Match Made In Moonlight ✓

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When Haider reached his room after getting himself a good amount of smoking to burn away the internal upheaval raging in his insides, the presence of that girl on his bed again aggravated it. A woman being so close to his personal belongings was not a sight he would want to see any day. But here he had to bear it.

For the time, Haider remained out, whiffing packs of cigarettes standing in the cool air, he had tried to calm himself down. This girl was just his temporary wife; someone who would just remain here for a few months. She was not someone on whom he should lash out his hatred for women. After all, it would be she who would bring him permanent relief from all this marriage fiasco.

Haider's eyes locked on her figure. Ishmal was sleeping soundly. Her long hair was spread out on the white pillow. She was hugging the duvet near to her chest. Something again clenched his stomach at the spectacle of his personal things being used by someone else. But he abated this feeling soon. If he wanted everything to happen according to his wish, he had to overlook the fact that a woman had come into his life.

Picking up his pillow, he made his way towards the couch. Perhaps he really needed a good sleep right now. However, he wasn't sure he could get it on this small couch.

                     __________________

When Ishmal woke up in the morning, she was totally unaware of what happened last night due to so much sleep in her eyes. Hence when she found Haider standing beside the bed, she stifled a gasp due to surprise. Bit by bit, the realization hit her and then her gaze went towards the couch which was giving a living proof of the thing that Haider had slept on it previous night.

What would he say now? Would he again get mad at her? After all, she used his bed without any agreement between them. He didn't wake up like it happened on their wedding night. Maybe their talk from earlier had restrained him from doing so. But right now, she didn't know what would come about. Haider's dark and stern aura already gave her goosebumps and nightmares at night.

He was in his police uniform at that time. Possibly got ready for his duty. Perhaps he wasn't focused on her as she was hallucinating. Instead, he was searching for his watch on the bed's side table. And to both of their disappointment, it was the place where he had kept his branded watch before he took off from his work.

Haider's hand stopped momentarily when he noticed that Ishmal was awake. Laying a small glance at her, he paused. He didn't want to but he had to. There was an odd charm behind this. Ishmal's eyes had pink streaks in them due to sleep, her cheeks were blushed and her hair was disheveled. Yet it wasn't what which made Haider still. The way her hand moved speedily to grab her dupatta and cover her body was something that fascinated him.

It shouldn't but it did, just the same way her sleepy look did. His gaze did a journey of her figure which she had hidden right now. He felt intrigued. He sensed he was lost for the very first time.  Like a marvel that he didn't know he wanted and wished for.

Getting nervous by his steady state, Ishmal ruffled a few strands of hair behind her ear. She strived to get out of the bed which actually brought Haider out of his thoughts. And when he acknowledged what was happening, something inside him hit him hard. What the hell was this? Why was he doing this? Why did Ishmal start to fascinate him? Why instead of hating her, he was feeling that appeal from her?

Taking a deep breath, he tied the watch to his wrist. Maybe it was something that was buried deep inside of him. Something that was natural and didn't mind what was realistic and out of his control.

Ishmal bit her lower lip and stood up. She had felt his eyes on her and this rendered her feel strange. No disgust, no embarrassment, and no contempt, she deduced from this small moment. It was something else that had put a different rhythm to her heartbeats.