One night.

40.

Yusrah's Present.

The car came to a stop and she hurriedly held the door knob trying to get out of the car,she feels suffocated inside the car.Zahra hurriedly followed her action as she stopped her "Ya Yusrah," She called out with tears swelling her eyes "Forgive me,please." She begged.

Yusrah let her tears fall "I have never held anything against you.Their is no need for forgiveness." She replied smiling boldly at her sister "You are such a kind soul." Zahra stated and Yusrah smiled at her.

They walked inside with the atmosphere still tense,they all took their seats while they await for Yusuf's arrival.

Yusrah got lost in her thoughts for the mean time.

How would it feel to have a normal life once again?

It will of course feel great,she will face problems but her family will be by her side.She will go back to school and pursue her education.Yazeed will have a normal life and many more things.

How would it feel to fall in love?

For no absolute reason,Yusuf flashed in her eyes for a second,she held her heart because it was beating erratically.

If she happens to end up with Yusuf,Yazeed will have his real second name proudly.

She realized what she was thinking about and she quickly shove it off from her mind.No,she shouldn't think about that,it will never ever happen.

She let out a sigh and her eyes involuntarily shifted to Bilal who was staring at her,she smiled at him and wave her hand to him while he did the same.

She didn't even realize when he carried his chair and kept it in front of her,she felt her heart beat accelerating as she nervously smiled at him "Yusrah..." He called realizing that she is nervous.

"Um...yeah?" She smiled fiddling with her fingers,she looked at him and memories of the first day she met him came flashing infront of her eyes,she blinked twice trying to make it go away but it didn't,all she could see is the way he pointed his fingers at her and looked at her with his judgmental eyes.

"Yusrah..." He called out again and she looked up at him with eyes filled with tears,he is the same person who crushed her last bit of hope to pieces.She felt hot all of a sudden and realized that she is sweating "I am listening." She managed to utter trying to he strong.

Bilal let out a sigh "I am so sorry for the other day, I wasn't thinking straight and I——-,"

Yusrah jumped in quickly "It...It is fine," She stuttered mustering up a fake smile "I need to use the washroom." She stated standing up  on reflex as she sauntered out of the classroom without waiting for his reply,she doesn't want him anywhere near her.

He called her a prostitute!

Yusrah let her tears fall as she went down the stairs,she needed to get fresh air.

She walked through the place as she smiled at the peace and serenity she felt,nobody can judge her here,nobody knows her here.

She doesn't have to be scared of anything,she is a whole stranger to all the people passing by,she doesn't have to be scared of being judged.Some smiled at her and some didn't even notice her.

Some of them came out happily and some neutral.

"I want a life like this." Yusrah whispered to herself.

She wants a normal life.Again.

She was deep into her thoughts when she saw a figure looming towards her,she stared at him and a smile caress he lips softly "Good morning," She greeted and Yusuf smiled at her as he answered.

"What are you doing here?" He asked "Instead of being in class." He finished quizzically looking at her.

"What are you doing here?" She asked back  "Instead of being in class teaching." She finished analyzing and he sort of found her tactics funny because he laughed.

For a moment,Yusrah forgot to breathe.His laugh was so beautiful that she found herself melting,his eyes twinkled and his lips spread out and the sound of his laugh was so soothing to her ears.

"If you really know how good you look while laughing,you will laugh forever." Yusrah stated still in daze and Yusuf looked at her amusingly "I will,since you told me."

Both of them smiled and tried to shove off what just happened.Yusuf sat beside her "So.."

"So...." She also trailed "I needed space,I needed a break,life doesn't get easier." He stated smiling.

"I was just thinking that it would be great for life to be normal once again,it seems nearly impossible now.I try as much as I can to reach out to happiness,but it seems like it is beyond my reach." Yusrah smiled also.

They all kept quite for a long time "Today's classes are not going to hold right?" She questioned in alert standing up "I gave Kabir a paper of classworks to share among all students." He smiled.

"I should get going,to do mine." She stated and Yusuf hurried stopped her "Wait!"

"Um,just wait a little longer." He cracked up his brain for all the lies he can come up with but none made sense,so he just let it be.He said out what he truly wanted to say.

Yusrah's mouth hung open and her eyes went a little bit wide which Yusuf finds extremely cute,she felt herself hooked at the place she was standing but she used all her ounce of strength to drag her legs back to where she was sitting,she sat down quietly and the air got eerily awkward.

"You and Bilal know each other right?" He questioned and Yusrah let out a rasp breath.

"Yes." She answered,Yusuf had the question in mind since from the first day he saw Bilal glancing at her continuously while she kept trying to act nonchalant.

"We once had a blind date." She said in a mere whisper,she doesn't know why but she felt like she owed him an explanation.

We?

Yusuf tasted it in his mouth,We.It doesn't sit right with him honestly.

"We got to know each other and everything was going well until I told him that I have a son.So it didn't work out." She skipped the part where he called her names.

"Oh." That was all Yusuf could stupidly say "Figured out that he likes you." He stated.

"He does?" Yusrah questioned smiling a bit "He is a nice person." She found herself saying oblivious of the way Yusuf's demeanor have changed "Are you willing to give him a second chance? If he ask you know." He chuckled nervously.

"I will."

"Every one deserves a second chance." She smiled fondly at Yusuf.

"I think you should probably go now." He dismissed and Yusrah blinked trying to process what he said "Yeah right." She stated and stood up almost unwillingly.She is sure that she didn't say anything wrong then why is he looking angry? She walked further and turned around to look at him once more.

Yusuf stared at her as she turned back and gave him a smile which he faked it back.

"Why am I jealous of her? She was never mine to start with."