Dhaagey: The Ties that Bind Us

21. an alliance

"Murtasim Bhai! Please, another one!" Rumi whined and wrapped herself around Meerab, drawing a fond smile from Meerab's lips. She couldn't help but stifle her laughter at the sigh that escaped Murtasim, clearly outnumbered by the two of them. Rumi had talked him into taking pictures of them with his phone, insisting that his photography skills were too good to waste.

Murtasim complied with Rumi's request when Meerab pouted at him and whispered a quiet please. His gaze remained focused on Meerab as he took pictures, and she felt a wave of warmth wash over her. His admiration was palpable, and she couldn't help but revel in the attention he bestowed upon her. He had stared at her all throughout breakfast too, so intently that she had to lightly kick his legs a couple of times to get him to look away.

She had expected Maa Begum to chastise them in front of her Shabana Mami, Armaan and Hamza's mother, but the woman had surprised her by laughing and telling the other woman that breakfast was usually like that. Shabana Mami had laughed and suggested she marry them off quick to which Maa Begum had given Murtasim a pointed look.

It had set off all three of the Shah Brothers.

Arslan had offered pointers on what to wear and where to propose, causing an apple to be thrown his way when Maa Begum and Shabana Mami were looking away, hitting Arslan square in the forehead. Murtasim had looked like the picture of innocence when his mother looked over, her eyes narrowed.

Armaan had offered to help him set up for the proposal, earning a glare and a sharp comment about how he didn't need the help and knew what his Meerab liked. She had rolled her eyes at his possessiveness but added another omelette to his plate causing everyone to snicker.

Hamza had offered to write him a script to which Rumi had squealed and said that Murtasim didn't need one because he said the most romantic of things to Meerab. Murtasim had preened under the praise. Hamza had glared. Maa Begum's acha had them all clearing their throats and working hard to clear their breakfast plates.

With breakfast finished, everyone had set off to do what needed to be done.

Maa Begum had just been picked up by a friend to go visit some jeweller in Karachi that she had to go to, leaving Meerab and Rumi outside with Murtasim as they waited for Maryam and Hamza, the former was going to Rumi's house with her, and it seemed that the latter would follow Rumi anywhere.

"There, done." Murtasim said, stopping after taking at least ten more pictures.

Holding her hand out, Meerab eagerly accepted his phone, her curiosity piqued to see the moments Murtasim had captured, even with a phone, the pictures he took always looked amazing due to his eye for composition and angles.

But as she attempted to view the pictures, a small mishap caused her to exit the photo, revealing an album named "Meerab" instead. Her heart skipped a beat, and a gasp escaped her lips as she realized what she had stumbled upon. The album was filled with countless pictures of herself, spanning over years. Some she recognized, while others seemed to have been candidly captured by Murtasim himself.

Her eyes flickered up to meet his, now brimming with tears of surprise and disbelief. He had pictures of her on his phone, and she hadn't even known. How could she have been so oblivious to the depth of his love for her for so long? The first pictures in the album were from her last year in high school.

"How?" She managed to ask, her voice filled with wonder and awe.

Murtasim blushed slightly as he glanced down at the phone, realizing what she was looking at. "Maryam mostly. Your Facebook account, and some I took on those rare occasions where you were around." He confessed, his voice laced with affectionate honesty.