ishq lost & found

10; Date

"Aren't you excited? Just the two of you, you can talk about everything!" Dua bubbled with enthusiasm, perched on her best friend's bed as they prepared for what felt like a quasi-date with Saad.

"How did your parents even agree to this?" Dua mused, almost to herself, as Ranya was consumed with anxiety, her heart pounding in her throat.

"Probably because they know him, and they know me. We won't do anything wrong. It's just a chance to discuss our future together," Ranya explained, adjusting her earring with a tilt of her head.

Dua's grin widened as she watched her best friend go through all this effort to meet her brother. Seeing Ranya and Saad together brought her immense joy. She had always hoped they would work out, and when things didn't initially pan out, she was almost as devastated as Ranya. The two had grown up together, and one of Dua's longtime wishes was for Ranya to become family, more than just a friend.

"That's a lot of effort for Saad bhai. Are you trying to impress him?" Dua teased, narrowly avoiding a collision with a brush.

"No! It's not for him; it's because I'm going out," Ranya quickly retorted, shooting a pointed look at her best friend through the mirror.

For the next few minutes, Ranya indulged in aimless chatter with Dua until an unexpected interruption almost had her falling out of her seat. The doorbell's chime, followed swiftly by her buzzing phone signalled precisely who was on the other side of the front door.

With haste, she descended the staircase, disregarding her phones incessant buzzing so she could open the door. Telling herself it's not because she's looking forward to seeing him again, but rather out of a sense of propriety to not keep him waiting. Swinging the door open briskly, Ranya's jaw nearly dropped at the sight before her.

It was Saad, unmistakably. He greeted her with a blank expression as she welcomed him in. He dawned a simple, but clean outfit, wearing a navy blue quarter zip with loose beige slacks. His hair gelled to perfection, a single strand gracing his forehead, and his everyday glasses resting on his nose. He looked simple, but attractive.

"Are your parents home? I just wanted to say Salam before we leave." He asked, glancing around the foyer.

Seeking any excuse to look away, especially avoiding his eyes, Ranya shook her head. "No, they're out. I already told them."

"I see. Well then, are you ready?" he asked, catching sight of his sister peering from behind the stairs. "Goodbye Dua." he teased, playfully exposing her presence, and a genuine smile, one Ranya hadn't seen in years.

"So, where are we doing?" Ranya asked once Saad began driving. To her surprise he was quite the gentlemen, opening the door for her an all. Maybe it was the bare minimum, but Salman had never done that for her.

Saad had been up all night wondering the same thing, trying to figure out what is and isn't appropriate considering their unusual situation. As much as he desired to take her out to a fancy restaurant and live out the life he had wished he'd have with her, he knew it would be strange. Instead, he opted for a simple but familiar cafe they used to frequent when they were younger, having not been there since the last time they went as a pair.

"Have you thought about where you want to live?" Ranya asked, trying to fill the uncomfortable silence that fell between them as he drove them to their destination.

"Well, I'm used to living in BC now. Everything of mine is there. But, for your sake, I wouldn't mind moving back here." he answered, one hand on the wheel as he turned a corner, his eyes focused on the road & his tone devoid of any hint of flirtation. Despite this, Ranya found her heart fluttering at his sincerity. "Have you thought about moving to BC at all?" he added.

"I don't think I can really move there. Both of our families are here, all my friends, Dua, my parents..." she paused, "Don't you miss them?" she asked, her voice laced with vulnerability, because by "them", she really meant herself. If his answer was no, she'd be even more crushed.

"Of course I did, but I would visit often." his answer shattering her heart, it being confirmation that he was aware he didn't see her, and made no effort to either.

Parking the care & helping Ranya out, the couple walked towards their favourite cafe. As they made their way to the entrance, Ranya quickly recognized the placed, immediately turning to Saad, watching his expression change completely.

His stoic expression dissolved to one of confusion, "What happened?" he whispered, leaving Ranya with no choice but to laugh.

"All those visits and you never thought to come here?" she questioned, still smiling at his dismay, biting her lip to stop her reaction.

"No, it was our spot." He remarked, his contradictory statements confusing Ranya. On one hand he made it clear he made no effort, nor cared about her when he would visit his family often. But he also went out of his way to avoid visiting a spot they would frequent because it was "their spot"?

Settling into their seats, they began looking through the menu, ultimately deciding on what they used to get. "Have you realized we will live together?" Saad asked nonchalantly, taking a bite of his meal, somehow oblivious to the fact that his question nearly knocked the wind out of Ranya.

Nearly choking on her food, covering it up with a well timed cough, she gawked at his straightforwardness and ability to say something so outlandish with no expression. "No... I don't know, I was just so nervous about everything else." she stammered, still trying to process the enormity of his statement.

"I have a friend who can helps us find a good place on such short notice. Would you prefer apartments or a house?" He asked, placing his spoon down as he reached for his wallet, sick of the once beloved sweet treat he used to indulge in with Ranya. "They'll all have at least two bedrooms." He added, hoping to make it clear to Ranya that he had no intention of courting her or forcing her to act like they were a real couple. As painful as it was to admit to himself, he figured it was better to come to terms with their truth than to delude himself into thinking anything could change for them.

His message was loud and clear. Feeling somewhat disheartened at his additional comment, Ranya had to ground herself in reality, recalling that although Saad was back, as excited as she was and hopeful to rekindle their relationship, whether it be friends or something more, it was evident that he had no interest in anything. To her, it seemed as though he was fulfilling his obligation, and nothing more. She was forgetting who he was to her before this little arrangement.

No one.

For nearly a decade, she knew nothing about him. They weren't friends, they didn't even speak. He might become her husband, but that doesn't mean he is.

"Yeah, we can check them out today." she replied, as if she had a choice. They'd be living together in a week.