AASHIQUI : chain bhi..dard bhi

Chapter 7

FAISAL

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There's nervous...and then there's petrified.

Jannat is unquestionably the latter right now. I've never seen this girl so much as break a sweat, so watching her get worked up is strange as hell. She looks like she's going to puke any second. I'm about to ask if she wants a bucket as she walks behind the keyboard.

"Mai tumhare jitta acha bhi ni bajati, it's just bchpn m piano lessons liye toh so I only know this a bit." I don't give a shit how well she can play. I just want to hear her sing again. Given I'm over a foot taller than her, the mic is positioned above her head.

"Lower the mic." The look she gives me makes it clear she doesn't want to. Tough shit. I want to hear every sound that comes out of her mouth.

"Promise you won't laugh," she says as she adjusts it. "Actually, promise tum kuch bologe hi ni."

I'm a asshole, but not when it comes to music. I know firsthand that it takes a lot of courage to bare your soul in front of others.

"I won't laugh." Not unless she's about to start playing clown music. Her gaze rests on the keyboard as her fingers begin to move, filling the garage with a dark melodic sound that has a bite of edge to it. I shift to the edge of the couch, because already she's got my full attention. And then she starts to sing

Yaara...

Manzilein ruswa hain, Khoya hai raasta.....Aaye le jaaye, Itni si ilteja....Ye meri zamaanat hai, Tu meri amaanat hai aa....

Mujhko iraade de, Kasamein de, waade de....Meri duaaon ke ishaaron ko sahaare de...Dil ko thikaane de naye bahaane de.....Khabon ki barishon ko mausam ke paimane de

Apne karam ki kar adaayein, Kar de idhar bhi tu nigaahein

Sun raha hai naa tu, Ro rahi hun main....Sun raha hai naa tu, Kyun ro raha hun main (x2)

I don't move a muscle as the song comes to an end. I can't. Because Jannat zubair just made my non-existent heat squeeze hard without even touching it. Her low, sultry voice wrapped around my heart and tugged.

And don't even get me started on the lyrics. They're painful and real... They're the purest form of art. That combined with the slow edgy melody that built up into a hypnotic crescendo with every verse until it reached inside your chest and pulled out your beating heart... Fuck. The girl has a gift.

Averting her gaze, she ambles back over to the table. Like she didn't just do something that left me breathless and wanting more.

"Jannat." I know she didn't want me to say anything, but I have to. If only so she'll transfer even half the belief she has in me onto herself. I turn to face her. "That was..." Words don't do it justice. "I'm...you..." Shit. I'm the one tripping over my words now. I clear my throat.

"You wrote that? By yourself?" I won't judge her if she had help from her dad. It makes what I just witnessed no less incredible.

"Yeah." Her face pinches. "Why?"

My knee bumps hers as I move closer. "It was per—"

"What's up, Asshole?" Faiz interjects. His gaze lands on Jannat as he walks into the garage. "Hey, Muffin."

My eyes snap to his as irritation snakes up my spine. I have the sudden urge to walk over there and launch my fist into my best friend's face. Jannat's MY friend. Not his.

Unbothered by him calling her my nickname, Jannat smiles. "Hey." Lighting up a joint, Faiz regards me again. "We have to practice."

Jannat's face lights up. "Can I stay and watch?"