Chapter one : Realisation and Revelation
28th December 2014
Shahida looked mindlessly at the sky. Her heart beat rapidly with each moment passing by. He would be here any moment and she had promised herself that she would tell him the truth. The truth of her existence.
It had been almost 8 months she had known Rehan and she had to admit she had fallen hard for him and she knew he felt something for her too, thus she decided to disclose him the truth. Whatever step they would take next would be his decision.
Shahida was nervous with every minute that had passed by. Her mind was filled with wha ifs but all she knew was that she would understand if he didn't accept her. Many people didn't.
..
Iqbal found his child, kneeled down in a corner of the garden, crying her heart out. Her little pony tails bounced up and down every time she sniffed.
"Shahida, jaan, what happened?" He asked her as he took her in his lap.
"Zebu is not letting me playing with her and the other girls. She is saying that I can not play with her as I am not one of them. What does that mean Abba?"
Iqbal flinched at her words. He couldn't believe that his sister had planted seeds of hatred in his neice's mind for his child. He hated every time she addressed Shahida as "it" and kept mentioning how she was not their daughter.
"It means that you are special. You are unique." Iqbal answered.
"Is being special bad?" Shahida questioned her father between her sobs.
"No it's not my jaan. Look at here," Iqbal pointed to bushes of flowers in their garden. "These are roses. Many people like roses as they are beautiful. And that there is a sunflower. It's different than roses and some people prefer roses over it. But there's always someone who will like sunflower more than the roses."
"So I'm a sunflower?"
"Yes a sunflower. Different and so beautiful in your own way. And one day you will find someone who will pick you over all the other roses."
..
Shahida smiled a little as she stirred her tea. Her mind racing back to the first time she had met Rehan and how the tea had played a good role in bringing them close. The day was still fresh in her mind.
..
Smoothing her dress, Shahida entered the office she was directed to. The cabin was big and designed well, on the middle situated was a big desk and the person on the chair had his back to her. The Secretary motioned Shahida to take a seat opposite to her employer and whispered to her employer, who was busy in phone about her arrival. On clue, the man who Shahida had come to interview turned towards her with a smile.
Shahida had to control her mouth from opening wide as she came across the CEO of one of the biggest companies in the country. She had heard that he was young but had not expected someone who looked as young as her.
"Rehan Rana." Rehan extended his hand for a shake which took a moment for Shahida to shake her hands with.
"Shahida Junaid from the Business Time Magazine." It had been a year since Shahida had started her journalism studies and since the fast few months she had been interning in the Business Times. As an intern she was given the job to interview famous entrepreneurs and businessmen. She had come across some of the most arrogant and spoilt men in her life. They all were young and had inherited their fathers' companies and none of them seemed deserving. This one seemed like one too and Shahida loathed the interview ahead which would probably be filled with thousands of controversial statements and lots of egostics answers but nothing about the Business.
"Would you like something to drink?" His Secretary interrupted Shahida's chain of thoughts.
"A cup of tea would be fine."
She gave her an uneasy look and cleared her throat. "I am sorry, we do not have tea. Would you like some coffee?"
Shahida made a face on the name of coffee which didn't go unnoticed by Rehan. Shahida hated the smell of coffee, the fact that she was being able to sit there surrounded by the strong smell of coffee without puking was miracle in itself.
"Could you get a cup of tea, Mia?" Rehan asked his secretary and she just smiled at him and nodded her head.
Shahida smiled back at him somehow feeling comfortable instead of imitated. Maybe the fact that he was as old as her helped.
Some minutes of awkward silence passed when Shahida was handed a cup of hot tea. She took a sip and a frown decorated her face.
"Isn't it good?" Rehan asked noticing her facial expression change.
"No, no the tea is perfection."
Rehan raised his eye brow at her exaggeration. Shahida quickly moved ahead with her interview trying to hide her embarrassment.
"You are the youngest CEO of one of the biggest companies in the country, how does it feel to carry the responsibility of such big company at such a young age?"
"It is not as hectic and difficult as it seems."
"It's not?" Shahida couldn't hide her surprise in her voice.
"No. It's much worse." Rehan admitted making Shahida chuckle.
"There were news of your twin brother travelling abroad for his higher studies, what about your higher studies?"
"There are matters that have my attention which are much more important than my studies." Shahida didn't agree with his statement. Education had always been the foremost priority in her life. However she didn't express her opinion.
"You had been awarded with a gold medal for your Science studies. Do you plan to pursue it further?"
"I have none. Let's just say I got bored of science."
Shahida nodded her head.
After an hour of lots of questions and very knowledgeable and witty answers on his behalf even to embarrassing questions and a cup of worst tea she had ever drunk, they were done with the interview.
Shahida thanked him for his time and for the first time she enjoyed interviewing someone.
As she was about leave his office, she heard him ask,
"Would you like a cup to tea? A good one. I know a place." It took sometime for Shahida to process what he had just asked.
She slowly nodded her head in a yes all while wondering if he had asked her out on a date.
..
The tea date had led them to know each other well. After a misunderstanding that Rehan was proposing her, Shahida came to know that he was just offering her internship in his company. With a giggle of embarrassment and some presuation on his behalf, Shahida agreed to it.
She had joined their creative department. Though they rarely met during office hours, over time they had somehow gotten close to each other and one trip abroad had changed it all.
And here they were 8 months later.
Shahida's heart picked up the pace as she saw Rehan walking in. She gave him a small smile as he sat across her. It didn't matter how many time she would see him, she felt butterflies in her stomach every time. After exchanging plesantaries, Rehan shot the question she feared the most,
"You wanted to talk about something?"
"Yes. Rehan, I wanted to confess something to you."
"That makes us two then. I wanted to confess something to you too. But ladies first."
With a heavy heart Shahida mouthed her truth, the one she had learnt to hide since she was a child, the one she trusted him with. She closed her eyes not wanting witness his rejection.
Rehan didn't react immediately hearing her out. The silence was killing her. She wished he would stay but her mind reasoned her, no one would. The sound of chair pulling pierced the silence and Shahida didn't need to open her eyes to know that he was gone.
..
But I'm a sunflower, a little funny
If I were a rose, maybe you'd want me
If I could, I'd change overnight
I'd turn into something you'd like
But I'm a sunflower, a little funny
Word count : 1377
Total words : 3000
First milestone complete.
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