Chess & Checkers

11. Where Do Broken Hearts Go

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Upon Murtasim's return to the room a short while later, he found Meerab sound asleep in the chair, still in the same position he had left her. The album rested open on her lap, and as he moved to close it, his attention was drawn to a picture peeking out from beneath her fingers, which casually rested on the plastic securing it inside.

It was the day of Meerab's A-level farewell from eight years ago, when they were eighteen and twenty-one, respectively. It was a spontaneous shot taken before she and her friends departed for the event. Although he was smiling in the image, Murtasim recalled the heaviness in his heart that evening, an emotion he couldn't decipher at the time. Now, gazing at their smiling faces and discerning the underlying sadness in his eyes, everything became clear.

Meerab, adorned in a stunning gown crafted from golden silk, looked resplendent. The color beautifully complemented her complexion, intensifying Murtasim's tumultuous emotions from that day. The fact that she had chosen to paint her lips with a deep red hue only heightened the intensity. Her soft and sultry eye makeup, combined with the cherry shade on her lips, stirred an indescribable warmth and possessiveness within him.

One of Meerab's classmates had invited her to be his date for the evening, and when she accepted, Murtasim couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy at the thought of another boy accompanying her to such a significant event. Despite this, he dismissed the feeling, convincing himself that it was foolish to be envious of a teenage boy. After all, Meerab and he were best friends, occupying a unique place in each other's lives that no one else could attain. There was also no romantic connection between them, so why should he feel jealous?

However, on that particular evening, as Meerab descended the grand staircase of her home adorned in the golden gown, Murtasim found himself captivated by her presence. The memory of that moment left him unable to think clearly for the rest of the evening.

He had visited her home with his father to discuss business matters with her father before they had to attend a business dinner later that night. Clad in a burgundy suit, Murtasim only now realized how well it complemented Meerab's golden dress. She appeared genuinely happy, a departure from the usual. Her friends—Ushna, Khizar, and Faraz—were in attendance. Ushna had severed ties with her cousin upon discovering the truth about the events at the river two years prior; both Faraz and Khizar supported her decision. Initially burdened with guilt for being the catalyst behind her friend's estrangement from her cousin, Meerab also gradually accepted, through numerous heart-wrenching conversations with Murtasim, that she was not at fault.

Despite the gradual distancing of Meerab and her college gang as everyone became engrossed in their individual lives, Murtasim was aware that even now, Meerab harbored a secret gratitude towards Ushna. She had stood by her side like a true friend, severing ties with her reprehensible cousin, a gesture that Meerab silently appreciated.

It didn't take Murtasim long to realize the profound impact her graceful descent down the stairs had on him. He had only encountered such scenes in fairytales that Meerab and Maryam used to compel him to watch as children. He never truly believed such enchanting moments could unfold in real life, especially for someone as practical and patient as himself.

It wasn't precisely love at first sight, as he had known Meerab for a while, but it was the first time he truly saw her in that light. She appeared unlike the usual Meerab he encountered almost daily—clad in leather jackets, jeans, and boots, openly engaging in smoking and drinking with her friends. On this occasion, she resembled a lady, a young woman entering a new phase of her life—graceful, elegant, and beautiful. Every step she took exuded a certain grace and an undeniable charm that caused his stomach to flutter each time he envisioned her in that dress.