I'll Hold On

CHAPTER 22

Afina and Lutfi were staring at eachother intensely while Aahil and Rayna were looking in between them, 'I have no problem with you not liking me, in fact, I am more than delighted to know you don't like me but....' Lutfi began, '....what does it have to do with my best friend?' Lutfi was offended, say all you want about Lutfi to his face, he won't mind, but against his loved ones, not a chance. Afina scoffed, 'Like you don't know what he is making my best friend go through.' Afina asked.

Lutfi glanced at his friend who signed and glanced at Rayna who was massaging her temple, 'I don't have any interest in knowing what a married couples does behind closed doors. There is a reason why they do it behind closed doors.' Lutfi said, staring at a getting flustered Afina. Rayna and Aahil were also flustered by what Lutfi was shamelessly saying out loud. Aahil kept a hand on Lutfi's shoulder and he looked up to his friend who was holding a red face, 'Shut up.' Aahil said to him, 'She started it!' Lutfi said, pointing at Afina.

'I didn't mean it in that way. All this talk and behavior is enough to say what kind of man you are.' Afina said, with confirmation, 'Afina.' Rayna called out her name in warning. Afina looked at her friend and spoke, 'When you, my best friend, speaks nonsense and doubts and is confused in making decisions or anything, I help you. Because I am your best friend. When you were thinking of just leaving him, I made you realize who you are and what you can do, that's what best friends are for.' On hearing these words, Aahil swiftly looked at Rayna.

She...She was going to leave me.

Somehow that thought caused an uneasy stir in Aahil, 'While this man, couldn't even knock some sense into his best friend. Saying to him that what he was doing was wrong, I doubt he even knows what his best friend is doing.' Afina had now stood up from her chair and was seething at Lutfi. Lutfi was also not a man to back down, he stood up as well, 'Hey, I very well know what my best friend is doing and yes, what he is doing is wrong. I did try to knock some sense in him, but he wouldn't listen.' Lutfi counter backed.

'And do you think saying that is making you look any good. You could have smacked him in his head and told him that it is wrong.' Afina yelled, 'You think I didn't wanna do that, I was so mad at what he was doing that, smack? I wanted to bury him alive.' Lutfi yelled his thought, 'Then you should have done that.' Afina yelled back, 'Well, I didn't. Because I know what he has been through to do this and I am trying to understand him.' Lutfi yelled, 'Well, that's good. If not for your best friend, who will try to understand you.' Afina yelled, 'Exactly, so don't say I am not a good guy.' Lutfi yelled, 'I take my words back, you are very good person, I kinda like you.' Afina yelled, 'Thank you, I kinda like you too.' Lutfi yelled back.

'I was actually planning to make you reject cause I thought after marriage I won't be able to continue my salon bussiness I am so passionate about.' Afina yelled, 'Don't worry, you can continue your bussiness after marriage as long as you want, you have my word. In fact, I was going to reject you aswell since I thought no one could understand me, but you did.' Lutfi yelled, 'Yeah, you are one arrogant, stuck up but caring, man.' Afina yelled, complimenting, 'Thank you, that's exactly how I am. So, is it a yes from you?' Lutfi asked, yelling, 'It's a yes from me.' Afina replied, yelling, 'Yes from me too.' Lutfi yelled back. The two yelling couple suddenly turned to their friends and yelled, 'Go tell them it's a Yes.'

Rayna and Aahil just stared wide eyed at their crazy friends who started with the plan of rejection which ended up in a too much yelling acception. Afina and Lutfi were breathing heavily as they waited for their friends to go out and report. They both raised their eye brows at them and the couple broke from their trance and scurried out the door. Once they were out of the room, 'What the heck just happened?' Aahil asked staring ahead wide eyes, 'I have no idea.' Rayna replied, her expression matching her husbands. Aahil signed and turned to Rayna to see her confused when something struck him.

She was going to leave me. Why does it make me sad?

Rayna turned to look at Aahil and he immediately looked away, 'Let's go tell the elders.' Rayna said, 'Ye..yeah.' Aahil stuttered. Once the elders were informed, they were more than over joyed. They walked into the room to hug and congratulate the newly formed couple, who were still confused how things took a turn, 'Nice way of going with the plan, bro.' Aahil said to Lutfi. They were currently sitting in the car on their way back home, 'I know right.' Lutfi said, massaging his temple, 'but
..' he began, '...my parents were right. Only she can handle me.' And that thought bought a smile to his face.

Aahil was happy for his friend but he wanted to tease him, 'So, you wanted to bury me alive?' Aahil asked him, 'Very badly, but on a serious note Aahil, you really need to move on and look at Rayna in a new light.' Lutfi said to him. Aahil signed and looked away, 'It's not that easy.' He said, 'I know, and if it ain't for my girl, she would have long left you.' Lutfi spoke. Aahil scoffed, 'Just a few hours ago, you were dead bent on making her reject you but now, she is your girl.' Aahil said. Lutfi looked away, 'So, what have you two planned. You both were off on a really bad note.' Aahil asked. Lutfi signed, 'I know, but we decided to start a new. We decided to start of as friends, then move a head, it for the best.' Aahil nodded at their idea with satisfaction.

Aahil reached home past dinner time, but he had informed Salma bi that he was dinning out with Lutfi. He entered his mansion and was climbing up the stairs when he heard a voice, 'Aahil, is that you?' It was Rayna. She was standing at the top of the stairs. Aahil climbed up to her and said, 'Yes. When did you get back?' He asked her, now standing before her, 'I had dinner with Salma bi and Fazil Chacha.' She told him. Aahil nodded and was about to walk away when Rayna stopped him. He turned to look at her, waiting for her to speak up, but it was quite visible that she was hesitating.

'What is it?' Aahil asked. Rayna looked at him and took a deep breath, 'You might have heard from your friend that, Afina and he have decided to start of as friends since their start was off..' Rayna began, Aahil nodded, confirming her knowledge, '...and even we had a not so good of a start.' Rayna pointed out, '...so, why don't we also start a new, as friends?' Rayna looked at him, still hesitant. On hearing what she had to say, Aahil's heartbeat picked up, 'So Aahil, would you like to be my friend?' Rayna asked with her beautiful smile and hopeful eyes. Aahil was quiet for sometime but soon answered, 'Yes.' Rayna's smile widened, 'I would like to be your friend, Rayna.'

I'll look at her in a new light.