When Fire Meets Ice - Completed.

32. M A N A L I

I N A Y A

"Ahad". I called out softly and he hummed, half asleep.

"I'm unable to sleep". I whined again, tossing and turning, trying hard to fall asleep. My mind won't just let me rest!!

He got up from the sofa and sat beside me as he asked. "Why?", caressing my head gently.

I felt relaxed every time he did that, like his touch was a soothing caress that always succeeded in keeping my heart at peace and the demons of my fears at bay. I smiled, closing my eyes.

In his absence, every thought, every memory haunted me like an inevitable menace. While they barely crossed my mind when he was near.

"Goodnight". I spoke as his fingers did magic on my scalp, soothing my nerves. I looked at him as he smiled and I dozed off.

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My eyes fluttered open as I heard someone speaking. I rubbed my eyes, yawning sleepily. Looking around, I saw Ahad speaking to someone on a call. He was sitting in the balcony, holding a mug in his hand, another hand balanced the laptop on his thigh as he looked through something. An airpod in his ear as he spoke animatedly.

Is it normal for someone to be this handsome?

I think he has a disorder, where a person gets more and more handsome by each passing day!

And I didn't have a nightmare last night, Alhamdulillah. I've been having them since that incident, the scariest one was the one that came yesterday evening. A shiver ran down my spine at the memory.

I shrugged it off and looked at the clock, it was seven AM. He had said yesterday that we had to leave before eight in the morning.

I did my usual morning routine. Days without prayers feel like a river without water. Dry and useless! Even though I do my morning and evening supplications, but not being able to perform Salah feels like a huge part of my existence has gone missing.

Worshipping him, completes me.

I walked out, dressed in a simple burgundy coloured top with white leggings, throwing a white dupatta across my shoulders.

He was still busy on the phone.

I looked at the bags which were placed near the door. I grabbed my handbag containing other little essentials and placed it along with them.

Sasha and Hafsa had done my packing, I'm sure they'd have done it right.

He walked inside after almost ten minutes when I was busy forwarding all the upcoming project details to Zara. I'll surely give her a vacation once I return.

"Let's go?" He asked and I looked up at him. I placed the laptop back in my bag before standing up.

"Wait, let me put on my Abaya and come!" I spoke and rushed into the closet again. I wore a black simple Abaya and decided to put on the same white Hijab. As I walked out, holding it, that was when I realised that my hand was still injured.

But before I could even struggle with it, Ahad was already beside me. "Turn", He simply commanded and I obeyed as he pinned the Hijab perfectly. I stood silently, avoiding his gaze.

I don't know why, but I just couldn't hold his gaze.

After checking it for one last time, he smiled and pressed a tender kiss to the side of my head, muttering softly, "You look beautiful, MaaShaAllah!" I blinked thrice as I looked up at him, my heart skipping a few beats.

How casually he had said that.. And all I was dressed in was a simple Abaya!! I think this is what true admiration is like. I blushed to myself before joining him as we walked down.