Selena and Aariz ring the doorbell standing still at the door maintaining a good distance between each other trying to push back the thoughts of confession creeping slowly back into their heads.

Aariz's body gets on autopilot mode. What could have happened between them if they weren't bound by the circumstances! Could have. Would he have pulled out a ring? Would she have accepted? Would she have shoved him to the side as she usually does flipping her hijab on her shoulder? Of all things that could've happened God chose this for them.

As the door opens the chaotic atmosphere of her apartment engulfs her. Her dad locks the door behind them while replying to Mr. Hafeez. Mrs. Hafeez's amusing laughter as her mom shares a story. The anchorperson on the TV show discusses his world of Pakistani politics.

Seeing the happiness on the family's faces, Aariz secretly steals a satisfied smile in Selena's direction. This relationship will always work out. He can see their futures together. Their white coat sleeves rub against each other as they walk to the hospital hand in hand with a coffee flask. He can almost hear her squabbling with him over little things and yet holding him close. The playfulness in her eyes eases the skin folds of tension on his face. And when she will leave for the ER he shall hold her hand and turn her around. He can feel it. He just can feel the chemistry hidden behind Selena's fears right now.

Selena changes into her comfortable clothes while Aariz takes his coat off unbuttoning the first button and the cuff buttons to roll his sleeves up. The veiny hand that was having a smartwatch, he removes it. The pant creases as he crosses his legs. When she returns to the lounge from her room she finds him sitting on the sofa with her dad watching a cricket match. They have changed the channel. She stares down at her baggy clothes and bites her lips at her choice. At that moment Aariz's eyes shift from the television to her clothes. She flips her hijab on her shoulder standing there overhearing her mom's conversation.

Feeling the razor-sharp eyes scanning her she squirms. Prickly heat freezes down her spine. His watchful eyes make blood creep into her cheeks turning them coral against her olive skin.

Selena could have settled down on the armrest of the sofa but her mom asks her to do the onions for the salad. She wants to whine that she just came back and should not be bothered till the next day but she bites her tongue knowing her mom must have been cooking in the kitchen for so long that she asked her because she usually doesn't. Amelia skips her way to the kitchen:

"Loving him was red like a new Maserati down the dead-end street
Faster than the wind passionate as sin ending so suddenly"

She hums Red by Taylor Swift, "So...", she wiggles her eyes at Selena who is peeling the onion. The tears blur her vision from the torturous sulfur. The dripping of tears cannot stop so she moves away from the kitchen counter.

"So what bish?!", Selena turn around with a knife in her hands. Amelia jumps back giggling and Selena turns back to the counter. She cuts in the middle of the onion and leaves it in water. Her tears should stop. But they can't. When the giggling of Amelia unexpectedly dies she realizes someone has wandered into the kitchen. The plastic shopper hanging on the handle of the cupboard draws Selena's attention. Someone is here to throw a ball of tissue paper.

"What happened?", Aariz bents down beside her as she stares at the onions floating in the pool of water in a pan kept in the sink. She wants to say you, that's what happened you. But she doesn't. No one except Amelia will understand her madness. Besides, it's the start of something beautiful not the crushing end. She better not ruin it. Amelia smirks as she realizes the delay behind their late coming.

"Onions happened.", Selena wipes her tears and looks into his eyes, mumbling. He almost doesn't hear it and moves his ears close to her. A sudden blow of air in his ears makes him jump. He bends his neck to the side rubbing his ear off on his shoulder. His eyes widen as he catches a glimpse of onions.

"Enjoy crying. You deserve this one.", he smirks as he walks out of the kitchen.

"I'll make you pay for that Aariz Hafeez.", she hisses.

"Selena Asad!", his phenomenal turn makes Amelia's jaw drop. He walks up to Selena, "You will be taking your words back. I will make you cut all the onions while I cook the food."

"So I guess we won't ever be having food. Because I am not going into the kitchen for sure.", Selena closes the distance whispering a few inches away from his mouth.

His mouth curls into a smirk as he stares into her eyes that slowly shift to her lips that are still tainted cocoa nude from the event. Playing it halal is becoming harder than he expected.

"Ahem!" Amelia folds her arm and stares at her long nails, "Your cheesiness is enough to cheese up my popcorn for this romance."

Selena and Aariz jump miles apart red in embarrassment. Onions. Selena gets back to slicing the onions while Aariz quietly leaves the kitchen. Amelia pounces at Selena, almost knocking her to the ground. She squeezes her waist hugging her and whispering, "I can see the invisible strings... Did you both confess?"

Selena looks away annoyed by her sister wrapping herself around Selena. She tugs her arms away and holds her hand to meet her eyes, "Yes!", she whispers excitedly but glances in the doorway just to make sure no one hears a thing.

"You are getting married, miss.", Amelia squeals, whispering.

"No one is getting married. We have our lives to focus on. Besides he is leaving next week.", Selena rolls her eyes knowing she doesn't want marriage yet.

"We can at least get you engaged." Amelia's happy fantasies are popped by Selena who firmly states no.

As Selena slices the onions her mind drifts to the upcoming exam. She sighs realizing she has to get back to her life and step out of her fantasy world of love. She knows one thing. When a career clashes with love, one has to lose one of either two. And by no means she is giving up her dreams. The dream to wake up by the ringing phone call in the middle of the night from the hospital is more important to her than waking up watching a sleeping Aariz face.

She loves him but not as much as herself.

The family decides to take a walk after an oil-rich desi dinner followed by traditional sweets and green tea with the hope that it will melt some of their fats down. The kids, being fast, walk ahead of the parents. Amelia, Nuha, and Selena are brisk walking talking about the various Pakistani dramas Hum TV channel is airing these days.

Aariz chasing Saad and Harun stops in front of the hospital emergency department near the building. The red and blue lights of the ambulance against the asphalt and the nearby buildings' glasses. The paramedics pull out a patient on the stretcher rushing him into the ER. As Selena, Nuha, and Amelia catch up to him Nuha and Amelia continue while Selena stops beside him.

"One day...", she whispers but he states out loud.

"Insha'Allah. You and I", Aariz adds. His words calm her divided heart. He is the one. Through the blurred glass doors, she can make out the doctors rushing the patient into a room as the paramedics fill them in with vitals and medical history.

---

👀

So how's was it?

Don't forget to vote or comment if you enjoyed the chapter.