Zain certainly didn’t want to give her tuition but something inside him didn’t stop him even after having a chance but he agreed. For what? He doesn’t know yet but thinks it’s for her future.
“Where are you going?” Aima asked, noticing him getting ready and applying some cologne.
“I told you, tuition.” He shrugged, buttoning his shirt as she smirked, leaning on the doorframe. “What?” He asked, narrowing his eyes.
“Nothing, I haven’t seen you preparing this much for tuition before. Who is it?” She asked, knowing all too well who she is.
“You know it. And you cannot expect me to go there in my casual trousers, do you?” He asked, nonchalance lingering from hsi words emitted a sigh of disappointment from Aima.
“Okay, okay. Just don’t exert yourself.” She mumbled, waving her hand at him.
“What’s with Mama?” He muttered and didn’t think about it and left for her place.
Taking a deep breath, Hoorain rubbed her hands together, shaking her head knowing this doesn’t mean much to Zain but to her, it was an exquisite experience.
“I hope everything goes well.” Mumbling, she was using her phone and soon he arrived and they went straight to business.
“This whole chapter is important, you must not skip it, okay?” He said, tone cold. “Yes.” She whispered, tugging her hair behind her ear, not lifting her head and linking with his stern ones staring intently, igniting a fire of nervousness in her heart.
“Don’t expect any leniency from me. This will be your loss, not mine.” His unaffected tone came, making important terms for her.
“Yes..” She nodded, not knowing what else to say.
“Hmm. Good.” He hummed, leaning back as they continued to learn. After a while, he called her, “Hoorain.”
She gasped, putting the book to her chest, startled by his call, “Y-Yes?” She stammered, aggravated in his presence.
Furrowing his brows, he asked, “What’s with you?” He asked, “N-Nothing.” She shook her head.
“No, For the past week, I have been noticing your demeanor.” He frowned, enhancing her worry more.
Averting her eyes, her lips parted to ask. “What did I do?” She asked faintly.
“Why are you so startled? You jump at literally every single word I say?” He asked, tone softening for a moment, tilting his head in confusion.
“I do..?” She asked with a nervous chuckle, trying to disregard his words but failed.
“Yes, you do.” He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“Do you think I will eat you?” He asked, displeased at her reflexes. “What?” She blinked.
“Do you think I am a monster or something that will eat you?” He asked again. “No, No, why?” Replying quickly, she shook her head.
“Then what is your problem? Why do you react this way?” He asked, growing impatient.
“Are you trying to make me feel guilty about what happened?” He asked strictly and she gasped again.
“No! Why do you think that?” She asked, narrowing her eyes in compassion, vexed by his demeanor now.
“Then what?” He asked almost, just almost, raising his voice but calmed down.
Forming her lips in a thin line, she looked away, twirling her fingers around her dress, asking feebly.
“Why does it matter..?” His rage converted into bewilderment as she asked firmly.
“When none of it was meaningless before, when this never affected you before then why now?” She dared to ask, finally lifting her gaze to chain with his taken aback ones.
Trying to register her words, he didn’t know what happened to him either. With a grimace, he folded his arms at his chest and replied.
“Before was a different matter.” He breathed out, giving a reply which only satisfied him.
“What changed? Why was it different before and now is it not?” She asked lost in the confusion he arose by his response.
“Because, Hoorain.” Her heart skipped a beat when he exhaled deeply to regain his cognition before replying.
“Before you were nothing to me but now, you are my fiancée. That is what changed.” He explained.
“Did it alter your feelings? That is what exactly I am asking, what did our engagement change? It was a bond forced upon you, an unwanted obligation.” She shrugged, refusing to believe that he could accept their bond under any circumstances.
“Unwanted or not but they are my obligations. And terrifying my partner is definitely not one of them so stop behaving like this.” He sighed again, not paying much heed to it yet his mind led to these undesirable thoughts.
“I see… I apologize.” She hummed, lowering her head. “Hmm. Leave it. We will see about it later.” He mumbled, taking his stuff and getting up.
“Are you leaving already?” She asked, disappointed. “Yeah, I gave you what to do.” He shrugged. “I hope you will do your work… at least for me.” He added knowing she will do it for his sake and he is using it to help her in study.
“Yes.” She smiled and nodded. “Good. See you tomorrow.” He forced a smile to brighten her mood so she won’t gloom over their conversation and left.
Later at the University,
“I didn’t expect him to fulfill his duties.” Hoorain mumbled, holding her engagement ring, staring at it, devoid of emotions.
“It was expected, Hoorain. He is handling his life, career and everything proficiently. He is a responsible man, he will fulfill his duties no matter what.” Haziqa reminded him about Zain’s perfection.
The man who was always on top ever since the start, the leader of the leagues, a professional in all aspects.
“But, what about his emotions? His feelings?” She asked and Haziqa gave the most obvious reply, “If you care about them so much then liberate him from this bond.”
Hoorain grit her teeth, tightening her grip over the ring, not caring if the grip is hurting her hand just wanting to crush the diamond ring but it only left a bruise mark on her hand, nothing else.
“You have to accept it, Hoorain. Leaving him is not in your capabilities.” She reminded her about her weakness.
“And besides, when he is accepting this bond then go along, this is what you wanted all along, right?” She asked, smirking while teasing her but she lowered her head in dejection.
“But that is not how I wanted us to be.” She managed to whisper, in a spur of anguish, that’s the only voice she could escape and Haziqa dragged her back to reality.
“But that is what you guys have become.” Patting her back, she gave her the only sensible advice.
“Accept this bond, this is your only chance to evoke love in his heart, Hoorain.” Curling her lips upward, she hummed in response, looking up at the sky, replying.
“Maybe you are right. Maybe I should try.”
Strange, isn’t it?
Two hearts.
One is unaware of the meaning of love, the other is selfish in love.
One is fulfilling responsibilities while the other is neglecting them.
One wants to let go and the other holds on.
One’s victory is another's devastation. Would they still want to win?