Be Mine

Chapter#3

It was just another peaceful day at the Main house in Shareefabad, Moosa and Owais went out to work, Amma-Bi was supervising maids in house cleaning and Shahina was busy staring at Moosa's piano. She has fallen in love with this instrument since she heard him playing it and from that moment she wanted to learn it but never had the courage to ask Moosa to teach him like he taught Yawar. Therefore, she secretly started watching piano tutorials on the internet and practising it whenever Moosa and Owais were not in the house and soon she mastered many techniques on her own.

Shahina's final school exams ended two weeks ago and it has become her daily routine to borrow Amma-Bi's phone and watch the piano tutorials of some famous classical pieces. Now, she was preparing herself to try what she had learned from those tutorials. Taking a deep breath, she settled on the seat and adjusted the phone near her. After several failed trials, she was finally able to play smoothly and by the time she ended the practice, a big smile was playing on her face. Satisfied with the result of her efforts, she stood up and turned back to leave, but froze the next moment when she saw an unknown boy standing in the room.

Wearing ripped blue jeans and a grey t-shirt with chappals he was staring at her with excitement. Shahina's face paled when she saw him smiling at her and quickly covered her head with the dupatta.

The boy chuckled at her startled state and said, "I am sorry about my bad manners. I knocked on the door but I guess you didn't hear it, so I let myself in thinking that it must have been Moosa Bhai."

Shahina didn't say anything, nor even bother to look up at him. The boy waited for a few moments then continued when she remains silent, "You are Moosa Bhai's sister right?"

Again Shahina remained silent.

"At least nod your head if you don't want to speak." At this, Shahina nodded in the affirmative.

"Means, your name is Shahina. Right?"

"How do you know?" Knowing her name shocked her and she couldn't stop herself from asking.

"Finally you spoke." He smiled and continued, "I hope you know about Sarmad, I am his youngest brother, Muntaha. Sarmad Bhai asked me to give these papers to Moosa Bhai." He held out a folder to her, which she didn't take.

"Okay...I am putting this folder on the table beside the door." His smile widened as he said.

"Can you give this to Moosa Bhai?" He asked Shahina and she nodded.

"Good and thank you. I will be going now, it was nice meeting you." With that Muntaha left the room and Shahina released a breath of relief.

~*~

"Amma-Bi, Sarmasd's brother will be coming here soon. Tell him to meet me in my office." Moosa said Amma-Bi as soon as he reached home.

"He has already left beta (child)." Said Amma-Bi.

"Oh, did he give you some documents?"

"Yes, Shahina told me about some documents he gave and she had already put them in your office."

"How does Shahina Know about it?" Moosa sounds surprised.

"She said he gave them to her."

"How was he able to reach her?"

"I don't know, but don't worry, she is fine."

"Are you sure she is fine? You know how afraid she is of men. She even avoids facing Owais who has been working with me for years."

"Moosa, ...you, Ahad, Owais and even Yawar, are different from that boy. All of you are her family and he was an outsider. Shahina is not stupid to show her weakness to an outsider, start trusting her a bit more. Allow her to face the world on her own, or she will suffocate from our overprotectiveness." Amma-Bi patted Moosa's arm.

Moosa took a deep breath and nodded. He was told the same thing once again. Natasha and Amma-Bi believe that at some point this protectiveness will become restrictions to her and they need to realize that it is time for her to fly with the power of her own wings.

"Tell her to meet me after lunch. I need to talk to her."

"Moosa-"

"Don't worry Amma-Bi, I will not go against your words." He reassured her and left.

~*~

Shahina sat stiffly on the sofa in Moosa's office waiting for him to finish his call. Amma-Bi gave Moosa's message to her but this sudden summoning was unusual and it scared her a lot yet she obeyed silently.

"Bache (kid), tell Amma-Bi to check Yawar's room. He will be here by tomorrow evening." Moosa said sitting on a sofa before her.

Shahina felt her head spinning on the news of Yawar's arrival and for a moment she went numb but soon regain her composure.

"Anyways, Shahina I called you to talk about something very important. So I want you to listen to me carefully and answer me after thinking about it, okay?" Shahina nodded.

"After a few months, you will be starting your college... and I don't want to restrict you from making any new friends and hanging out with them. But, I am sure you understand that we are different from the rest of the world right?" She nodded again.

"Therefore I want you to learn self-defence during your vocations. If you are comfortable with the idea, I will hire a female tutor for you." This time Shahina didn't respond, she remained still staring at the floor.

