𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞

10. Embracing New Beginnings

Note:

I'm going to use the term Istikhara A lot in this chapter, which means a special prayer in Islam that Muslims perform to seek guidance from Allah when they are uncertain about a decision or important matter.

Author POV:

After dinner, the family gathered in the courtyard. The gentle breeze carried with it the sweet scent of flowers, but Mashal's heart was still tangled in the storm of her own making.

 She noticed Hassan walking towards the edge of the courtyard, away from the crowd. Without thinking, her feet followed him, as if pulled by a force she didn't understand. When she was just a few steps behind him, he stopped.

 Slowly, he turned to face her, his expression unreadable. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The world seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them, standing in the quiet of the night. 

"You followed me," he finally said, his voice low, yet carrying an intensity that made her heart flutter. It wasn't a question—it was a statement.

 "I—" Mashal's voice caught in her throat. 

She hadn't meant to follow him, not consciously at least. But now that she was here, she couldn't deny the strange pull between them. "I didn't mean to." 

Hassan's lips curved into the faintest smile, one so subtle that if she hadn't been watching him so closely, she might have missed it. 

His eyes softened, just for a moment, before his usual unreadable mask returned. "You're not afraid of me, are you?" he asked, his voice carrying a hint of something—teasing, perhaps.

 Mashal blinked, surprised by the question. "Afraid? No." She paused, choosing her words carefully. 

"But I don't understand you." His smile faded, and for a second, Mashal thought she saw a flicker of something—pain, maybe—in his eyes. But it was gone before she could be sure.

 "There's nothing to understand," he said, his tone growing more serious. "I'm not as complicated as people think." Mashal wasn't convinced, but she didn't press further. 

Instead, she asked the question that had been lingering in her mind all night. "Why do you always keep your distance? Even with Bhai, you're different. Reserved." 

 Hassan looked away, his gaze fixed on the stars above them. "Because distance keeps people safe. It keeps me safe." There was a sadness in his words, a weight that she hadn't expected. 

For the first time, Mashal felt as if she was glimpsing a part of Hassan that no one else had seen. A part that was hidden beneath his calm, intimidating exterior. She took a small step closer, her heart racing. "Safe from what?" His eyes met hers again, but this time, there was no barrier between them.

 "From getting too close," he whispered. "From caring too much. "Mashal felt her breath catch in her throat. 

She didn't know what to say, or even if there were words that could fill the silence between them.

 But in that moment, she realized something—Hassan wasn't cold. He was protecting himself from something deeper, something that scared him. And perhaps, without knowing it, she had begun to melt the walls he had built around his heart.

 Hassan broke the silence. "Mashal, I'm not someone who can offer anything. Not to you, not to anyone." Her heart sank at his words, but she didn't retreat. "I'm not asking for anything." 

 For the first time, Hassan's eyes softened completely, and there was a vulnerability there that shook her. He took a small step back, his expression hardening once more. "You should be careful, Mashal," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "The closer you get, the more difficult it will be to stay away."