Noor e Mehtab ||MOONLIGHT||

• When Eyes Meet •

•______________•

“ A sky full of stars
and he was staring at her”

_Atticus_

•______________•

The next day welcomed an energetic morning.
Sun rose from the horizon as birds chirped spreading their wings and soaring high in the sky, basking in the soft golden hues of the sun.

The morning hues of rising sun touched the surfaces of leaves making the dew drops accumulated on them to glisten ever so beautifully.

In the vast dining hall of the extravagant white and brown haveli, the family sat devouring the mouth watering breakfast.
The sweet aroma wafted across the air, tingling one's nostrils and itching their taste buds.

"Ruqaiyya called and asked to inform when the baraat leaves. Azfar and Basit should be there at their haveli beforehand to see if everything's going on smoothly".
Sajjida mami spoke gaining everyone's attention.

Than she turned towards Meer who was sitting across her.

"Shahmeer, beta when you go, also take the sweet baskets and garlands with you".
Sajjida Mami spoke earning a nod from Meer who was silently sipping his tea.
His face serious and frame looking as if he was disturbed by something.
His brows furrowed indicating he was deep in thoughts.
The lips of his pursed slightly as his gaze remained fixed on the empty plate.

"Shanzay, beta pass the butter to me".
Shanzay's attention was snapped back from Meer's serious frame towards her mother who sat beside her asking her to pass the plate of butter.

Shanzay immediately nodded complying as she passed her the plate.
She poured some milk in the glass and drank it slowly while turning her gaze back to Meer's tensed frame.
Eventhough Meer normally remained serious and smiled less often, but still, he was never like this.
He seemed a little depressed and kind of.....sad?
He was even more quiet today than usual.
It worried Shanzay as she kept gazing at his frame but Shahmeer never raised his head and met her gaze.
She could only heave out a soft helpless sigh.
What was making him so bothered?

"Why aren't you eating anything properly? The baraat would leave in the afternoon and I think we'll have the lunch at Mahi baji's haveli. Eat so you won't feel hungry later".
Zainab who was sitting beside her on left side elbowed her softly.

She immediately snapped out of her thoughts as she shook her head speaking in a low voice,
"Oh, it's alright. I don't have much appetite".

Zainab sighed softly,
"Udhar Shahmeer aur idhar tum, dono hi bezaar nazar arahay ho".

Shanzay turned towards her slightly as she placed the glass on table and murmured in a low tone ,
"What is wrong with Meer? Did something happen"?
She spoke taking a sneak peek at Meer who seemed to be listening carefully to his baray chacha with the white teacup in his hand.
His plate remained empty indicating that he hadn't touched anything on the table.

Zainab shrugged,
"No idea, he was with chachu and dada jaan last night when they were having a mini conference. Who knows what happened . But I think that he infuriated dada jaan again".

Shanzay's brows twitched in confusion,
"Infuriated"?

Zainab sighed softly,
"You don't know na. Dada jaan nodoubt loves Shahmeer bhai dearly but trust me he is the one who is most against Shahmeer too. He never approved of him becoming a police officer and the things that followed later.
Unintentionally, even if Shahmeer doesn't want, he makes Dado infuriated and displeased".