Love for Rent

x Piano x

'Hey, we are here' I felt a nudge on my shoulder, and I opened my eyes and stared at Shahzaib, who looked away as soon I noticed him.

'We are home' He cleared his throat and got out of the car. I got out of the car and looked at an exquisite home in front of me. I was far from home. I had never been close to a house so big in my entire life. It wasn't obnoxiously big, but it was in an affluent neighborhood and looked posh.

I was too stunned by looking at the house that I almost forgot Shahzaib was waiting for me. I turned and saw him gazing at me instead. He questioned me with his eyes when he noticed my startled face.

'I don't get it,' I said on my way to him.

'Don't get what?' He took out our bags from the trunk of the car.

'Why do you need money when you're already rich?' I went to get my bag, but he stopped me and asked me to ring the doorbell instead.

'You are such a mystery,' I said while waiting for someone to open the door.

'And you? What are you hiding?' I heard him say from behind as he inched closer to me, teasing me.

'I am not hiding anything' I peeked at him and caught him staring at me intently. Before I could say anything, he took my hand in his and gave it a little squeeze just in time when someone opened the door, and I saw his brother. Before coming here, he showed a picture of everyone, so I knew who everyone was. Shahzaib's little brother Yusaf was three years younger than him and married his childhood friend right after college, named Kanwal. They had a seven-year-old son named Saif.

'We have been waiting all day for you, man,' Yusaf said before coming to hug his brother.

'I am Yusaf, welcome home Seher' He welcomed me nicely and invited us in. 

I didn't know what to expect, but all the assumptions I had in my mind quickly disappeared when I met the rest of the family. I always wondered what kind of people lived in such big houses. I thought they would be arrogant and show off their money. Yes, they were rich, but they were humane. Shahzaib's grandmother held me so lovingly when I met her that for a moment, I didn't know how to react. It felt like they were all waiting for me instead of Shahzaib. Then I met Kanwal, who made me a cup of tea and offered to show me around the house after dinner. We sat together for a while, and Shahzaib did most of the talking while I stayed safe with saying with few words here and there. 

I was just observing everyone and soaking all this new change. I was thinking how different our world was for the rich and poor. In my house, there was dirt everywhere, even when we cleaned our house every day, but I could hardly spot any dirt from anyone. Did the dust also choose the homes of the poor on purpose? Did the wind also favor the people with money and keep them safe from all dust and pollution.

'Is everyone okay?' I heard Shahzaib's grandmother asking me.

'No, I am fine' I smiled at her politely.

'I'll go get started on dinner. Seher, your bags are in the room already. Would you like me to show you your room?' Kanwal asked me a while later.

'It's okay, I'll take her,' Shahzaib quickly said, and Kanwal smiled at her husband before going to the kitchen.

'Of course, you'll manage,' His brother said in a joking tone, and Shazaib knocked his head before coming to me to take me to his room. When we got inside the room, I saw all our bags were already there.

He closed the bedroom door behind him, and we both looked at the bed and then at each other.

'We'll manage,' I said to myself and went to grab some things out of my bag.