Last First Chance (Al-Ameen Family Spin-Off)

Nobody

Jumping between point of views in this chapter today, enjoy! 

MAHEEN

I don't like today. Naina's wedding allowed me to forget some of the crappy feelings that come up at this time of the year but I can't ignore it today.

I forced myself out of bed and through a morning routine to get ready for work. Over breakfast, I contemplated calling sick into work but then decided against it. Naina was off on her honeymoon for two weeks, so my training days with her were paused. Instead, she left me a detailed schedule of things to do to keep my progress going. Today was day 5 of my daily cardio and my legs were throbbing. In addition to my head, my back, my heart, and basically everything else also hurt.

I didn't take my sunglasses off even after I entered the building. The people around me probably thought I was hungover. But I wasn't. Just dealing with my mom's 9th death anniversary. Regular Monday stuff.

I spotted Hasan at the photocopies and took a beeline to my desk.

Yes I was avoiding him.

At Naina's reception, her sister-in-law Zinat chatted me up. Turns out she knows my dad's sister. And she also has a brother who she wants to set me up with.

The two days of Naina and Armaan's wedding seemed like a century ago. All these old, uncomfortable feelings for Hasan I refused to acknowledge came bubbling up to the surface. I forgot what he did and let him weasel his way back into my brain with his stupid biceps and his annoying face.

Zinat's conversation was just salt in the wound, reminding me of the many messages from my aunts and grandma I continued to ignore about getting married.

I was 26 now, almost 27. I can't really come up with a real reason to ignore them any longer. Zinat said she was going to have her mom talk to my aunt, and I stupidly agreed not knowing what else to say.

I mean, why would I say no? It's not like I was in a relationship with anyone or had feelings for someone. I definitely did not have feelings for anyone.

I groaned internally, looking over at the clock on the wall. 10:56 AM.

"Maheen," Hasan's voice startles me and I almost knock the cup of pens I have on my desk over.

"Hasan," I sigh before turning around with a blank expression.

"You're avoiding me," he crosses his arms across his chest.

"No I'm not," I grit. I hear some shuffling in the cubicle beside mine and we both turn our heads. My nosy neighbor is probably back at his desk. "Kuch kaam tha? (Did you need something)," I turn back to Hasan.

"Kuch hua hai tumhe? (Is something going on with you?)," his eyes are scanning my desk, looking for an answer that he wasn't going to find there.

"Main bilkul theek hoon. In fact, mujhe itna kaam hai aaj ke yeh befizool ki baaton ke liye mere paas time nahi hai (I am perfectly fine. In fact, I have so much work to do today that I don't have a second to spare for mindless chitchat). So if you will please excuse me)," I give him my best robot smile and swivel my chair back around to my laptop.

"Fine," he sounds irritated and a part of me delights at getting under his skin. "I'm emailing you the surveillance itinerary. Naina got the clearance for you. We're heading out next Thursday after lunch."

Excitement perks up inside me at the thought of getting out in the field but I also feel bad for being mean. I spin in my chair again, watching him walk away.