Things Have Changed

"Give me an outlook." He said sipping his tea as he looked over at the switched of television screen.

It was Sunday and they both were thinking about going to a housewarming party of one of Olasyar's very first clients. Actually, it was mainly Zareen's idea because she found the invitation while going through some papers and came to know the information that Olasyar has always been invited to these kinds of gathering and parties ton of times but he just does not go. 

The Olasyar Khan does not even sugarcoat or say a lie to make them feel a little less bad but directly says a no without any explanation and the other person does not even ask for a reason behind it yet the people never forget to invite him. This client, who invited him this time, he was working with Olasyar since Olasyar opened his own firm after a few months of constant practices. So, Zareen forced him to agree with her and take her with himself to the gathering.

But right now they were having their evening tea, which was Olasyar's idea of spending quality time with each other, where there is no other thing, work or person which or who can cut in and ruin it.

"Outlook on what?" She looked over at him as her eyebrows knitted together.

"Outlook about us. I mean, let's just say we have a hypothetical situation. Let's say I was not rich, actually, I was a very poor person, no relation to anyone in my Khan family. A person who had a... shop in the north maybe. We do get married the way we did but you have never met me before, not even for once. Would you have still stayed with me?" Olasyar gazed straight at her as he placed the cup on the coffee table. He positioned his palm under his jaw while his elbow was over the backrest. She was right beside him and her face viewed as if she was not in the mood of his imaginary cry outs but she was more muddled about his question.

Why was he asking this all of a sudden? She thought.

"What kind of shop?" There was a hint of amusement in her tone.

"Seriously?" Olasyar slightly chuckled and she shook her head with a smile.

"I would." She said as she placed her cup down and copied his action and position.

"Why?" Now he was the one who felt confused as a look of surprise masked his face.

"Because you do be the same man you are." She shrugged as she said that with a small but her answer was so genuine that he could not help but think what deed he did in his life that caused him to have her.

"And you are fine with this man?" He asked surprised as he pointed a finger at himself that made her chuckle. Sometime she founds it really amazing how Olasyar turns from this cold and repulsive exterior appearing kind of a guy into this youthful and unaware person who might just have popped up in the world for the first time and he has no idea how to run or function according to the normal pace. And the most satisfying part about the whole situation to Zareen was that she knew it was only for her that he lets his guards down.

"About being fine, I don't know but happy is one thing I am sure about, now." She softly smiled at him as she placed her head over where her elbow was. It had been a month, since their attempt at a better relation and they were doing pleasingly well with each other. They were actually better. Both still were distant at somethings aka bickering, yet they were happy with each other.

Olasyar never thought it would be that easy to be happy, to let it all go and just let someone in a little but it was also important to pick the right person, who you can trust to let in. Zareen saw that Olasyar was nothing like he was portrayed to be. The man was not arrogant but cocky actually which totally slipped away the discomfort and placed it with solid comebacks that made her unknowingly more closer to her.

"I am not really sure but why do I feel like you love me." He said after some time, smirking. Knowing that the answer won't be in his favor but for the heck of it, why not just ask it until you finally hear the magical words for a change. There is nothing bad in being a little optimistic as she says. Zareen thought for a while before answering him as she glanced away, trying to hide the pink color that was creeping up from her neck to her ear.

"I am not sure but I am sure that I can love you but for that, you have to give me a reason," Zareen smirked back as she gazed back at him.

In the past one month, Olasyar and Zareen both have learned a lot from each other and about each other. Zareen learned that Olasyar was not good with talking about his emotions on his own, so he has to be talked through with it not push through it and Olasyar learned that Zareen was a very rational person but she was also the kind of person that will not get angry easily, annoyed yes but angry, not so much but that was not all. There was more to them that they saw or realized about each other.

Olasyar figured out that Zareen might be the only person in helping him to control his anger. He still remembers how when he got angry and even ended up punching a wall, she just took him in her embrace which quickly clams him down and that is where he used his winning-reward of their little game. He made her promise to hug him whenever he needs one, with or without his consent because he knew he won't mind. It has been long to keep it in, to keep the anger, frustration, hate in; it hurts every time he tries to move past it.

