The sun was shining abundantly in the sky and the world was going like it always did, fast, uncaring and joyful, the car honks and minor arguments on the road made everything too lively for everyone else except Fannah.
He sat in his car silent, frustrated and happy, he didn't sleep for the whole night, thinking about everything that had happened since he first saw Sufiyan, replaying the memories of him again and again in his brain as he tried to feel better about the situation.
The situation remained as it is, uncertain and unclear but some things did get cleared in Fannah's head and even though he didn't want to accept them, those facts were just too clear to be named anything else, so he put them in a corner of his mind and got up from his bed at dawn to get ready and go for the meeting he had accidentally said yes to.
Fannah took a deep breath and looked at himself in the front view mirror, straightening his hair a bit as he got out of the car and made his way to the Bhat house.
It was just like Sufiyan, quiet elegant and majestic, he shook his head at the absurd comparison and walked straight to the door as he rang the bell and went inside.
Fatimah was sitting in the lobby, playing something over the tv and got up as she saw Fannah coming in and hugged him dearly.
"Asalamualaikum aunty", Fannah greeted as a warm smile crept its way to his face.
"Walaikum assalam son, how come you are here today?", she asked as she started walking towards the guest room.
"Actually sufiyan....", Fannah was about to tell her the truth, when Faiza came running from upstairs.
"He had come to see Areeb and then called and said he would be dropping by to see Sufiyan since he was in the hospital for so many days". Faiza lied, smiling at Fannah who just went along with it and nodded his head.
"Oh, that's why you are so...overdressed, makes sense", Fatimah said, shaking her head.
"Right, Maa". Faiza said, looking at Fannah from head to toe and then continued, "anyways, Sufiyan is in his library upstairs, I will take you to him". Faiza said and led him to her brother.
"Am I really overdressed?" Fannah asked taking a look at his clothes.
"No, you are not, you just look like Greek God took 178 hours to dress up, nothing much". Faiza said as they stopped in front of Sufiyan's library.
Faiza opened the door and went in casually, but Fannah stood there for a few seconds, hand on the door handle, he took a deep breath and gathered all the courage in his body.
"It's going to be okay, it's just meeting sufiyan nothing else, not like he would know what I am thinking so whatever". Fannah told himself as he walked in the library, locking his eyes straight with the perparator who had made his nights sleepless and his days into quiet longing.
Sufiyan was sitting in his chair behind the mahogany desk, a book in his hand as he looked up to see Fannah walking towards him, Faiza was already sitting in a chair in front of the desk, so Fannah took one on the side, chewing on his lower lip as he tried to avoid Sufiyan's gaze, which had penetrated into his heart and mind.
"So, what are you guys going to talk about?" Faiza asked excited as she came near Fannah.
"Something personal, so go outside and make sure no one comes in until we are done". Sufiyan said, getting up from his place and made is way to Fannah.
"Why, I want to know too". Faiza whined but Sufiyan did not give in so she finally walked out of the room.
"Fine, I will guard you two, hurry up or Maa will scold me". She said as she closed the door behind her.
Sufiyan moved his chair in front of Fannah and sat in it.
"Hi, How are you?" Sufiyan asked looking at Fannah.
"I am just getting by, what about you, feeling better then before?" Fannnah asked as he pinched his palm.
"Hmm, just like forever". Sufiyan answered and looked straight into his eyes unlike Fannah who tried to avoid his face at all costs.
A few minutes passed by but no one said anything as a deep silence fell over them, only the sound of pages turning on the floor could be heard, Fannah gulped and then finally spoke up.
"You wanted to talk about something?" He asked unsure if he had just stuttered.
"Hmm, actually", Sufiyan said and came a bit closer then before,"i called to tell you to be more careful these days, don't go to any mountains or places that are abandoned and it would be better if you avoid travelling altogether and also have someone else be with you all the times, what happened in Al-samash has raged quite a few entities so be safe". Sufiyan instructed in a serious voice to which Fannah just nodded his head.
"Is that why you asked me to come here?", Fannah asked but he felt he had said something wrong so he added immediately, "I mean you could tell me this over the phone too". He explained trying to get rid of any misunderstandings before they were even born.
"There's something else, come with me". Sufiyan said getting up from his place and walked to the white wall on his left and knocked on it, Fannah behind him, watched quietly as the wall moved and a dark entrance came into view, but he was not shocked at all but a little curious.
