Ishq | (complete)

15 | khamoshi

❝Khamoshiyan Kar Dein Bayaa'n Toh Alag Baat Hai,
Kuch Dard Hain Jo Lafzon Mein Utaare Nahi Jaate❞

He narrowed his eyes at the two engrossed in jovial conversation. Gritting his teeth, he didn't know what came over him as he crossed the office towards hers, but his steps faltered as he heard their conversation.

"Malka nahi maane gi yaar."  Laila sighed rubbing her forehead.

"Kya matlab nahi manegi mein baat kar loonga us se." He almost growled as the monkey leaned forward to convince her.

"Woh mujhe wahan se nahi nikalne dei gi. Itna convince karne ki koshish ki per woh maan hi nahi rahi. Ab mein kia karoon."

"Acha uska mein kuch karloonga waise bhi shaadi mein aane ke liye bhi convince karna hai. Per us se pehle tum ghar dekh lena. Jo bhi tumhein pasand aajaye I'll have the best deal."

"Theek hai. Per time hoga?"

"Haan shaadi mein abhi ek hafta hai. We'll go house hunting this weekend. I promise I got you. Don't worry. I know how much you have been wanting to get out of there."

Shaadi. Ghar. Wanting to leave.

What the hell was going on here? He blinked. Was his assistant trying to elope with this monkey?

❧❧❧

"Lily, still the little penguin fanatic, huh?"

She looked up at the happy intruder standing in the door with a bouquet and card.

"Adeel!" She grinned at the brown-eyed boy with a smile like beaming ray of sunshine.

"At your service." He handed her the white flowers. She inhaled the fragrance before putting them away behind on the rack.

"How you been? England kaisa tha. Suna hai koi firangi utha lai ho. Waise bhi janab ko aam Pakistani kahan pasand aate hai." She waved her hand for him to sit across from her.

"Still a sarcastic spitfire huh?" He shook his head, running hands through his jet black hair. "Firangi nahi hai well technically hai, but she is Muslim. Convert. We had religious studies classes together, met her there aur bus mohabbat ho gayi." He smiled pulling out his cellphone as he showed her his fiancee. "Shaadi mein aarahi ho na?"

"Inaaya ne pura ek week chuti karvayi hai." She rolled her eyes.

"Acha hai. Hailey will need you to save her. Inaaya ne naak mein dum kar rakha hai." Adeel shook his head thinking about his sister and her energy. "That reminds me she sent me what you have been looking for and the budget." He pulled typed something on his phone. "I even saw some apartments today."

"I can't do apartments. I need a small two-bedroom house. Malka likes her courtyard, countless plants and her morning chai on the roof. Oh and don't forget her ropes for tumble drying her clothes." She pursed her lips shaking her head.

"I'll keep that in mind. Actually, my friend's got a place. The area is safe and gated. We can negotiate the price and instead of rent you can pay in installments and eventually own it. He's been meaning to sell that property." He tapped away on his phone.

"Are you sure? You don't need to pull any strings-"

"Lily!" He warned. "He owes me a favor. I would have shown you one in my buildings, but either they are too big or they are apartments. Anyway, this friend of mine owes me a favor. This is a normal thing in the property business. Don't sweat it." He scoffed away her worry. She nodded, the worry lines on her forehead dissolving away. "Can you do this Sunday? Hum Malka ko bhi lei jayenge."