Originally posted by: MrDarcyfan
Guys I am now working on the next part. Aiming to post it tomorrow as it is very late here now. Probably will be either tomorrow of the day after? But an update IS coming!
Part 9
Friday Evening - Ibrahim Mansion continued
The entry of Sonia had really thrown Seher. She knew about her of course. For quite some time. But the reality of seeing her in this house, was something she was grappling with. It just made it all so real. Too real. Was Sanam right? Was she jealous? Why had she jumped up and told Sanam that she should ask Sonia to stay in Rehan's room? Was she trying to pre-empt what she thought Rehan and Sonia wanted anyway? Was she being catty? It seemed like Rehan had not been pleased by what she said? Maybe he was angry she embarrassed his girlfriend? Her relationship with Rehan had ended so long ago, so it was not reasonable for her to be jealous anymore. But then we all knew that in matters of the heart, logic and reason played little part!
Rehan had shown Sonia into the guest room, and excused himself from her right away, after giving her a quick peck on the lips. She had wanted him to stay and talk to her, maybe kiss her properly? But he had just not been able to stay there with her and pretend that he was delighted to see her. The truth was he was totally thrown. He had not expected her to turn up here like this. He knew she was confused and probably unhappy with the way he had been acting lately. But still, he had not expected her to come over to Bhopal to confront him? He had been meaning to go to Mumbai next weekend anyway to see her. What had he intended to do going there? Even he was not sure? He knew that he had spent the past month obsessing over a women with whom his relationship had ended 3 years ago? She had clearly moved on in life. But seeing her again, he was exactly back where he started. He knew that he had to make a decision about his relationship with Sonia soon. Maybe her coming here will only bring things to ahead? After all, the way he had been unable to stop thinking of Seher only indicated he was not ready to commit himself to Sonia, or maybe anyone for that matter? Was he doomed to end up alone? The legacy his Mother had left him was not exactly an illustrious one? She was a criminal and his father a coward! Great combo, thought Rehan.
Dining Room - Ibrahim Mansion - 1 hour later
Everyone got together for dinner and soon there was a very lively and fun atmosphere in the dining room. This was the cousin's last weekend here, and they were leaving on Sunday night. So everyone wanted to make the most of the next two days. Sonia also joined them and Aahil asked her about how work was going in the Mumbai office for her? She was in the Marketing area in the Mumbai office, and she told him about some of the promotion campaigns they were involved in, and how they had managed to create a lot of publicity surrounding a mall project that Ibrahim Holdings was involved in. Listening to her, Seher had to reluctantly admit that she seemed like a level headed girl. Not some air head like Shalini. Why couldn't she be a 'bimbette' too? That way she could have been justified in hating on her. Zain noticed that Seher was a bit quiet, and asked her if everything was OK? She assured him that it was. She was just feeling a bit tired after all the running around they had done for days.
"Of course Golden girl. You must be tired. Please go rest" said Zain with concern.
"Thanks Zain" said Seher, feeling almost guilty. Here was Zain, all caring and sweet, and hopeful of taking their relationship beyond friendship, and here she was, still obsessing over Rehan and now his girlfriend. This was not healthy. She had to stop this. But how? That was the question? She really needed to snap out of this, or this weekend was going to be very long indeed. After dinner, Seher didn't hang around very long, and excused herself saying that she was feeling a bit tired.
"Tired? It's barely 11 o'clock? You're getting soft in your old age Seh" said Ishaan. "We used to party till morning when you come to Dubai, or we come to London!"
"I'm not much of a party girl at the moment Ishaan. I am a working girl now!" said Seher.
"Come on Ishaan, stop giving her a hard time" said Zain, defending Seher.
"Watch it Zain. Or you will go from 'International Khiladi' to 'International Homebody', said Ishaan laughing.
"We ALL end up there one day Ishaan" said Aahil smirking.
"Yeah YOU should know Aahil Bhai" said Ishaan smirking back.
"Goodnight everyone" said Seher, as she made her escape.
