محبت میں نہیں ہے فرق جینے اور مرنے کا
اسی کو دیکھ کر جیتے ہیں جس کافر پر دم نکلے
Muhabat mein nahi hai faraq jeenay or marnay ka
Ussi ko dekh ker jeetay hain jis kafir per dam nikalay
~Mirza Ghalib
"Damn it! Signal bhi nahi aa rahay." Someone said, followed by the sound of a hand slamming against the steering wheel, startling me from my deep slumber.
I stretched my limbs, looking at the surroundings. The sky had grown gloomy, and it was pelting down rain. While the time struck 8:30, which meant that it had been an hour and a half since we left my parent's home and since I had been asleep.
Coal had moved from my lap and was now in a loaf shape, lounging on the dashboard directly in front of Zain, his eyes lock on him.
"Hum yaha kiyun ruk gaye hain?" I sniffled a yawn and asked him.
"Aisay he, mein nay socha mosam bohat acha hai toh kiyun nah bheech sarak ussay enjoy kiya jaye." His voice was laced with sarcasm as he gave me a taunting smile.
Coal hissed at him.
'Good boy,' I thought, mentally taking a note to give him treats later.
"Acha socha apnay." I returned his smile, blinking my eyes in fake innocence. "Waisay agar yahi kahi kareeb pakoro ko dukan hoti toh or bhi ziada acha hota, nahi?"
He looked at me like I was stupid, opened his mouth but decided it was best he didn't say anything, closed it, shook his head, and looked out the window at the raging storm.
"Faida kiya itni mehngi gari lenay ka agar ussnay bheech sarak he ruk jana tha." I scoffed, picking Coal up from where he sat and placing him back on his lap.
"Tum soti hoi ziada behtar thi,"
"Or ap chup." I shot back immediately.
He tilted his head toward me, his gaze piercing.
I blinked my eyes at him, smiling sweetly, and our eyes stayed locked, drowning out the surroundings behind us. His eyes darkened, stealing the smile from my face.
Zain's phone rang, stealing our attention. He picked it up, and I turned myself towards the backseat to grab one of the tiffins my mother had packed for us for the long journey.
I opened it, and taking a spoon, I made myself busy eating the gajar ka halwa. Taking some on the pad of my fingers and gave it to Coal, who licked it off eagerly.
"Haan, hello Murad, yaar meri gari band ho gai hai. Tum yaha, hello? Hello, Murad?" The phone cut off thanks to the low signals, and Zain let out a curse under his breath, throwing his phone into his lap.
"Yeh bhi aj he hona tha," he muttered through clenched teeth.
"Ap thori deir ruk jaye, barish bhi ruk jaye gi. Ap yeh gajar ka halwa lein." I offered, thrusting the box of gajar ka halwa in his direction.
The stare he gave me made me withdraw.
"Okay, marzi apki." I shrugged, turning back towards the halwa.
BINABASA MO ANG
Yaar-e-Bereham
RomanceHis foot steps fell near the bed as he pulled out a velvet box from his Kameez pocket. Twisting it in his hand, his lips formed into a sneer as he threw it in my lap. I looked up at him with slightly wide eyes, confusion filled in them. "Mun dekha...