Sufiyan looked at his expression and stepped forward.
"It's my secret room, come in". Sufiyan explained as he went in and the door started to close so Fannah also ran in immediately without even asking anything or looking around.
The dark that was seen from outside had completely faded into the deep golden hue, wrapped in a warm and homely feeling.
Fannah looked around and saw Sufiyan looking for something in a corner, opening one box after another, the room was filled with boxes of unique stones, Jewellery and some artifacts that Fannah had never heard of before, there were books oon the shelves all with inscriptions in languages that didn't belong to this world and some other things like shoes, medicines and some kind of elixirs.
Fannah touched the lamp on the table and immediately the room was filled with fireflies dancing around him, he crouched down a bit and wanted to touch one, when Sufiyan called from behind.
"Don't be nervous, they do that to the person they fall in love with". Sufiyan said, making his breath hitch as he looked back, straight to Sufiyan's face with wide eyes..
"What?, you have put so much effort into dressing, someone had to fall in love with you". Sufiyan remarked, making a laugh escape from Fannah's mouth.
"Of course i dressed up so much because I wanted someone to fall in love with me". Fannah said teasingly as the fireflies around him started dancing a little faster.
"Here you go, wear this it will help conceal your energy and will protect you to some degree". Sufiyan said, putting a locket in his hand.
"Thank you". Fannah replied as he held the locket in his hand.
"Let's go back". Sufiyan suggested to which Fannah just nodded his head.
"Can we go back once these little ones stop dancing, they are so beautiful". Fannah requested as he looked around himself.
"These little things can dance for a thousand years, are you going to wait until then?" Sufiyan asked raising an eyebrow.
"No". Fannnah said and walked out of the room, as the fireflies tried to chase him, but Sufiyan said something near the lamp and the fireflies disappeared.
They walked back to their place and sat in their previous seats when a knock on the door was heard.
"Come in, you nosy brat". Sufiyan said as he looked at the door.
"I called you so many times but no one gave an answer so i have been waiting outside, so the tea became cold and i had to heat it up twice". Faiza said as she put the tray on table and gave them their tea.
Sufiyan was about to say something when Faiza made a face.
"I know I am leaving, you are such a bad brother". Faiza said but made sure his tea was not too hot to drink before leaving.
The two sat in the silence again, quietly blowing on their tea before taking a sip, Fannah looked at the locket in his hand and smiled a bit, after all it was not a bad decision to come here and meet Sufiyan, everything went better than he had thought and Sufiyan was all the more beautiful when he talked without restraint, the tea smelled a bit better then all the other times and the silence was not bad at all.
Fannah even thought that this was one of the best days this year, considering everything that had happened, everything felt peaceful and rosy,..until Sufiyan decided to break the silence.
"Fannah, thank you for saving me from Al-samash even though you had to go through so much just to save me, i am very grateful and will always be here to help you whenever you need anything", Sufiyan said to which Fannah shook his head, holding the locket in his hands tightly, he wanted to ay something but Sufiyan cut him off.
"But you didn't have to do anything like that, its just too dangerous and now it has come after you even here, I hope you stay away from me from now on". Sufiyan said as Fannah's eyes widened in shock and a stabbing feeling made him unable to breath at all.
"What?" Fannah asked trying to dissipate the knot in his throat.
"I mean it, it's not safe for you to be anywhere near me now, especially since you are getting married to my cousin, for the sake of her life and peace, i don't want you to see me ever again or try to save me, even though I die really, I don't want to put Areeb's future life in any danger, after all you are my Brother-in-law". Sufiyan explained as he stopped his tea, like it was no big deal, like Fannah had not decided to die just for him.
Fannah sat there for a second longer and then got up and walked to the door without looking back.
"I would have done the same for anyone else Goodbye, brother-in-law". Fannah said for the last time and closed the door behind him and ran out of the house, ignoring all the calls from Faiza and Fatimah, like they did not exist as he sat in his car.
"You are so stupid Fannah, so stupid, you really thought you mean something to him, he just sees you as a burden, a clown and nothing else and In all this you even got engaged like a moron, shit". Fannah thought as tears wet his face and the sobs finally choked out.
"You deserve it, you fool". Fannah screamed at himself as he clutched the steering wheel and started crying loudly.
"You really are the biggest fool in the world, you should have died in Al-samash".