Hoorain was sitting with Haziqa, they were talking to each other, wallowing in their time until another voice joined them and turning they saw Azed coming.
“God, what do you want, Azed?” Haziqa asked rudely.
“You know what? You sure overuse my leniency.” He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“Have you seen your reputation?” Hoorain asked, looking up at him with a bored look.
“Yes, I have but have you seen me doing that to you?” He asked, shrugging his shoulders, smirking at her.
“No, but-” She tried to reason but he cut her off.
“Then what is your problem? You are not my type, especially you.” He hissed, glaring at Haziqa who scoffed at his comment, rolling her eyes off, not bothering to pay heed.
“Whatever.” Haziqa muttered, taking a seat beside Hoorain.
“So, As I was saying, I have done nothing. What is your problem with me?” He asked, coming closer, bending to frown at Hoorain who was sitting on the grass.
“I.. don’t know. I don’t want to talk with anyone.” She sighed, loosening her grip on her engagement ring, looking down.
“Sorry, Azed, I just don’t feel like socializing with anyone apart from Haziqa.” Hoorain mumbled, dejection consuming her mind again, rendering her unable to think about anything else.
“I see. I am sorry too for nagging you constantly. I always saw you lonely even with her.” He paused, eyes at Haziqa who glared back at him, snarling even.
But then he returned a soothing smile to Hoorain, “That’s why I wanted to ask.” He smiled, standing upright.
“Leave it. It doesn’t matter anymore.” She sighed, holding her forehead which made the ring on her hand fall.
She gasped and searched for it in the grass. “What’s that?” Azed asked, picking her ring, contemplating it.
“It’s my ring. Could you return it to me?” Hoorain asked, standing up, moving her hand forward.
“Oh, it’s an engagement ring. Moreover a diamond one. Wow, it’s pretty.” He gasped, moving back, not giving it to her.
“Congratulations, Hoorain.” He smirked, teasing her but with a hitched breath she was afraid to see Zain’s reaction and came after him.
“That’s not it, Azed. Bhai gave it to me. It’s not what you think.” She argued, going after him to take the ring back.
“Yeah, which brother gives his sister an engagement ring?” He chuckled, moving back and hissing, she ran after him.
“It’s not an engagement ring.” She argued. Laughing, he turned and stopped causing Hoorain to stumble upon his chest.
At that moment, Zain passed by and saw Azed with Hoorain and certainly not in a desirable way which stung his heart. He stopped for a second with widened eyes.
“What the-” He paused for a moment with rage blinding his senses, constricting his chest as he cannot apprehend.
He is just a friend then why does it hurt? He thought, narrowing his eyes in sorrow blended with overwhelming ire to watch them close.
“What the hell is your problem? Give it back.” Hoorain, who couldn’t watch their position, only worrying about Zain’s reaction, hit his chest.
“Okay, here you go but tell me the name of your Prince Charming.” He laughed, giving her back the ring.
She puffed, swearing at him and an assertive voice called them from behind. “What are you guys doing?”
Her breaths hitched hearing Zain’s voice and she believed since he didn’t care so it didn’t affect him.
“Sir?” She asked, holding the ring behind her back, straightening her back, pulling away from Azed.
“Nothing, Sir. We were just fooling around.” Azed made up an excuse quickly.
“And what jocose requires physical contact?” What the hell am I asking? But the sternness in his tone made them worried.
“Sorry, Sir. We were just running and bumped.” Azed said, lowering his head.
“Hmm. Make sure this won’t happen again.” He ordered.
“Yes, Sir.”
They both said at the same time, not lifting their heads and with a hum, Zain walked away with a fluttering envy building inside him after seeing how her hands made contact with his never but never his and he doesn’t know why.
At tuition, he held a stoic expression on his face, harder than his usual features which vexed Hoorain to ponder if she had made any mistakes or not.
Why am I thinking about it? He thought, leaning back, hoping to escape his thoughts but failed.
“I have done everything, only FnB remains.” She said, He hummed, motioning her to continue and noticed her hand had a small bruise.
“Hoorain.” He called, increasing her heart rate each time her name rolls on his lips.
“Yes?”
“What happened to your hand?” He asked, not removing his eyes and motioning her to move it forth.
“Nothing, just a small bruise from a tight grip, I didn’t notice.” She chuckled nervously, shrugging it off.
“Grip from what? What were you holding?” He asked again.
“My pen’s cap.” She reasoned, tugging her hairs back, forcing out a smile but the tingles received in his presence were uncontrollable.
“Is that why you were running after Azed?” He asked, mind wandering to the scenery he witnessed again unwillingly.
“No. Um.. He got my engagement-” Zain cut her in his usual dominant voice, “Our engagement ring.”
“It doesn’t matter.” She shook her heart. Her heart had utter faith, none of it is an ordeal to him while she does everything to win his trust but fails every time.
“Why not?” He asked, irked at her continuous statement of negligence.
“Because.. We both are not happy and you will break it in the end…” She trailed off nervously, biting her bottom lip. Her heart pained immensely to speak about it but she bore it and looked down.
Turning his stare into a glare, he opened his mouth to argue but stopped when the words reached his lips and swallowed it down, emitting a long sigh.
“Whatever it was, forced or not, happy or not, keep it in your mind who you are now.” he said, rising from his seat, taking his phone from the table.