It's All In The Mind √

Chapter Seven

Shaahid took in a long satisfactory sip of tea.

The rooftop was strangely cool even at four thirty in the afternoon.

" Sorry for bringing you here along. I cannot sit in the room and have beverages. " , Sakina spoke from the side, as they stood against a railing. She was grabbing a fuming cup of black coffee. Shaahid threw a distasteful glance at the cup.

" What? Don't gimme that look. Coffee haters are a different species, I don't know who created them with such erratic genes. " , she twisted her lips.

" Did I utter a word even, that I'm being insulted this way? Or is it your habit that you speak whatever you wish to, and think you are not answerable to anyone in return! " , Shaahid shrugged and nodded.

His tea tasted real good. It was time to meet the cook.

Sakina judged him thoroughly for sometime.
" You too ain't some gentle guy, I suppose you know that! "

" I definitely am. One amongst three men in Fareedpur, knows every bit about me. If you have a doubt, get your survey done. " , he smirked.

" As if I have got so much of bullshit time in spare. " , she rolled her eyes.

" That's it. We always have this one excuse prepared well when we know we are losing. ' I don't have time to fight. ' " , he looked away and sipped.

" No. I genuinely don't have time to ask one out of three in the streets of Fareedpur whether you are soft spoken, when I can see with my eyes and hear with my ears that you are not. "
Sakina was not an easy goer at all.

Shaahid smiled wider.
" Did you finally pass the test today? "

She frowned at this. Took sometime.
" No. Salman told me he'll contact some other center that arranges tests. This one's worthless. Delaying a session-ending exam for months. I have finished reading the journal so many times now, I feel as if I am some brainless student detained to the same standard for years. "

" That's a pity.
So, what does your Salman teach you everyday? New things, or just the old ones in repeat? "

" Are you an idiot? When the session doesn't end, how can he teach new things? " , Sakina nodded hopelessly.

Shaahid smiled to himself.

He had guessed it right again.

When Mr Siddiqui didn't even exist anymore, how could he teach new stuffs? On the other hand, how could Sakina's brains imagine being taught something she didn't herself know?

" So, do you smile to yourself like a duffer? " , Sakina broke his thought process.

" Wait.

Do you normally talk to people this way?
Like.. Idiot, duffer, retard, genetically challenged, nosy etc, or is it just me? "
Shaahid turned to her and raised his brow.

For the first time she looked a bit embarrassed, so she faced away.
" You are every bit of these adjectives. "

" How much do you know about me even? " , he smirked.

" I don't need to. That you are bhai's friend, is enough for me. "

" Do you hate your bhai, because he dislikes Salman? "

" Nope. That's his personal choice. I've got nothing to do with that. I hate him because he doesn't value me as much as a brother should value his sister. He doesn't value people.

Wait..

How do you know he dislikes Salman?
He told you right? "

" Wrong.
I'm just a tenant. Your bhai wouldn't discuss his life history with me.
Someone more of my standard informed me. "