HER

11

True to his words, Faris and Laila both got to see each alot during her sister's wedding. Leila had a wift of how deep was this friendship was between Laila and Faris' family but it seemed much deeper then that now the way she saw Faris or his father almost whole day at their whose.

They helped with preparations, ate with them and participated in wedding like a family member would do.

The thought of that made Laila embarrassed. Outsiders contributed more to her family event then she herself did. But her heart couldn't bring her to do so.

She felt distant from her own family. She had to drag herself with her mother to get dresses for events. Even her mother noticed the lack of interest when Laila picked whatever first thing that came in her hand.

Functions went without any problem. She went with whatever it purosed without complaining. She faked as much enthusiasm as she could. But how much a twenty years old could fake.

During that period she tried to keep herself as far away from the boy who saw too much. She would avoid him every chance she could get, would change paths when he would come her way.

But Faris too was one stubborn soul.

For now he left her as she was. He was going to stay for a little long this time. Some matters needed to be resolved this time and Laila was on top of that list.

During that period, he made friends with Laila's younger brother Aswad, who was four years younger then her. She found them mingling and laughing at the wedding often.

A smile had graced her lips when she saw Aswad laughing loudly at something Faris had said. Aswad was the only one in family who paid attention to her as much as he could. Though younger, sometimes Laila felt that he was the most mature one of them all.

"Sitting alone at your sister's wedding wouldn't be the best thing to do right now. " Faris sat beside her one evening when she sat on terrance where they first met.

"The wedding has ended." Came her clipped reply as she stared at stars staining the dark skies.

"But guests are still here."

"My family is with them." She murmured. "They don't need me down there."

Faris went silent after that. His eyes trained on girl who stared at stars with longing etched on her face.

"You stare at stars like a traveler longing for his home."

Laila chuckled, yet not moved her eyes. "Do I, Faris? "

His name sounded so holy on her tongue. Faris wanted to say his name again and again until the taste of it etches on her tongue.

But they left the conversation to that. Silence made home between then and they welcomed it with open arms for it was the only thing that kept them saint at the moment.

A week passed and Laila was back to her university but a surprise awaited as both of her friends jumped at her as soon as she reached them.

"How powerful are you girl?"

"How did you do it?"

"Why didn't you do it before?"

She looked at them with confusion marrying her features. Seeing her face both her friends understood it wasn't Laila's doing.

Both Moiz and his girlfriend,Faria looked at her silently. A suspicion still lingering in depths of their eyes before both sighed together.

"Hanan was suspended from university for a week and called by Vice Chancellor. It's rumored that he was warned not to approach you again." It was Moiz who explained the situation to her making her raise her brows in shock.

"It maybe because of incident that happened last time." She suggested, her eyes narrowing trying to think of any alternative reason.

"Hanan is much powerful to say that incident would be the reason. Someone wirh more power did it."

Laila had stayed silent, possibilities upon possibilities piling up in her minds. People who could have done it.

And only one name kept popping again and again in her mind. She had refused to believe so, but she knew the person had power to do so.

From what she had gathered, he was as powerful as the politicians in the country. So it shouldn't be a surprise to her if he was the one who would be behind it.

Yet she was.

Because none other then him had bothered with her affairs much. So Faris doing so was a big surprise to her.

Her heart trembled at the thought of him doing so yet the feeling that went down her veins made her scared more.

"I need to make a call." Saying that she walked a little away from her friends and called Faris.

His father had made her save his nunber as they had to work along most of time during wedding. When he had to go to market to get some things, his father made her save it fkr sake of reliablity then.

Faris picked phone up after first ring. His voice sounded so same yet so different on phone.

"Assalam-u-Alaikum" Laila greeted after composing herself a bit.

"Wasalam." He greeted back, a hint of curiosity lingered in his voice.

"Hanan got suspended from university." The line went silent for a moment as Laila wait for his response patiently.

Her heart thudded in her ribcage as she chewed on her nails. She felt nervous, the reason unknown to her.

"Oh."

"Oh?"

"As he should have been."

It was him.

A smile found its way to Laila's face. Her heart swelled at the thought of someone caring for her. Yet the denial was first thing she resorted to.

Her heart was already broken enough, she didn't wanted it to be crushed more. "Why? "

"Why not Laila?"

"You don't know me enough. It's not your matter to resolve." Words felt sour on her tongue.

"And what if I want to make your matters mine?"

She didn't had response to that so ended the call with a soft thank you.

That night Laila slept with thoughts of certain brown eyed boy in her mind who somehow was always the first one to notice her.