Besabriyan

21|TWENTY ONE

"Mahi chalo, we are already late." Shoving the books he collected from his room, Daniyal yelled out for Maheen as soon as he came down to the living hall to leave for the university.

"Give me two more minutes!" He could hear her yell back to him from somewhere in the house. Not having much choice left, Daniyal entered the kitchen to fetch something to eat and found a bowl of last night's leftover karhai and a naan by the stove top.

Daniyal heard a screech behind him and turned around to find Rayyan by the fridge. The man, who was still half asleep, was ransacking the fridge for the same reason as Daniyal. However, Daniyal wasn't the one to share his food when the other was someone he so disliked with all of his being.

"Yeh kiska munh lag raha hon main subah subah. Allah tauba." Shaking his head at his cousin's impatient self, Daniyal began to warm his food and eat or pack it to take it to the university to eat later.

Daniyal had picked a dislike so strong for Rayyan that he never felt it for someone else. The man that had become of Rayyan was not the one Maheen and he spent his childhood with. The Rayyan who used to visit during vacation was soft and lovable, who wouldn't think of hurting an insect on his way out but the man who came to visit them had left all of his good qualities back home. Daniyal never had to be afraid of leaving Rayyan in the same space as Maheen because they took care of her as kids, they loved her like she was their own sibling. The old days were better although he wouldn't wish them to be back again.

"Dani?" He heard Rayyan call him and his jaws clenched.

He was in no mood to entertain him as he was already tensed about having no extra time to take care of his business development. He was getting there and he was able to get a clear sight of his destination- one that waited with his success on the other end and one that would help him provide a better life to his family. He dreamt and he sweated blood for it and he would be the first man in his family to climb to the heights of success.

He turned around, his arms crossed over his chest as he gawked at the vile imbecile standing there with a grin. Daniyal wouldn't have had a reason to dislike him, had Zaviyar not told him about what happened a few weeks ago and what he had said for Maheen and looking at him behaving like a golden retriever made him sick to his stomach. He couldn't understand how he could say things like that for a girl he fought for.

"Mera naam Daniyal hai," He spoke with a gruff, dismissing himself from the kitchen, "Bhai main waise hi bhot pareshan hon aur pareshan na karo." With that, Daniyal plopped down on the couch to have his breakfast as he waited for Maheen.

"Aap logon ko kyon lagta hai ke main hamesha pareshan karta hon?"

"Kyon ke tum khud ek pareshani ho aur meri jaan chor do khuda ka wasta hai."

"Let's go," Adjusting her bag on her shoulder, Maheen flashed a smile at her favorite cousin before she found her fiance standing behind him with a frown, her grin immediately dropping. She looked at Daniyal and then at Rayyan to get a hold of whatever they were discussing before her arrival. While Daniyal paid no heed to her attention and continued eating his food, Rayyan looked at her intently as though he was attempting to read her.

Rayyan had been flauntingly kind ever since he stepped into the house this time, he hadn't told her off nor had he handled her with an attitude and he was unbelievably kind. Last night when she was sitting in the balcony and when Daniyal found her taking the space to herself for the time being, he decided to invade it and told her to not be demure around Rayyan. And last night felt like that night when she was left at the gate and Daniyal took her in his care. They talked, they fought, they bickered and like that her best companion was given back to her.