Zareen realized he is genuinely a very supportive. Even if you have the stupidest idea on earth of building a gigantic french fries burger with all the type of fillings, he would help you out and he did. But on a very serious note, Zareen understood that he does everything which he feels a person might needs without even someone pointing it out for him. He just pays so much attention to every small detail as if it is the most significant thing in the world. He knows what she hates or like and what makes her happy or sad without even asking her or anyone for that matter.

"I have apologized to Darman for you instead of the other way around, last week. I am letting Qasim and you have junk food cabinets in this home that too in your respective rooms while there are already two of them in the kitchen. I am talking nicely to other people who by the way feel as if something is wrong with me, neurologically and I have also agreed to the terms that I will listen to all those insane Pathan jokes you have without stopping you; despite how bad they are and yet you say that. If I had a heart, it should have been hurt by now with those taunts of yours, Zareen." Olasyar joked as if in misery but Zareen did not smile. The last part did not make sense to her.

"You do have a heart but you do not like to talk about it. It's here." Zareen said placing her hand on his chest over the area where his heart is supposed to be under the layers of denim and skin. It will be a lie if Olasyar said that her touch did not make his heart to pump blood in another pace. It will be lie if he said that her touch does not make his breathing uneven.

"You cannot do that." He said as he gripped her hand over his chest. Her eyes met his in confusion but she could only find the unending care and adore in those grays that are directed only towards her.

"Do what?" She asked tilting her head to the side.

"Touch here and expect me to not hold you tight in an embrace, to never let you go." A smiled appeared on Zareen's face when he said that such veracity. She literally felt small sparks of heat on her skin.

"I thought you promised that excessive and randomly unexpected touching is limited until we do not find a method for me to not react in a hyperventilating way and here you are acting as if you don't remember anything that you ruled out for us." Due to Zareen having touch issues, Olasyar made her a promise that he will only do the things which she is comfortable with.

 Although that sounded stupid to her because even she did not know when something can trigger her yet she found it adorable as he kept on insisting that she had to give in. Apart from the usual proximate from Olasyar, the rest depends upon her to initiate. Olasyar already did things such as hugs, pecks and holding her close to a level that she was regular to all of it. She does not panic anymore by them.

Her bad days were still a hurdle between the two but Olasyar was willing to give her space yet it did not stop Olasyar from being the kind of person he is around Zareen. The kind of person no one has seen before not even him. Olasyar now was going with the flow. Letting his mind be where his heart wants him to be. Although it was hard at points yet it was worth every smile that it brought with on her face.

"Well, you stop coming closer to me then." He said in a mocking manner.

"I am not..." Before she could finish her sentence, he pulled her towards himself that caused her eyes to widen.

"You were saying?" He grinned like an idiot that she has come to cherish as not only that smile does stuff to her stomach it also turns her heart into a puddle of molten heat and something which is warm but she would be an idiot if she told him that because it will only frown his male ego more. Like it's not already swollen enough. 

"Tum-h in-tahaii chachor khi-sam Kha-y insan hao," Zareen repeated what she heard the girl saying in one of the Pakistani drama series but diffidently in an accent. Olasyar was teaching her Urdu so she tried her best at making her own effort but she does not speak it a lot, not in front of other people especially. Olasyar's eyes widen in surprise but he quickly composed himself and smirked.

"Or tumhari Urdu ko sun kar meray dimagh ki bati gul hojati hai, mere rashke qamar." Olasyar said sarcastically but the way he said it, his eyes held a sort brilliant spark that caused her to look away only to look back at him as her fist connected to his opposite shoulder with a thud.

"Get a life, Olasyar," she said pushing him away but it only boosted his male ego more. It was obvious for him that she was trying to hide herself away from his antics which caused her shy away every time regardless of the fact she was good masking them up. She was trying to stand up when he pulled her back and made her sit beside his squatting lap. Her mouth hung open by his spontaneous actions.

