Love Thy Enemy ~ A ZaiRa FF

Chapter 11 : Bumping Into The Past

“This, this and this. Pack these.”

Mubashira was in a clothing store, out on a casual shopping day. She was in a good mood since the past week. Ever since Zaid had called a truce between them, the air around them suddenly became lighter. Even the employees at the office felt the shift. It felt like Zaid and Mubashira were keeping everyone uptight by their salty behaviour towards each other and now everyone and everything just eased up.

Speaking of her equation with Zaid, she wouldn't say they were friendly. No. Definitely not and she'd like it to remain that way. But, they were civil. They didn't despise each other's guts now and their taunts at each other had also lessened. Well, he had stopped taunting altogether while she was struggling to hold her tongue a little.

“Would you like us to show something else, ma'am ?” - the girl, the designer's assistant, asked politely.

“No, thank you. That'll be all.” - Mubashira declined. She had liked those three dresses with utmost difficulty after looking into the entire store. She was not sure if her choice was tough or the world didn't have everything upto her standards to offer.

Smiling, the assistant went away with the dresses to have them packed. Meanwhile Mubashira waited, admiring an art piece on the wall beside her when her eyes caught a couple entering the store. Her smile vanished at once.

It were Rahib and Hina.

They both made their way towards the kid's section. Hina picked out a jumpsuit, fit only for a newborn, but Rahib shook his head. Not liking the design.

Mubashira's heart ached. Realization dawned on her that the couple was expecting. She had gotten the news of their marriage on the day her and Zaid's alliance was fixed. Many thoughts had came to her mind. To ruin it for them. To get her bestfriend insulted by the public by revealing in their circle the story of her betrayal. Had thought to get Rahib arrested in false accusations but in the end, she decided against all of it. Doing any such thing had given Rahib the message that she was hurt. That she was not over him. That he was that important to her. And she could not have given him that satisfaction. She was Mubashira Jaffer and he was a nobody.

But that didn't mean it didn't hurt. Specially now, seeing them laughing together while selecting clothes for their unborn baby, it deeply hurt. And she was not hurt because she was pining over him. No. She was hurt because she craved for that happiness since childhood but got none. Her mother left. Her childhood friend stabbed her in the back. Her almost fiance walked out. And she was, like always, left alone.

“Ma'am, your purchase.”

The assistant's voice made Mubashira flinch and aware of her surroundings. She realized her lashes were damp which made her clench her jaws. She hated being weak — as rare as it was.

She almost snatched the shopping bag from the girl, put on her sunglasses and exited the store.

~

Zaid's hands were taping on the steering wheel, in sync with the beats of the blasting music the car's speakers were playing. He was in a mind blowing mood since the past week. Mubashira and him were civil right after the truce but he was observing that she was slowly being cordial. Well, not a normal person's 'cordial' cordial but Mubashira Jaffer's cordial. Which was refraining from taking jibs at him and keeping the snark out of her tone while talking to him. He even noticed that her way of looking at him was changing as well. Before, her gaze used to be full of disdain but now, her eyes lacked such strong emotions of hatred. And he was on cloud nine because if everything proceeded the same way then he surely was going to win the bet.

Lost in his dreamland, he didn't see someone coming in front of his car. He pushed sudden breaks, saving the collide, but the person fell on the road out of fear.