A Whole New World: A Desi Disney Anthology

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With You

The horse's hoofs struck the dirt mixing it with the wintery air. The evening was peeking from the corner when Zeyad Hadeed blessed the lawns of Hadeed mansion with his presence. His happiness knew no bounds and that showed on his face as he gave a bright smile to his father. Again, a day when he saw that beauty and today, she looked at him.

Her eyes were cast down most of the time in shyness and showed herself busy in teaching but her presence was enough for him, as he sat behind her students.

"I'm glad, you're back!" said his father trying to focus on his son who was taking a round on his horse.

"Back with something great!"

Hadeed Amjad fixed his glasses over his fleshy nose, "I too have great news for you."

"What is it, father?"

Great news from his father always meant something grave for Zeyad. Just like his father sending him off to a boarding school was a piece of great news! He pulled on the horse's reins to slow down its speed as his eyes fixed on his father.

"We are going to Delhi tomorrow," Hadeed Amjad gestured to follow him to the patio chairs. "There's a grand celebration at Mukhtar's house next week."

"What I would do there?"

Zeyad pinched his eyes to stop the coming headache as he stood by one of the chairs. The whole happiness of seeing and talking to that beauty vanished somewhere just by hearing of that Delhi trip.

"It would be Saharish's eighteenth birthday." his father watched him skeptically as he was unable to show any signs of excitement, "You know about the plans on her eighteenth birthday, right?"

"Yes. But now I have changed that plan," Zeyad took a step back moving back to his horse, "I'm going to marry whom I love, the girl who lives near the stream."

Hadeed Amjad silently watched him going away, unable to comprehend what he would do now. He had to answer Mukhtar, he had to keep his excuses ready for Zeyad's absence.

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That man was surely testing her patience. He didn't talk to her now, now he just came and sat down behind her students, staring at her. Only she knew, how she focused on teaching! His black orbs were still intact in her mind. The memory of that husky laughter was enough to push so many butterflies in her gut that she hated it!

"Saharish focus."

She scolded herself flipping the pages back to where she was minutes ago. She composed herself on the knock as aunt Rabia entered her room with a glass of milk.

"Here you go."

She was about to leave when Saharish held her hand making her sit beside her, "Rabia Khala, I want to tell you something," Aunt Rabia smiled and nodded for her to go on.

She put her head in her aunt's lap, "I met someone," Aunt Rabia's hand stopped on her head.

"Whom dear?"

"I don't know. He..." Her cheeks reddened thinking about him, "He proposed to me."

Aunt Rabia held her hand, "And what you did?" as Saharish sat up facing her.
"I came back. I didn't know what to do."

Her aunt gave a small smile, pressing her hand, "You did the right thing dear and I think it's time that I tell you something."

"What khala?"

"Something about your parents and your better half."

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