"But my life is here, in my Janaan," Olasyar said with a boyish grin and puppy eyes. He had called her with a lot of words that sometimes irked her and sometimes made her hide behind an object so he could not see what it does to her. Jaanan was one of those words. She did not know the meaning of it at first so she did not pay any heed over it but when she googled it, tables turned as if a crazy ca on a freeway and since that day she would blush often enough for Olasyar to be this flirtiest towards her.

"Whatever. We are late and we need to go and come back before its too dark." She said as she wiggled her way out from his grip. If only she knew that if he did not want her to go then she still be stuck in his brace.

"Well, it not my fault my wife fancies me. She does distract me from time to time." He said shrugging as he moved past her. She arched an eyebrow at him when she turned around as his hands went for his waist in an attempt to look intimidating.

"And I did not know my husband had a bone that can flirt." She sneered back at him when he turned around.

"Treasure, your husband is a mystery that you keep trying to run away from. The day you try to solve him, you do call him with nicer words." He said as he turned around to glance over at her.

"Well, your wife has a thing called self-protection that she is trying to be loyal too." She counters back.

"Self-protection from protection is a little too absurd, don't you think?" He said coming towards her.

"Nope, it's called being shielded." She replied back as she folded her hands over her pink cotton clad front of her peshwas dress.

"Then the shields are against the wrong person." He said in a husky voice, a step away from her.

"Work a little harder, you cannot break me like that. I am going to change" She pulled his cheeks and walked off, leaving him smiling at her back.

"Hey take the dress in the bag that I brought and oh, yeah rest are still in the car. We will bring them up when we come back... from that stupid party which ruined my day with you, love." He shouted from downstairs picking up the cups from the tables as the last part was just a mere whisper.

"The hope of ending years and years of built up sorrow, do you know what it is, love?" She looked over at him with a smile sported with equally standing out confusion in a set of light brown eyes. Olasyar had a grin as he did not glance over at her, yet.

"What is it?" Zareen said with an arched eyebrow.

"Companion. The right companion. Who reminds you of why the right is right and good is good. Who wants-no, makes you be grateful to the Creator, Allah, for everything, especially for that very companion itself." Zareen by now was just gazing at him trying to understand where he was heading with this conversation but it never failed to make her smile wider in amaze.

"So, who is your companion, that you have?" She asked amused while Olasyar grinned even more, deepening his long dimples. Obviously, she had an idea but she wanted to hear him say it.

"Well, that is something you have to find out. In fact, I might just be of some help, if you let me." He proposed with fagging innocent. She nodded at him with a smile as she looked the other way, hiding her warm cheeks.

"I am serious. I am very helpful and I listen to my wife a lot too. Also if you look into my CV, you can find that I have been good lately to the one whom I pledge my loyalty to. I am opening up to you and you know it, so that is of no concern either." Olasyar tries to defend himself stuffing his laugh inside his chest as Zareen shook her head fighting the twists in her stomach as the constant smile makes her jaws hurt.

"I know." She bemusedly whispered back as Olasyar entered the empty lot in front of the house where some cars were already parked.

"So, what will it be, love? Want me to help you on your quest of answers?" Olasyar asked as he smoothly shifted the car and Zareen chuckled.

Thank you, Allah, he cannot see my ears! Her mind stated as she acted ignorant to his comments. As if they do not have an effect on her.

"Olasyar what are you trying to do exactly?" Olasyar parked the car in one of the spots and glanced over at her as he detached himself from the seat-belt and turned to her enough to view her completely. She looked back at him with recognition and a small smile.

"You said to try harder, I am trying," Olasyar said with what felt like it was love and Zareen hanged her head as a small grin appeared on her face and little pink shade stoke flashed on her cheeks.

They say there are people you know about who you belong to and they belong to you yet you have still to meet them. I think I finally met him. I met Olasyar.

They were in Zayan Nasir's house, Olasyar's client. The man was in his late 40's with his wife and two kids, a daughter who was 23, Sana and a son who was 18, Alyan. They were more people chit-chatting. It was the first time after their marriage that they had gone to a formal event together; be it a housewarming party. 

