Only Yours (On Hold)

5: A Glimpse

When Yasir entered his mother's room, he saw her calmly arranging clothes in the cupboard. He hesitated for a moment but then spoke. "Yes, Mama?"

Rahima turned to face him, her expression serious. "What did you think, Yasir? I've already given you 11 years to choose a girl, but you haven't. Now, I'm giving you one week to think about marriage. Tell me, what do you think?"

Yasir was caught off guard by her directness. "Mom, I've told you-"

She interrupted him, her voice firm. "If you have any problem with this, then tell me now. Your sister is going to turn 23 in two weeks, and Insha is about to turn 22 in just one month. If you don't want to get married, I will find a match for both of them."

Yasir's eyes widened in shock at her words. "What? Why, Mama? They're still so young to be thinking about marriage."

Rahima's tone became sharp, her frustration evident. "And you, Yasir, are getting older. If you keep delaying this, no one will want to marry you, not even Insha."

Yasir took a moment to process her words, feeling the weight of her concern. "But, Mama, how can I marry her? I don't know anything about her-her likes, her dislikes. I haven't even seen her face. How can I make a decision like this without knowing anything?"

Rahima sighed deeply, her eyes softening but still determined. "I've given you a whole week. I know you couldn't see her face, but at least you could've spoken to her. But no, you keep ignoring her like she doesn't even exist. Don't you think she deserves better than that?"

Yasir remained silent for a moment, unsure of how to respond. Finally, he relented. "Fine, I'll think about it," he said, his voice heavy. He turned to leave, but before he could exit, Rahima stopped him.

"I'm giving you time until her last exam," she said firmly, watching him leave the room.

Insha sat in her bathroom, the cold water from the shower cascading down her skin. She stood still for a moment, feeling the refreshing chill as it trickled from her shoulders, the droplets shimmering in the soft light. After finishing her shower, she wrapped a towel around herself, its soft fabric hugging her body as she brushed her teeth. Her wet hair was tied in a messy bun, water droplets still clinging to her scalp. As she gazed at herself in the mirror, she absentmindedly watched a single drop slide down her neck, before disappearing into the fabric of her towel.

She quickly changed into her loose T-shirt and pajamas, the comfort of the fabric helping to settle her nerves after a long day of studying. She glanced at the clock. It was already 11 p.m., and she realized she was starving. She had been so focused on her studies all day that she hadn't even had time to eat.

Determined to grab something quick, Insha left her room, thinking there was no one around at this hour. She hadn't bothered to wear her hijab, and her hair fell in loose waves around her shoulders. She tiptoed down the hallway, her footsteps soft against the floor, and entered the kitchen. She quickly grabbed some food and sat down on her bed, ready to satisfy her hunger.

But then, she realized the jug was empty. With a sigh, she stood up and headed back to the kitchen. As she was filling the jug with water, she heard a faint noise. She paused, unsure if her ears were deceiving her. The house was eerily quiet, but there was definitely something-or someone-nearby.

Deciding to investigate, she walked towards the corridor. She was about to head back to her room when she heard another noise from the balcony. Curious, she set the jug on a small table by the window and moved toward the balcony door.

When she opened the door, the balcony was empty. No one was there. She let out a small breath of relief and began to turn to leave, but before she could, someone grabbed her wrist and yanked her back with surprising strength. Her heart skipped a beat, and her breath hitched as she turned around, her eyes meeting the person who had caught her. It was Yasir.

Her heartbeat raced like a bullet train as she stared into his eyes, wide with surprise. She had never expected him to be the one there. Yasir, on the other hand, had been lost in his thoughts about what his mother had said to him earlier. He was still contemplating his feelings about marriage when he heard some noise from the kitchen. Thinking it was nothing, he had gone back to his room, but the noise persisted. He had stepped outside to investigate, and when he saw her standing in the balcony, he instinctively grabbed her wrist to turn her around.

As their eyes locked, Yasir saw a strip of her hair fall over one eye, partially obscuring her face. Suddenly, he heard Rahima's voice from downstairs. "Insha!" she called.

Insha turned her head quickly in response to her mother's call. The motion caused her hair to lightly slap Yasir's face, and he felt the soft strands brush against his skin. He was momentarily stunned by the sensation. Insha, unaware of his reaction, turned back toward him, and for the first time, Yasir noticed the soft pink hue of her lips. The sight left him speechless, and before he could say anything, Insha jerked her wrist out of his grip and ran toward her room.

But she paused at the door, remembering the jug she had left behind. She grabbed it, then hurriedly ran inside her room, her heart pounding in her chest. Yasir stood there, his mind racing. Did I just see her lips? Did I really feel her hair on my face?

As Insha entered her room, she was greeted by Rahima, who stood at the door, her arms crossed. "Where were you?" Rahima asked sternly.
Insha, still catching her breath, quickly composed herself. "I was hungry, so I went to the kitchen. But then I realized the jug was empty, so I went to fill it."

Rahima raised an eyebrow. "What if Yasir saw you?"

Insha froze, her thoughts racing. She quickly bit her tongue, mentally chastising herself. He almost did. She quickly recovered and shrugged nonchalantly. "No one can see me, and if he did, it's his problem. He's not allowed to roam around the house after 10 p.m., right?"

Rahima sighed, rubbing her temples. "Okay, fine," she said, reluctantly accepting Insha's explanation. But then, her tone turned serious. "I wanted to talk to you about something. Your marriage."

Insha's expression remained unreadable, her eyes focused on her mother. She remained silent, waiting for her to continue.

Rahima's gaze softened as she asked, "Do you like someone else?"

Insha hesitated. Her heart raced, and her mind scrambled for an answer. "Why are you asking me all of this?" she replied, her voice betraying a hint of discomfort. It seemed as if she was hiding something.

Rahima put her hand on Insha's shoulder "You are not telling your uncle what you want to do after your MBA so I just thought of asking you that probably you have some other plans"

Insha looked at her with wide eyes "Aunty--" and shook her head.

Rahima chuckled "I was just passing from here and saw your gate open that's why I came here nothing else, that was just I wanted to teas my cutie" And she pinched her nose.

Behind the wall, Yasir stood, unnoticed by either of them, listening intently to their conversation. His curiosity about Insha's feelings for him-and whether she truly liked someone else-was growing stronger.

The following morning, Yasir's eyes wandered around the house, searching for a glimpse of Insha. He hadn't seen her since last night, and he couldn't help but feel an unexplainable pull toward her. Abuzar, noticing his son's distracted state, gave him a knowing look.

"She's not going to leave her room until she finishes her syllabus," Abuzar said casually, as though reading his son's thoughts.

Yasir quickly tried to deflect the conversation. "It's not like that. I was actually looking for Rimsha."

Abuzar raised an eyebrow, but he didn't press further. He knew that Yasir was just being evasive. "Well, Rimsha is focused on her future, so don't bother her. She's serious about what she wants."

But Yasir's mind was elsewhere, consumed by thoughts of Insha. His curiosity about her was growing with each passing day. She was always so careful when she came out of her room now, always hiding behind her mask, and he found himself becoming more desperate to understand the mystery that surrounded her.

The days passed, and Yasir's desire to know more about Insha, to understand her better, only intensified. The house felt quieter without her presence, and every moment he spent away from her felt like an eternity. Yasir couldn't help but wonder-Did she feel the same way?