Retrouvailles

In Between 1

Dakota City

1115 hours

The first day had so far gone okay for him, apart from the native Americans they had at least 30 students from all around the world, and just like him they too were trying to figure out the new surroundings and it made him feel a little relaxed. The first interactions as he had already guessed were hesitant talks, eyes full of curiosity, and everyone wanting to see at least one face from his country or people.

Fakhir had already met a few seniors in the hostel and university who were from Lahore and Islamabad and that definitely made him feel at home but he kept the talks minimal, another step to first observe them.

But their kind gestures from making him a member of their small community group and then inviting him to the upcoming Eid festivities meant he was not totally alone in the city.

With those thoughts, he kept walking towards the lounge area to fill the form he had in his hand when he heard a crash and looked around just like the handful of students roaming in the barren premises of a comparatively cold morning.

At first glance, he didn't see anything and then his gaze followed the others, towards the glass rails of the upper floor and just beside the stairs, crashed on her hips was the American girl who in class today, was sitting alone in her corner with a demeanor of not - needing - anyone's opinions yet having opinions about everything that was discussed. Maybe she was one of those people who minded their own business and didn't mingle with people unnecessarily, something he had planned for himself as well.

His hesitation to help her was also one of those planned tactics here when a guy came forward and helped her up collecting her books and a slick laptop that had tumbled down a few stairs and was now resting on one of the steps. Fakhir was sure the device needed servicing or maybe was gone forever.

"Thanks..." she mumbled and didn't seem fazed about the laptop. She was as calm as she could be; she didn't shriek or shout for help and had so far not shown a single emotion about her loss.

"People, who didn't have to think about things and money..." Fakhir thought and continued to fill the form in his hand when his phone chimed and notified him about a message from Faiza. keeping it on the chair beside him he completed the form and only after submitting it to the window did he open the app and Anaya smiled at him from the back of Annie's shoulder.

"Good Luck Baba.." the message read and his day brightened seeing his daughter.

"Thank you Beta." he typed adding a heart at the end and looked at the schedules that said he had some time before the other window opened for the formalities he had to complete then came another image with the caption, "Good luck Fakhir." and this time it was an annoyed Annie definitely not happy when Faiza had asked her to pose for the picture.

the photograph gave him a memory ride of things he definitely did not need to remember now but he realized he was seeing her after so many days and if he knew her any better he knew it was because she was avoiding meeting his eyes, they were doing fine, trying to reconnect and stay friends but he knew she was avoiding him and Suddenly he missed having her by his side. Brushing that thought as one of his useless notions, he smiled recalling how Faiza was the one with clicking pictures on every occasion and Annie's annoyance at that.

He focused back on the picture, the way they all had dressed up it meant they were leaving for some party or a get-together but Annie didn't tell him about any such thing when they texted last night.

"Thank you Faiza for the wishes ...and for the picture." he was in the middle of typing when a selfie that could be deemed best for an annoyed Annie along with Anaya and Faiza hit his inbox and those Kanji eyes (a desi word to describe light-colored eyes) smiled at him though not actually to him.