Olasyar was talking to Zayan and two more men as he kept on glancing towards Zareen who was busy with Sana and her mother and another woman that he did not know. He did not have the time to take her image in at the first go when they were leaving their house because they were pretty late but looking at her now completely being herself, carrying herself the way she did he felt a wave of satisfaction and pride. She looked beautiful in that blood red dress that reached just below her knees and had light embroidery all over it in dull golden.

Red on her does make my eyes to forget that they have a function of blinking. He gulped still warmly gazing at her.

She was definitely not like every other girl. She was plain that was true but then again she did not have to do anything to herself. She was perfect for him even the way she was all flawed and with her imperfections. He did not think that the dress would fit her because it was a blind guess but it did and she stood out without even trying. He never saw this side of her, the conduct and profound version of Zareen 2.0. She was elegant but she was not too girlish.

She was not unfriendly or distant but she looked as if she was one strong person. The time he had been with Zareen, she was just this cheerful and leg-pulling kind of a person and at times a little childish but here she was with a dominating aura around her. He wanted to chuckle over the fact that this girl was giggling her butts off when he tickled her down to the ground because she kept on repeating 'bring me Thanos' just to annoy him and here she was so calm and composed as if she is the most full-fledged one on the planet.

"What do you say, Khan?" Zayan asked and Olasyar just blinked at him not knowing exactly what was he asking or talking about. This would be insulting but he thought of using his manipulating skills here again like he always does when he mutes someone off.

"You know I cannot really disagree with you on many matters," Olasyar said with a smirk. Zayan looked at him with a poker face until a grin broke on his face as he patted his back and looked over the other men in front of them.

"This young man will go a long way, I knew it when I first met him." Zayan proudly stated his judgment and Olasyar shook his head with a smile, showing a gesture as if Zayan was exaggerating. 

He glanced back where Zareen was standing but everyone was there just not her. Olasyar worriedly roamed his eyes around the whole garden but could not seem to find her. Excusing himself, he went to Sana, asking about Zareen's whereabouts. She informed that Zareen went to help her mother in the kitchen to set the food in the dining area. Nodding at her, he quickly moved towards where she was supposed to be but Alyan stopped him by the door that leads the garden to the inside of the house, to ask him something regarding the law because he was thinking about the same profession. Reluctantly, he stopped against his will for not to be rude to the kid.

"So how long have you been married?" Mrs. Nasir asked as they were placing different food items on the table.

"About above a month," Zareen replied back with a smile.

"Wow. Did you both know each other? Actually, the news was a shock when we heard about Olasyar's marriage but then again he is a very keep-to-self kind of a young man." She stated and Zareen somewhat agreed to it but she did not find anything wrong with it. It was a personal choice.

"Do you know Darman?" Zareen asked trying to explain her about their meeting.

"His cousin?" The lady asked trying to remember him.

"Yes, we studied together and he called me to Pakistan for redesigning their house in Naran and that's how we met." It was not necessary to tell anyone how did they really met and got married. Zareen believed it was enough for others to feel the normalcy in their situation. She kind of internally chuckled at the fact that how she was making it sound like nothing happened when in original it was a full dramatic worse case scenario.

"Allah has His ways." The lady smiled warmly at her as she patted her arm, moving back inside the kitchen.

"Zareen, just put the salad there while I call everyone in." She told her in a motherly manner that caused Zareen to smile as she nodded in agreement.

Doing what she was asked off, she came back to the kitchen to go over to where Olasyar was but a man from nowhere appeared in front of her and smirked. She froze for a minute on the starling appearance that she thought she even lost her voice for a second. The proximity was too close for her liking and the man felt fishy for some reason.

"Excuse me." Saying this she tried to move past him, away enough to get out the same air they both were breathing but he gripped her wrist and turned her around and she just snapped into a fearing daze.

"I have been staring at you from awhile." That statement made her gulp in fear as she tried to get her hand free and run off as fast as she could. She felt the touch to be acidic over her clothed wrist that she wanted to rub it off enough times that she cannot feel it anymore.

