What is love?

16. Complicated

Ever since Wasim started working as a volunteer, amongst the many things he had learnt was to expect the unexpected. And he had been doing so just fine until then.

He had certainly not expected that girl to so bravely offer to donate the money her parents had left behind for her, despite not earning herself.

And even more surprisingly, he had not expected to be so impressed by what she did.

After ensuring that Ahmed and his little family were on their way to the airport, Wasim returned to the rest of his team, only to find out that Ismail had dismissed them for the rest of the evening, seeing as he himself had to go and organise immediate flights for those from abroad who were in Ghazni with his contacts.

As he retired to the room he was allocated, one which he shared with Hamdan, Faizaan and Umayr as usual, he sat on his bed, deep in thought.

For once in his life, his thoughts were taking a direction different from the usual. But the main question he asked himself was why. Why was he thinking about her?

He simply didn't understand how on earth the one person who had never even given a second of his thoughts to any girl was now so caught up on this one.

Since childhood, Wasim's life had defined living on the edge. Whilst he was in school, he was an active member of the boy scouts. He then wanted to join the military force after finishing his studies, but his father convinced him against it, saying that it wasn't really a good idea.

He had understood his father's reasons and thus decided to pursue engineering out of the country. As soon as he got done with his course, he decided to dedicate his life in the path of Allah by saving other lives. And his parents were more than happy to know their son was living for his Lord.

But Wasim's life had never been devoid of adventure, no matter where he was and what he was doing. He simply never had the opportunity to dwell on anything other than what mattered to him at that point.

And not to forget that his main priority was always his religion. He knew he wasn't the best of Muslims, for isn't that the case with all of us? He made mistakes here and there, knowingly and unknowingly. Yet he did try as much as he could to be as good as he could.

Bearing all that in mind, Wasim never ever felt anything more for a girl in his life other than an inevitable yet innocent high school or university crush, which barely even lasted a month.

Speaking to girls and associating with them was never kept more than what was necessary for him. And although this was also the same with this girl, he was wondering why he was touched so deeply by Ahmed's sister.

There was definitely something about her. The way she was so vulnerable, yet so courageous at the same time. Contradicting, but she managed to pull it off.

The way she carried herself. There weren't many girls who were so decent and managed to lower their gaze the way she did. She seemed like the kind who feared Allah.

There was more to her than what the eye saw. There was definitely more to her than what the brain could decipher. She was different. A kind of different that had caught his attention.

She had impressed him without even realising it. And now she was the one occupying his thoughts. Again, without realising it.

"What's got you brooding about like this, dude?" Hamdan asked, bringing Wasim out of his thoughts.

"Nothing really," Wasim said.

Hamdan raised his eyebrows at Wasim and smirked.

"Oh trust me, Wasim, now I know it's definitely not nothing. Don't you know that the last person you should lie to is someone who knows you inside out?" He said.