My mind was swirling.Everything was fluctuating.Fading in and out.It seemed that everything else had disappeared from around us, and only we existed.

His touch and hold only existed and supported me as I melted in his hold like a candle.My knees had given up whilst my body remained pinned against the wall.The soft touch of his lips, as he kissed me.Gave me goosebumps.

The man seemed to have all the time in the world as he kissed me so softly that if he applied a little force, I'd be broken into pieces.A little tug on my hair made me shutter my eyes open just to close them again.My hands automatically moving to the front of his shirt.

I was burning.

My body was on fire.

My lungs screamed for oxygen and only then did my neurons continued their communication with the receptors and acceptors.My hands pushed at the man's chest, trying to budge him yet he remained still.I was very breathless now.With all the energy and force, I pushed at his broad chest.

Arsalan moved away just an inch as our mouths tore away.His hold loosening on me.Keeping a hand on my wild heart, I gulped in large breaths.Seeing the man just as breathless as me.

I flushed under his dark eyes as he stared at me.His lips curling in a slow smirk making me consciously touch my own lips, finding them a little swollen.

The heat travelling from my neck to my ears finally made its way on my cheeks, making me feverish.My breath hitched once again as the man leaned in.His dark charcoal eyes examining every feature of my face as it memorising it.

My hands fell by my sides, as his hand reached towards my open curls once more.His nose now almost brushing mine making me push my body more into the cold wall.

Wanting to dissolve with the cement and bricks.

" You are only mine, Amal Arsalan Khan"He whispered each word out.My eyes trained on his.The truth and intensity on them making my heart to jump in my chest, missing beats.

" I like your hair."He whispered as his long fingers ran down the length of my hair.

I was speechless.

His hand left my waist as he moved away.

" I have you for eternity now."His lips turned into a slow smile as he walked backwards and then disappeared out of the room.Leaving me there pinned against the wall.

The front door closed indicating that he had gone out.Energy again ran in my body making me able to move.With wobbly legs I moved towards the washroom.

The white tiles and dark grey walls greeted me as I stood before the large mirror.My reflection surprising me.The woman before me didn't look like the old Amal.

Her cheeks were covered with blush and her grey eyes didn't look as empty as before.Her pale skin was being filled with colour.And her lips.They seemed more puffier and more pink.Giving away the sigh Just Kissed.

Tracing my lips, I left myself flood with nervousness and heat.Making me pull the faucet open.Splashing cold water against my burning cheeks, I thought.

How was I going to face the man ever again??

Drying my face, I walked out and sat on the window seat.The blue grey and white cushions surrounding me.Reminding me of the day when I came here for the first time as a bride.The day I walked through the main door, I signed away my life again but this was all different.

I sighed thinking of calling Marwa but soon jerked the thought away knowing she was in America with her family to enjoy the winter break.

Family.

It seemed strange that the one family I had now, was someone I didn't know.Because I was always too emersed in my own thoughts and consumed in my own pain that I never bothered about asking him anything.

What he did for a living, I knew he did some kind of business and also that he lived in Abbottabad too.The home, the land where I once lived freely before I got traped in a cage of gold.

Shaking the thoughts away, I wondered where the man had gone at this hour of the day.My eyes landed on the prayer mat making me realise that I once did ablution to pray.Standing up I walked into the washroom to do ablution again.

*

" Okay Aunty.But please tell me its nothing serious."I worried hearing her cough profusely.

" Ohho, you worry too much.Its just because of the shift in the weather."The old woman replied.

" Okay.Take care of yourself."I said pressing the phone to my left ear now.

" Okay-Okay.You take care as well and how is Arsalan?"She asked.My eyes shifted from the floor to the bedroom door and to the living room where the man sat watching his favourite football match.

" He is fine."I said quietly.

" Hm.Take good care of him-Its late now.I'll talk to you some other time.You rest too."She said all in one time making me smile.

" Okay."

Saying good night to her.I plugged the phone into charging.Getting ready to get in bed, I ran a hand through the bed covers.A habit I had inherited from my Aunty.I wanted to avoid the man and so I decided to drown myself in sleep before he even comes back into the room.

I was grateful that the rest of the day had passed with him being at the gym after sunset and had returned home just before dinner.Giving me time to recollect my thoughts.

Applying some moisturiser on my drying skin.I covered my feet with the warm covers when the man decided to call out.

" Amal-"His voice reached my ears.Making me stand up from my place.Grabbing the dupatta, I draped it around my shoulder.The cheering from the football match filled our living room.Standing by the sofa, I asked,

" Jee?"

The man looked away from the screen before his eyes landed on mine.He looked nervous as he scratched the back of his neck.

" Um-can I get a cup of tea?"He asked boyishly making me look down at my feet.

" I'll just be back."I said softly, nodding before turning back to make his tea.

Minutes later I returned back into the dark living room with only the television's lights illuminating the room.Placing the cup with the tray on the coffee table, I turned to leave but the man spoke again.

" I am supporting the white team."His words were a little rushed or so I thought.

With my back to the television screen, I turned my face to the man.His face turning to mine.He didn't say any more.But hid eyes did.

Something about his eyes and my beating heart said, that he wanted me to stay.That he wanted me to sit with him.Automatically functioning, I quietly took a seat besides him.Keeping enough distance between us.

Although my eyes were on the screen now, as players moved in the field but in the dark, I could feel him smile.Wrinkling my eyebrows I tried to focus on the game.But the presence besides me was making it hard.He was making me uncomfortable.

Minutes passed as he sipped his tea and I was totally concentrated on the game.I had put all my hopes in the blue team.Silently we both were fighting for our teams.Knowing that he was supporting the white one, I deliberately chose the blue one.

Just as the blue team player missed a goal, I hissed loudly leaning back on the headrest hearing the man respond with a,

" Yes."

I silently glared at the player.

" You still have time, you can switch to the white one because the blue one is totally loosing today."He said shaking his head.

I folded my arms against my chest and said in finality,

" One should never lose hope."

The man rose a perfect eyebrow at me, his lips turning into a smirk,

" Really, Mrs.Amal Arsalan Khan.Are you challenging my judgement?"His words were playful yet determined and so I said quietly before turning to the screen,

" Maybe."

The atmosphere of our surrounding had changed shifting to a much comfortable one allowing me to express myself on my comfort zone.

Minutes were left in the game and there was still no goal from my team's side.I pouted sadly but I wasn't accepting defeat just yet.The room filled with our cheering too but mine soon died down when the white team shot another goal making me pull my knees to my chest.

Arsalan chuckled loudly.

Very soon the final whistle sounded and the game ended with-of course the white team winning.My grey orbs looked away from the screen to the man besides me who clapped.

" See, I told you.The blue ones were loosing."He said grinning playfully turning towards me.

I smiled only.

" Well better luck for them next time."I said softly.

His eyes bored in mine.The grin falling into a smile now on his handsome face.The commentator voice broke our stare and heat flooded my cheeks.Making me lean towards the empty tea cup.

Still feeling a heated gaze on me, I turned to look back at the man.Seeing his eyes on me, yet his mind deep in thoughts.

I stood up to keep the cup away when his deep voice halted me in my steps.

" Amal, will you go out for dinner with me tomorrow."

The words tensed me making me shift my weight on my feet.My nervous eyes looking everywhere but him.My throat suddenly dried up.

Dinner

Out with

Him

The wheels in my mind turned.

Amal, its just dinner-you stupid.

I looked at the man, his expectant dark eyes waiting for my answer.

"Yes, I will."