Outloved

2.

'What are you doing here?' The sudden voice made me jump in my seat and I looked behind me and saw Mister Irfan looking at me with puzzled eyes.

'Nothing' I wiped my face and got up from my chair to go inside the house. After lunch, I went to my room and fell asleep for so long that I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't get myself to sleep. After grabbing a quick bite from the kitchen, I went outside to sit by the pool. I was doing fine, but suddenly the thought of my parents came into my head and I started missing them terribly. Losing them was the biggest tragedy of my life, they weren't with me, but their memories were still bright in my mind. The accident which took my father from us still felt like it happened yesterday and the suffering from which my mother went through during her last days battling illness always left me questioning why they left us so soon.

'Stop' Mister Irfan stood in front of me to prevent me from leaving.

'What happened?' He studied my face with concern in his tone.

'I am fine' I finally looked into his eyes and I felt as if he could understand what I was feeling. I dropped my gaze and stepped away from him. He didn't know me at all. 

'I have to go' I excused myself and went inside. I spent the rest of the night in my room, looking at the ceiling with wide awaken eyes and lot of thoughts that were running inside my head. My life started out so simple with my parents and sister. One after another, I lost both my parents but never once Ayat made me feel like I was alone. Ayat and Hamza Bhai both took care of me as if I were their child, never once they ever made me feel like I didn't belong in their life. Hamza Bhai never asked Ayat to give me less attention so she can give him more time of her day but once Haniya was born I knew now it was time for Ayat to give her undivided attention to her child and her family. After completing college, I started applying for internship programs so I can move out and finally got accepted by a company in Amersdam. Life that started so small turned out so large, with so many inner battles and personal struggles. I always tried my best to look at the bright side and find something good even in worst of situations because losing people close to me made me realize how precious each moment was. Despite this world being a unfair place, it was all we had.

'As-Salaam-Alaikum Nano' I made my way downstairs as soon the first ray of sunlight came in through the windows of my room. Nano was sitting serenely in the living room, looking out at the backyard which was whirled by slight fog.

'Walaikum Assalam' She addressed me with a delightful smile as I joined her.

'You're up quite early' She said to me.

'I slept throughout the day yesterday so I couldn't sleep last night' I told her.

'Are you hungry? I'll go make something...' She was about to get up from her seat, but I stopped her.

'Nano, please...I'll go make something if that's okay?' I hurried and got up from my seat with her.

'Can I?' I asked her permission to use the kitchen.

'Of course, but let me join you' She proposed and we both went to the kitchen together.

'You want to listen to music?' I asked her as I put the teapot on stove. I didn't like using electric kettle to make tea, it didn't taste right.

'Sure' She laughed.

'I think listening to something nice and happy put us in a good mood' I told her as I put the playlist on with old classical songs which my father used to listen to when I was young. There was something magical about old music, it instantly uplifted my mood.

'You are too young to listen to this type of music' Nano smilied at me as she started tapping her fingers on the dining table while enjoying the rhythm of the music.