Chapter 36: The First night. 😉

Once Kayan changed into dry sweats and sleeveless tees, he went to check on Amyrah. Sure she was there, curled on the couch. Her dorky glasses set on her nose and her forehead ceased in concentration. Taking a few steps ahead, he saw that she was concentrated on watching the Korean version of Criminal minds on the TV.

Shaking his head, he smiled at her. This girl sure was unique. He walked towards her, hands in his pocket and a smile on his lips.

"Wanna pull an all nighter?" he questioned her and she let out a yelp, almost falling off the couch.

"Jeez. Don't scare me like that!" she muttered, sitting up and pushing her hair away from her face. And Kayan found that really charming of her. Messy hair, dorky glasses, pink lips and milky chubby cheeks. Perfect nerd.

"Well?" He asked, walking around the couch and lowering himself on one of the seats.

"Movie Marathon?" she questioned him and he nodded, merely shrugging.

"Okay but which one?" Again a shrug as a reply from Kayan.

"Lets go binge watching on netflix-" she was saying when an idea popped into Kayan's head.

"Or we could do Harry Potter Marathon, including Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" he said, leaning onto his legs causing Amyrah to flash a large smile at him.

"You know me too well!" she grinned. "-Snacks?"

Kayan nodded and stood up, clapping his hands together.

"I will get food, you get the pillows and blankets. They are in one of the closets" he said and she nodded, standing up as well.

"Alright then" with that Kayan flashed her a smile and walked out of the room to get food.

While Kayan was gone, Amyrah heaved a deep sigh of excitement. It had been so long since she had a movie marathon.

She smiled unconscious as she walked towards the bedroom to get the blankets and pillows. After much rummaging through numerous closets, she found the one with the pillows and blankets. She grabbed two blankets, a few pillows (as much as her hands could carry) and walked out to the open space infront of the TV. She placed the belongings on one sofa and turned to the TV.

She felt giddy when she realized that Netflix was already logged in. It was like free food. Truely. Quickly searching up Harry Potter, she played part one, Harry Potter and The Philosophers Stone.

By the time she was done, Kayan was back with snacks and juice.

"What do we have here?" she questioned, peering at the food that lay on the small table that was barely four inches above the floor.

"We have chocolates, Chips or Crisps whatever you call them and............. popcorn and of course, milk shakes since we are out of sodas." said Kayan, taking a seat on the rugged floor infront of the couch.

Amyrah nodded and stepped past him and took a seat on the couch, as the lights dimmed and the movie began playing.

The Air conditioning was up to 19 degrees, giving the room a fairly cool temperature. Amyrah pulled the gray soft blanket over her, feeling the brush of the material on her skin. The pillows supported her back and neck, her body partially tilted towards the TV.

Kayan was seated near the end of couch, where Amyrah's head lie. He placed his pillows against the couch to support himself, and after several minutes into the movie, he was leaning against Amyrah's body. Her fingers playing with his hair unconsciously while they were engrossed into the movie.

He was munching on the popcorn when he felt Amyrah shiver slightly on the couch. From his pheripheral vision, he saw that she indeed, was shivering. So he turned off the AC and looked sideways.

"You wanna cuddle?" he questioned her.

Amyrah was cold but she did not bother switching off the AC. She had no idea why. Perhaps it was because she was lazy to reach for its remote on the ground, beside Kayan.

And Kayan's abrupt and blunt question caught her off guard.

"what?" she spluttered and Kayan faced her, smiling.

She felt her cheeks heat up at his ignorance, but nevertheless she shook her head no.

"Why not?" He Whined, casually adding a pout.

Amyrah kept shaking her head, No, until he stopped.

Thinking he had stopped for good, she went back to the movie, which was playing the scene of Harry on the broomstick.

She was so concentrated on seeing what was going on, she did not realize a certain human was lurking beside her until she felt his presence right beside her on the couch.

Kayan was cold and all he wanted to do was hug Amyrah and sleep. Was that too much to ask for? Okay maybe.

"Kayan! What are you doing?" Amyrah questioned him, her eyes glaring at him.

Ha gave her a cute pout and stared at her.

"Aaaiisshhhh" she muttered to herself as she opened her arms.