"Sad that your married but then again who will miss a chance with you." Saying this the man pulled her towards himself but Zareen dragged her feet on the ground in reverse to cause adequate friction to stop his attempts as she still tried to get away from him. She hates touches of any sort and this one felt beyond disgusting.

"Leave me!" She tried to muster up her courage as she aggressively told him off.

"Like that husband of yours. Pity, the man does not know how to take care of his wife, left her all alone. Is that how he treats you at home too? I would have treated you completely differently if I was in his place." What the heck was wrong with him was above Zareen's understanding she just wanted to run away from him as far as she could. She kept on pulling her hand for him to leave but he did not yet noxiously smiled at her that she felt sick. He did not let her go, not until they heard a clearing of throat.

Both of them turned around and there stood Olasyar, glaring at the hands that were in contact. His face was sharp and his eyes were dark by now. His jaws went stiff as his veins visibly showed from his neck to the side of his head as he gritted his teeth. He looked as if someone was about to die. His body under his blue blazer and white shirt went rigorous as his muscles bulged out from certain places. He was heaving as if a dragon was breathing fire from it's nose. His eyes moved to Zareen who had a pleading expression as her eyes were slightly glistening and then he looked over at the man that gave him a poker look.

"What is going on here?" Olasyar asked giving  bogus for calmness but there was roughness to his tone that was hard to felt as he fist his hands inside his jeans pocket.

"Nothing. The poor girl got scared of something. I was just asking. As your here, I will leave her to you." The man said with a smile and quickly made his way past Olasyar. 

Olasyar glanced back at Zareen as he left. She was standing there with tears in her eyes. Olasyar jaw harden. He took long steps towards her and pulled her out from the kitchen to the lounge; where everyone was entering to go to the dining area. Zareen was in fear of what, she had no idea. Will Olasyar believe her if she told him what had happened? That was what bothered her the most. What if he hates her? The grip over her arm was not helping her imaginations either. It was strong and she could feel he was angry. What if he thought it was her fault?

"Slap him." She heard a dangerous whisper in her ear and she did not need to be informed who it was. She glanced over at him. His face was close to her, just inches away. His eyes darker, almost black. Not the gray ones she had always seen. His dark orbs and clenched jaws told her that he was mad and determine. She gulped but never replied still searching his eyes for some sort of a hope for something good.

He should rather say let's leave not this. Zareen just wanted to get out from here.

"Slap him right now or I will kill him in front of you. I will beat him until he does bleed to death if you did not go and slap him. Confront that motherfu**** or I swear Zareen, this is the last day he would open his eyes." He said with gritting teeth. Zareen still did not move from her place. She was too frozen to react. She tried to rake any falsehood but saw nothing. He was lying with what he said. He would surly do what he says. 

"I will be damned if I leave him alive to do this to some other girl. Imagine if he does that to some other girl and it went too far. Will, you forgive yourself?" Olasyar asked trying to provoke her and she darted her eyes over at the man, who was talking to Sana and touching her with time to time as she tried to move away from him.

"What if he did it to her?" He said glancing over where she was looking. Zareen snapped her eyes over at Olasyar in horror when he was already gazing at her.

In an instant, there was a thud heard with certain gasps from people. Zareen just slapped the man on his face with full force as she dragged him away from Sana by his collar. The man came back from the freeze and looked at her in shock then back at Olasyar who was still standing at his place with a sharp look taking over his face. The man snapped his eyes again at Zareen with a glare.

"How dare you harass me, let alone touch me?" Zareen asked with pure disgust as she tried to push away her tears in the back. Her hands were in a fist. She wanted to kill him so bad.

"How dare you to even come close to me and talk to me as if you owned me?" She slapped him again and wanted to do it again and again until he does not beg her for forgiveness.

"Zareen, child, what is going?" Mr. Zayan asked not understanding what was the matter but her words gave him an idea. Zareen did not know how to explain to him anything, she could not even explain it to Olasyar properly. She could not even form a coherent word.

