The Wrong Wedding

Act-21

I stood in the kitchen in a daze, trying to prepare breakfast. Without realising it, I had been staring at the wall in front of me for a while now.

"Zaira—what should I do? I am so madly in love with you."

Once again, his words rang in my ear and I felt myself blush furiously. With a shake of head, I looked away.

And that's when my gaze fell on the smoke coming from the toaster. Quickly, I lunged for it; only to pull out the burned toasts which I let go with a shriek after feeling the heat burn my skin.

"I am so madly in love with you."

Argh!! Stop it—!

I dropped to my knees with a groan to pick up the charred goods but instead of doing that I hid my feverish face in my trembling hands. The intensity with which my heart was hammering against my chest these days, was very soon going to make me hypertensive.

Further speculation was interrupted by the realisation that he might come in any minute. It had been a while since he came back from his morning jog and would be out of shower any minute now.

With a quickened pulse, I pulled away my hands and got up on week legs. Giving a final pitiful glance to the wasted food in my hand, I kicked open the dustbin to discard them and was so absorbed in my mourning that I didn't hear his footsteps behind me.

"Did they burn—" I had only felt the hot brush of his breath against my exposed neck and it was enough to make me jump up in a fright. I gave a yelp at his voice and had to clamp my mouth shut to quiet down.

"Sorry—Didn't mean to scare you—" He said with an awkward chuckle to the back of my head and it took every last bit of my strength to not become a puddle of raging emotions, while I slowly turned around to face him.

His mouth still had remnants of earlier smile but my gaze lingered on the water dripping down his dark chestnut brown hair, making them appear even darker.

"What's for breakfast?" He questioned, turning his gaze towards the stove. Instead of coming up with a reply, I was finding it difficult to tear my gaze away from the gleam in his hazel green eyes; wondering did they always shine this bright—

"Pancakes for you, I am guessing—" His eyes found mine and I felt my heart skip a beat.

"I think I am so madly in love with you."

With a gasp, I whipped my head to the other side; moving away to create as much distance from him as possible.

Ya Allah! Why can't I stop thinking about last night?!!

I whimpered internally; plating his eggs and sausage and getting out more bread.

"Do you need hel—" He suddenly came to my side, reaching for the bread but I flinched away with a jerk. The proximity had caught me off guard and I accidentally dropped the packet, in process.

His hand paused mid-air, as he gaped at me startled. In return, I could only watch him through quivering lips.

"I am in love—"

That's all I could hear, even while he eyed me in shock—opening his mouth to say something, but turned away with a frown.

"Sorry—I—that— suddenly—" I tried to explain in broken sentences when he bent down to pick up the forsaken food.

When he looked up, there was an inscrutable look on his face—which made the hair stand on back of my neck.

For a long moment, he didn't say anything but then his gaze flicked down from my eyes and when they returned, there was without any doubt a faint glow in his eyes.