Blooming Love

⬆

The night was pitch black hiding everyone's secrets inside the darkness.
Irtaza's shirtless form seemed to be the only humane thing in this midnight.
A cigarette in his calloused hands that he was burning his lungs with.

"Who's there?"
A familiar dulcet voice had him stop in his tracks as he turned around to greet the person.
It was her indeed.
Maha Shehbaaz.
She looked bewitching ...
Her almond shaped eyes were half open and slightly red , as if she had just woken up from a heavy sleep.
Her eyes always reminded him of a scared deer , her face was the manifestation of innocence , pink lips parted in a gasp and her veil less form wasn't helping the situation either.
Dressed in a loose white shirt that reached her lower thighs paired with pyjamas.
She was creating a contrast against the night.

"Tum idhar Kiya kar rhy ho?"
What are you doing here ?
His voice was slightly husky and she could feel shivers running down her spine.
Now noticing his shirtless form that was a head taller than her.
Her eyes averted as she tried to control her swift heartbeats.

"Wo..Water"
The Maha he knew was impudent and this girl in front of him was demure.
Now he realized how this situation was untoward.
Him towering over her , shirtless and she wasn't covered properly with a veil ; this may seem misleading to anyone at first glance.

"Acha..Go to your room"
As if she was waiting for him to say that, she tampered back to her room and his eyes lingered on her hairs that were swaying on her back.

~

Irtaza was questioning his life choices while glowering at the insolent brats who were shoving pizza down their throats.
Shaking his head , remembering how his Ammu forced him to take these brats out.
His charcoal black eyes were repeatedly examining Maha Shehbaaz , who was eating pizza like no one was watching, he disapprovingly stared at her lips stained with marinara sauce, dressed in a sky blue cotton shirt , white tights and a matching veil , She was looking like an angel but he controlled his thoughts because angels won't eat this messily in a public place, or maybe they would, who knows ?

"Maha! Since you like pizza that much, we will marry you off to a pizza place honour or maybe a pizza delivery guy? Kya khayal hai?"
It was Murtaza , who was amusingly staring at Maha.

"No! I'll marry a businessman who's just like baba"
Her voice was loud and several people who were sitting near their table were quick to stare at Maha because of her comical reply.
Irtaza cleared his throat and angrily gazed down at Maha , who was slightly embarrassed.

"Maha how many time do I have to tell you to think before speaking? Also parhai par dehan do aese batain aenda nhi sunnon main"
He scolded , he had enough of their shit.

"Irtaza bhai, why you always scold me? Murtaza bhai started it first"
Irtaza pinched the bridge of his nose, ughh how he wanted to shut that little mouth of hers using his lips.
Unconsciously staring at her pink plump lips , he was having some not so pious thoughts.
Irtaza haider! You disgusting old hag; she's literally 10 years younger than you.
So, what? She's not your sister , you can have these thoughts about her.
His conscience was trying to defend him.
There she was laughing at something his brother said , throwing her head back , her pearl white teeths on display, Such a carefree laugh.
Irtaza sighed coldly and averted his penetrating gaze from Maha.
She is just a child.

~

"Uff Ami ji, nothing of that sort is going to happen , InshAllah"
It was Shehbaaz chacha, Maha's father.
His Dadi was lying on her bed, Irtaza  could see the deepening dark circles and traces of wrinkles on her ivory face , She looked sick.

"No, Shehbaaz! I'm telling you, I'm on my death bed , I can feel it"
Irtaza felt his heart clenching at the thought of losing his Dadi , She was sick and already had her two heart attacks , it was painful to watch her slowly draining her health.
Growing up, he was the closest to his Dadi , out of all other kids , maybe because he was the first child of the family.

"Ama, Please aese mat bolain"
Please don't say that.
Razak chachu said in a painful voice,
His wife Armeena chachi were weeping softly , his own mother, was softly shedding tears.

"Haider beta, come here, Fatima you also"
Dadi was motioning his parents to sit on the bed beside her.

"Haider, Fatima... beta after me, you guys have to take care of everyone, tum log bary ho ghar keh"
Irtaza anxiously scratched the back of his neck and stared at his elders , he was the only one here, in this room , apart from his elders.
Those insolent brats were somewhere in the house and weren't allowed in the room because of the adult's talk.

"I want to make some decisions for you all, I hope you all will understand me and have the insight of the future"
Everyone in the room was silent, waiting for Dadi to make her next statement.

"I want Irtaza and Maha guriya to get married, Irtaza is already 28, I want to watch him get married before I die"
Irtaza stared at Dadi in shock, his neck movement was so fast that he could have gotten a whiplash.

"Ama Maha toh bohat choti hai abhi"
Maha is still very young
Shehbaaz chachu was quick to oppose Dadi but he still have respect in his tone.
Irtaza was thankful for that, his own mind was short circuiting, Maha and him? Wtf ? 

"I know beta, but you all know how Maha is, you think she would be able to live a happy and carefree life with someone else? You think they would be that understanding? Main nhi chahti Maha guriya badal jaye or uski massomiyat chali jaye"
Dadi was explaining , Irtaza could see his parents considering the decision.
What the heck? I hope Shehbaaz chacha and Farheen chachi will deny.

"Ama, I accept your decision"
Haider sahib said , dropping a bomb on irtaza's head.
Baba, shadi mainy Karni hai, mujhse toh pochen....

"What about you Shehbaaz, Farheen? You both can take your time and then decide"

"Ji Ama, we need sometime to think"
Irtaza was fuming, why do they need time to think? That means they will try to consider it ?
Him and Maha ? That little brat?  That's a huge fucking NO

He stormed outside the room , how can his elders make his life decisions? It was his life for fuçks sake.
Taking a turn in the corridor, he was collided with a floral soft body,  the overpowering smell of valina surrounded the air around him.

"Irtaza bhai sorry I.."
It was her indeed, Maha Shehbaaz.

"Stay away from me Maha"
Growling, his eyes had something unexplainable that scared her.
She swallowed back the snarky comment that she would have delivered in this situation.

Maha watched him tampering away,
What did he meant? I haven't pranked him , why was he mad?

_

Do you guys like it? It's unedited.
Don't mind the mistakes.