With You

Chapter 12

The sunlight peeked from the thin curtains as Zarah entered the room where she was staying in from two days. It was an early morning and she had gone out to prepare a cup of tea for herself. Woken up from Fajr, she was really in need of one. Maira was still asleep so Zarah moved the curtain slightly and came in front of the window. She instantly remembered her own room and the window from where she could see the sunset.

A change of event.

Change of places.

Change of her feelings.

In her house, she used to feel happy and calm seeing the sunset though it was a sign of day ending and now she was looking at the bright sun rising on the fresh sky and all she could feel was upset and sad. Because the stress of her house and her family was eating her alive, the other reason was her stay in this house of Ryan.

Whatever the reason was for her stay, she was living in a stranger's house who didn't have any kind of relationship with her and it was dangerous for her to stay in the vicinity of Ryan. Not that he was of loose character instead she wasn't able to find anything bad in him apart from his arrogance and stubborn attitude. But her religion didn't allow this and Zarah knew how correct it was. Now she was just praying for the condition of the city to get better so that she could return to the protection of her house.

Her reverie broke on the sound of the clattering utensils and it was from the kitchen. Zarah fixed the dupatta of her three days old dress and left the room to see what was happening. If she had any kind of idea that the city's condition could worsen, she would have taken few dresses from the pile of clothes she used to put in her cabin's cupboard for emergency.

"What are you doing?"

Zarah asked flinching Ryan in the process who was maybe boiling water over the stove. She came near the isle, pursing her lips to not to let the smile escape seeing his flinch and saw some eggs. Was he preparing breakfast?

"Sorry. Did I wake you up?" Ryan asked moving a hand in his messy locks, "I was feeling hungry so I thought of making something for myself."

Zarah shook her head, "I was awake, didn't sleep after my morning prayers." She noted how his face became guarded on the mention of prayer. From two days, she was meeting him at the breakfast table so maybe he had no idea of her waking up schedule. "You freshen up. I'll prepare the breakfast."

"I'm fine." Ryan mumbled and gave her some space to prepare the breakfast. Was he not leaving her alone? While she put the eggs to boil, Zarah saw from the corner of her eyes Ryan taking a seat on the corner dining table. Now his presence would disturb her every task. She was not scared of him but he was weird. His talks, his way of thinking all was little different which she didn't like a bit and which always pushed them into countless arguments. While staying at his house, she didn't want to do that.

***

Ryan observed Zarah; she was now putting the kettle for tea after preparing fruit salad and toasts, her back was to him and he was liking to see her working in his kitchen. Whatever scarf she used to wear was still covering her head and back and that time he realised he hadn't seen her hair. Unlike those girls in his business get-togethers who liked to flaunt their new hairstyles, hair color to him, this girl hadn't even showed him her hair.

What was the reason behind thinking this?

Would she yell at him if he asked her to?

"Don't you put that scarf down for some time?" Ryan asked surprising himself. So many thoughts ran in his mind but very few got down with his words and now he was regretting it because Zarah was looking at him sceptically. She put his breakfast plate in front of him with a thud, her eyes still furrowed at him.