Ittefaq

10. Abyss

Still reeling over the sticky-note she slowly opened the door.

Not noticing the figure standing in the middle of her with her journal tightly grasped in his hands.

Still staring at the note, she mid-stepped on a small bag that was lying on her floorboard haphazardly and tripped.

She waited for the strong impact of the ground hitting her side but instead felt herself still in place, safe with a pair of strong arms around her.

She pushed her eyes wide open in panic when her brown orbs fell into his blue ones.

He was here.

Her right hand raised automatically and touched his beard-clad cheeks.

The first words to him, after a whole six months that came out of her mouth were, "You need a trim. Badly."

That turned the heavy atmosphere a bit lighter since Asfand chuckled at her and replied,"Yes. That I do."

He then carefully placed her on her bed and sat beside her, side-to-side, thigh-to-thigh and held her right hand in his left one.

It was as if he couldn't tolerate anymore physical distance from her which surprisingly made her feel relief because she felt just as same.

"I missed being close to you." He whispered, staring down at their entangled hands.

"I missed you. I never thought I would.. but, I did." She replied to him just as softly.

She gasped when she realized that this was real. He was here. That too in her bedroom!

"Asfi- how?! I mean, what are you- ?! Wait a second! Didn't you just tell Raisa aunty that you didn't want to meet me? Then how..." She mumbled through as she tried to make sense of what was going around her.

"Will you just shut up for awhile?" He asked her calmly, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Huh? Are you asking me to shut up?!" Zubiya exclaimed, narrowing her eyes at him.

How dare he!

"Yes. That's exactly what I asked you to do. Is this the way you welcome your whatever-I-am after almost six months?! By bombarding me with questions? No matter how much ever I missed listening to your voice, you are kinda annoying me right now." Asfi stated plainly which made Zubiya's anger boil on a higher level.

She stood up from the bed and exclaimed, "Excuse me? Am I being annoying to you?"

"Yes. Because never in my dreams would I ever say no to seeing you. Never mind my so-called-step-mother." Asfi replied softly as he reached for her hand and held it again. Pulling her close to himself he rested his forehead against hers as he stared into her dark orbs.

"Promise?" Zubiya asked, looking at him with an unknown uncertainty.

"Pinky Promise. How can I - when you have saved me from falling into a dark abyss?" He asked back.

"Asfi.." She said his name in a hoarse voice.

Asfi instead interrupted her by capturing her lips between his, momentarily shutting her up again. But this time in a more favorable way.. well, according to him.

After a whole minute, he pulled back breathing heavily against her, "I swear, I just went to heaven and came back."

His comment made her blush hard as well as chuckle aloud. She finally sat back beside him again and hid her face in his shirt.

"I never imagined how cheesy you can be, Asfi." She mumbled against his shirt.

"I can be more cheesier. You just need to experiment on me." He stated and gave her a wide grin, which made her break out in giggles.

"Shut up, Asfi!" Zubiya exclaimed as she poked him hard on his arm with her left hand which made her hiss in pain.

Asfi quickly held her left hand in his both, "Zubiya, how did this happen?!"

"Um.. I hit my car window?" She quietly replied.

Asfand gave her a hard look and said, "Let's take care of this first. And then.. we need to talk."

**************************************

Zubiya stared at her bandaged fingers while now and again nervously glancing up at Asfand who stood at her window, facing away from her.

"I think it's due time I do this. Since extravagance has never suited us.. this moment has also got to be like us.. unexpected. I wanted to do this the right way... but I think this is the right way.", Asfand began speaking as he slowly walked up to her, and then knelt on his left knee while holding up a ring  in front of her. "Zubiya Khalil, will you give me the greatest honor of being your husband?"

Zubiya stared at him with her mouth hanging open, before she slowly began nodding her head and whispered back, "Yes."

Unable to put the ring on her left hand, he chuckled softly as he slid the ring on her right hand.

This was so like them.

Because they never did things the right way and like every time, it turned out just perfect for them.