Love Means Sacrifice

Ch. 52: Hide and Seek

Zahid's P.O.V.

Mehwish rushed into the living room laughing.

"Who told you about him?!" Ayaara followed her, horrified.

"About who?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing. No one." She responded quickly.

I gave her a playful look of suspicion.

She avoided further conversation and went to Sahir, who was putting candles into the birthday cake, "Sahir Bhai!"

I chuckled to myself and sat down on the couch next to the one Mehwish was sitting on.

I tried engaging her in conversation, "Will Ms. Inayat be gracing us with her presence at the office once her classes start?"

She rested her head on her knuckle, expressing disinterest, then looked at me, "Oh, were you saying something?"

I laughed quietly and shook my head. She was something else. When she loves, she loves passionately, and when she's mad, she does that with full force as well.

"Would you like something to drink?" I asked her before pushing myself off the couch.

"No, thanks."

As I made my way to the kitchen, the doorbell rang again.

Farhan's P.O.V.

"Hey!" Zahid greeted us.

"Hey bro." I answered.

"Hi." Amal said, a bit uneasy.

"Zahid, who is it?" Mahira asked as she appeared from behind a wall, "Oh, hey Farhan! You've finally been able to make it to my house," she laughed.

I chuckled in return.

She was happy in her world, and I was happy for her. That's all I had wanted for her. I was content. I also found hope in a potential future with someone else, someone who brought a new light into my life.

"Mahira, this is Amal, my childhood friend. Amal, this is Mahira, Zahid's cousin."

"Nice to meet you." Amal extended her hand.

Mahira looked at me with a raised eyebrow and smile that conveyed, "nice choice," before shaking Amal's hand and responding, "Likewise. Please make yourselves at home. Zia will be here in a few minutes! I'm going to put the cookies on a tray and join you guys."

With that, Mahira took off to the kitchen.

"Come in, guys." Zahid indicated to follow him.

Amal looked up at me with worry in her eyes. She was anxious about coming face-to-face with Mehwish since she now knew the truth.

I gave her hand a squeeze and gestured with my other hand to exhale slowly. She nodded and gathered herself before we followed Zahid.

Mehwish's P.O.V.

Zahid returned to the living room with Farhan and Amal trailing behind him.

"Hey Mehwish!" Farhan greeted me.

"Hi." Amal said, less confidently than she usually did.

"Hi." I responded with a small smile.

"Aye! Farhan Bhai!" Sahir called to him.

Zahid followed Farhan, leaving Amal alone with me.

She sat down and took a deep breath, "Mehwish, I'm genuinely so sorry."

Before I could say anything, Mahira Apa came rushing in, "Guys! Hide! He's here! He's parking. Sahir, turn off the lights."

Amal and I quickly crouched down next to the side of the couch, Sahir and Ayaara hid behind another sofa, Zahid and Farhan ducked under the cake table, and Mahira Apa stood in the middle of the room with a confetti cannon.