𝐙𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐀 𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐌𝐀+𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐀𝐍 𝐌𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐊
A rollercoaster romance between Zaina Fathima, a determined 23-year-old surgeon, and Armaan Malik, a confident 25-year-old CEO. What begins as a tale of enemies-turned-lovers, filled with witty bante...
A fell in love first and Z fell in love in the end. He fell first and she fell in the end
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I was nestled comfortably on my bed, wrapped in a warm, cosy blanket, scrolling through my phone while trying to tune out Nafi's relentless rants. She was adamant that the darker pink hijab suited her better than the pale pink I had suggested. It seemed trivial, yet she and her cousin Mia were caught in a debate that had spiralled into ridiculousness, with Nafi insisting that red was the only colour that could possibly do her justice. If you're wondering why I wasn't more invested in the discussion, it was because it was total nonsense.
"Are you even listening?!" Nafi's voice broke through my thoughts, her frustration palpable.
"Yes, yes, I'm all ears," I replied, finally tearing my gaze away from the screen.
"So, should I go for the pale pink or the brighter pink, or should I risk the hideous choice of red for my outfit?"
"It's entirely up to you, Nafi," I responded, suppressing a sigh.
"No, pick one!" she insisted, her eyes narrowing as if this decision were a matter of life and death.
"Why should I choose when you'll likely do the exact opposite?" I countered.
"CHOOSE!!"
"Fine! The pale pink one!"
"I'll be right back. And guys, get off your phones and go change as well!" Nafi declared dramatically before disappearing into the washroom.
"Alright, I'm going to pick an outfit before Nafi returns and starts yelling again," Aisha said, getting up from the bean bag where she had been immersed in the book she had borrowed from me.
"Okay, I'll head to my room as well," I said, reluctantly getting off Nafi's bed. We were all staying at a hotel while Aliza enjoyed some well-deserved alone time with her new husband. After pestering her all morning for our jijuu to take us out for breakfast, before the cruise
Yes, you read that correctly—a cruise. A ten-day long cruise! Yet, lurking in the back of my mind was the thought of returning to work, where I would inevitably hear Helen's disapproving voice: "You know how many people have died because you wanted to have some fun?" I was fairly certain she despised me and wished I would just disappear. But for now, I was determined to make the most of these ten days, I couldn't wait to bask in the sun and create memories with my best friends, Nafi and Aisha, along with the newly married Aliza. Inshallah Aliza and jijuu will have a happy married life. As for my own romantic prospects? Let's just say that despite my dadi's tireless efforts to find me a suitable husband, I was not holding my breath
***
Dressed in a vibrant blue kurta paired with white heels, I dashed towards the hotel parking lot, excited yet slightly anxious.
"Zainaaaaa! Come quick, or we'll leave without you!" Nafi called, already slipping into the car.
"I'm here!" I replied, hurrying my pace as I approached the parking area. There were two cars: one being driven by Aliza's husband and another by someone I didn't recognize. Just as I was about to look away, my gaze locked with a pair of deep brown eyes. It felt as if they could pull me in, mesmerizing me with an intensity I didn't quite understand. (A/N: He might not literally pull you into those eyes, but he might just pull you into his arms!)
"Zaina, how do I look?" Nafi asked, snapping me back to reality, her bright white hijab contrasting sharply against her outfit.
"You look stunning! Now shall we go?" I said, rolling my eyes, though I regretted it instantly as she scrutinized her reflection in the car window.
"You're being sarcastic, aren't you? I look bad, don't I? The hijab doesn't match, and now we're going to be even later than we already are! And remember, we were late in the first place because of you!" Nafi pointed an accusatory finger at me.
"Don't you dare go change! You look amazing, and you were the one who took forever in the shower—that's why we're running late!" I shot back, trying to keep my tone light.
"Fine," she shrugged, conceding as she knew I was right. I let out a soft chuckle, relieved that the argument was over, and walked with her to the car.
"There's not much space in this one; why don't you both get in the other car?" Zain—Aliza's husband—suggested, pointing to the vehicle in front. He was right; if Nafi and I squeezed in, we might very well suffocate from lack of oxygen.
"Yeah, we'll hop in the other car, jijuu," I teased, taking Nafi's arm and guiding her toward the other car.
"Bye, jijuu! See you soon!" Nafi giggled, waving goodbye to Zain as we walked away.
Just as we were about to open the trunk to place our luggage inside, the driver's side door swung open.
"I'll place it for you," one of Zain's friends offered. He had a tall, muscular figure, chocolate brown hair, and honey-coloured eyes. Amaan or Ramaan—something like that, I supposed his name was. I couldn't help but note that he hadn't even bothered to greet me with a "salaam" or introduce himself, but then again, why should he?
"Thanks," I said, handing him my suitcase, feeling a bit awkward.
"Couldn't you have packed lighter? You look like a feather, yet your suitcase is so heavy," he quipped, annoyance creeping into his tone.
My suitcase wasn't even that heavy, and I had only packed one! He had two—TWO! Granted, one was smaller, and he also carried a huge backpack, but still, why was he complaining about my luggage when he had a mountain to carry?
"What, are you too weak to handle it?" I shot back, forcing a sarcastic smile.
"You can put it in the trunk yourself then," he replied, placing my suitcase back down and turning his attention to Nafi.
"Fine," I muttered as I rolled my eyes, carefully lifting my suitcase and placing it in the trunk.
"Okay," he said dismissively, closing the trunk door with such force that I feared it might shatter into pieces.
"Is it so hard to close the trunk door gently?" I called after him, but of course, he ignored me. I sighed in annoyance and slid into the back seat next to Nafi.
"Well, he's very nice," I mumbled under my breath, only to have Nafi burst into laughter beside me.
"Are you okay?" asked Arsh, one of Aliza's kinder friends, who seemed blissfully unaware of the brewing storm.
A/N
Poor clueless Arsh—you have no idea how exciting things are about to get! 😉
I hope you're enjoying the story so far This chapter was a filler chapter so I'm sorry if It's not as great as you expected. I'll do better I promise and your voting and commenting would help a lot, thank you for the support till now. Inshallah, I'll update soon and check out my Insta for updates FYI my characters have Insta so outfits they're wearing and glimpses of next chapter settings will be posted there.
