“Yaar-e-deed ki talab ho,

Jaan-e-jaan ki nazar ho.”

°°°

"Hello."

She was standing in the library when someone tapped on her shoulder and she abruptly moved back. The books fell off from her hands and she looked at the man whose responsible for all of this.

"Dawood!"

Dawood smiled looking and merely touched her ginger red hair, for a moment she was caught in the euphoria but soon her senses comeback to life and she coughed. Dawood took a step back consoling his raging feelings which he tries to control whenever she's around.

"Zahiah."

Zahiah looked up at Dawood who was looking at her with sheer coldness, but her jeart everytime melts whenever he calls her Zahiah. No one has called her Zahiah since a longtime but this man always makes her weak, she loved the sound of her name when he calls her za-hi-yah.

"Dawood what's your problem?"

Zahiah bent her knees and sit on the floor, collecting her books. She looked up when he wasn't answering her. He was looking her without blinking his lashes, her aks was the only prominent thing she could figure out. And that made her nervous, she couldn't hold herself together around him. She wants to tell him her deepest darkest secrets and get away with it. But she can't because he's Dawood Qureshi and She's Zahiah Joseph poles apart.

"Actually Zahiah i didn't knew that Sameer had taken that photo i came here to apologize."

Dawood broke the silence between them. Zahiah was standing their speechless. It was her who should have been apologizing not Dawood. She lashed out on him, even slapped him in front ofthe whole campus.

Dawood was going back when Zahiah held his hand and stopped him. They both looked at eachother with the same longing.

"Dawood i shouldn't have done what i did. I shouldn't have slapped you without knowing the whole scenario. It was all my fault..."

Dawood placed his index finger to stop her from Talking. His finger was touching her upper lip and Zahiah was standing their holding her breath. She was feeling thousands of feeling, only she knew how she was controlling her raging heartbeat. She grabbed Dawood's hand and He gestured her towards the librarian who was doing rounds around the racks of book. And then Zahiah's mind clicked they're in library not in Canteen where she can shout at him freely.

Dawood leaned closer to her and said, "Apology accepted. Friends?"

Zahiah was too caught up in the moment just blink her lashes twice and this was a 'yes' for Dawood. He started walking back but this time he had a huge smile on his face.

***

"The Trip!"

Varun Shouted on top of his lungs and the whole group got annoyed.

"What's this Varun?"

Lara said and Varun hugged her from behind. They're like this the cute tom and jerry couple who everyone adores.

"The University is organising a trip to Panchagini. We are going for a two day trip." He shouted thinking everyone would get excited but all of them give him a serious expression.

"Why are they're organising a trip before finals?" Zahiah asked Cocking an eyebrow.

"Well technically University hasn't organised this trip but i did."

Zahiah was stunned at hearing his voice behind her and she moved back just to see an enthusiastic Dawood giving her his million dollar dimpled smile.

"And why would you organise a trip before finals?"

"Well this is kind of ritual here that every year seniors sponsered a two day trip for their lovely juniors."

Dawood's smile got more deeper and Zahiah just shushed him off, ever since Their last encounter in Library Zahiah has seen him looking at her. She didn't knew why suddenly the animosity has turned into infatuation.

"Okay we'll go."

Aisha who was listening all of this conversation silently spoke for the first time and shutting the matter off. Zahiah only shacked her head.

***

She stepped her foot on the ground and the smell of mud feels her nostrils and she felt a different kind of peace over their. Truly nature gives an unknown peace.

She was walking around the jungle freely and taking photographs of the beautiful scenery infront of her.

"Zahiah." She was taking a picture of daisies when she heard Dawood's voice, she turned back and looked at him smiling. The tension between them has gone into thin air. They're much more comfortable in each other's presence now.

"Come here i want to show you something."

Dawood held her hand and took her to a small cabin in the woods and she walked inside with him. It was made of rustic wood and bamboos.

Zahiah was busy admiring the view and Dawood was lighting up fire to save themselves from chilly winds.

"Hey come here." Dawood took her by shoulder and made her sit infront of the Fire place.

Zahiah was just looking at him with admiration. All this time, he was just kind to her and nothing else. She snuggled into him and Dawood wrapped his arms around her.

Zahiah was smuggling in Dawood's broad chest and Dawood had his chin resting on her forehead both were enjoying this silence. Zahiah looked up at him and touched the place where his dimples are.

Dawood smiled at her little ministration and kissed the top of her head and hold her more tightly.

"I want this to never end."

Dawood was snuggling in Zahiah's neck.

"Me too."

Zahiah looked up at him, the longing in Their eyes were not their. He was totally lost in the moment kissed her neck and Zahiah didn't pushed him away.

"I'm sorry Zahiah i didn't mean to. It was just i get away.... I'm extremely sorry."

When he got back into his senses he apologized for doing what he did.

"Its okay i didn't mind it." Zahiah smiled and kissed his jawline.

Dawood was now getting uncomfortable. He knew that what he felt for her was more than just physical attraction and he didn't wanted to ruin it.

"Zahiah why don't you tell me about yourself?"

Dawood made some distance between them and to distract himself he started a conversation without knowing this will end up in alot of revelations for him.

"What do you want to know about?"

Zahiah was looking at him and for the first time she wanted to reveal her deepest darkest secrets to someone. She Wanted to tell him all those things she haven't said to anyone. And there's a mutual feelings of trust and compassion between them, sometimes you got attached to people so quickly you didn't even realise that they've started being a prominent person in your life and i think this is beautiful.

“Sometimes some people came in your life just to remind you how beautiful life is.”

Dawood said looking into Zahiah's eyes, his gaze was helding her captive and she was just doing to do what he wanted.

"I was born in Dehradun. Brought up their and yeah now I'm here."

Zahiah said shrugging her shoulders and scratching her palm. She was getting nervous. Dawood looked at her with Raw sharpness and moved closer to her entering her personal space.

"I want to know the real you Zahiah."

Zahiah's breathe hitched.

"I'm failed in hating you Dawood."

Zahiah closed her eyes and let all the horrible incidence her life sink in.

"You want to know the real me? Right!"

Dawood moved his face up and down in a suggested yes. Zahiah took his hand in hers and started telling him her deepest darkest secrets.

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