"This man just harassed my wife and I caught him red handed." The man tried to defend himself with the red fingerprinted face as he moved towards Zayan while Olasyar barked out the truth.

"Uncle I was just helping her out. I even told him that in there, in the kitchen. His wife was scared, I was just helping her out." Zayan observed him as Sana quickly went towards Zareen and held her hand in a hard grip; staring at her father as voiced her own dilemma.

"Dad, he is lying. He has been doing the same thing with me for a week now. I told him to leave me alone but he won't listen. I am sure they are not lying but he is." Sana said out of fear and anger. On her words, Zayan's eyes harden. He wanted to beat him but he knew that was not his job to do. It was someone elses and he looked over at Olasyar and nodded at him.

"Shall you like to come with me outside for a moment." It was not a question but rather a statement that Oalsyar made and dragged the man outside in the garden by his collar with Alyan and Zayan hot on his tail. Zayan was already on the phone to call the cops.

"You were expressing your feelings, fu**ing desires towards my wife, it seemed. It's my turn now." Saying this, Olasyar leaped on him like a man who only saw red and started to beat, punch him with occasional kicks. He kept on punching his face into pulp and whenever he falls down, Olasyar pulled him right back up again to punch him harder from the pervious.

"That is the hand that you used right?" Olasyar asked as if he was manic with sadistic nature and the man looked at him with terror. Olasyar twisted his wrist and folded his hand in the opposite direction leading to multiple sounds of bones cracking. The man screamed in raw pain holding his hand with the other near his chest as Olasyar let his hand go. Olasyar pushed him away as if he was a waste that only had once place, trash.

"Alyan, you wanted to know what you should do? First thing first, kick that fu**er where it hurts the most." Saying this Olasyar stood beside the kid's father. Alyan made his way towards his cousin and kicked him straight in his manhood as he screamed in pain again. Alyan felt satisfied with his scream knowing exactly how his sister would have felt when he did those dis-respective things to her.  Zayan's guards came in with the cops to arrest his nephew as Olasyar and both the men gave their statements. Rest can be handled in the broad day light.

"I am sorry for..." Olasyar did not let him complete the sentence as he cut him in.

"It was not your fault. I think it's better If we leave." Oalsyar said and Zayan never complained or said anything against him. He knew what happened a few minutes ago was nothing to be justified. Olasyar washed his hand's in the guest bathroom before making his way towards Zareen.

Olasyar went back in and saw Zareen standing with Sana and her mother in a vulnerable state. Olasyar quickly moved to her as everyone pulled back, giving him space. He took Zareen and wrapped his hands around her shoulders in a protective way and brought her out of the house to where his car was parked. He did not let her get in the car and held her face under the street light and looked all over her face. She was still crying.

"Look at me." He said in a soft tone which caused her to cry even more before she crashed into his chest and started crying hysterically. He just patted her back trying to soothe her down but she just kept on hugging him tighter. None of them said a word. His silence was enough for her to let it all out. He knew she would not talk about it until her tears don't subside.

"It's okay." He said kissing the side of her head, trying to relax her.

"Why did you do it?" He knew what she meant by that.

"I won't always be there, Zareen. You need to take a stand for yourself, even against your darkest fears." He said before pulling away and kissing her forehead as she gulped while gazing at his face.

"But then why did you go out and beat him?" She asked back not understanding his process of handling things. Either he deals with it or lets her deal with it. Why do both?

"Just because I want you to learn to handle things, it does not mean I don't get to make damages for the greater good." He said with a small smile as he pulled her back in a brace. He wanted to kill that man on the spot but he did not. He could not risk it for Zareen. She deserved better and he has to be there for her until his last breath. These things should not come in between his presences and her needs. He needs to control his anger. It was years after he saw his anger surface like that again.

They were sitting in the car as he drove and she kept on staring at him. There was the silence that none of them broke. He had closed his blazer from the front to hide the blood drops on his white shirt. His jaws were still tight and his grip over the wheel was strong as his knuckles turned completely white. She looked over at his face that was still scrunched in anger.

