It all started with a request on Instagram.
One day, Hayat was scrolling her feed, when a notification popped up :
"murat_ahmad sent you a follow request"
She checked out the profile but it was private. So, she thought to keep his request pending for a day or two.
Her mood swings were on top, as it was her 2nd day of periods.
The next day, she asked her best friend Jaylene about him as he was on her following list.
"He is a decent guy. Don't worry, he won't annoy you. He rarely messages".
Something caught her eye after seeing his profile from her friend's account and she decided to accept the request, but it was too late.
He had already removed it.
"Should I send him a request?", she wondered.
And without thinking twice, she sent it.
The next day, two notifications popped up :
"murat_ahmad accepted your follow request"
"murat_ahmad sent you a follow request"
She quickly accepted the request and stalked his account for a while.
One of his captions said:
"Gussa insaan ko cold drink samajh k pee jana chahiye". (one should gulp down anger like a soft drink)
Bada chill banda h yaar. (He's such a chill guy)
His one pic in a black suit caught her eye.
"Hmm, handsome", she said to herself and smiled.
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A week went like this. They both saw each other's stories every day but none of them replied/messaged each other.
"Aghh why isn't he texting me?! He watches every single story of mine.
Alright, I'm texting him first. I don't care what he thinks, because it can't go on like this forever. Someone has to make a move, and if it's me who has to be that someone, then be it".
"Hey!", she texted at 12:34 am.
*No reply*
She thought to herself, "Maybe he has slept?", but then a question popped up in her mind, "But who sleeps this early? It's only 12:30 am".
She was a night owl. Her night started at 11 pm and ended at 2 or 3 am. Sometimes even at 4 am.
The next day when she came online in the afternoon, she saw his text.
He sent "Hi", at 8:34 am. She thought to herself "Why so early? Is he a morning person? Damn it!".
Soon, they started texting. She used to ask tons of questions and he used to enjoy answering them.
8th February 2021, the start of a beautiful love story
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After two days, they exchanged numbers and added each other on WhatsApp.
She started to have a crush on him. She asked him every question that she had in her mind, to check if he is her ideal type. And he ticked all the freaking boxes.
Not all actually...
They had talked only for 5 days but it felt like they have known each other for decades.
There was a sense of familiarity and comfort between them.
He felt like home to her.
Her inbox was always full of messages but she waited for one text only and that was his. Sometimes to avoid people she talked with him on Instagram as well.
Soon they exchanged voice notes and she couldn't stop drooling over his deep voice.
She was unwell at that time and the way he asked "Did you take medicine?", melted her heart right away.
Her days began to start with his good mornings and end with her good nights because he slept while texting.
"Lol", she used to think to herself.
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She used to meet her cousin Zoe, on the terrace every day in the evening. Earlier, they used to talk about everything and anything but now she talked only about him. The way he cherishes her flirts with her, understands her, makes her stomach somersault, and makes her feel those butterflies in her tummy.
Her cousin always awwed at their cute friendship.
"You guys are so cute. You know what? You guys talk like couples".
She couldn't hide her smile after hearing this.
"C'mon, we are just friends. There's nothing of that sort going on between us".
"Yeah for now", her cousin added and winked at her.
"Okay, now stop it", she didn't say anything but deep down she wanted the same.
A week later, they talked on call for the first time, while she was on the terrace with her cousin.
She tried to focus on what he was saying and not his voice. She couldn't help but drool over his voice and feel butterflies wandering in her tummy.
"I wasn't nervous, right?", she asked her cousin, after the call ended.
"Yeah, you were because you were holding my hand the whole time and scratched my skin till it was about to come off".
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Soon they started talking on call every day. She loved to annoy him while he was at work by texting him minute after minute. She saved his name as 'Beezzyy Hoomann'.
Not a night went by when she didn't see him, in her dreams.
She started to fall for him, which she didn't want.
"You are really in love this time, all you do is talk about him", one of her best friends, Jannah told her.
"Nah... I'm not. Yes, I do like him but there's nothing called "love" in the scenario. I don't want to take any risks. What if he doesn't love me back? I might lose his friendship forever and that's the last thing I would wish for, so a big and fatty 'NO' to that love thing".
"Well, in that case, don't propose to him, but tell him indirectly 'You belong with me' ", said Jannah.
One day, he was being moody and told her he might cut off from social media.
Her heart skipped a beat after hearing him say that.
"So, we won't talk then?" she asked.
"It's not about us. It's just about my mood. Sometimes I just want to leave everything".
"But then you will leave, right?".
"Don't worry, no one is going anywhere right now. But why are you so worried?".
"Friends like you are hard to find", she said and that's when she realized that she didn't want to lose him.
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******
"What was your first impression of me? What did you think while sending me a request?" a question pops up in her mind as they were talking on call the next day.
"I didn't think you would talk or interact much, and we would just follow each other that's it." he shrugged while working on the computer.
"I see. You thought I'm that attitude girl who doesn't message first," she replied while playing with the hem of her dress.
He laughed, "Girls rarely message first. Now your turn. Why did you message me?"
"Well, I stalked your ID and thought let's check what type of guy is he."
"And what type of a guy am I?" he smiled.
"Friendly, sweet, caring. You're a good friend of mine." her words made his smile wider.
"So you like talking to me?"
"Yeah, why not." she smiled.
"People often think I have attitude, or I'm rude and unapproachable."
