𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐘𝐀𝐀𝐓

𝟬𝟮. 𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂

"What are you busy with, care to share?" Meerab asks walking towards the kitchen platform where Dua was sitting clinging like a five-year-old. It has been pretty long since she prepared breakfast for both of them along with coffee and her friend was rather engrossed in the laptop to even look around.

Dua closes her laptop and looks at Meerab grins "I was wondering if we can plan a vacation, your birthday is around. Maybe we can celebrate it somewhere, like out of the country?" she said almost doubting.

Meerab nods slightly giving a thoughtful look "So what exactly you were searching about, locations or how to get permission from family for vacation?" she made an effort to sound serious but ended up grinning. Dua makes an annoyed face "Meerabbb" she said chiming like a five-year-old demanding another chocolate.

"What Meerab? You know neither Baba nor your father is gonna agree to let us go anywhere alone, don't even think about it at least right now. We can plan something later-" Meerab ensured making her nod in agreement. "Coffee? Should I make one for you" Meerab questions raising her eyebrows? Tho a mug near the washbasin tells she already had one even before Meerab woke up.

"I already had one" she sighs

Meerab nods positively before she spoke again "I was thinking we should go back home, it's three days since our exams are finished" Meerab said. She didn't wanted to go back home in the first place but last night she thought carefully about all. A conclusion she figure out was she is just overthinking and then Maa Begum wasn't standing at the entrance of Khan mansion with the groom ready for her to get married.

"What about London?" Dua questions getting down from the kitchen platform and keeping her laptop aside, she side hugged Meerab leaned her head against her shoulder making Meerab almost startle at a place "Are you sure? You want to go, I'm gonna miss you so much" she said making her friend smile. It's understandable, they have been together since childhood from school, university to law college.

"Depends on how the negotiation goes like-" Meerab said smiling off at her friend's cuteness. "So you will go?" she asks in a baby voice pretending to be emotional which only seems dramatic to Meerab, she knows her best friend too well to believe her dramatic tactics.

Meerab nods recklessly making her move away "Iss aacha toh maa begum tumhari shaadi he kara de" Dua senseless spoke making her chuckle, accepting her non-serious statements. "You anyway have two options available, Azhaan and Murtasim─whomever you like to get married with" she added shrugging off her shoulders. When it's about Meerab's potential groom it's Azhaan whom Dua seeks for her best friend but taking Murtasim's name always pissed off her and it was her job to do so, since childhood.

( It's better Maa Begum get you married )

Never in dreams, she can imagine Meerab marrying her Murtasim bhai. Them together seems like the end of the world and as far as she knows, they will die before agreeing to do so. And then it's not a secret to her that Azhaan does have feelings for Meerab tho she refused to believe finding it irrelevant to believe and using the same excuse 'he never hinted anything such to me' while Azhaan was waiting for Meerab to complete her law studies so that he can respectfully ask Meerab's hand to Maa Begum.

Azhaan is like an elder brother to Dua, after Meerab she shares a good bond with him, and hence the man who couldn't accept his feelings in front of anyone nevertheless did confess same to her and requested to keep it a secret unless he has guts to take another step.

Meerab frowns "Let me be clear about this, none of them are an option for me. It's ridiculous to consider anyone as a second option in your life or as a backup plan. And for God's sake, stop saying it loud every time, you might unknowingly give an idea to maa begum and then I'll be the one dealing with consequences" she sighs knowing that now when she has made mind to return home she has to make her best friend understand this. Dua can't keep murmuring about her past crush on Azhaan and trying to connect her with Murtasim when they can't even stand each other.