"Your Nats Api think that you should also learn how to use a gun." Shahina's head snapped towards Moosa as he said those words.

"It's inevitable bache, whether you liked it or not. You are a part of Black Eagles, sister of Moosa Khan. No matter how much I try to protect you, our lives will always be at risk." Moosa sighed and leaned on the back of the sofa.

Silently, Shahina process all the things Moosa said to her but she was unable to answer him instantly. Understanding her confused state, Moosa told her to take some time and tell him later. Only after a few minutes, she came back to his office and reluctantly agreed to learn self-defence but she refused to use a g*n before her graduation. Shahina was not an average girl and she has accepted this fact long ago.

~*~

"Yawar, you are coming tonight right?" Habib, Yawar's friend asked him while starting his bike.

"Coming where?" Yawar asked absentmindedly.

"Didn't you read our group's chat yesterday?"

"No yar, I was busy."

"Busy with what? I thought you don't study a day before the exam."

"Yes, I wasn't studying. I was packing my stuff to go back."

"Go back? Where?" Habib abruptly left his bike and stood straight before Yawar.

"Home."

"Permanently?" Habib's eyes went wide.

"Nahi (No), how can I leave my studies like this? Are you out of your mind?"

"You said with such a serious face." He shrugged and continued, "When you will be leaving?"

"Going straight, I have already called the driver."

"What's the rush? Is everything alright at home?"

"Yes, everything is fine."

"Sure?"

"Yes."

"Hm..., your eagerness to go home is unfathomable to me, but... have a nice time." Habib said wearing his helmet.

"Of course." Yawar smiled shaking hands with his friend and both of them turned to their own ways.

A small smile was playing on his lips as he jogged towards his car and it never left his face until he reached the Main House. The year he spent alone taught him the importance of family and a very sweet lesson which he was pleased to learn.

~*~

After greeting Moosa and Amma-Bi, Yawar made his way to the bedroom but his eyes were scanning every corner of the floor, searching for the person he was yearning to see. The person who kept his thoughts occupied all the way to the home.

His gaze halted at a certain door before he dejectedly entered his room and drifted into sleep as soon as he dropped himself on the bed. Don't know for how long he has been sleeping, but when he woke up, it was already night.

"Abe yar, I slept too much." He mumbled getting up from the bed.

After a bath, Yawar came out of his room and stride directly towards the kitchen to find some snacks. But his steps came to an abrupt halt on the entrance, when his eyes landed on a slim figure near the refrigerator, leaning against the wall. Her eyes were focused on her phone with a smile on her lips. For a moment Yawar forgot to move his eyes, he never saw her smiling.

She was unaware of the surroundings, and he got a chance to see this person more than just a glance. what else could Yawar ask for?

Standing still on his spot silently his eyes roamed around Shaina's frame. He noticed how much she has changed, her black hair grew longer than before, her weak health looks much better and the fear that was evident from her face was nowhere to be found, it was replaced by satisfaction and happiness and her tanned complexion, because of which he used to call her 'Kallo' was making her more attractive now. All in all, she wasn't the girl, who he left a year ago. Or perhaps he was the one who has changed. Taking in her whole appearance once again, he slowly started to walk towards the refrigerator and stopped just before her.

~*~

Shaina's horror increased minute by minute, as the time of Yawar's arrival came closer. She didn't want him to come home and ruin her peaceful life but she couldn't stop him, nor put her fears into words and say to anyone. So, she stayed in her room, pretending to be ill. Amma-Bi understood the reason for this illness yet kept her lips sealed. Time passed and she got the news that Yawar came directly after the exam and will be resting for long.

Shahina lowered her guard and came out from her room. She helped the maids in the daily chorus and made dessert for dinner. After getting free, she started to chat with her friend. She was so lost in their conversation that she didn't notice the presence coming near to her until two slippers came in view.

On realizing that the slippers belong to a male, she raised her head and froze, watching two familiar black orbs staring at her. The same orbs which used to follow her everywhere like a shadow. A shadow she feared the most.

Shahina's forgot to breathe as Yawar gazed back at her. She remembered him being tall but he wasn't lean as before, the person standing before her has broad shoulders just like an adult man. He wasn't the Yawar she knew nor has the same look in his eyes as before. They have changed and the glint in Yawar's gaze scared her, more than his closeness. Watching her pale face, he opened his mouth to say something but before he could speak a word, Shahina dashed out of the kitchen.