Arsal.

When we arrived at the airport I parked my car next to dad's car since I still had no idea who we were picking up and if they would be at the domestic arrivals or the international arrivals.

I got out of the car and went to Dad and we started walking towards the entrance to the airport. When dad turned towards the domestic arrivals, the warning bells in my head went off.

No, it couldn't be. I told myself. We hadn't even talked to each other since that day, since they left.

Ya Allah! Please let it be anyone but them. Please. I sent a silent prayer to Allah as we arrived at the domestic arrivals.

After a few minutes Uncle Rehman and Aunty Mehrunnisa came out of the sliding doors. Maybe she didn't come with them. Maybe Daniyal and her stayed behind. They had done that a few times in the past two years.

When Rehman Uncle reached us him and Dad hugged each other and then Rehman Uncle hugged me next. Mehru Aunty patted me on the head and said Salam to dad.

"The kids didn't come with you guys?" Dad asked them when Rehman Uncle looked behind him.

"They were just behind us..- there they are!" Rehman Uncle said as he spotted them coming out of the doors.

At first I could only see a guy who looked like Daniyal but because of the sunglasses I couldn't be sure but then my eyes fell on the girl behind him and I am sure I forgot to breathe.

She looked nothing like I remembered. Gone was the nest from her head and instead her hair was straight, she now had a Ray Ban sunglasses on her head, she had on nail polish, lip gloss and maybe a bit of makeup.

She was wearing a sweater type long sleeved loose shirt with maroon skinny jeans or maybe tights and a simple black sandal I think.

Daniyal and her came and greeted dad. Daniyal moved and gave me a hand shake but she didn't even look at me. Just kept her head towards dad and her family.

I just kept my head down but took the trolley that Rehman Uncle was pushing from him and then we moved towards the cars.

When all of the luggage was put in the trunks dad said something to Rehman Uncle and he nodded then dad came towards me and Rehman Uncle went towards Her.

"I'm gonna take Rehman, Mehrunnisa and Daniyal home with me, why don't you take Jiya in your car, hmm?" Dad asked or told me, I couldn't be sure.

"I don't..." I couldn't even start the sentence when he patted my shoulder gave me a smile and said.

"Don't stay out too long for lunch, okay?" Then he smiled to himself and left to get to the car.

I just looked after him and then turned my head to look at her as I saw her looking at me.

Jiya.

When we had gotten to the cars and everything was put in the trunks dad approached me.

"You okay?" He asked with a sweet smile.

I smiled in return. "I'll make it." I shrugged my shoulders a bit.

"Why don't you ride with Arsal. Me, your Mom and Daniyal are going with your Qadir Uncle." I was about to interrupt him when he continued effectively shutting ne up.

"And please don't fight with him. And just talk." He motioned towards the right where when I turned to look he turned around as well.

I couldn't read the look in his eye but it seemed kind of important.

He motioned for me to get over to him. When I narrowed my eyes he raised his eye brow and motioned towards his car and the tapped on his watch as if saying 'I won't wait forever.'

I huffed and walked towards the passenger side of his car and got in.

When he got in and started the car he looked at me for a second then turned his head towards the road and said. "You know it's not good manners to not even greet someone you're meeting after two years."

He was being a smart ass again. I turned my face towards him gave a huge smile and said in a sweet voice. "Assalamu Alaikum Arsalan Qadir Ali, How are you?"

He replied with a bit of laughter in his voice. "Walaikum As Salam Ajiya Rehman Ali, I am good. How are you?"

"I have definitely been better." I said in a sarcastic way.

"Can't say I agree." He replied flippantly.

"What do you mean?" I asked him in a bored tone.

"Well..." He made a face like he was thinking and tapped his chin with his right hand's index finger and said. "Well you look better then I remember. I mean the nest that used to be on your head." He pointed at my head than continued. "Is gone." He paused for a second than continued.

"Where did it go?" He acted as if it was the biggest mystery of the world.

"Ha ha." I rolled my eyes at his childish behaviour but then something struck me. "What happened to your hair?"

He looked at me confused then looked at the side mirror to see himself, ran his hand through his hair and then looked at me again. "It's just like it normally is."

"Actually I remember it being stuck to your skull. Or not there at all." I teased with that prank me and Dani had played on him wayyyyy back in the day.

"Oh yeah... ha ha." He gave me the same reply and that was when I noticed for the first time where we were. Which was a good question since I don't remember it being Dada Jan's beloved house.

"Where are we?" I asked him as he was pulling into the parking lot.

"We are having lunch." He told me as he reverse parked the car.

He took the keys out of the ignition and opened the door but when he didn't hear me even moving he turned to look at me and asked confused. "Why aren't you getting out of the car?"

I looked at him, really looked at him since we had seen each other and saw the changes in him. His hair was a bit longer then he used to have, he was a bit more muscular, actually had facial hair, looked a bit more mature and more over looked quite handsome. And that bit of a line he had on his forehead when confused had me smiling.

"You. Are. An. Idiot." I stated that and opened the car door to step outside.

"What?" He asked now a bit annoyed.

"Yes."

"How am I an idiot?" He asked as he stopped walking and stood besides me.

I turned to face him and pretended I was thinking just like he had done then said. "Because you are an idiot."

He huffed at that and started towards the main entrance of the hotel.

"Looks quite expensive. Sure you can pay the bill?" I nudged him in the ribs with my elbow as I whispered.

"If I couldn't, I wouldn't have brought you here." He winked at me and approached the host.

"A table for two. Preferably by the windows." The host nodded at him and then looked at his computer while I just looked around while I could feel Arsal looking at me.

"Right this way sir." He motioned for us to follow we made our way to the table it was by the windows and had the amazing view of the indoor gardens they had built here.

"Here are the menus sir. A waiter will be with you in a few minutes. Would you like to have something to drink while you decide on the order?" The host looked at the both of us and before Arsal could say something I started talking.

"Do you guys have fruit cocktail?" He nodded so I said. "I'll take one of those."

Then he looked at Arsal expectingly. And he said. "Just cold water please."

When the host left I started looking at the menu in front of me. But I looked up when I felt Arsal's eyes on me.

"Can I help you?" I asked with a raised eye brow.

"I thought you didn't want to be here." He asked with a shrug.

"I didn't but I do know how to appreciate good food. And this place has good food." I pointed at the menu and asked him a question. "What are you getting?"

He hadn't even looked at the menu. "Beef lasagna." He pointed towards my menu and asked. "You?"

"Salmon steak with mashed potatoes and sauté vegetables."

"When did you start eating sea food?" He asked putting his elbows on the table and folding his hands.

"A someone I knew loved sea food. Their love for sea food just made me learn to appreciate it." I gave him a vague answer as I didn't want to get into this.

When he was about to say something the waiter came and served our beverages and asked for our order.

"Beef lasagna and Salmon steak with mashed potatoes and sauté vegetables. And a Pepsi as well." Arsal rattled our orders off and then looked at me. "Want anything else?"

I shrugged. "Desert but later." He nodded and the waiter took off after that.

"So tell me how did Naina end up getting married to Shams Bhai?" I asked him since I never knew for them to be interested in each other.

"You would have known if you had stayed in touch for the last two years." He was angry, rightfully so we were married to each other but had had no contact in the last two years since me and my family had so abruptly left Karachi.

I just gave him a sad smile remembering why we had left so abruptly.

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