenly listen to her. She is refreshing and he didn't know why he rejected her in the first place.

At first when she said she loved him, he thought it was just her childish head and nothing else but after years and she still look at him with those soft eyes, he knew she was been truthful even then. She stopped talking to him and it bothered him for some odd reasons.

He wouldn't have known she is refreshing if he wasn't forced to marry her. He just knew that she should not escape the claws of his brothers, he didn't want her to leave the palace even though he didn't want to marry her. He is still surprised that none if his brothers made a move on her, they all have special space for her in their hearts that anyone of them would've married her in a heartbeat if they were asked to.

"Gym!" She snapped her fingers to his eyes seeing his focus is going to another place in the world.

"Why gym?" He adorably, unconsciously pursed his plump slightly peach lips at her, not getting why gym is a good place for newly wedded couple.

"Because I'm getting fat and you also need it." She moved her hand and wrap it around his naked arms which resulted to thousand of electric volts running through her body but she didn't remove her delicate fingers even after seeing the way he hurriedly look up at her which means he felt that too.

Upon arriving at the gym, Falak removed the  pink yoga mattress from the stack of blacks, blues and greys. When Shaddad first saw the pink mat in the gym, he knew it was Falak and for some peculiar, rum reasons, it annoyed him that everywhere he goes, she is always there to disturb his peace and he almost threw the thing away only to restrain at the last moment. He doesn't want them to think that he cares about her presence, no one gets under his skin. Well, that was before she came along.

Shaddad took off to the treadmill and put it on the last speed and in no time, he started sweating whilst staring directly at Falak who closed her eyes and sat down practicing the yogas she already used to. She wanted to use the treadmill but stopped seeing that she doesn't have the energy for that and who wouldn't want to see sweaty Shaddad on a treadmill?

When he left the treadmill and sat down on one of the mats, her attention went back to him and she noticed that he is going to start his daily pushups. She's seen him doing that in their bedroom twice and when she tried doing it covertly in the kitchen, she fell down after the third attempts so she never tried doing it again and now that he is doing it, she can't get over her surprise. She wonder how he does that, she can't even keep her weight.

A thought crossed her mind and she released a wicked smile before going behind a closed eyed Shaddad. She lie down on his back on her back not bothering about the sweat or how he collapse to the floor because he wasn't expecting the weight on him. Finding out that it was Falak, he shook his head in amusement and stood back up to continue pushing up. If she thinks he is going to fail, she has another thing coming.

Falak's brows rose when he continue to do that with her on his back. She didn't expect that from him but then again, isn't she always waiting for him to surprise her. She moved her fingers and started trailing them down his naked arms and it stopped him for some seconds before he continued. They both could feel the volts running through their bodies but they didn't move, no one willing to fail.

When they were done, she left the gym faster than Usain Bolt and locked herself in one of the rooms in their Chamber. Her feelings for Shaddad are making her weak and she can't think of any other thing than being in his arms. He doesn't deserve her forgiveness at all and she won't give it soon. She's suffered a lot of heartbreaks from him and just jumping into his arms will make him continue the unthinkable.

After calming her erratic heartbeat and calmed her hot body, she finally left the room and decided to cook something for them. She went and whip toast with nutella and coffee with lots of milk. She knew Shaddad doesn't really like much milk and sugar to his coffee but he needs to change that weird attitude. Black coffee isn't good for his health and she won't let him keep brooding with those coffee.

Once they were done with the simple lunch, Falak made her way to their room to change into something light. She brought out a light shirt and maxi skirt. She changed into the shirt and didn't bother buttoning it completely before wrestling into the skirt. She started buttoning the shirt from the top but her hands stood still when she saw something crawling on the wall opposite to where she is. It was a spider!

She hates spider with every fibre of her being and she can't even stand the sight of it so she let out a loud wail bringing Shaddad's attention to her. He let go of his phone and rushed to the room in a hurry to see what is going on only to see her in a half buttoned shirt, leaving her stomach bare to his eyes so he immediately looked away when he noticed that she is still wailing and her eyes are closed.

He placed his hand slowly but reluctantly on her shoulders, bringing her attention back to him and away from whatever nightmare she had.

"What's wrong?" His brows are furrowed in confusion because he thought someone was in here or she saw a snake. Who would shout like that just for fun? Well, Falak could but this one that her eyes are closed means she saw something.

"There is a spider!" She shrieked and hid her face behind his back, pointing to the opposite wall where a huge spider was silently sleeping or whatever, she doesn't care. She just wants it to dematerialize.

"A spider?!" He asked back, eyes wide as he raise his eyes aloft to look at where she is pointing and sure enough, there is a spider looking down at them and because the walls are white, it was visible.

His secret. He is dead afraid of insects, be it spider, cockroach, gecko, bugs or anything in that category. Why did he even walk in without any weapon?! Is there any way for them to leave the room now? They are both afraid of the same thing and it is there on the very doorsill of the closet so it could fall on their heads when they try walking out and he is already in the death trap.

"Please get rid of it." Falak is busy clutching onto the back of his shirt to notice that he is also shitting himself at the thought of getting closer to the spider.

"I think there is bygone in one of the drawers, let me look for it." And he slowly started moving as though the spider will attack him at any moment.

When he found the insecticide, he moved to the door and sprayed a lot till the spider fell down on the carpeted floor and he matched it with his shoe, still afraid that it would come out and bite his hand. He sighed when he saw the thing squashed underneath his shoes.

"Go and wash it in the bathroom, I heard it is poisonous." Falak sighed and turn around only to see her naked stomach in the mirror, she shrieked again before hastily buttoning herself up. Well, that was embarrassing.

"I don't get why you let your room be so dirty with spiders." She shook her head when they went back to the living room.

"You also live here now, you can clean." She didn't expect his sassy reply but liked that he even talked.

"Whatever."

*****
Yoyoyoyo!
How are you all doing? How are you enjoying ShadLak moments? I promised double update but you guys didn't bother making your ends meet so here is one and hopefully, I will update another tomorrow. InshaAllah. Do comment and Vote and Follow !!!
RQ; Would you rather be locked in a room filled with cockroach or spider?! Ya Allah, none please! I mean, NONE! You?

Aishatu.