"What?"

She asked surprised.

"Yes! Even I can't believe it. All this happened so suddenly! I want to talk to you right now! I'm here in Cafe Alynto. Hurry up."

"But Nem..."

"Hurry up!"

She hung up the call deep in thoughts. Nemrah was getting married? Her heart was genuinely happy for her best friend. No matter how bad her own circumstances were, but she wouldn't let it come when her dear best friend was concerned. Smiling slightly, she grabbed her purse and dashed out of the room.

___________________

Alizeh had just entered the coffee house when Nemrah waived at her excitedly from far. She shook her head taking hurried steps towards the table.

"Alizeh!"

Nemrah hugged her excitedly making her stumble back.

"Easy, girl! Now stop these post proposal jitters and tell me what exactly happened here? You are getting married! And why I'm getting to know now?"

"I tell you! Just sit down and listen to me."

Alizeh nodded and took her seat listening to her intently.

"Okay! So a few weeks ago a nurse told me someone had come to see me at hospital but I was busy so he just went back. I didn't give it a thought. But the very next day he met me in the parking lot of hospital and from thereon it started. I was quite skeptical at first but It was so easy to make a conversation with him. Mama was budging me continuously with a proposal in her hand but I didn't give a heed. I was too busy in my hospital stuff and then this charming stranger came and we started meeting on daily basis. Some times in my hospital cafeteria, Sometimes in some restaurant. We talked on everything possible. I never thought knowing a guy will be this amazing. I had started feeling strange. I mean I was quite attracted to him but nah! I didn't tell him. But last night he was dropping me at my apartment when the unexpected happened. He just said that he likes having me around. I was in a trance like really? My new friend cum crush is really crushing back on me? I was like woah! What now! What if we complicated things? I was in a real bad mood due to my foolish thoughts when just a few hours ago he invited me here and guess what! He proposed me! And you know what? He is the guy Mama has chosen for me! Damn it! I never thought my story would be this dramatic. But I didn't feel bad that he hid this fact from me. I liked his efforts. He tried to woo me not involving our families in between. And he is a really good guy. He..."

"He this, he that. Madam, let me tell you a fact. You are hopelessly in love with your guy!"

Nemrah chuckled when Alizeh held her hand in hers. A beautiful diamond ring was shining on her finger.

"I don't know but this marriage thing ...It doesn't scare me anymore. I'm... damn... I don't know!"

Alizeh smiled seeing her friend's flushed face. Every girl deserves this happiness but it's not for everyone. Shaking her head off the painful thoughts she looked back at Nemrah.

"That's why you had no time for me all these weeks? But! Leave it. You told me so much about this Mr Right of yours but what's his name? "

"I just forgot to tell you. He..."

Before Nemrah could say anything further, her eyes fell on the mobile placed on the table.

"New phone?"

Alizeh shook her head.

"It's not mine."

"Not yours? Then it must be Daim's!"

Nemrah mumbled making Alizeh confused.

"Daim?"

"Yup! Daim Sikandar! My fiancé. It's his phone I guess."

Alizeh stared at her face all shocked.

Daim Sikandar? She knew only one Daim Sikandar and if it was that one then she didn't know how to react. Daim as in Shehryar's best friend.

Every path was leading to Shehryar somehow and she hated it.

________________

"And you just proposed her?"

Shehryar asked taking the driver's seat while Daim grinned at him proudly. They both were heading to a meeting together and Daim had just told Shehryar the progress of his love story.

"Yes I did. And she accepted too."

"Wow! Congratulations Dude."

Shehryar said genuinely, driving the car while Daim was listening to a soft tone playing on the radio. His mood was good today but Shehryar couldn't even smile at him. The problems his own life was offering were enough to keep him occupied. He was regretting coming that close to her yesterday. No doubt she needed some comfort, but their relation was at such a tender stage that anything could be enough to break it completely and there wasn't much left to it either. He complicated the things more by his own impatient heart. But he could do nothing. Whenever she was around he wouldn't be able to stop himself ever. She had this effect on him. And that was the reason he could never think of giving her place to anyone else. He knew in his attitude had worsen things between them in the past and then he didn't give his best to rectify all this but now he wanted her back. Back to his life. They both could mend it all and he knew they would. If only she too think on the same lines.

"My phone!"

His train of thoughts was broken by Daim's voice.

"Dude, I guess I forgot my phone at the cafeteria. I went straight from there to the office."

"Seriously?"

Daim smiled sheepishly and looked at him. Shehryar just rolled his eyes.

"Which Cafe?"

"Alynto"

Shehryar shook his head at Daim's wide grin and reversed the car in the direction of the Cafe. Bloody whipped asshole in love!

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"Should I go to his office and give it to him?"

Nemrah asked Alizeh who was not listening to her at all.

"Alizeh!"

"Hun?"

"Should I go?"

"Where?"

Alizeh asked confused.

"To his office. Where else?"

"And do you know if he is really at his office?"

Nemrah bit her tongue feeling stupid.

"No."

"Then just keep it with you. When you meet him next time give it to him."

"Hmm okay I'll do it. You tell me how work is going on. The merge you were talking about? How's it?"

Office? Merge? What should she tell her? Alizeh didn't want Nemrah to think about anything but her budding relation with Daim now. And anyway she was going to have a shock when she would come to know That Daim's best friends was none other than her best friend's husband. Alizeh sighed and diverted the topic.

"Screw that. Right now our only discussion will be about your wedding. Auntie knows about this progress between you two?"

"Nah! You are the first one with whom I'm sharing this. I'll call Mama tonight. I'm telling she'll fixed the marriage right next week."

