Strangers

Continue....

Shahmir noticed Aqsa was lost in thought. He gently shook her and said in a low voice, "Princess!" Aqsa came back from her thoughts and replied, "Huh?" Shahmir then asked softly, "Bore ho rahi ho?" Aqsa looked at everyone present in the hall and then nodded her head. Shahmir continued, "Main bhi bore ho raha hu!" Aqsa shrugged in a manner that conveyed 'Kuch nahi kar sakte'. Shahmir then wrapped his arms on her neck. The elders were busy in their talk, while Shahmir and Aqsa were trying to figure out what the discussion was actually about.

Meanwhile, in the guest room, Shibra entered with a tray and saw Ibrahim sitting obediently with a gift paper bag. Shibra was a little confused, but she didn't pay much attention to the paper bag. Instead, she sat down on the bed and ordered him, "Ibru, yaha baitho." He obediently sat beside her and put the packet on the bed. She placed the tray on her lap, then made a morsel and held it in front of his mouth. He was a little confused because since he came from Ukraine, she had never fed him by hand. In childhood, she only fed him if he requested her to.

This was the first time since their childhood that she was actually feeding him again without him insisting.

For a while, when he didn't eat the morsel, Shibra said, "Ab khao bhi," and he hesitantly accepted the morsel and chewed it. It was so overwhelming for him because in his own parents' home, he was treated like trash. No one even cared about his health; being fed by them was a far-off thing.

Then Shibra lovingly fed her baby brother, and he happily ate everything present on the tray. Afterward, she gave him medicine, and he took it. She said while taking back the glass of water, "Now you take rest! I'll go outside." When she was about to stand up and leave the room, he held her hand and said in a low voice, "Baji." She looked at him with her eyebrows raised. He stuttered, "I... Wo.... Ye..." Shibra sigh deeply and said, "Speak clearly ibru. Aise mujhe kuch smjh nahi aa raha."

He then took a deep breath and said, "Kuch nahi." She looked at him with some doubt, but then she left the room, and he lay down on the bed.

He thought, "Shit, how will I give her a gift?" Soon after, he slept peacefully because of the hectic day and the headache he was having.

Meanwhile, in the hall, Shibra came with a tray and looked at her parents. She went to put the tray in the kitchen. When she came back from the kitchen, Shibra's parents happily called her to sit with them.

Mrs. Khan said lovingly, "Shibra aao, yaha humare pass." Shibra went to them, and they again started talking about random topics.

After a while, everyone went to have dinner. Everyone sat in their respective places. At the dining table, everyone was having dinner in pure silence. After having dinner, everyone went for a walk in the garden area. Meanwhile, Aqsa went to her room to attend a call from her college friend, Angel.

Little Introduction

Angel, Aqsa's college friend, is in the same department as Aqsa. Angel came from Bengaluru and is currently living in the hostel. From the beginning of the semester, Aqsa and Angel have had a great bond.

Aqsa picked up the call, and from the other side, Angel said, "Kaha mar rahi thi itni der se? Aur college kyu nahi aaye? Bataya bhi nahi?....." She asked so many questions in one go. Meanwhile, Aqsa, on Angel's sudden outburst, kept the phone a little far from her ear.

Aqsa said, "Take a break! Aur main aaj isliye nahi aaye kyuki mere bhai aur bhabhi ki anniversary thi."

Angel replied, "Fir batana bhi chahiye tha na! Koi insan intezar kar raha tha. Atleast inform."

Aqsa responded, "Acha meri ma galti ho gaye aage se bata karugi."Their talk went on for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, he woke up from his sleep and realized it was late. He should wake up now. He pushed himself off the bed, stretching a few limbs, and decided to go out into the hall. When she finally hung up the call, she went out and saw that the hall was empty. "No one is here," she mumbled. "Tch." She then decided to go into the garden.

He opened the guest room door and stepped out into the hallway at the exact moment Aqsa, still half in her own world, was going into the garden. she bumped into his chest and She was going to fall down, but he was quick enough to hold her at the right time. She clenched her eyes and expected to fall, but it didn't happen. When she realized she didn't fall, she looked at the source that saved her. And here, her eyes met with his. Meanwhile, his eyes were only on her from the start, from when she bumped into him to when he held her in his arms.

The eye contact held between the two of them can't be described. Her heartbeat was fast, and she was holding her breath. He noticed and bent down, saying in a deep voice in her ears, "Breathe." And she did. She unknowingly released the breath she had held. He made her stand properly and went from there towards the front exit door without saying anything to her. She was shocked and mesmerized again! Because his eyes were a pair of eyes that she could never forget. Some eye contacts are hard to forget.

She looked at him as he was going outside and shouted, "Hey, stop!" He stopped in his tracks. She ran towards him and stood in front of him, saying, "Kaha ja rahe ho aap?"