Kayan grinned and dived right into her arms. Since he was heavier than her, he lay at the back of the couch, his back hitting it while Amyrah lay infront, his arms securely around her. She lay on his out stretched hands, using it as a pillow since it was literally on her pillow. Kayan pulled the blanket over them as he smiled at the beauty lying in his arms.

The two watched the Harry Potter collection until the wee hours of the morning, when both prayed, after much difficulty, Fajr and fell asleep again on the couch.

The elders of the Zaeef house were up and about the following morning. The kids were still sleeping in. It was barely 9am!

Grandmother Zaeef, had showered and worn a blue and white frock, one that she dearly loves. And she looked beautiful as she walked down the steps of the house.

"Qaidah!" She called out and Qaidah's head popped out of the kithen, where she was eating berries.

"Yes mumma" she said, with her mouth full.

Grandma Zaeef smiled at her.

"Salaam dearest!"

She was in a happy mood today.

"Was Salaam mumma" replied Qaidah, gesturing her to come over.

"What's cooking?" She asked, taking a seat on one of the bar stools.

"I made Roti, Aloo paratha, chutney and a few veg curries. Why?" Qaidah asked, leaning onto the counter.

"Ah that's okay. Amyrah is still sleeping?" She asked, smiling fondly of the girl.

"Let her be, mumma. Let me treat her like you treated me. More of a daughter, less of a daughter-in-law" Qaidah said and grandma Zaeef chuckled.

"I am just glad the wedding season has began!" She said and Qaidah raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" She asked, pushing herself off the counter, towards the fridge.

"I mean, now that Kayan is married, the others will finally realize they are coming up next" said grandma Zaeef and Qaidah smiled, almost sadly at the open fridge.

"What's wrong?" Questioned grandma Zaeef, looking concerned over her.

"Oh nothing" Qaidah brushed it away, walking towards her mother-in-law with a plate of fruits.

Placing the plate on the counter, she took a seat beside her.

"Now tell me"

"It's just that, well, all of them getting married and leaving scares me" Qaidah said honestly and grandma Zaeef knew what she was saying. She also felt that when Aahil was getting married to Qaidah. And when her only daughter, Hafsah was getting married to Asfandyal, her son-in-law. But she was glad that both her children were happy and healthy.

The old lady smiled at Qaidah, wrinkles forming on her face as she did so.

"Qaidah, you know... I also felt the same thing. I have only two children and I was scared for them. I was scared that their lives would be ruined if the choices are not right. I was afraid of letting them go." She explained softly and Qaidah listened attentively, with watery eyes.

Grandma Zaeef smiled as she placed a hand over Qaidah's head.

"And you know what my mother-in-law told me? She told me that I should just go with the flow. I should let my children have the freedom they want. I should trust them to take care of themselves on their own and finally, I should love them so much that they be compelled to come back. She never had a daughter and since I was her oldest daughter-in-law, she treated me as one. The way she treated me, I treated you and I expect nothing less from you" she told Qaidah, who had a few drops of tears on her cheeks.

Qaidah nodded and grandma Zaeef smiled at her, before wiping away the tears.

"My daughter, trust your children. I know them well enough to say they would never do anything without a reason. Simply trust them" she told her, and then hugged her.

Patting her back, she soothed her daughter-in-law who was more of a daughter than her sons wife.

In a distance, Aahil and his father stood, watching the duo's exchange.

"Who would say they are not blood related?" Muttered Grandpa Zaeef and Aahil smiled.

"They were always close so..."

"Let's go for our prolonged jog, shall we?" Said grandpa Zaeef and Aahil nodded.

"Aasiyah, we are going outside for a jog!" Grandpa Zaeef called out to his wife who replied back a 'okay'.

The two walked outside to the front varrendah, where they wore their joggers and then headed towards the park.

"The weather is good" said Aahil, inspecting the skies.

"Uhuh"

"Pa, stop jogging and walk please. You are too old for that anyway" he said and his father hit his back playfully.

"I am not that old. Being 67 is not that old!" He Retorted and Aahil laughed.

"Sure"

"Yo people!"

That from there onwards, it was a less of a jog and more of a bickering party when Ehaan's father, Amyrah and Aaiyla's father's joined.

Indeed the day was turning out to be good.