Rehan had managed to get through dinner putting up a facade of normalcy. After all, his girlfriend had come all the way from Mumbai to see him? He had to at least pretend that he was thrilled with it? After dinner, which had been a lively affair with all of Sanam and Seher's cousins talking a mile a minute and talking about how much fun they had this stay. Then of course Seher had left saying she was tired and the way that Zain had defended her when her cousin mocked her, had not gone unnoticed by him. He was playing the role of "attentive boyfriend" very well. Soon after Seher left, Sonia also said that she would like to turn in, as she had come to Bhopal in an early evening flight right after work, and she was pretty tired too. So she excused herself from the group. She looked at Rehan pointedly as she got up from the table and took her leave, and Rehan also followed her, after taking his leave from the crowd.
Rehan walked Sonia to her room, and as she walked through the door, Rehan lingered at the door without going in.
"Aren't you going to come in?"
"I thought you were tired?"
"Not so tired that I don't want to spend some quality time with my boyfriend! After all, I came all this way to see you?"
"I know. But you've had a long day, and frankly so have I. We have the whole weekend to spend quality time together!"
"Maybe I should have stayed in your room, like Seher said?" said Sonia with a naughty smile.
The mention of Seher's name was like another blast of ice on Rehan. Bringing to the fore, everything he had been grappling with for the past few weeks.
"Seher is quite outspoken. You shouldn't take her seriously. It would have been inappropriate anyway!" Rehan said more coldly than he wanted to sound.
"I was kidding Mr Tehezeeb. Looks like you're just as 'proper' as your sister in law?" Sonia smiled.
"Yes. That's Sanam for you".
"Very different from her sister. They DO look a lot alike of course, being twins and all, but Seher has a different dress sense to her sister. After all she WAS living in London, so its normal she would dress western".
"Yes, she dresses western, she always did. Even before she moved to London. Anyway, there is nothing inappropriate about the way she dresses?" Rehan defended Seher. No matter what his issues with her, he realised he still could not handle anyone else criticizing her.
"I didn't say there was Rehan. I know she's related to you. But you don't have to be so defensive. It was not a criticism. Just an observation", said Sonia frowning at Rehan's tone.
"Sorry Sonia. I'm just tired. I am not very good company. I think we should both get a good night's sleep. I will take you out into town tomorrow morning after breakfast?" said Rehan contritely. It was not Sonia's fault that he had issues.
"Can we have breakfast out? Please?" asked Sonia, looking at Rehan with her eyes wide.
"Of course we can! I'll see you tomorrow morning!" said Rehan smiling at her. He turned to leave, and Sonia stepped forward and held his hand.
"Aren't you forgetting something Rehan?"
Rehan looked at her for a moment in confusion. Sonia shook her head.
"My goodnight kiss?" she said coyly.
Rehan hesitated for a second, and stepped forward and brushed his lips against hers. Sonia was about to put her arms around his neck, when Rehan stepped back.
"Goodnight Sonia" he said, as he turned on his heel and left. Sonia stared at his back as it retreated out of her room. She frowned. She knew that Rehan can be reserved? But what was wrong with him? Why was he so distant with her? Something was definitely wrong, and she had to find out what that was before this weekend was out.
Seher had gone to the kitchen on her way to her room to make herself a hot drink to take with her. She needed something to help her sleep. As she came out of the kitchen she had to pass the corridor where the guest room Sonia was staying was in. As she came around the corner, she saw Rehan come out of the guest room. As he walked down the corridor, he came right in her path. Their eyes met for a second, and their gaze held. So many unexpressed emotions passed between their eyes in that moment. Seher looked away first, as she walked past Rehan and back towards the hall to go up the stairs to her room.
So Rehan had not stuck around long in Sonia's room? Why did that give her a certain sense of satisfaction? Seher didn't want to ponder on it. She walked towards the staircase. As Rehan walked towards his room, he wondered at his moment just now with Seher. Why had he felt almost guilty being seen coming out of Sonia's room? Like he was doing something wrong? This was ridiculous. Tomorrow he was going to spend the day with Sonia. Maybe that will give him the clarity he needed to deal with his feelings. This was going to be a very long weekend.
Next day - Saturday
Rehan had taken Sonia out to breakfast in the city that morning. Seher had come down to breakfast to find that Rehan and Sonia were nowhere to be seen? "What is it to me?" she told herself. She sat down to have breakfast and Sanam and Aahil were there, and so was Zain and Aisha. Some of the other cousins were not there, and Seher looked around. She saw Ishaan coming towards the dining table.