He swallowed hard, because he didn't know where he was going either, while she blinked her eyes cutely, waiting for his answer.

He then thought of something and, raising his eyebrows, asked, "Aap se matlab?"

She pouted and said, "See, don't be rude first of all. Second, I need your help. Can you lend me a hand?"

He, being himself, said, "How can I lend you my hand? Is that even a question?"

She was done with him and said furiously, "Can you lend me a hand means, can you help me! Remember you said earlier, 'A Princess like you should not be here and you are so fragile wagera wagera." She mimicked him.

She then said in an authoritative voice, "So, as a princess, I'm ordering you to help me!"

He looked at her with a 'so done' expression and closed his eyes in frustration. He said firmly, "You have so much audacity to order me around. I don't know if I should call this attitude a brave move or a dumb play."

then he took a paused and said in a deep voice, "And about helping you, let me think...." He bent a little to her level and whispered in her ears, "How about... a no?" He stretched the word 'No'.

Her eyes widened and mouth opened. A blush crept on her cheeks, and she said angrily, "Aapko toh main dekh lungi."

He sighed and said sarcastically, "Dekh hi rahi ho kab se... Sharam nahi aati kisi na mehram ko aise dekhte hue aur aage bhi dekhne ki bol rahi ho..."

She frowned and said, "Allah khair kare, tauba tauba itne bhi handsome nahi hain aap... Don't think so highly of yourself."

He was not in the mood to argue more, but she was in the mood for an argument. Just as she was about to say something more, Shibra and Shahmir came into the hall from the garden, and behind them, the elders also coming. Shibra and Shahmir looked at them, and Shibra said, "Ibru? Are you alright? Kuch chahiye tha kya?"

Ibrahim shook his head and said, "Kuch nahi baji. Late ho gaya h I think ab hume chalna chahiye. Mumma papa kaha hain? Bula do unhe hum fir nikalenge...."

Before Shibra could say anything, Aqsa stepped in and said, "Aise kaise?"

Everyone frowned at her question, and she clenched her eyes. Then she said in a soft voice, "I mean, it's only been a little while."

Then Aqsa looked at Ibrahim and said, "Aur aap, chalo na mere sath!"

She dragged him aside, by his willingness, otherwise it would have been difficult to even shift him an inch from there.

She then said in a low voice, "Kyu itne nakhre dikha rahe ho? Kar do na help! Aage main bhi kabhi kaam aa sakti hu aapke" with a pleading face.

He finally gave in and said, "Acha Chalo batao kya help chahiye?"

She then said to him, "Come," and both of them went to the study room.

Meanwhile, Shahmir and Shibra were standing there in shock, looking at how Aqsa dragged Ibrahim. They both looked at each other with frowns and questioning looks. Behind them, Mr. and Mrs. Khan and Mr. and Mrs. Ahamed finally arrived. Mrs. Khan said, "Shibra jao, ibrahim ko bula lo! Ab chalna chahiye Hume late bhi ho raha haina"

Shibra swallowed hard, thinking of an excuse while looking at her mother. Then Mrs. Khan shook her lightly and said, "Shibra, main aapse kuch keh rahi hu bache! Kya hua?"

"Wo actually...." Shibra was about to say something. Before she could complete her sentence, Mr. Ahamed said while looking at his phone, "Abhi koi kahi nahi ja raha, meri princess ka abhi Message aaya hain ki sab ko ruk kar rakho."

Then he looked at Mr. and Mrs. Khan and said with a smile, "Sorry, Mrs. Khan, but you'll have to stay a little longer."

In the meantime, at the study room, Aqsa had taken Ibrahim there. She then placed her hand on her waist and said while looking at the projection screen with its stand, "Hume ye bahar le kar Jana hain aur projector kaha h?"

He frowned and said, "Aap mujhe isliye yaha laye ho?"

"Of course," she said while looking for the projector. Finally, she got the projector and said, "Aap ye utha loge?"

He said while looking at the white screen sheet with the stand and then the projector, "Kya ye? Ya ye?"

She lightly slapped her forehead and said, with one hand resting on her waist, "Uff ohh," then she pointed at it and said, "ye projector screen!"

He mumbled, "Uthane ke liye toh bulaya h? Utha hi lunga zahir si baat hain! Waah matalab, laaye toh itne haq se hain jaise ki main inka assistant hu. main kya baji ke ghar unki nand ka part time assistant banne aaya hu!"

(Author: "You never know when this part-time assistant might turn into a full-time assistant😉.")

She was busy in her own world and didn't hear his mumble, and said, "Aapne kuch bola?"

He said sarcastically, "Nahi nahi meri itni himmat kaha jo main kuch bol sakun! By the way, aapne mujhe hi kyu choose Kiya itne special kaam ke liye"

She pouted and said, "Khushkismat samjho aap! khud ko!"

