In The Pursuit Of Love

Her Inquisitive Self

"Guilt is a gift from Allah, warning you that what you are doing is violating your soul." – Nouman Ali Khan

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Mehreen's room was simple yet cozy. The purple colored walls with baby pink curtains would let anyone know that it was a girl's room. A double bed in the middle of the room with a side table, a dressing table and a study table along with a chair pressed to the wall were the only furniture present. Some quotes wallpaper adorned the wall and a wind chime hung above the study table.

"Please make yourself comfortable. The washroom is there," Mehreen pointed towards a closed door, "You can take a shower" she said smiling, then moved towards tidying her messy room.

"You have a nice room" Nargis said touching the wind chime.

"Thank you. Bhai gifted me that on my birthday" Mehreen said indicating towards the wind chime.

She took a deep breath and turned towards Mehreen.

"Umm.. Mehreen?"

She hummed grabbing her clothes from the bed.

"Why..", she cleared her throat making Mehreen look at her, "Why was Zeeshan upset back there?" she asked hesitatingly. Mehreen walked towards her with a small smile.

"Umm.. I don't know for sure. But what I can tell is that he was worried when he didn't find you at first. He thought that you were taken" a gasp left Nargis' mouth and she looked away.

"Which makes me curious.. Are you really in some kind of danger? And what did he mean by you were taken?" she asked looking at her uncomfortable face. A few seconds passed and when Nargis didn't even look at her, she kept her hands on her shoulder, "Its okay. You don't have to tell me anything. You can tell me when you are comfortable. And now go take a shower, because you look like you have been digging the earth" she said with a mischievous grin making Nargis smile and she nodded.

"Is it okay if I wash my clothes, they are dirty and besides I don't have many right now" she muttered in the end.

"Of course. The supplies are all in the washroom" she gestured.

After taking a long shower she came out of the washroom only to find the room empty. She had wrapped her hijab around her wet hair, not being sure as to any person entering the room. Keeping her backpack in the corner of the room she sat on the bed waiting for Mehreen when the door suddenly opened.

"Chidiya!" she stood up to see Zeeshan standing at the door.

"I-I am sorry. I didn't know that you were here." He looked around and then asked, "Mehreen?"

She shrugged, "She is not here" making him nod.

"Okay then, take rest" he said settling is gaze on her longer than intended and then turned to leave.

"Zeeshan," she called making him stop and look back at her.

"Are you upset with me?" she looked at him with her big brown eyes and Zeeshan sweared that his heart skipped a beat.

"Umm..No Nargis. I just overreact sometimes. I am sorry. Okay" he scratched the back of his neck and she smiled.

"I'll see where Mehreen is. There is a lot of work pending and so less time left for marriage"

She nodded feeling a tinge of heaviness in her heart, which she didn't know why.

"Oh and in the drawer of the dressing table there is a dryer, you can use it" having said that he left leaving her confused. She went up to the dressing and looked at herself in the mirror only to realize that her hijab was all soaked. Oh she was so embarrassed right now.

But still she waited for Mehreen to return. She wont just use a person's belonging without even asking. And waiting for her gave her time to think through her thoughts.

Was Zeeshan getting married?

Well he is older than Mehreen so it must be him.

Mehreen did tell her that its only her and Zeeshan, no other sibling.

Her train of thoughts was broken by the opening and closing of the door. She saw Mehreen entering wiping away her hair with a towel.

"Did I take too long in the shower, seeing that you had to take bath somewhere else other than your room" Nargis said awkwardly standing up. Mehreen came closer and keeping her hand on Nargis' shoulders pushed her back on the bed. She looked up startled.

"Why are you worrying over nothing? And why did you stand? Its me who takes long showers." She turned towards the dresser and looked at Nargis through the mirror.

"Nargis, please be comfortable and while you are at it, just enjoy the wedding" she insisted. Nargis nodded in affirmative, "Can you give me a dryer?"

"Oh I am sorry. And you can take off the hijab in the room. No one enters without nodding. Well except Ammi and Bhai. And now he knows that you are staying in this room so he wont" she bent forward and opening the drawer gave the dryer to her.

She opened her hijab and Mehreen quickly took it from her hand and hung it on the chair. Nargis was not used to such help and care and so she kept on feeling awkward and mumbled a thanks. As she removed the clutcher, her long black hair fell back reaching upto her waist and she heard a gasp next to her.

"Masha Allah. You have such long hair" she saw Mehreen admire her hair making her blush. She was so not good with complements. Well it was the first time someone actually complemented her.

A few minutes into drying her hair, she was still contemplating whether to ask Mehreen or not. She saw her digging into her wardrobe for the last five minutes, wondering as to what she was trying to find. Mustering up her courage, she called her, "Mehreen.."

"Finally" she came out with a piece of cloth in her hand, her expressions showing victory. She walked close to her and kept the cloth on Nargis' shoulder inspecting it.

"Yes this will match with your outfit" Mehreen grinned at her and keeping the dryer aside, she tried wrapping it around Nargis' head to check whether it will go with the kurti she was wearing or not.

"You were saying something?" she asked focusing on the work at hand. Nargis gulped.

"Umm.. Is-Is it Zeeshan who is getting married?"

"Why? Does that bother you?" she smirked.

"No..why-why would it bother me?" came her immediate reply a little louder than expected and she instantly cursed herself for even asking such a stupid question.

Why did such a question, full of idiocy, even come to her mind? And what has it to do with her, if any one of them is getting married?

Mehreen nodded, trying to stifle her laugh at her outburst.

"Ok, its done. Just a pin" she pinned her hijab and turned her towards the mirror. Nargis saw that the hijab was perfectly wrapped around her head covering each and every strand of her hair.

"Thank you Mehreen. You didn't have to do it" she said feeling the fabric of the cloth on her fingers.

"Oh yes I did. And will you please stop saying thank you" she beseeched making her nod quickly.

"Okay" she raised her hands in surrender.

"Lets go for breakfast. Its already very late." Mehreen said taking Nargis' hand in her, her whole being nervous with anticipation to face Mehreen's family.

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