A Thing, Beyond Forever

2. The beginning

 Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I loved writing it. ❤

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I was standing by the window witnessing the most beautiful sunrise I have ever seen. I inhaled the fresh air that flew through my open hair and kissed my cheeks making me shiver with the chills I felt. To my realization, I felt two stiff arms envelop me, snaking his hands around my waist I could swear my heart flipped to the sensation I felt and the need to have someone warm me up. He rested his chin on my shoulder and whispered "Good Morning beautiful!" and all I could do is close my eyes and feel the warmth growing up in my veins all the way up to my cheeks.  As if I was an ice cube that was melting just by listening to his amazing voice. I didn't know if I have ever felt so content before with having someone warm me up like this before...wait...what? 

TRING! 

There went my alarm clock with the most annoying sound ever. Again. Always. Always. ruining my momentous dreams. 

God. I whined. I didn't even get to see who he was!

On that day if anyone were to tell me that I was going to meet the man that just called me beautiful in my dream, I would have never believed it. Of course. But that's what actually happened and this is where my story begins. 

I laid still on my bed cursing to life and rethinking about the man and the contentment I experienced until I was brought back to reality with my mum banging on my room's door. 

"Zuki, Get up will you? You're going to get late on the first day of your senior high", just as the words left her mouth and made its way to my ears, I jumped out of my bed in excitement. 

That's right. I was in 10th grade then and it was my first day of school. I still remember the day I joined this school. The second grade to be precise. I used to think how easy it was for the students who were that time in the 10th grade. Within one year, they'd be graduating from the school and I was stuck with 7 more years to go.  And here I was, all ready to spend my last year of school. Seemed very exciting. 

Did I tell you that I always tend to utilize my extra time day dreaming about things that are least like to happen?  I was having shower with all these geeky feelings, thinking about my life after 10th grade and yet again I was brought back to reality and this time by my sister banging on the door. "Zukroof!"  Nashra, on the top of her lungs, screamed my name loud enough for all the neighborhood to know that there was a girl named Zukroof living in their area. "Come out right this moment!"

She was four years younger to me and still so bossy. Anyway, I quickly grabbed my clothes, wrapped my towel and came out within a blink of an eye. After coming into the room, I dressed in my uniform which, to be honest, felt like the ugliest uniform among every uniform every other school has. I am not being dramatic. Trust me.  Who in the world keeps a salwar kameez as a uniform? with a dupatta and a headscarf to be mentioned, of course.  I didn't understand why my parents had to select this school out of every other school in whole of Hyderabad? 

Anyway it was not that I could change anything and now when I come to think of it. I wouldn't have made so many awesome memories. I combed my hair and pinned my hijab and put on my abaya and then sat on the breakfast table with my coco pops ready. 

Speaking about me, I ate all the coco pops leaving the milk as it was because...I despised the taste of milk.

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I like travelling or should I say I liked seeing people doing their morning routine from the window of my bus. In any transport, I would either sleep or watch the nature. You know, trees, buildings and just people minding their own business. I don't like talking when I'm busy observing things from the window of any transport I am travelling. 

I am a strong believer in enjoying the scenery going by. It is like a metaphor to life that sometimes goes too fast taking different turns. At one point, it seems as if you are going through a straight highway and everything is good and you are happy and content and nothing's going to change and suddenly life takes a steep turn right or left leaving you feel the turn even when it's over.

I rested my head on the window breathing in the fresh morning breeze, hearing the noises of the transports, birds chirping and people hurrying to their respective destinations. I was alone from my bus stop because that day and for the next ten days, it was only 10th grader's school where the rest were still enjoying their holidays. It was the best part about being a senior. I loved to boss around. 

Just then, the bus stopped indicating the arrival of the next bus stop and I saw my friend Faisal enter.

"Asalamu Alaikum zoo", He gave a toothy grin. To which I just rolled my eyes. He knew I hated being called as Zoo but it was our first day of school and I didn't want to spoil my mood with a minor thing so I spoke as politely as I could. 

"Walaikum salam.  I'm not a zoo, I have a beautiful name", I said, proudly, keeping my hands on my hips.

"Yeah right! Who in the world keeps that name? It's so hard to pronounce too", He said across from me on his seat after removing his bag from his shoulder.

"Says the one who doesn't know its meaning!", I wiggled my eyebrows.

"Okay! hands up!  What does it mean?", He asked, suddenly being curious about my name. I didn't mind either because we had a long way to go and we were the only ones in the bus. So we had enough time to spare. 

"It's one of the Chapters mentioned in the Quran—Zukroof meaning gold of Jannah", I said smiling widely as if I was one of the golds of Jannah.

"Oh, nice one" He said, in a way that made him look like he was not at all interested in knowing the meaning of my name at the first place. 

I didn't say anything and carried on with my observation session. 

"by the way, how excited are you for today? Any goals for this year?", He winked and I  understood what he meant by that wink.  I became "popular" in school for messing around and every single year of mine is a recorded trouble. I think it is appropriate for me to say that all my  teachers at school were praying for my graduation so that they could rest in peace.

"Absolutely! What do you think? Zukroof Hussain is going to spend her last year in this boring school without any thrill? Nope! that's like insulting the reputation I built all these years", I said faking a heart pain by keeping my hand on my chest to which, he just laughed. 

"You are one helluva dude, Zuki. School would have been so boring without you" 

"Well, thank you for the appreciation" I said, smiling in gratitude. 

Faisal, was my friend ever since I started taking the bus to school. I do not remember which grade it was exactly but he always treated me as if I was always one of his guy friends. I don't blame him. I blame the tomboy in me. He  was not the kind of guy who'd straight away appreciate people for who they were to him. And when he did it to me, I felt glad to be appreciated. 

 "Any news from the boy's section?", I inquired later on as the bus entered into the school arena. 

We both stood up and shouldered our bags as the bus came to a halt.

"Umm...nothing much Zuki" He said as we walked towards the entrance of the school. I think he was trying hard to recollect something because after a couple of moments, just before we were going to depart, Him, towards his class and me towards mine, He spoke,  "I heard there are two boys who are supposedly joining our school this year, Yazan and Talha. They are best friends, it seems. Most probably from Riyadh"

David Richo in his book, "The Power of Coincidence" mentioned  that  We do not create our destiny; we participate in its unfolding.  I didn't know if it was true or not because I was unaware of the fact that on that day itself I was going to unfold the very beginning of my love story. 

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