"Where is everyone today?" said Seher sitting down.
"They are sleeping in, after watching movies till late last night" said Sanam.
"Ok" said Seher noncommittally.
"Rehan and Sonia went into town!" said Sanam giving Seher a look from under her lashes. She was not her twin for nothing. When Seher had asked where 'everyone' was, Sanam was sure what she really wanted to know where Rehan and Sonia were?
"Did I ask about them?" asked Seher, looking at her sister.
"You did say EVERYONE Seher" said Sanam looking at her pointedly. Aahil hid a smirk. His wife can sometimes be quite sarcastic. Aahil knew that Sanam figured out the fact that Seher was probably wondering where Rehan and Sonia were, and she was right. Aahil didn't need twin telepathy to know this, when he saw Seher look around the table, he knew she had not been looking for her cousins. After spending three years with them, she surely knew they didn't come down to breakfast this early on Saturday morning?
"So what's the plan for today?" asked Ishaan, as he came and took his seat at the breakfast table.
"What do you want to do Seher?" said Zain.
"Me? Not sure...I..." Seher was trying to think what she wanted to do.
"It's a great day. So why not do something out doorsy?" Aisha interjected.
"Cricket match?" said Rishab, who was dragging himself to the table, still looking half sleepy.
"Cricket match? Look at yourself Rishu, you're still half asleep!" Seher mocked.
"You know I never wake up this early on a Saturday, Seher Api" he grumbled as he sat down.
"Anyways, you guys get SO competitive when we play sport and then it's like a major bust up afterwards. You're leaving tomorrow, so let's do something chilled out" said Seher.
"Yaad mat dila yaar. Classes start and my life ends" grumbled Aisha.
"Picnic" said Sanam. "Let's go for a picnic. It's outdoors and it's chilled out as well? We can go to Bhojpur Hill site Aahil? There's a great view there as well?"
"Yeah I guess we could" Aahil agreed.
"Picnic? Not a bad idea, but I am sure Latiff will complain if he has to make all the food? Remember yesterday?" laughed Seher.
"I'll help him with it" said Sanam.
"NO way Sanam! You're not spending the next two hours STANDING in the kitchen making snacks" said Aahil sternly.
"But Aahil..." Sanam started to protest.
"We will ORDER some picnic hampers Api. There are some cafes in town that specialise in this. I ordered food for a meeting with clients two weeks ago from this place in town, and I saw on their website that they do Picnic hampers as well. I am sure I can go into town and pick one up? Or if it's too short notice, we can even buy stuff to take with us?"
"Sounds good Seher. Either ways, YOU are not doing any cooking today? Said Aahil looking at Sanam. "You have been running around a lot lately, and I don't want you to exhaust yourself".
"Seher and I will go to town and order the food" offered Zain.
"Yeah we can do it" Seher agreed.
"Wait up, maybe I'll come with you guys?" Ishaan said, at which Zain gave him a withering look.
"Tum apna breakfast katham karo Ishaan! Frankly you don't look up to it. Conserve your energy for the picnic. Seher and I will handle it!", said Zain mockingly.
"Fine. Whatever man!" muttered Ishaan. But Sanam had noticed that Zain seemed quite eager to go to town alone with Seher.
"Shall we go then?" said Zain, and Seher got up to leave with him.
"We'll be back soon Api. Get the other up and ready".
"I'll give Rehan a call as well" said Sanam.
"I doubt HE will want to hang out with us, now that his girlfriend is in town?" said Seher sarcastically.
"Either ways, I will call and give him the option. IF he and Sonia want to join us, they can, if not, that's up to them!" said Sanam. "It won't be nice if they come home and find everyone has gone out, and we didn't even invite them to join us!"
"Api and her protocol. Let's go Zainey". With that, Seher and Zain left the house and headed off to town. Seher insisted that she wanted to drive, so Zain smiled indulgently and told her it's fine, go ahead.
