Bitter Sweet | ✓ (rewriting)

09 • chaand | چاند

•| moon |•

•••
apni hi tegh-e-ada se
aap ghayal ho gaye,
chand ne paani mein
dekha aur pagal ho gaya
•••

Fidah had nearly spent a week in Zarrar Hamidi's penthouse and other than overthinking the entire situation to pieces she had somehow managed to wrap her head around everything that was going on in her life. She was exhausted that was for sure, but the thought that she was safe also lingered.

Zarrar Hamidi as she had come to know in the short time she was around him, he was quite the gentle giant with her. He never treated her with anything but respect and gave her the space she needed. The sudden nikkah was something that she hadn't gathered the courage to talk out with him and neither had he.

The only proper conversation she had with him was exactly a day after she had arrived. After breakfast he had called her to his study and took it upon himself to inform her that he was going to ask Ashraf Hamidi, his grandfather what this whole fiasco was about. Fidah seemed detached about it anyways at this point. She wanted to have a normal life and her gut feeling told that Ashraf Hamidi and her Baba shared anything but a normal relationship. She was however eternally grateful to Zarrar for the sanctuary he had provided her with.

"I want to work. I can't mooch off you like this, I am going to lose my sanity this way." She had stressed out, looking at him helplessly.

"You don't have any of your documents with you how do you think you are going to seek employment?" He contradicted back in the harshest ways possible and her heart tore into a million pieces at the reality. Why had her identity become so meaningless?

"I—I will work odd jobs. I will do anything but I can't sit around simply or-r I will leave. I don't want to be an obligation to you."

In that moment she saw his eyes turn a shade darker as he clenched his jaw, seizing him down with her gaze.
"You are no obligation to me. I earn enough to support the both of us and more. If you do want to work, I will get you a job."

Fidah shivered at the intensity to his words, she couldn't for the life of her understand the man and his blatant favours for her. Why was he hellbent on becoming her saving grace? Why was he bounding her to his favours more so than she already was?

The next few days went by in mundane activities, she lounged around the house, spoke to Basim or the house help, Kashana. Sometimes even tried cooking. She rarely saw him after that. Just fleeting glances and short conversations, mostly him asking her about how her day was or if she needed anything.

Today however when she got up in the morning much to her surprise she found him along with Basim in the outdoor patio garden, playing badminton.

"Basim!" There he stood clad in black chinos and a grey Ralph Laurent sweatshirt, his hair ruffled in waves. "I know you are pathetic at playing but you could at least put in some effort."

"I am putting in effort! Go easy on me, will you?"

"Put in more effort. This is not sufficient." Zarrar's loud voice boomed as he swiped the white shuttlecock sending it fluttering right into poor Basim's forehead. Basim who had gotten sight of Fidah's presence rubbed his forehead, shooting a glare at him employer.

"How unfit can one be to play a simple sport like Badminton?" Ignoring Zarrar, Basim trudged towards Fidah greeting her.

"Awesome! Fidah Baji has come just at the right time." Thrusting the racquet in her arms, he mouthed a "save me"., "She can take over for my unfit opponent skills."