Cords Of Love

~Chapter Forty Three~

Jahan Ara's POV
.

We take different cabs from the airport to our roads home. This is when we part ways.

"Karachi here we come!" Hiba shouts and we hug each other once before leaving. We've had the best two weeks of our lives and they passed like a shot.

Saad looks at Bano from his cab and they wave goodbye.
Although we would see each other in maybe a day or two or maybe a few days, but we'll all be seeing each other very soon again.

Saadein hugs Hiba and Zaroon kisses Maha's hand before leaving.

...

We reach Meher's house within twenty minutes and we are greeted by her dad and Bilal.

"Welcome back. We missed you so much!" Bano runs and hugs Bilal.

"I can't believe we're finally home." She tells him and then looks at me.

"Jahan Ara o my god! What happened to you're arm!?" Her dad asks and Bilal looks at me.

I stay silent for a little while and then quickly speak. "I fell off the stairs." I giggle and we walk inside the house.

"I'll handle the baggages." Bilal puts his hand on my baggage and looks at me. I nod and look away. Only Bilal can look at me without making me feel uncomfortable, I won't deny that I might even like being looked at by him. That is because he looks at me as if I were some piece of art from back in 1960s.

I walk to Meher Bano's room and Bilal enters with our suitcases. Bano's in the washroom..

I notice Bilal rubbing his hands together and being nervous. He finally opens his mouth to speak.
"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." I answer.

"The arm." He points.

"Yeah it's nothing." I shake my head and smile.

He's completely shaven off his beard and his hair a little long and messy, curly strands falling on his eyes.

He nods and walks out just as Bano walks out from the washroom.

"Araa!" She hugs me.

"What?" I laugh.

"I'm happy to be back but sad too. We had the best days!" She says and I nod.

"Indeed." I walk to the washroom just to wash my face.

"Let's head down for lunch." She pulls me with her.

We join the table. Meher and I sit together, Bilal infront of me and her dad between the three of us.

"Bilal cooked today." His dad says.

"Bilal I'm sure this would be the worst food I've eaten." Bano teases.

"Yeah sure." Bilal chuckles.

He's a good cook. It's perfectly cooked and so delicious I have to stop myself from attacking the plate because I'm not in my own house and I have to behave. Although Meher's father has always treated me as his own daughter.

"It's great." I compliment and Bilal smiles at me. A beautiful smile. I snap myself out of my thoughts.

If Bilal catches me staring at him that would be the most embarrassing moment of mine infront of him. Not to mention once when we were little and I was pretending to be some professional cricket player and challenged everyone that I'd win and I fell so badly infront of Bilal and he actually left the game, came to help me up and rushed me inside because my knee was scratched.

I still remember the worried look on his face. I was'nt hurting, although I had the wound but Bilal was hurting for me.
That would be the third time I saw him. We never had alot of seeing each other.

***

Asusual, I walk up to the terrace and in nearly ten minutes, Bilal walks in too.

Great.

Creepiest moment.

"I'm sorry." He rubs the back of his neck.

"Whats wrong?" I ask.

"For invading you're privacy this way."

"No, it's okay." I chuckle.

"Did you read the book?" He asks.

The book.

"Yes. I did and I can't ever thank you enough for that. It's like the best anyone's ever given me." I say meaning it.

"I'm so glad that you liked it. There is nothing better than this." He smiles at me.

His eyes shining under the starry and cold night sky.

"Get well soon." He points at my cast.

"How did you know I love old ghazals and all so much?" I finally ask him.

"I just knew it."

"What does that mean?" I raise my brow and smile so that I don't seem rude.

"People who love old styles, poetry and stuff, there is a bright glow on their faces, a glow that seperates them from every other being. In a way they are art, who should be admired and taken care off." He leans against the wall.

"That was poetic." I say ignoring the butterflies in my stomach.

"Thank you." He smiles.

"I've heard you have anger issues." He chuckles.

"Yeah?" I giggle.

"Yeah. But it's okay." He rubs the back of his neck.

"Well. It's late. I should head down." I say and he nods.

I walk past him and stop before exiting.

"Thank you for what you said about poetry lovers, and the book ofcourse. It's beautiful."
I say and his face turns to me, a simper on his lips.