19.

                                    

                                          
"Umeed tum kyun khari hui ho?" Rubina walked up with her eyebrows furrowed, placing her hand on Umeed's shoulder.
"Aunty mein bilkul theek hoon." Umeed reassured, meaning it. 
She had not done anything the whole day, it was all the works of the kids guided by Farjaad. They did not let her move at all. She was frustrated, she wanted to do more and ashe could but they refused.
"Farjaad isko bolo fazool mein na khari hoye." Rubina turned to Farjaad, who was stood, arms crossed, watching them with amusement and looking at the expressions on both their faces. Rubina's was laced with concern whereas Umeed's was showing restlessness - a small pout on her lips.
"Don't worry aunty, bachon ne sab kuch sambhala hua hai Umeed sirf dekh rahi hai." Farjaad reassured, to which Rubina could only take his word and proceed to tell them to sit and relax while she sees off the guests. It was officially the end of the event, a long soaring event.
"Mene kuch bhi nahi kiya." Umeed huffed, sitting down on the chair, placing her elbows on the roundtable.
"Good, karna bhi nahi chahye." Farjaad proceeded to sit next to her, sighing in relief. It was not frustrating, but there was still the underlying pressure of making sure nothing went wrong. However, he had no embarrassment to say that eighty percent of efforts were Umeed's. It was much more tight for her.
"Can you believe it's over." She turned to him, a glint in her eyes. 
It had been four month, four months since they got introduced to one another. And so much had changed in that span. It was bizarre to think about how they started this off andwhere they stood now when it came to one another. 
"Nahi pata chala." Farjaad smiled, studying her face. How vividly he remembered being awestruck the first time he saw her, in her pink top and her white pants and those big boots that gave her the advantage of a few inches. 
"I could not stand you when we started this." She giggled, resting her cheek on her palm, her elbow supported on the table. His heart was fluttering every passing second, unable to swallow how much affection he had grown for her. It was alarming, it was maddening. 
"Mein bhi koi khaas fan nahi tha aap ka." He nudged her, earning a soft laughter which he had joined in on. They were in their own world.
-
Farjaad sat in the car and opened his phone, his driver pushing the accelerator and they were on their way to his house. 
The first message made his heart flutter, it had only been a few hours since he left. 
Missing you already. Enjoy the trip x
The little 'x' made him smile. Every little thing she did made him grow even more fond, and the message was heartfelt. He was quick to send her a 'miss you more' with a red heart and close his phone, watching the road outside and thinking about her. Moreso about the development in their understanding of one another that happened earlier.
Part of him did want to move around so she could properly lay down and sleep, but she looked so peaceful and relaxed he did not want to do that.
Umeed tried settling, moving around a little placing her head on his chest then shoulder and chest again, eyebrows furrowed as she tried studying her pillow and question why it was so… un-pillow-like.
She slowly opened her eyes, the lights were dim and the main source of light was the sun but it was still too bright for her liking. She hummed, opening her eyes wider and turning to look at Farjaad who was already staring at her.