Far Away Love ✓

√chapter twenty nine

Zainab's POV

The melodious sound of azaan reverberated in the lulled surrounding which actually brought me out of sleep. I felt a strong pang of pain in my back and legs. Without understanding anything, I opened my eyes and my jaw dropped discerning where I was laying.

I was still squatting down on the carpeted floor near Shaiq's couch and his hand was still intertwined in mine--the same position when I came to him in the night. I must have dozed off there. The interior of the room was still visible to me due to the night bulb which was bathing everything in faint blue color. Shaiq was still sleeping and seeing his calm and relaxed face, a smile appeared on my lips and I literally forgot every pain and uneasiness. This was legit the first time he didn't leave the room before me post coming back and the fact itself sounded so pleasant to me. I place his hand back on his stomach as I crept near him. I leaned closer to him and traced his features with my index finger; his forehead, his eyes, his cheekbones, his nose, and lastly his lips.

My finger along with my stare stopped on his lips which were a mixture of brown and pink colors. I followed the outline of his lips with my thumb. How much I missed his everything. Why did I deprive myself of his love, his warmth, and his touch? Could I not be a little selfish at that time? How much I loved the feel of his gentle and warm lips on mine when he kissed me back then. Despite that, I pushed him away from me. I bent over and pecked his cheek while inhaling his scent which smelled nothing but sandalwood.

"Give me a chance, Shaiq, and I will set everything in its place," I whispered while unknowingly a tear fell from my eye.

I wiped my right cheek with my palm before standing up. I was not sure what time it was but it would surely not be more than seven as it was the fajar time and the reason I woke up was due to my uncomfortable sleeping position. 

I went straight into the bathroom and performed wudhu. After coming back into the room, I covered myself in a big shawl, laid down the prayer mat, and said my fajar prayer. After the namaz, I spread both palms in front of my face for dua.

"Oh Allah, YOU are the most gracious and most merciful. YOU are Almighty Allah who just commands: be and it happens. Please give my Shaiq back to me. Please let him become the Shaiq who was my best friend again. YOU said YOU don't burden a soul beyond it can bear and now I cannot bear Shaiq's anger and stranger self. Give him back to me, Oh Allah. Please give him back to me..." I stopped as I was sobbing from tears now. I swept my hands across my face before getting up.

I folded the prayer mat and delicately placed it back on the study table. It was already seven as I could see the time on the clock hanging on the front wall of the room. I needed to leave for my office too. I again laid a glance on Shaiq who was still sleeping. My eyebrows gritted in confusion. Why was he not waking up? Perhaps he didn't have to go to his work today. I nodded lazily as I mentally assured myself of the same thing before going back to the washroom to take a bath.

As I was drying my hair with a towel, I peeked through the mirror to find Shaiq finally waking up. He sat up and rubbed his eyes with his fist as his stare found my figure and he stopped his movement. I turned around and gave him my best smile whose gaze was still fixed on me.

"Will you go to your office today?" I asked him.

He nodded his head before his eyes narrowed in confusion. "Why did you ask?"

"You were still sleeping that's why I thought you are going to take a break today, " I replied, truthfully.

"No breaks, to be honest. I just joined someone's business as his partner and I just can't skip work like this whenever I want. I need to be regular despite how much I hate to wake up early in the morning," he explained while a faint smile crossed his lips.