They reached town in about 15 minutes and they came towards the block where the cafe that she wanted to order the picnic hampers was in. Seher parked the car, and they went into the cafe. Seher went to the counter and talked to the guy attending. He recognised her, coz she had been there a few times. She told him what they wanted and he said Yes, they can have the hampers ready in an hour. Would she like to have them delivered? She said No, they will just stay in town and come pick them up. Just as she was about to tell Zain they can leave, she realised that Zain had walked further into the caf. She suddenly heard Zain say;
"Rehan? Sonia? You guys are here too? We came to order some hampers for the picnic!"
"Hi Zain" said Rehan, who was sitting at a table with Sonia. Seher noticed that they were holding hands. "Sanam called and told us about the picnic".
"I hope you are coming?" Asked Zain.
"Yes. Sonia wanted to go when she heard the picnic location was out of town at the Bohjpur Hill site!"
Great! Sonia wanted to see Bhojpur hill? That meant this whole picnic she will be there, clinging to Rehan's side and SHE will be forced to watch. Seher's train of thought was broken by a voice.
"Why don't you guys join us?" said Sonia.
"No...I..." Seher started to say, but Zain cut her off.
"Of course! Why not? Seher, we have to wait to pick up the hampers anyway right? So..."
"Come on Zainey, Sonia and Rehan don't need us to be here like a third wheel'? Anyway, I want to visit the book store down the road. I wanted to buy something from there".
"Ok, but we can go a bit later?"
"No. I need time to look around. I am buying something for Aisha" she lied quickly. "It's this book she has been after for a while. I also want to get some stuff for the others!"
"You want to buy gifts for the boys in a book store? Don't tell me any of them have started to read books?" laughed Zain.
"Games Zain...Games! Not books. That shop sells those as well". Seher was getting exasperated with Zain. Can't he get the message she didn't want to join Rehan and Sonia?
"Looks like Seher has a lot of things to buy from that bookshop Zain, you should let her go there!" said Rehan looking pointedly at Seher. He was well aware of the fact that Seher was unwilling to spend time with him. Seher quickly looked away from Rehan's probing gaze. It saw too much. He knew she didn't want to be here.
"Yeah ok. Let's go Seher" said Zain, and with a quick goodbye to Rehan and Sonia, they left the place.
Seher deliberately lingered in the book shop for as long as she could, and she ended up buying more things than she even intended. The hour was soon up and they went back to the cafe. Thankfully Rehan and Sonia were no longer there. They picked up the hampers and left for home. When they got home everyone was ready to go. So they all took a few cars and set off to Bhojpur Hill.
Bhojpur Hill - 1 Hour Later
Everyone was having a great time, and Latiff was very happy that he didn't have to make anything for this trip. All he had done was just place some water bottles and soda cans in a cooler bin. Even "chui mui" Latiff could manage that!
It was a nice day and everyone was eating and sitting around on blankets. Sanam and Aahil were sitting together, and Sanam was leaning on Aahil. She was trying to feed him a grape and he pretended that he was going to bite her finger, and Sanam laughed. "They are SO cute" she thought sighing. "If only everyone was as lucky as them?"
She glanced across and saw Rehan and Sonia sitting together as well. They were talking in whispers and smiling at each other. They looked pretty happy too. Maybe she was the only one doomed? Seher thought morosely. She looked over to where Zain was standing, talking to Latiff. He seemed so thrilled to be chatting with Zain and getting his attention. "S**t" thought Seher with a silent laugh. He could never leave a good looking man alone. Zain was a sweetheart. If nothing else, then she would at least have him? Seher realised that there would be many girls who's first and only choice would be Zain, and here SHE was thinking of him as a "contingency plan?" "SO not fair Seher" she told herself. She went over and joined Zain and Latiff.
Soon the cousins decided that they would play Frisbee. Everyone started throwing the Frisbee around. Seher who was quite sporty was fully into it. She was running around, catching the Frisbee and giving the boys a good run. She was the only girl playing. Aisha and Zia had opted out after they were starting to feel the pain of running around too much. Aisha was a lot like her Mother Humeira and was very skinny, and she was not sporty at all. Zia was better, but even she got tired after a while running around with the boys and gave up.
