Aikaan was wondering on her front lawn when the bell rang and she received a beautiful flower bouquet. In it, she counted 21 flowers and found a short note which said “beautiful you, am I falling in love”
There was a voice inside her appeared, ” I want to fall in love with you, stranger “
She remembered that it was her birthday morning and she had turned 21 years old today. Now the question was who sent this note and how? How did someone know where she lives? How did someone know that she had turned 21 years old today? If someone else had opened the door it would have been really embarrassing, fortunately, Aikaan answered the door.
After missing a week to the walk today she had decided to go for a walk, leaving all the thoughts.
She wore her blue jeans with a long black top and tied her hair in a bun. Her eyes were smoking kohl and her color was white as milk. She had an attractive personality. She wore a bit of perfume and walked out of the house after announcing to her mother that she will be back in 2 hours and will eat breakfast after coming back. Aikaan was never too attached with any of her siblings in fact she never talked until it was really important. her little sister Rushaan used to accompany her at night and used to ask aikaan to tell her a story which she always did tell. And now, she was continuously thinking about Faaris who was strange to her, ” Am I in love “?
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“Aikaan” the beautiful, intoxicating voice called her name. For a moment she kept standing still and then slowly turned around.
“What do you need?” Why are you following me?!!
(Aikaan asked in a shaky voice)
Faaris stared at her, he couldn’t speak. There was something about her that was impossible to ignore. He took a deep breath and finally some words came out of his mouth.
“I assume you already know.” I think I’ve lost my mind.. Am I in love ?
Aikaan felt strange and started walking again when faaris stood there right in front of her and stopped her by blocking her way.
“Can you please come over for a coffee at the nearest coffee shop, I need to talk to you and I will not disappoint you.”
Aikaan couldn’t speak a word, faaris left the way and she left again. While she was going back faaris loudly announced “9 am tomorrow.”
Aikaan just ran back home again and it was about 10 am. Her mother was making breakfast and her favorite pancakes. When she went inside her room she saw that beautiful flower bunch again.. she had so many thoughts in her mind about these flowers, about the man she just met about her university entry test. She was just feeling tired and wanted to rest. Her mother and her siblings kept calling her for breakfast and she finally decided to eat something before a river of questions comes her way. She went to the dining table and ate quietly while everyone else was talking, laughing, and discussing how to make this weekend perfect. Mr. Malik noticed Aikaan and asked her what’s the matter? Why is she so quiet and she just answered that she has got a headache and wants to rest for some time.
It was raining outside today in the evening and the weather was really cold. Leila and Adam were sitting beside the fireplace and were enjoying their favorite cookies while Aikaan was trying to read a book. She was just pretending to read a book but in reality, her thoughts were roaming around that boy. She didn’t know his name and she was freaking out. What if he is the one who sent her flowers? How did he know where she lives? Should she meet him tomorrow? What are the best answers to these questions! In all this mental chaos she decided to call her aunty tasbeel and take her suggestions.
The bell kept ringing but aunty didn’t answer the call. “She must be busy this afternoon”
She thought to herself making a sad face.
She decided that she will not go anywhere and will not meet up with any boy. It’s not right. But from inside she knew that she was on a wrong path, ( Oh!! am I falling in love, she wiped the sweat from the forehead in fear )
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” ‘ Falling in love ‘ is not an act of will so it wasn’t my choice to fall for you. I didn’t know when I started falling in love “
The two were sitting on a coffee table when faaris first said these words. Aikaan felt strange for a moment then she spoke.
“LOVE” is a big word. How can you fall for someone without even knowing the…, Oh God I don’t know what was I thinking, I shouldn’t have come.
Faaris’s expressions became more serious, and his hand almost touched Aikaan’s. “I’ve had a long time to think about it I am in love .”
Aikaan moved her hand away nervously and told faaris that she must leave. She wrote her contact number on a tissue paper and left it for faaris and went out of the door.
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Am I falling in love? She thought, is it safe to do so with this man? What is happening?! Why did I even go there. Questions, she couldn’t free her mind from. She finally called aunt tasbeel again. I should as her, if it is love or if am I in love.
“Thank God you answered aunty.”
I need to see you. When can I??
“Come over tomorrow morning sweetheart.” I will be waiting.
Aunt tasbeel’s house was welcoming from the open door to the wide hallway. Upon the walls were the photographs of her all children, so obviously they were very much loved. The floor was an old-fashioned parquet with a blend of deep homely browns and the walls were the greens of sweet summer gardens meeting an off-white baseboard. The inside was filled with fairy warm lights and the fireplace was lit which was giving a very cozy look to the living area. As aunt tasbeel lived alone with her husband and few maids in this house. All of her children were married and she was about 55 years old now. Still graceful as 30 years old and still beautiful inside out.
