Arbaz and Kifayat spent the entire day together, moving from one spot to another across the university campus. Kifayat found herself enjoying Arbaz's company more than she had expected. He wasn't cold or indifferent as she initially thought; instead, he was warm, kind, and easy to talk to. She discovered that they shared many common interests, from books to music, and he could talk about anything with ease, making her laugh with his witty remarks.
As the day wore on, they arrived at a cozy corner of the campus where a small café stood. Arbaz gestured toward it and said, "This place is called Twilight Meet. Every evening, people gather here to have tea or coffee, relax, and chat."
"What a beautiful name," Kifayat remarked. She looked around, suddenly feeling a wave of nostalgia. "I remember this place… I came here after my final exam with my friends."
Arbaz noticed her distant look and snapped his fingers in front of her face. " Oh hello! Where are you lost?"
Kifayat shook her head, smiling softly. "Just reminiscing. I came here once with my friends. Suddenly, I miss them."
Arbaz chuckled, "Well, you can always come here again with your friends, right?"
Kifayat nodded. "Yeah, that's true."
"Are you hungry?" Arbaz asked, changing the subject.
"Maybe a little."
"Great! Senior brother will take you to a famous spot. The food there is absolutely delicious."
Hearing Arbaz's exaggerated praise, Kifayat felt her stomach rumble in response. They walked to the place Arbaz mentioned, and as they arrived, Kifayat noticed the crowd. The place was buzzing with people, and most of them seemed to be couples. Arbaz handed her the menu, but he noticed she was distracted, looking around at the other patrons.
"What are you looking at, little girl?" Arbaz teased.
Kifayat blushed slightly. "There are so many couples here…"
Arbaz grinned, "This is why it's called Lovers' Zone."
"Oh," Kifayat responded, raising an eyebrow. "Senior, do you come here often?"
"Not really. Just sometimes. Why?"
Kifayat gave him an ambiguous smile. "Senior, do you also bring your girlfriend here? Won't she mind you eating with another girl?"
Arbaz chuckled and lightly tapped Kifayat on the head. "Don't think nonsense. I don't have a girlfriend. I only come here with Samir, Neil, and Amal."
"Oh,"Kifayat replied, sounding slightly disappointed.
Arbaz raised an eyebrow, "You seem disappointed."
Kifayat grinned mischievously. "Yeah, I thought I'd learn some big gossip about the campus heartthrob."
"Well, maybe you will… in the future," Arbaz muttered under his breath, his voice so low that Kifayat barely heard him.
"What did you say?" she asked, leaning in.
"Nothing! Now eat."
The day passed by in the blink of an eye. As the sun began to set, casting a warm, golden glow over the campus, Kifayat received a call from Cyra.
"Still touring the campus, right, my dear?"
Cyra's tone was teasing, and Kifayat immediately felt something was up.
"Yeah…"
"You're not alone, are you?"
"No… But how did you know?"
Cyra continued, "The person is also a boy, right?"
Kifayat glanced around, half-expecting Cyra to appear out of nowhere. "Where are you?"
"I'm in the dormitory. I'll tell you later how I knew. Now, tell me where you are. Dina is coming too."
Kifayat gave her the address, still wondering how Cyra had guessed so accurately. Arbaz, noticing her distraction, asked, "Do you want to go back now?"
"No, Cyra and Dina are coming. I'll wait for them here."
"Are they nearby?"
"No, they're at the dormitory."
"Wait a minute," Arbaz said before disappearing. Kifayat watched him go, confused, but he soon returned, carrying a stool. He placed it in front of her and gestured for her to sit.
Kifayat felt awkward. "It's okay… I can stand."
"Sit. I'll let you know when I see them coming."
"I'm fine, really."
"You've been walking all day. And it'll take at least half an hour for them to get here. Do you really want to stand for 30 minutes?"
Kifayat thought it wouldn't be a big deal to stand, but under Arbaz's insistence, she finally sat down.
"Do you want to sit too?" she asked.
Arbaz smirked, "Where do I sit? On your lap?"
Kifayat glared at him, her cheeks flushing. "I didn't say that! I meant you could find another stool."
"You don't have to worry about me. I'm not the same as you."
"You're indirectly calling me weak, aren't you?"
"No, you got it wrong. I mean I'm strong."
"That's the same thing!"
"No, it's not."
Their playful bickering continued until they saw Cyra and Dina approaching. Kifayat jumped up from the stool, waving excitedly. As they got closer, Cyra noticed who was standing beside Kifayat and raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Well, well, look who it is," Cyra teased. "Wasn't she angry with him last night? How did their relationship become so good in a day?" Cyra wondered to herself.
After greeting Arbaz and exchanging a few polite words, Arbaz asked, "Where are you girls want to go now?"
"Well, we're just going to have dinner at a nearby cafeteria and then head back to the dorm," Cyra replied.
"Okay, then I'll leave you to it," Arbaz said with a smile. He turned to go, but Kifayat, in a sudden impulse, grabbed his hand. "Wait!"
Arbaz looked at her, surprised. Kifayat quickly let go, feeling embarrassed. "Thank you… for today."
Arbaz's playful smile returned. "It's my pleasure, madam."
As Arbaz walked away, Cyra nudged Kifayat with a knowing look. "So… what's going on between you two?"
Kifayat shook her head, smiling softly. "Nothing… We're just getting to know each other."
Cyra smirked. "Sure, if you say so."
"Really! Now tell me how did you know I was with senior?"
"It's secret." Cyra and Dina both said at the same time.
"Cyra, Dina!"
Arbaz watched from afar the girls talking and giggling while going to the cafeteria. As the day transitioned into night, the campus was bathed in the soft hues of twilight. The air was cool, and the stars began to twinkle above them, signaling the end of a day that Arbaz knew he would never forget. Maybe it's same for Kifayat too.