Rehan was watching Seher with her "boy gang" running around, and he didn't realise he had an indulgent smile on his face. She really was something. Something special. There really was no one else like her. Maybe that's why she was so hard to get over? He thought broodingly. He looked towards his car and Sonia was sitting in the passenger seat looking out. She had said she was feeling a headache coming on, after being out in the Sun for a long time, and wanted to sit in the car for a while. As Rehan was lost in his thoughts and didn't realise until someone banged into him. Seher had been moving backwards trying to catch the Frisbee that was coming at her, and she ended up colliding with something solid. Then a pair of hands curled over her arms and steadied her. She turned her head around and found herself looking into Rehan's eyes. She looked at her arms which still had his hands around them. Rehan let go of them instantly.
"Sorry" Said Rehan softly. Seher stepped forward and suddenly she realised that the Frisbee had fallen on the ground. She turned around to pick it up from the ground, when it was extended towards her by a hand. Rehan had already picked it up for her.
"Thank you" Seher murmured. She was about to turn around when she tripped over a stone on the ground. In her hurry to leave she had not even looked where she was stepping. She felt herself topple forward and her hands landed on Rehan's chest to break her fall. Rehan's arms automatically went around her waist. Rehan could smell the the vanilla smell coming off Seher's hair and he suddenly felt his head swim. He had not been this close to her since that incident in the club, nearly 2 weeks ago, and he felt himself reacting to her closeness. It felt so good to hold her. Seher was feeling slightly dizzy. She had not been this close to Rehan since their ill-fated visit to the club. He smelled so good, she thought. Some sort of citrusy smell and also an underlying scent which was uniquely Rehan. Another inch and her face would be pressed against the base of his neck and she would be able to breath in that scent fully.
"Seher are you ok?" Zain's voice coming from behind her cleared the fog in her brain caused by Rehan's closeness. She quickly stepped away from Rehan. Rehan reluctantly let go of Seher. She looked up, and their eyes met. Their gaze held for a minute and then Seher looked away.
"I'm fine Zain" she said. Rehan also looked away from her. She turned towards Zain, and he took the Frisbee off her. They walked a few steps forward and Seher could not help glancing over her shoulder at where Rehan was standing. He too was looking at her. Seher turned back and closed her eyes. "You have to stop this Seher" she told herself.
Sanam and Aahil had noticed this exchange between Seher and Rehan and they had looked at each other quizzically. Another pair of eyes had observed it too, further away from the crowd, sitting inside a car. Everyone started to pack up soon after that, and got in their respective cars to leave. Sanam and Aahil had Latiff, Aisha and Zia in their car and Seher and Zain had Ishaan, Rishab and Asad. Seher was driving, so that gave her little time to think, as she had to concentrate on the road. The general ruckus in the car with 4 boys meant that she couldn't even hear herself think, which was a good thing. Her closeness to Rehan had unsettled Seher, and she needed a distraction to keep her mind off it. Thankfully she found it in the company of the boys.
Rehan and Sonia had to drive back by themselves. Rehan was very quiet as he was still disturbed by the memory of his closeness to Seher. Or more so how he had reacted to her being close to him. This weekend having Sonia here instead of giving him clarity was further messing up his head. Sonia watched Rehan. She had noticed the incident on the field between Seher and Rehan. Something had exchanged between them and she had not been oblivious to it. There seemed to be some sort of undercurrent between them, which she had noticed from the moment she set foot in Ibrahim Mansion. Initially she had dismissed it, but since last night, and then today, things seemed to be stacking up, indicating that this was not something in her head. Seher's reaction to her arrival, how she had not wanted to join them for coffee, and wanted to get out of the caf. How Rehan seemed to be tensed when he was around her. All of this put together painted a picture. But what was it? If it had been one isolated incident, she would have dismissed it. But something was defenitly going on here. Maybe it was not clear to anyone else, but she could see it, maybe because her eyes were always on Rehan. Also, his recent aloofness also indicated that he was not completely happy with their relationship. Had she finally found the reason? Was Seher it?
To be continued...
Hi All,
So here is Part 9. This is very much setting the stage for Part 10. Things will move considerably in this update. Hope you all enjoyed Par 9. Please do leave comments and dont forget to press "Like"! :)
Regards
Mandy
It was a wonderful update
Both rehan & seher is confused
I realty felt for zain & Sonia they are also good people but kept in dark
The whole field scene was too good
Now that Sonia is getting vibes between Sehan. How will she react when she finds out the entire truth? Also zain didn't notice these things in field & Seher's behaviour around rehan?
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