She nods and they both forge ahead to canteen. During the walk to the canteen, none of them break the ice whereas sitting opposite to each other on the chairs around the table Aazam does so. "You were excellent in presentation.. I'm happy that I joined you all."
Sara says without even eyeing him, " you too."
Aazam comes under the spell of her eyes full of innocence and shyness, and is stuck of her beauty and simplicity.
For a few moments he is unable to move his sight away from her face.
Sara raises her head when the waiter comes and serves coffee to them, Aazam's still watching her with fixed eyes apart from the obstacles of the movement of waiter's arms while serving coffee.
"If you don't mind, can I say you something Sara??", asks Aazam hesitatingly.
Sara looks at his face with questioning expressions and says, "Yes, say what you have to say, I'll not mind."
"You are very beautiful..", After saying this Aazam downs his eyes from her face. But listening it Sara first looks at him as if she made a mistake in hearing, but when Aazam's down eyes confirm his words, she too leans her eyes again and says, " thanks for the compliment."
At once he raises his head and casts his eyes on her blushing face. He just smiles in answer as he didn't expect such reaction of her.
There's silence again between them but have a lot of words to deliver... Sara wants to give him the same compliment but she's neither hasty nor over-excited like other girls, she wisely manages the situation and keeps silence.
They both take coffee, she continuously keeps her eyes down but Aazam notices her each action, the journey of her hand holding the cup to her lips then again the putting of cup on the table, he doesn't miss any of her moves. He just can't keep away his sight from her and all he is doing right now is being done unconsciously.
They have some formal talk with one another, Sara again feels someone's presence, someone keeping an eye on her, she again feels a sort of pleasure. She raises her eyes and finds Aazam's eyes on her." I can't understand, what's this??" , she asks herself but finds no answer she starts looking here and there to avoid Aazam's eyes when she sees Jiya and Fahad coming to them. They two also join them and the time passes.
~~~~~~~~~~
" For the prettiest, the most intelligent and the most lovable lady... ", Sara reads a note folded and attached with a small gift box she finds put upon his seat while about to sit. She checks around her, but can't find any concerning person. She picks the box hesitatingly and unfolds the note.. Her eyes widen to read the writing on it, and a smile appears on her face.
"I'm honored that my letter is being read by you.... I don't know what to say and how to say.. I've not done something like this ever before. Sara, I can't find words, but all I want is acceptance of this minor gift.... If you wear it I'll be honored more.. Only yours..."
A restlessness appears on her face when she can't find the name of the sender.
"What the hell.. Who's the sender?? Name has not been written..", she whispers confusingly. She takes the box and opens it, she's surprised to see what's in the box: a beautiful and decent silver necklace. She smiles again and puts that in the box so as to hide it from others and as if she has understood who the sender is. She puts it into her bag and starts studying but her concentration is not on study.
~~~~~~~~~
Like many other past nights, he's unable to sleep tonight too. He is laying on his bed with books scattered around him.Whenever he tries to close his eyes, a face just keeps coming in front of his eyes: a face of both innocence and confidence and of beauty and simplicity. He just can't shun what's going on in his heart, it's like a storm that can't be calm easily.
"Oh God.. Get me out of this please...", he murmurs with tightly closed eyes and joining his hands. But at once he opens his eyes and says," or get me to its depth... Along with her...." and again closes his eyes. His hands fall on his chest but he keeps murmuring," please... Give me Sara.. It looks impossible to get through it without her.. You made me fall in love with her, now let me succeed in it.. Please make her mine and me hers.. Please.."
Suddenly he opens his eyes as if he has got an idea to deal with his love and restlessness. He jumps quickly down his bed and sits kneeling down by his side table. He opens a drawer in the bottom of the table and takes out a small box. Again he sits on the bad and opens the box and smiles to see what's inside it. He takes out a beautiful and decent necklace out of that box. In the light if side lamp the necklace is shimmering and that shimmer is adding more to his smile or actually to his pleasure.
"I think I should do it now, though its too early but.... I'm helpless..", he says to him. " but it'll get me her answer, I know she'll not readily accept it but....", he stops and sighs. " no, for me its now or never... I'll face whatever her reaction would be... But,,,, I can't bear her anger and hatred afterwards...", he stops again and looks outside the window, wind is flapping the curtains, and the atmosphere outside attracts him as there is sophistication in the room, or actually within himself. He unconsciously walks to the window and stands calmly there, peeps outside and closes his eyes. Then backs with the window and opens his wist and sees the necklace. "I don't know why I have firm belief that you'll accept and wear it Sara, I can imagine you wearing this..". He closes his eyes again and feels the air as if it's telling him to do what he wanna do, as if it's his supporter. He smiles and opens his eyes, and says to himself again, " I'll not tell you my name Sara, you'll have to recognize your lover yourself and I'm sure you'll. My love will not disappoint me and neither will do my God."
~~~~~~~~~
She enters her bedroom and switches on the lights, she's looking very tired and immediately lays on her bed but keeps her bag close to her and is staring it continuously. But actually in her mind she's just thinking exactly what she has been thinking since when she got into the library. She couldn't discuss it even with Jiya.
She sits and unzip her bag, takes out the box and starts gazing it. She smiles and then takes out the necklace inside it, holds it tightly in her hand and stands herself before the mirror of the dressing table, holds the both ends of necklace in a way that in the reflection in the mirror she looks as if she is wearing it.
"No Sara... What are you going to do?," she hears a voice within her.
"Why are you becoming so hasty, you are not even sure about who he is.. How??, you're not so foolish..! He'll take you too easily if finds you accepting this.. No you can't do this..." She puts the necklace into the box again while shaking her head.
" You are to stay strong Sara, and you can do it.." , she says to herself looking back in the mirror.
~~~~~~~~~~
"Thank God..! He's all right..." Sara says and takes a breath of satisfaction.
In college she got a call on her mobile about her father's accident. She got out of senses and arrived hospital as soon as she could. Now she's sitting outside the emergency ward. One of her servants offers her water." No. Thanks." She replies him, " Did you bring him here?", the servant shakes his head in negation. "Then who else?" She inquires. The servant points towards the men standing with doctor.
Her eyes widen and she stands up unintentionally because of wonder. Aazam is there and his presence is surprising her. "Where is he going?", she whispers seeing him going outside with an other man whose back she can see only.
"Sara madam!",she hears a voice, "Sara madam!".
"Yea, I'm listening. Speak.",she says without turning to her servant.
"Sara madam, Hashim sir is calling you in room." She turns quickly and runs into the room and finds her father smiling. Tears starts appearing in her eyes and she sits near to her father.
"Hey!.. My princess I'm all right. You don't need to worry my sweetheart. Your father is strong enough. Hmm", Mr. Hashim says while Mrs Hashim comes near Sara and kisses her hands. "Don't worry dear, he's fine. Now just pray for his recovery."
Sara nods, wipes her tears and smiles. "I'm really thankful to my God who sent him to help me," says Mr Hashim to Sara.
"Who was he baba?", Sara inquires as if she doesn't know.
"He's outside.", adds Mrs Hashim.
Sara is sitting there in the ward with her parents, listening them and smiling but her thoughts are somewhere else, where he can see him vividly without any doubt, without any mist....
~~~~~~~~~~
"I'm honored to have this Aazam, thank you for everything.... ", she's wearing the necklace now as she has find out her lover and rather her own love.
Its looking beautiful around her neck but she thinks that nothing else can suit her more than this. She's too proud wearing it and is smiling continuously starring her in the mirror but with a little moisture in her eyes..
Gr8 writing!!!
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