Loving a Princess

26. Fate.

Farshad's P.O.V

Farshad was exhausted. He had had an awfully long day at university, and then he had to rush off to the police station for his duty. By the time he got back to his dorm and retired to bed for his nap, he was completely flat, and he was out cold as soon as his head hit the pillow. That was until his phone rang.

Why did Umniyah always have to do this? She knew how tight his schedule was yet she always seemed to call him over to the café for something or the other. But he didn't have the heart to refuse his sister. And besides, he knew that she could never call him for something that wasn't necessary. And it wasn't like Umniyah herself was free! She was a doctor now and she had her fair share of calls and duties.

"Oh! Farsh, you're already here!" Umniyah said, breathlessly as she took a seat opposite him.

"Yeah. You're late," Farshad answered.

"I know, I was caught up. The secretary lost some patient's filled paperwork and I had to wait while she found it. I'm sorry," Umniyah said.

"It's alright, I understand," Farshad said, brushing off her apology. "Now tell me why we're here."

"It's about Aliyah," Umniyah said. She continued after Farshad raised his eyebrows at her. "Not like last time. Last time it was mainly about Ruqaiyah, but this time, it's just about Aliyah."

"I'll need you to elaborate. What about Aliyah?" Farshad asked her.

"She's engaged. Officially," Umniyah said.

Farshad didn't say anything, as he processed what he had just heard. Umniyah let him digest what she had told him. The two sat in utter silence for a few moments.

"What?" Farshad finally managed to say.

"Yeah. She's engaged. To some fellow named Talal," Umniyah said.

"But...why?" Farshad asked, almost inaudibly.

Umniyah didn't answer him. Perhaps, she herself did not know, or if she knew, she did not want to answer for whatever reason.

This was the second time Aliyah had accepted a proposal, but this time round, things were carried forward and she actually got engaged.

To say that Farshad was disappointed would be an understatement. For some weird reason, he felt so hurt at what he had heard that he didn't even know how to take it.

Umniyah's voice snapped him out of his daze.

"Farshad, please. I'll be blunt and direct, and I don't want you to lie to me. I'm your older sister and there's no use hiding anything from me, so please tell me the truth," she said.

"What exactly are you talking about?" Farshad asked, gloomily.

"Do you like her? Do you like Aliyah?" Umniyah asked.

Farshad didn't answer.

"Farshad, I'm asking you something!" Umniyah said, sternly.

"What's the point, Umniyah? What's the point? She's engaged, and in some time, she'll be someone else's. What's the point of me answering that?" Farshad asked, massaging his temples.

"Just answer me. I have a right to know," Umniyah said.

"Yes. Yes, maybe, I like her. I just didn't realise it soon enough. I realised it now, when it's too late," Farshad confessed. "But what can be done now?"

"Nothing, that's the thing! You are so messed up, Farshad!  Had you have come to realise how you feel soon enough, she would have been yours!" Umniyah said, furious.