10- Waggish Talk

After talking with Rayan, Emraz went to this room with his smile not leaving his lips, thinking about what he told him in the spur of the moment but his heart denied what he had begun to feel by each passing moment for her, that undeniable allure was filling his heart.

Reaching his room, he closed the door and called Isra, wanting to hear her melodious voice, "Hey." He greeted when she answered the call.

"Hey." Her voice came, when his voice came, she quickly left the lounge where everyone was and went to her room to talk privately and peacefully.

"Are you free?" He asked, laying on the bed while staring at the ceiling but all attention towards her, "Of course. What about you?" She smiled, laying on the bed, just like he did, smiling to herself while talking.

"Available for you." He flirted, making her chuckle at his sweet words, "You truly know how to twist words." She complimented him. "Then get swayed in them." He said temptingly, smirking to himself

Twirling her fingers around her hairs, she replied in a low earnest tone, "I think I did."

"Me too." His voice also came the same, earning a few seconds of silence to indulge in each other's company knitted like a beautiful craving in their hearts.

"I can't believe you are going to wear the ring of my name in just two weeks." He said, barely controlling his excitement just by thinking about this. "You too." She giggled, solicitous about the upcoming ceremony.

"I am all yours now, Madam." He laughed a little.

"I can't believe it, things changed in the blink of an eye. It feels like a dream..." She beamed, looking at her hand, held out to the light, dreaming of their home together under the roof of ardent feelings.

"Even if it is, I don't want to wake up from it anymore. Reality would hurt me and who knows when I will wake up, the one who asks for your hand wouldn't be Mama rather me." He smirked once again, telling about his intentions if it was a dream.

"How can you talk so smoothly?" She whined, sitting up, not believing how he induced caprice in her on his snap. "This makes me want to talk to you all the time." She mumbled, lowering her head, blushing faintly.

"Anything for you." He said sweetly. "Umm.. Isra listen.."

"Yes?" She asked, smiling.

"I think I have-" He was about to confess what his heart is feeling but a knock appeared along with Hoorain's voice, calling him for Dinner.

"Bhai, Papa is calling for you downstairs."

"I see. I am coming." He frowned because the moment he was going to confess was ruined but he might make it special in the future so why not wait?

"Seems like your call came." She chuckled.

"It did.. Talk to you later, sweet dreams." he also laughed a little, bidding her goodbye.

"You too.. bye. " She grinned and cut the call as he came out, the way rejoice gleams on his face was visible to everyone, it was clear he was sinking into the moment which was going to bring perennial affection.

"You called me, Dad?" He asked, coming down.

"Are you going to fill your stomach with talking then tell me." Rehman joked, laughing at his passion even before getting married.

"It's not like this, Dad.." He blushed from embarrassment, looking away, scratching the back of his neck.

"Come on Bhai, who are you trying to fool? You are head over heels for Isra Api- Bhabhi." Even Hoorain began to tease him, deepening his blush, looking away as he only sat, only looking down like a shy nerd upon hearing 'Bhabhi'.

"Aw. Look at his face, do you like the way it sounds?" Hania smirked, glancing at his radiant face from thrill to think about it.

"Hey, I am fine." He laughed a little, putting his hand up, trying to convince them as everyone began to laugh at his behaviour but while everyone was talking and laughing, Rayan was gritting his teeth, curling his hand in a fist. Rehman noticed his scowl and asked,

"What happened Rayan? You seem lost." Dragging from his unwanted envious thought, he looked up and everyone turned their attention to him, "Huh? I am fine Dad." He shook his head to let out the jealousy in his mind and smirked, "So Bhai is getting engaged in two weeks huh?"

"Wish me luck." Emraz tittered, having his dinner.

"Good Luck." He sneered, lowering his head to eat his food but Rehman spoke up again, "Rayan, my son. What happened between you and Sateesha?"

"Leave it Papa, it's nothing." He muttered, eating his food silently.

"No, Look at yourself son. It left a great impact on you. What exactly happened?" Rehman asked, worried about his son's mental state which might not lead him to depression.

"Papa, it's nothing. We mutually decided to break up." He told them casually and no one could see what truly affected his mind this badly.

"If you say so.. Make sure to take care of yourself. Life doesn't start or end with relationships, you have your life ahead of you, enjoy, Son. Everything happens for a reason." He explained, trying to cheer his son.

"For better or worse?" He abruptly asked but regretted these words escaping his lips.

"Worse happens for better." Rehman smiled, patting his back.