"Why?" she frowned.
"I just mind my own business and don't talk much. So they take it in another way." he shrugged.
"People are stupid. They assume everything on their own."
"Hmm. If anyone talks nicely with me, I reply politely. For example, you were friendly with me and talked nicely, so I enjoyed talking with you. Your behavior wasn't taunting or disrespectful."
"Hmm, what you give is what you receive."
"Yeah, but who cares." he rolled his eyes, making her laugh at his comment.
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**************
A few days later, out of nowhere, he asked,
"Do you like me?"
She was speechless. She thought that everything was over now. He will avoid her, and she will lose him.
"Umm, where is that coming from?", she questioned back.
"Dil ki gehraiyo se" (From the depths of my heart)
When she didn't say anything, he replied, "Okay, I got my answer".
"But I didn't say anything!".
"Your silence did".
Days went by, no one brought up that conversation again. She didn't want to ruin their friendship because of her desperate ass.
It was almost a week since they didn't talk on call because of his busy schedule.
'Beezzyy hoomann', he was, for real.
"Can you talk in voice notes?", she couldn't help but kept missing his voice.
Without asking anything, he replied with a voice note. "Sure, why not?".
She smiled like a 5-year-old kid who just got her favorite toy.
"Send me yours too". He added, making her blush.
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A few days later, her time of the month came, and was dealing with cramps. She was resting when his text came, asking her whereabouts like usual.
After knowing her situation, he showed concern and told her to take a rest.
Soon, after a few hours, his health also began to go down, causing him stomach pain.
"No, it's related to the liver thing. I will be fine" he explained.
"There must be medication provided by the doctor."
"Yeah, I will take it."
"Can't you take a leave from work?" she was concerned about him.
"No"
"How's your pain? Is it severe?" Hayat asked.
"It's okay. How bout yours?"
"Mine is in control now."
"Good.
You know what
Let's not talk about it"
"Why?"
"Because it feels like we both are having periods" Murat replied sheepishly.
"Lmaoooo"
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After a week or so, he told her about his grandmother. She wasn't well and was in a serious condition.
He was sad and quiet. She was trying her best to cheer him up and give him hope, saying, "Everything will be fine, InshaAllah". (If Allah Wills)
She tried not to joke around a lot as it was a critical time.
He started to get grumpy and moody because of the ongoing problem and other things at work.
He wasn't getting enough sleep and was being tensed.
He started to get angry even over small things and they had their very first argument.
"Hayat, don't trigger him. You know it's not a good time to whine about things.", Jaylene gave her a piece of advice.
"Yeah I know it's my fault", said Hayat.
"Not really, it's just not the right time to complain. Just avoid questioning about silly things".
And the night just ended like that.
The next day she was trying to cheer him up but his mood was just okayish. He soon went offline.
It was unusual. He rarely goes off. She prayed and hoped everything was alright.
At night around 11:30, he came online and texted, "Dadi ka inteqal ho gaya". (Grandma is no more)
She was frozen for a second. Didn't know what to do, what to say, how to console. She had only seen elders doing that to each other when someone died in her relatives, but never did that herself.
"Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihil rajiun. May Allah grant her Jannah.", she prayed. (Verily we belong to Allah and verily to him do we return)
"Ameen".
"Did you eat anything?"
"Not yet"
"Oh"
"Hmm".
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"What should I say?!", she asked Jannah, her life savior.
"Just say a few comforting words and tell him you are there for him if he needs anything".
The next morning the first thing she did was text him.
"Suno" (listen)
"Hmm"
'Wow, he is online.', she thought to herself.
"Just wanted to say, if you need anything or want to talk about anything, I'm just a call/ text away. Okay?"
He saw the message but didn't reply to it.
"Wow I made him speechless?!", she patted her shoulder.
After a few seconds, he replied, "Ok".
For 5-10 more minutes they talked and then she left for breakfast.
In the evening she went to the terrace as usual to meet her cousin.
"I'm going to the terrace", she texted him.
"What's there?"
"Zoe"
"Achha". (Okay)
She told her about last night and stuff, and out of nowhere, he called her.
"Well, I didn't expect that. He didn't even text me that he is calling. Glad he took my morning text seriously", she said to her cousin and answered the phone.
"Gayi ye ek ghante ke liye", her cousin mumbled. (and she is gone for an hour)
"Hello?"
*No answer*
"Did he call me by mistake?", she mumbled to herself.
"What happened?", Zoe asked.
"I think that he doesn't know that he is on the call with me. I can hear his voice talking to someone".
"Give me the phone", her cousin chuckled.
They both were hearing his voice and giggled.
"Looks like he is sorting out a fight between kids", she said.
"Haan, hello?!", finally he answered.
(Yes, hello?)
"Did you call me by mistake?"
"No, actually two kids were fighting so I was sorting it out, then abba came" (dad)
"Achha". (Ohkay)
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And the night came, for which, we all were waiting.
He asked that question again.
"You like me, right? And don't wanna lose me too?".
"You're asking that question again.", she replied.
"Yeah but this time it's more than just 'like' ".
"I don't want to ruin our friendship", said Hayat.
"Nothing would be ruined. Just tell me the answer", Murat replied.
"When you already know the answer, then why are you asking me?"
"I wanna hear it from you. Just in case, I'm wrong?"
"Yes I like you and I don't want to lose you.", she finally confessed after gathering all her courage.
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