The Addiction of Love

IX

During the weekend, all Shayaan did was think about Zara. So when Monday finally arrived, he couldn't wait to reach college and see her.

Just as he was about to leave home, his ammi stopped him.

"Shayaan, did you finish your packing?" Anabia Baig asked her son.

"Packing for what?"

"Didn't I tell you yesterday that we've to go to Lucknow on Wednesday? It is your Abbu's friend's daughter's wedding." She reminded him.

Shayaan did remember his mother informing him something yesterday, but he was distracted by Zara's thoughts and didn't pay much attention to her.

"Ammi, why would I have to go to abbu's friend's daughter's wedding?"

"Because Ibrahim Sahab has invited us all." She told him.

Shayaan was in a hurry to leave, so he said to his mother, "Ammi, can we please discuss this when I come back? I have to go now."

He gave her a quick hug and walked out of the main door, but not before saying Allah Hafiz.

Exactly at 9:00, he entered the classroom and his eyes directly went to the seat where Zara usually sat, but to his utter disappointment, that seat was empty. Her other friends were there, just not her.

Maybe she was late in waking up and couldn't reach on time. He thought in his mind.

But the next day as well, Zara didn't show up. She couldn't sleep in late for two consecutive days that Shayaan knew. She was over that habit of hers. He badly wanted to ask her friends where she was, but he controlled himself.

However when she didn't come to the class on the third day as well, his patience ran out. So when his lecture got over, he stopped Shivaansh from leaving.

"Why isn't Zara attending the lectures?" He tried to sound as formal as he could.

"She has gone home, sir." Shiv replied.

"Home?"

"Yes, Lucknow. It was her cousin's wedding. She'll be back next week." Shiv informed him.

When Shayaan heard that, a bell rang in his mind. Lucknow, wedding.

He instantly called up his mother.

"Ammi, what was the name of abbu's friend? The one whose daughter is getting married."

"Akhtar Ibrahim. Why?" She spoke.

Ibrahim. Zara Ibrahim.

He connected the dots and said to his mother, "I'm coming for the wedding."

Anabia was surprised to hear that. She had been trying to convince him from the past two days, but he didn't give in. What changed suddenly that he was ready to go?

After hanging up the call with her, Shayaan applied for leave, finished taking his other lectures of the day, went home, and packed his luggage.

They had a night flight, so by the time they reached the Ibrahim Mansion in Lucknow, it was past dinner time.

Akhtar Ibrahim, along with his wife Yaseen, welcomed the Baig family. They were shown their rooms where they freshened up, and then came down for dinner.

The whole time Shayaan's eyes kept roaming around in hope that he might find the girl for whom he'd come to Lucknow, but luck wasn't on his side.

After dinner, his parents went to their room , while Shayaan went to the room beside theirs.