He said dramatically, "Bilkul! Itne ache kaam duniya mein hote kaha hain ab! Koi aise hi thodi, stranger ko kone mein le jaa kar, fir kamre mein la kar chize uthwata hain! I'm so blessed"

She sighed deeply and ordered him, "Main ye le ja rahi hu aur aap bhi use le kar bahar aajao!" And she went from there towards the hall.

He, on the other side, said, "She ordered me as if I'm really her assistant."

Everyone was seated on the couch and talking. She came and placed the projector on the table, and he came behind her with the projector screen and stands.

He set up the projector stand, and she nervously adjusted the white sheet draped smoothly across the far wall. Tonight was the night. She'd been planning this surprise for their anniversary.

She then said, "Attention everyone, so it's my dear bhai  and bhabhi's anniversary. I didn't give my gift, so now it's time, I, Aqsa Ahamed, present you with unseen moments of my sweet bhabhi and bhai on their first anniversary."

Everyone's gaze shifted to the projector as it played a video of unseen cute moments, photos which Aqsa had clicked over the year as a memory.

Everyone was so focused on the video and happy; it was a wholesome moment, especially for our couple, Shibra and Shahmir.

After the video, Aqsa came to the front again and said, "Bhyy abhi surprise complete nahi hua! So please apne dil ko sambhal kar rakhe. Toh jaise ki mere bhai bhut busy rehte aur over the year busy hi rahe hain. Toh maine aur baba ne inke liye ek vacation trip plan Kiya hain. We booked everything you both just need to go and spend your a week there."

Shahmir interfered and said, "Par princess ek hafta bhut zyada hain! Baba aap samjh jao na ise! I run the company. I can't take so many days off!"

Mr. Ahamed stood up and went to Aqsa. He said in a firm voice, "Baba ke bache aap jo company chala rahe ho use aapke baba ne hi di hain, toh kuch din ke liye baba sambhal sakte hain. Aur ye bahana nahi chalega"

Aqsa added fuel to the fire and said, "Haan baba. Aur ye meri bichari bhabhi ko kahi nahi le kar gaye shadi ke baad se. Galat baat bhaiya aur abhi bhi complain kar rahe ho! Kitne workaholic banoge?"

She then folded her hands on her chest and said while flipping her hair, "Agar ye trip mujhe kisi ne gift ki hoti toh main na chodti ye chance."

Shibra got an idea and said to Aqsa, "Good idea, baby!" Then she looked at her husband, Shahmir, and said, "Kyu na hum Aqsa aur Ibrahim ko bhi apne sath le chale?"

Aqsa and Ibrahim's eyes widened, and they both looked at each other. Aqsa said instantly, "Arey bhabhi kaise baat kar rahi ho aap? Main toh mazak kar rahi thi! Aur main kya karugi aap couple ke bich mein?"

Then she lowered her voice and said, "Mujhe third wheeling nahi karni!"

"Arey nahi, koi third wheeling nahi hogi! Chalte haina please..." Then Shibra looked at Mr. Ahamed and said, "Baba... Please na..."

Mr. Ahamed agreed and said, "Main toh maan jauga beta par ek baar ibrahim aur apne parents toh puch lo"

Then Shibra looked at her parents with pleading eyes, and Mr. Khan said, "Meri beti ne bola hain, toh fir Ibrahim bhi jayega."

Mr. Khan didn't even think to ask, he ordered Ibrahim.

"Great! Now you both are also going with us," Shibra exclaimed happily. Meanwhile, Aqsa was looking at Ibrahim, and he was staring at the floor.

Shibra came close to Aqsa and shook her a little. "Aqsa?" she asked.

Aqsa snapped back to reality and said, "Huh?"

"Kaha kho gaye?" Shibra asked.

Aqsa smiled and shook her head. Shibra then asked, "So tell, kab ki hain trip?"

Aqsa said with a smile, "Kal shaam ki." Again, her eyes went to Ibrahim, and this time, Ibrahim's eyes were also on her. Shibra noticed Aqsa looking at Ibrahim and he was looking at Aqsa. Then Shibra thought,  "Is there a possibility of something happening between these two? I actually wouldn't mind at all if they dated in the future. I'd be the happiest person."

Then she noticed Aqsa and Ibrahim's clothes and said in a suspenseful manner, "I thought only Shahmir and I had pre-planned twinning today." Everyone's attention shifted to Shibra as she continued, "But it seems some people are twining without even trying!" and chuckled. Everyone was confused. Then Shibra clarified, "Look, Aqsa and Ibrahim are also twinning unexpectedly!"

Aqsa looked at her white suit and then at Ibrahim from head to toe.

Author's words.

That's all for today, hope you all are doing well. Hope you like my work and please do like and comment. And I'll see you in next chapter 🤌🏻 otttayyy my lovely readers 💓.