Orphaned Stars (original title Humanity)

Chapter 21

 "Are you happy?"

Shahnaz's honey brown eyes gazed out the window. Arms folded over her chest she sat on a dull blue plastic chair. Beige taper candles melted away in the corners, giving light to the small room they occupied. Next to her was a bed just enough for the married couple.

"Why do you ask?"

Junayd ignored her question. He lay on the bed, back resting aginst the wall. "You look exhausted. Come back to bed."

Although their marriage was a small affair, she didn't feel like a wife, didn't feel like a married woman. She wished she had her family with her, not some dust in the wind and a memory she could only clutch onto.

"I know how you feel."

Her nose twitched, turning to face Junayd. The candle, which was on top of the box near their bed, made his dark skin smooth. His eyes held onto her face seemed sadder.

"I don't think I would have been your choice," he said, "in terms of suitors."

She shook her head quickly. "No Junayd, it's just that I wasn't the type to get married. Women my age would have had a second or third child by now. I was happy with how things used to be – before the Explosion." Feeling the urge to open up, she perched on the bed. "Mother wanted me to mary my cousin Ahmed because he used to work in the Pakistani Army. Gosh I, hated him. Whenever he got the chance he would undress me with his beady eyes. I couldn't spend my life with someone like that. A man should know the value of a woman, to know how to treat her with respect."

He licked his lips over his wicked smile. "Is it bad of me to say that I'm glad cousin Ahmed isn't here today."

She stifled a giggle, relaxing her shoulders. "I hope he's found some solace in the next life," She whispered, sitting cross legged in the centre of the bed. "Don't ever think you're second best, or that I wouldn't have chosen you from a line of men in a different life time. In fact, you're far better than any man I've ever known."

Shahnaz deepply sighed, thinking why she had said those words.The flames flickered a dance around the small room. Shadows bounced off the walls and any surface it touched.

Junayd chewed the inner part of his lips. "Even better than Isaac?"

His words caught her off guard. She could only blink at them. "That's not what I meant. I wouldn't even considered marrying the master of the house."

"Forgive me Shahnaz." He apologised, holding his hand up. "I tend to talk first and then think."

But she was right. She couldn't hurt his feelings. Not only Isaac was heir to the Collins Estate, he was a friend, someone who'd make time to listen to her. From the life she knew, Isaac was a good and decent young man. But after their reunion, and the harsh façade he kept, she knew he wasn't the same Isaac she left on the evacuation truck.

Junayd sensed her silence, her inner battle with her mind. He was about to leave until he felt the touch of her hand in his. Such a delicate hand swallowed in his large course hands.

A glaze filmed over her eyes. "Don't go. Can you hold me, please?"

Slowly Junayd sat back down. Shahnaz found her way into his arms. They lay together; under the covers, skin to skin, sharing warmth. She placed her heard on his chest, searching for a sound.

"I haven't listened to music in a long time."

He scoffed, a hand resting on the curve of her spine. "I'm not really a good musician. And I'm a terrible singer."

"No," she whispered, listening to the thump of his heart, "this is perfect."

A/N – I feel like this is such a >_< 'I don't know what I'm writing but I just got to write it' chapter, lol sorry. But it's like midnight now and the creative ambience has left me. I know it's a filler chapter but I might develop on this and I'll be adding a new chapter soon. X