Love Means Sacrifice

Ch. 1: An Engraved Memory

Author's Note

Assalamwalaikum, everyone! After four years, I have finally decided to make a sequel to Difficulties of Love, but you don't have to read it at all to understand Love Means Sacrifice. Nevertheless, LMS follows the story of Ayaan and Zara's now grown up children. Please let me know your thoughts in the comments, and I really hope you all like it! Lots of love! ♥

Zahid's P.O.V.

When I saw her for the first time, little did I know she would be all I thought about.

Mehwish. Mehwish Inayat.

Just taking her name does something to my heart. And she's made fun of me for it too.

Innocent mischief filled her eyes as she brushed some of her long dark tresses behind her ear with her fingers and laughed, "I've got Mr. Handsome Arrogant whipped, haven't I? The Zahid Saeed, the quiet, serious, mysterious, and most handsome guy in our university, who never gives any girl a second look, has fallen for me! Who would've thought, huh? You've got to admit, there must be something special about me that you're gifting me a bouquet of roses..."

I absentmindedly sat in my sherwani staring at the dry rose lying on my desk which I kept from the bouquet. It seemed that it would crumble under my fingers the second I touched it. I loudly exhaled and threw my head back, closing my eyes as I recalled her fingers trailing down my arm.

"If tattoos weren't haram, would you get one of my name? I know I would get yours right here." She pointed to the back of her left forearm.

"Why would I get a tattoo of your name?" I looked down at her.

"Oh.. I.. I don't kn-" she started coiling back.

I lifted her chin with my fingers and gazed into her eyes before replying, "Why would I get a tattoo of your name when it's already written on my heart."

I placed her soft hand on my chest while watching the twinkle in her eye, "It belongs to you."

She wrapped her arms around me, burying her face in my neck while the smell of vanilla, the scent of her and what became my favorite perfume, engulfed me. 

I immediately sat up in my seat and held my head in my hands.

I met her during my senior year of university. Abba had told Javed and I that Ami's friend's daughter just transferred to our school and that Javed should show her around and help her if needed. Javed, my brother who is younger than me by two years, was in his second year of university, making Mehwish his classmate.

For the world, Javed and I were poles apart. Everyone thought of me as a reserved workaholic, which I wouldn't deny because I began taking serious interest in Abba's company when I was in high school and love working, while Javed was the popular outgoing ladies' man. Though people aren't wrong for the most part, I try to bring out my fun side when it's just Javed, our little sister Ayaara, and I. Ami passed away when we were younger, so being the eldest, I often felt like a parent to my siblings and wanted to be like Abba, who tried hard to not make us feel her absence.

I wanted to make Ami proud. I wanted her to know that, wherever she may be, we are upholding the values she instilled in us and that Abba raised us well.

On the first day of senior year, Javed and I met in the university parking lot. Our parking spots were next to each other. After Javed set foot out of his car, he unbuttoned the second button of his shirt and reached into one of the car compartments to spray himself with cologne. He ran his fingers through his hair, styling it, before turning to look at me.

I raised an eyebrow teasingly, "Really?"

"What, Bhai? I'm not as toned as you. My abs and biceps don't show through my shirt like yours without trying! At least my pecks look more defined this way," he smirked and pointed to his visible chest, flexing.

I shook my head and grabbed my bag as we headed to the entrance of our school.

"I'm heading to the office after cl-"

Javed's phone beeped and he read the message before taking off, "Bye, Bhai! I gotta go! Ami's friend's daughter messaged me. Catch you later at home!"

When I got to class, I slid into the seat Farhan, my best friend since eighth grade and family friend, was saving for me.

He quickly shut off his phone, "Bro, can you believe it? Finally, we will be done with this hell hole after this year! No more taking tests and sitting through boring lectures."

"What happened? Uncle finally agreed that you won't have to do your Master's?" I chuckled.

Farhan scowled and began grumbling as he took out his notebook.

After the professor finished lecturing, I went to go throw away my granola bar wrapper near the trash can next to the door while Farhan was packing up. I kept my gaze lowered on the ground, but I could see someone approaching while shaking something in their hand from the corner of my eyes. When they bumped into me, I found a pair of light brown eyes looking up at my hazel ones.

It was as though everything came to standstill.

There was something about her, I don't know what, but it felt like I knew her from before.

I would have probably kept up our unintentional staring contest, but I could feel something wet on my right thigh. I looked down to find a large blue ink stain on my pants. I glanced back at the girl to find her still staring at me. As I began waving my hand in front of her, she snapped out of it and her eyes grew at the stain caused by her pen.

Farhan came up behind me and slung an arm around my shoulder before looking down at my pants, "Oh shiii! Bro, what happened? Don't you have a meeting today too? Your Dada ji will be pissed!"

"I know. I'll just tell Ayaar-"

"Ohmygosh! I'm SO sorry! I didn'tknowthatwasgoingtohappen! I really did NOT mean to! Let me help you. I'mreallysorryIwasjustshakingmypenbecauseitwasn'tworkin- I, uh-" the girl exasperatedly exclaimed.

I continued to assess the damage.

I needed to call Ayaara so she could send an extra pair of pants with Abba before he returns to the office after dropping her home from school.

"Let's go," said Farhan as he headed out the door.

The girl began again, "I'm so sorry, I didn-"

I looked at the girl once more before following Farhan to the parking lot. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw her puff her cheeks and furrow her eyebrows before whispering something quietly to herself.