Alizeh nodded when Nemrah looked at the entrance of the Cafe and smiled brightly.

"Daim is here. I guess he came to take it back. Wow! Let me introduce you both."

Nemrah got up but Alizeh couldn't even do this. Her mind was not ready to face anyone related to her past right now. She wanted to run but it was too late. Daim had reached them both and was visibly shocked to see Alizeh there.

"Hey!"

Nemrah smiled at him but his eyes were on Alizeh only. She too noticed this and immediately came to Alizeh's side.

"Daim, she is my best of best friend Alizeh! And Alizeh he is Daim."

Alizeh smiled weakly and looked at Daim who too smiled back. He extended his hand forward which she took hesitantly. Nemrah could see some tension between the two.

"Any problem? Anything I should know?"

Daim shook his head.

"Nah! Actually we know each other already so were quite shocked to meet after so long."

"Really? Is that true Alizeh?"

Alizeh nodded and smiled.

"But how do you guys know each other?"

"We were in the same University."

Nemrah zipped her mouth instantly. She knew Alizeh didn't have very good memories attached to her university days that's why she could feel some awkwardness between the two.

"Ohkay! This means I'll have no problem making you guys know each other! Phew. The relief."

She tried to lighten the tensed atmosphere and it did the trick. Both Alizeh and Daim smiled at her but Daim had some real tension now. Shehryar was in the parking lot and must be here anytime now. He feared the face off between Shehryar and Alizeh. But he didn't have any clue both had met, Argued, fought and shared some awkward moments as well.

"Nemrah, I think I forgot my phone here."

"Yes you did. Here it is"

Nemrah extended the phone towards him when she saw a man approaching them wearing a black suite with his shades on. His aura had a sense of power to it. He didn't need to demand the attention. He literally drew it towards himself.

To say Shehryar was surprised was an understatement. He was shocked to see Alizeh standing with Daim's fiancée. Daim had showed them all Nemrah's picture a few days before so he had a fair idea that girl standing with Alizeh was definitely Nemrah but what Alizeh was doing here?

"Shehryar."

He heard Daim's voice and turned to him. Alizeh averted her gaze from both of them. She didn't want to even see his way.

All this was shocking for Nemrah. Shehryar? Alizeh's husband? Things had turned real awkward now.

"Nemrah, this is Shehryar, my best friend and Shehryar...this is Nemrah."

He extended his hand which Nemrah avoided royally. Her ice cold behavior was telling him she knew many things about him and the girl standing next to her.

"Actually... "

Daim bit his tongue and zipped. He didn't know what to say. Shehryar scowled at Nemrah and pushed his extended hand into his pant pocket. Alizeh was looking painfully at the newly found love birds. They were feeling so awkward just because of the two of them.

"I guess, Daim you have your phone with you now. We are getting late for our meeting. It was nice meeting you Dr. Nemrah. Good bye."

Daim looked apologetically at Nemrah who just shrugged her shoulders. She knew this best friend of her to be husband would never be in her good books.

They both left when Alizeh turned Nemrah towards her.

"What was this?"

"Exactly what I want to ask! What was this? This is insane! Of all the people in this world I had to fall in love with the best friend of that guy who is responsible for my best friend's destroyed life!"

"Nemrah! Stop this non sense! This relation is between you and Daim. I and Shehryar have nothing to do with it. Daim is a very nice guy. Stop thinking too much."

"Still, Alizeh! It's so awkward! I...Forget it!"

Nemrah picked her bag and patting Alizeh's shoulder left the cafe leaving her deep in thoughts.

______________________________

_____________________

"W*F! You knew already still you didn't tell any of us!"

Daim shouted sitting in the car. He had tried to apologize on Nemrah's behalf and then asked him if he was okay after seeing Alizeh after all these years but he was shocked when Shehryar told him he knew that she was in Lahore.

"Shehri! I can't understand this! Alizeh is Nemrah's bestie! Nemrah doesn't like you even a bit! Alizeh wasn't surprised seeing you there which means she had met you before! And you say you knew she was here! What is happening?"

"Shut Up, Daim!"

He shouted making Daim close his mouth. He took a deep breath and looked at his best friend.

"I'm in no mood to attend any meeting! I guess.."

"I'll postpone it! You go home and rest."

No matter Daim wanted answers but he didn't want to press Shehryar. Alizeh was a sore subject and it's not every day Shehryar opened up about her. He will need time but he'll surely come around.

Shehryar nodded at Daim and started driving towards his house.

No one spoke after that.

_____________________

Alizeh dropped herself on the couch and took a deep breath.

"Why my every path just collides with that Man? If I want to start a fresh I have to go to him because without involving him I can't get a divorce. If I'm doing something new in my professional field he is there too. And now Nemrah's marriage! And here he is! Daim's best friend. "

She muttered holding her head in her palms. The images of a while back flashed before her. How things got so awkward just because of both of them. And it was just a small meeting. What would happen during the wedding? Nemrah was the only person she found during her hard times, who stood by her and helped her coming out of her depression. And now when she is about to start her new life Alizeh couldn't be an obstacle between her and her happiness. Nemrah would be angry if she refused to attend the wedding or even one ceremony. She would have to do something. In this way there would be some real trouble during the wedding and she couldn't afford it.

She sighed and took out her phone. She knew what she had to do. Opening her contacts list she stared at a number for some time. The number she hadn't called since so long. She pushed the green button and waited for some time.

"Aliz.."

But she didn't let him say anything.

"I want to meet you. Please."

He didn't say anything for a while. She wanted to meet him?

Like seriously?

She waited patiently when he mumbled.

"Yeah sure. Meet me at the same cafe we met earlier."

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