All Over Again

Chapter 17

Misha's POV:

This felt like Déjà vu. Ibraheem was awfully silent. It's like he had actually complied with my request to leave me alone. It was odd. Knowing his nature, he wouldn't give up so soon but maybe he had changed in the five years that had gone by. 

Ever since that moment in the restaurant four days ago, he hadn't bothered me at all. He hadn't showed up to university or tried to contact me in any way. Also, ever since then, Usman and I weren't on talking terms either. He didn't tell anyone what had happened meanwhile I avoided him because I was ashamed of meeting his eyes and for not knowing answers to the questions he would ask me like 'Who was Ibraheem to me?' It was better this way.

I know it was me who wanted Ibraheem to do what he was doing and yet, it made me feel hollow inside but even more than that it made me realize and actually confirm the fact that he was and would never be serious about me. It was all a game. And now it was over. Finally. 

Looking at myself in the mirror, I lightly tapped my face with both my hands as if to wake me up. "You have been there before, Misha. Far too many tears have been lost because of this. No more. You are a free soul. Some things are just not meant to be." I convinced myself firmly as I heard ammi call me down for dinner. Ever since Saleem bhai had moved out to his own house, the house felt quieter. I had gotten so used to the sound of my niece and nephew running around and randomly barging into my room asking me stuff like 'what are you studying, phupho?' while sitting on my back. Children really were a blessing. 

It was a relief that I no longer believed in love and the likes of it because it had only ever brought me pain and disappointment. Plus, I was focused on Rubab's problem. She was trying to come up with all the possible ways to convince her family to break the engagement without having to bring up the pathetic idea Fahad had suggested but as more time passed, we concluded that his idea made sense. Or maybe, we were losing our sanity in the process. Rubab's problem was our problem after all. We had to think on the same lines.  

Madeeha bhahbi popped her head into my room giving me a pleasant smile that I wholeheartedly returned. Her smile really was contagious.

"I made double chocolate chip cookies. You down for it?" She offered and I nodded as I followed her downstairs.

"You need to teach me those someday." I told her as I was about to take a seat at the table.

"Teach you what?" Humayun inquired while Qasim bhai gave Madeeha Bhabhi a side hug as he sat down on the seat beside Humayun.

"Chocolate chip cookies." I told him, already foreshadowing his next remark.

"Matlab jis din tumne cookies bhanaye us din hum sab ka paet kharab tou pakka samjho. (Meaning, the day you decide to make cookies, we are all going to get a stomach ache for sure.)" Humayun replied and I scowled in return.

"It won't be that bad, Humayun." Qasim bhai defended me and I was about to thank him until I heard what he had to say next. "She will probably blow up the kitchen before she even gets a chance to serve the cookies."

"Ammi! Yeh dekhen kya keh rahay hen yeh. (Mom! Look at what they are saying.) I am not that bad, right?" I pleadingly looked at ammi while glaring daggers at both my brothers who were laughing while high fiving.

"Humayun, Qasim, don't say this about your sister. She would be an amazing cook if she tried." I heard my mother say in my defense while we heard the doorbell ring. That was probably abbu. We all waited in a blissful silence for the house keeper to open the main gate for abbu so he could park the car in the garage and join us at dinner. It was our daily routine and yet it didn't follow suit today.