Kabhi main, kabhi tum, kabhi yeh, kabhi voh

Part 6: Late night affairs

Quick note: I wasn't planning to write this today, but I had a hunch that tonight's upcoming episode might make me angrier, and I might take it out on my writing. So, I decided to finish this chapter today. I might still change the flow of the next chapter tomorrow, depending on how I feel after watching the episode. Just a heads up, hehe. Please enjoy for now!

Mustafa rode his bike with Sharjeena seated behind him, his mind swirling with thoughts of Rehan. The memory of Rehan making Sharjeena laugh, his casual compliments about her cooking, and even how comfortable they seemed together, played over and over in his head. Each thought stoked the fire of jealousy within him, and without realizing it, he began speeding, taking the bumps in the road harshly.

Sharjeena suddenly spoke from behind, her voice soft but pained. "Mustafa, please... dheere chalaao. My lower back is hurting."

Her words cut through the haze of anger clouding his mind, snapping him back to reality. He glanced in the rearview mirror, seeing her wincing slightly. Guilt washed over him as he slowed down. "I'm so sorry, Sharjeena," he said quietly, his voice full of regret. He noticed she wasn't holding onto him, just gripping the back of the bike for support. He felt a pang in his chest and, trying to bridge the gap between them, said gently, "Tum mujhe achhe se pakad ke baitho."

Sharjeena hesitated for a moment before lightly clutching the edge of his jacket. The touch was distant, and it only made Mustafa's heart ache more. Trying to lift the mood, he said with a forced brightness, "Kuch guess kia tumne ki hum kahaan jaa rahe hain?"

Sharjeena, her voice weary, asked, "kahaan?"

"Koi nahi, ab toh surprise wahaan pohochne ke baad hi khulega," he responded, attempting to sound cheerful, though he knew the moment was slipping away.

Suddenly, Sharjeena's phone rang, cutting through the tense air. "Mustafa, ek baar bike side mein roko. I need to take this," she said, glancing at the screen. He pulled over to the side of the road, glancing at her. "Kaun hai?" he asked, but she was already hopping off the bike.

Sharjeena answered the call. "Hello, sir," she said, her tone professional.

On the other end, her boss sounded apologetic. "Sharjeena, I'm really sorry to bother you, but I need a favor. Our client for the project you are leading jo abhi US gaya hua hai for a short visit, earlier wanted to do the kick-off call once he returns. But uska call aaya tha abhi and he wants to have some discussion with his US counterpart, jiske liye he wants to have an initial call on Zoom with us tonight, his daytime as per his current timezone. He just needs a rough go-through, but it's important."

"Okay, sir? What can I do?" Sharjeena asked as she processed his words.

"The thing is Sharjeena, normally I handle these things on my own but is project par I have handed over everything to you. And client is also familiar with you. So I need you to present. Can you manage it?"

Sharjeena sighed but remained composed. "Of course, no problem. What time is the call?"

Her boss responded, "It's at 11 PM our time. I really appreciate it, Sharjeena. And don't hesitate to get Rehan's help if you need it."

She felt a pang of frustration but kept her voice steady. "I'll prepare the initial deck on my laptop as soon as I get home. I'll loop him in if necessary."

"Thank you again, Sharjeena. I know it's last minute."

With that, the call ended, and Sharjeena turned back to Mustafa, who was watching her with a mixture of curiosity and disappointment. She sighed as she relayed the situation. "Ghar chalo, Mustafa."

Mustafa's face fell. "Lekin, Sharjeena..."

Her expression softened with guilt, but she cut him off, her tone firm but weary. "Mustafa, please. It's about my job."