Ruhama

Cottage

*****

She was losing her peace of mind . he wasn't answering call or replying to any of her message . she sighed as she slammed the case file on the desk on frustration .

" Who ate your cookies ?"

she twirled around to see zoya fixing her glasses . " huh?"

"Why are sulking baby ?"

" I am not ."

" Oh yeah ! Okay so you're telling me that you haven't been  staring at your mobile all day and growling and sighing and some weird noise and throwing things all around the house ." zoya stood with her hands on her hips and a smug smile on her lips .

" Shut up ." she threw the cushion on her face but zoya dodged it away .

" Why are you looking all lost , sweetheart ?" she came and sat on her desk .

" He hasn't texted me yet ."

" Who ?"

" Dr .Ahmed ."

" No wonder you're sulking ."

" Shut up ! Why would I sulk if he hasn't messaged me ? it's not like he is bound to reply my messages " she shrugged off .

" Exactly! He is not bound to message or call you , but you're making a big deal out of it ."

" Me ." she pointed herself the finger . " I am making a big deal out it . what in the world ?" she threw her hand in the air .

" Then why are you sulking and sighing all day ?" zoya leaned back staring at her with a glint of amusement. Not every day you get see Miss Seher Ali sulking over a guy whom she barely knew for two months .

" No I am cool , It doesn't matter to me ." she shrugged off , of course why would it matter to her , he is just another friend . that it . why does it feel betrayed that he didn't message her . God . I am losing my mind .

she stood up , went to walking closets and grabbed her hijab and jacket . " Where are you going ?" Zoya looking at her weirdly .

" For a walk ."

*****

She watched as the waves crashed each other , the Salty breeze flirted with her hijab , she sat on the sand , mindlessly drawing figures in the sand with her fingers .

What's wrong with me ?The question she has been lately asking herself a lot . She was acting weirdly , she knew .

Exactly! He is not bound to message or call you , but you're making a big deal out of it .

Zoya words are ringing in mind . Ofcourse . he is not bound to reply her but the question is why is she thinking about him ? why is she worried about him ? To her he is just a friend , who helped her during her hard times , who held her when she was breaking down . Who saw her beyond her façade that she was casted herself .

Around him , she feels good , maybe beyond good . she knew it wasn't just friendship in a corner of her heart but she refuse to believe them . They're weren't just friends . it was something beyond that , something more purer to live in , something more beautiful to believe in .

Letting him know her past was a hard part of hers . but he held her , letting her spill the terrific tales of the past .

She should feel weak , venerable to let him in , but she felt lighter , stronger .

The wind picked up it's pace , the waves crashed louder than before in the shore  , the sun was leaving the sky in bits and pieces painting the sky in oranges and pink . Something was clearly it's space , there was clarity .

She can feel her heart picking up every second , a waves of emotion wash herself , her lips curled upwards as if she knew what was happening with her .

And the reason behind this clarity was

Dr. Shehreyar Ahmed .

*****

She slammed her foot on the pedal, the car came to halt in front of the Rusty grill gate . Turning off the engine she sat there , she could feel her hands getting colder and colder . she wanted blame the cold outside but the heater was on in the car . she could blood rush in her heart , un-said words are bubbling in her thorat wanting them to free .

Why am I here ? should I go in ?

The idea of seeing him was giving her a weird feeling in her stomach . After sufyaan texted her the address , she traveled to another town which was 4 hours far from her home .

She got down of the car and walked up the rusty grill gate . what am I doing here ?she pushed open the gates , walked inside leaving behind her boots prints in snow . The pine tress were covered in snow as she passed them , her foots came halt in- front of Cottage , the area looks like private property and cottage looks quite old .

She walked up to door step . As raised her hands to knock at the door she heard a dog bark , she turned to see , the four-leg specie running towards her , his continuous woofs at a stranger who showed up to his master house .

She scrunch down , as he stood there looking at her. She raised her hand to pet him , he woofed at her in fear . " Relax ." she whispered as she raised her hand to touch his head , to pet him . " You're cute and beautiful ." she giggled watching him relax and slowly sit down as she run her hand in his golden fur.

" I see you're bac... " she turned around to see him holding the door opened , looking at her wide eye . " Miss Ali ?"

Seeing him , brought back the weird sensations in her stomach back . he stood wearing red sweater , black tracks. His hair strands falling of his forehead . he ran his hand on in hairs , smoothing it out but something was wrong . the aura around him wasn't as pleasant as it used to be .

Oh God !

She sighed . he raised his eyebrow at her . shit .she got up to look at him . she could feel her heart washed off by waves of emotions that were foreign to her .

" Uhm.. Hi."

She wanted to slam her head on the wall . Why the fudge I am behaving like a teenager ?

" Hi."

His lips curled up in amusement watching her struggle . he opened the door to let her in .

" How do you know I am here ?"

She turned look at him , his face was glowing at the dim lights of the living room . " Sufiyaan ."

She looked around , the fire sticks are burning in the fire place , the white couch rested in front of the fireplace . Dog curled up on the couch warming its body . she looked at him working on the kitchen , brewing aromo of tea leaves worked narcotic to her cold body . His eyes focused into the boiling tea leaves.

" Why didn't you pick up my calls ?"

he looked up to her , not knowing her words slipped out of her lips as accusation .

"My mobile is switched off since the late week ."

His voices sound low to be surprise, his eyes lacked the spark in them . he was behaving strange . very strange .

He brought two cups of tea . he placed one for her on the table while took the opposite seat to her . something is strange .

"How are you ?"

"Fine ."

That's it .

*****