"Cheer up Bhai." Hoorain grinned, making him smile faintly and nod in response.

"By the way, when are your exams Hoorain?" Hania asked.

"There's still time for it, Mama." She smirked, "I see."

After dinner they all went to their respective rooms, Rayan was in the balcony staring at the Moon while smoking, lost in his unfathomable thoughts,

'Was all these years of reverence worthless?'

A sad smile came to his lips, looking down sadly, closing his eyes to make his mind and wallow in the upcoming function but a certain thought again struck his mind.

'How easy is it to be ignorant of the ravage... how easy to forget everything and move on. Maybe because it never mattered to her.. but it destroyed me. I destroyed myself for you.'

Gritting his teeth, he slammed his hands on the railing, knowing no matter how much he tries, the thought is recurring to his mind like a venom dripping to his core, sewing despair on his chest as a tale of cowardly yet passionate tale no one knows about.

"Goddammit!"

~*~

Rayan was leaning on the ledge of the window, the cigarette in between his fingers, taking long inhales to ease the tension of his mind while ignoring Isra talks, washing it along the smoke coming out of his mouth, his sleeves neatly rolled to his elbow while his coat rested on the chair.

"Are you listening?" She asked, pissed, glaring at him at his lack of attention towards work for the first time. Arms closed, she stood near his desk, tapping her foot on the ground impassively.

"I wasn't, repeat." He told her coldly, looking out of his window, trying to control the suffering of his heart, pressing his teeth together and not showing his overflowing emotions.

Sighing, she began to speak again, "Huff. Okay I was telling you, here's the contract for the Fairy Fashion Week event being held in our hotel along with the media companies and guest list. I want you to check it all out so I can start working on it." She explained to him again.

"You should start preparing for your engagement." he muttered, disregarding her words once again, letting it slip between the smoke and convert into woe.

"The event is next month, I need to wrap it up, I even need to find a singer from the budget list, anyone could do the preparations for my ceremony." She continued, ignoring what he said.

"I see. Put it there, I will check it out." He exhaled, turning to her finally, taking slow steps in her direction.

"Please don't smoke." She said firmly. Not removing her eyes from his fingers which held the cigarette.

"I don't need your permission for it." His voice came out dominant, standing in front of her, feeling his heart rate enhanced by the lack of space from the traces he cherished.

"What's bothering you? You only do it when something troubles you." She asked, taking it from him and crushing it in the ashtray, returning his grimace with a smile.

"It's nothing." he sighed, holding his forehead.

"Then there's definitely something." she pouted, "Is it.. me and..-" She trailed off but he cut her off, "No. It's my breakup." He excused quickly, lying smoothly.

She hummed and began to speak again, "By the way, did you check out the new theme for the stage? I kinda liked the purple one, it would get along the show but not hotel's customs, could-"

He suddenly slammed his one hand on the table, "Do you love Emraz bhai?" He asked, deadpanned, breathing sharply through his nostrils in ire.

"Huh? Where did that come from? You just said it's not...." Baffled by his impetuous sentence. Raising a brow.

"Just answer, Isra." He growled, losing his senses, hovering over his. His impromptu action could cause havoc for invading her personal space.

"G-Get away, Rayan, and stop asking stupid questions. Of course, we are getting engaged." She stammered, taking a step back, looking away.

"Was it too easy for you?" He asked, leaning closer to her face. Contemplating her features closely for the first time. Was it? For you? She thought.

"What do you mean?" she asked, staring back into his eyes, not understanding what happened to him.

"Do you even know what love is?" He mocked, narrowing his eyes, glistening with the despair he had felt. His quivering lips begged to speak more than they could but it's beyond his capabilities

"This smoke has intoxicated your mind, Rayan." She hissed, slamming the file on his chest, leaving his he spoke up again,

"Have you ever perished for someone?.. No. Have you ever changed yourself for someone? No. You have never experienced the ravage of love. You know nothing, Isra Bukhari." His hissed back in her ears, standing behind her, startling her with his vehement behavior.

"Don't imply your breakup on my bond with Emraz ever again, Rayan." She said seriously, turning her face and looking him dead in the eyes, "Get the hell away, don't piss me off with your ridiculous talks. Don't meddle in my new bond, I am starting my new life, I don't need your nonsense there." Scowling, she walked away to leave him alone in his misery but stopped upon holding the door knob, glancing at him for the final time. And left before saying furiously,

"And after your senses return, I expect an apology for this waggish talk."