This man has some canny ability to look like that even when he is angry. Zareen involuntarily focused on his appearance. Right now Olasyar face although seemed angry but Zareen did not miss the small details which usually are not so prominent when his face is relaxed or maybe she did not focused enough on them.

Apart from pale skin and gray eyes, she saw how the trimmed brown hair on his jaw and area above his lips suits his intimidating personality. How his hair over his head was chocolate brown yet lighter shades of browns due to the light coming from the outside because of the constant in motion of the street lights. They felt insanely soft. The space between his eyebrows deepens when he is angry with the lines over his broad forehead become more evident. The perfectly flawed angry young man. Was it too much to travel her fingers over his eyebrows that kept on knitting with his every movement? To see if the the physically visible tension does disappear.

"Zareen, for the sake of Allah answer me when I am talking to you." He yapped frustrated when Zareen did not answer his inquiries. Somewhere deep down he was frustrated with her for not doing something there, for not defending herself although he understood her condition yet he hates her in a state which looks so broken. He had done everything to bring her confidence back in that sector yet he did not miss how she looked at him in doubts that he would blame her; when he would never. He also saw how that man was looking at her before he actually opened his nasty little hole for a mouth to act all ignorant as if nothing happened and she just stood frozen. He was not accusing her but he just could not gather it all up and let it go. What if he never saw it, would she let it happened to herself all over again?

Finally hearing him she went red. She cannot believe she just thought that and she cannot even defend herself on this account. Yes, she can always deny it to another person but how will she deny herself that she was checking out her husband when he was angry. Not best of the moments and her own activities were very embarrassing. Olasyar's eye narrowed seeing her face. Why was she blushing? This thought made Olasyar's facial expressions to ease as a substitute. Now he wanted to know what she was thinking.

"I..." She gulped but before she could continue Olasyar asked.

"Why are you blushing?" Long gone was his anger. Now he was in a different kind of a mood that caused Zareen to look away so he could not see her eyes.

He will kill me. He won't stop until he gets his answer, ugh. She growled in her head.

For someone who has anger issues, he is very easy to distract. Who switches their mood like this?

"Zareen?" He asked as he closed the distance between them without letting her hand go as they were stuck in the traffic. His voice was feather like but there was something that turned her ears to heat up as a chill ran down her spine. She runs her eyes at their surrounding as passerby give them a look.

"They are looking at us." She states as she sees the people gawking at them in from other cars beside his car.

"So, are you not my wife?" He asked with a sarcastic smile as he inches his face closer. Although there was a solid distance between them yet it was just unusual and he did not care about these people. And why should he? These people only gawk and talk to demean other people and that they don't find offensive or sinful but now these people were also looking down at them for being pj-10 while they were in their own car. Wow, now that is offensive? Note the sarcasm.

She snapped her eyes at his face when he said that. Her face moved a little back that caused Olasyar to shake his head in amusement as he pulled away. For some strange reason the warmth that was surrounding her a few seconds ago like cocooned her literally, was missed by her heart. Although she wanted him to back away at the same time. Ignoring this sudden disappointment, she took a deep sigh trying to not dwell on that matter anymore. At another point, Zareen was thankful that he did not force her to answer because it would be more embarrassing than her checking-him-out metro express.

His chuckled a little on Zareen's antics. His laugh was so melodic to a level of aesthetic. Her mind was just in a haze by his sound that complimented his face.

"You are too precious." He states as he shakes his head and looks back at the road and the cars in front of them. There was this constant smile on his face that made a grin to appear on her own. She smiled thinking how Qasim reacted seeing him that day when he and her brother showed up after their trip.

'I cannot believe my dreamy eyes. Is that man really smiling?' Qasim had over exaggerated.

'Why are you saying it like that?' Zareen reacted looking at Olasyar who was talking to Ayan.

'You did this, did not you?' Qasim had asked her but seeing her looking at him with a weird but very confused reaction he had continued.

'Olasyar Lala never smiles and if he does, it's when something bad is about to happen to someone, mainly bad people but you know what I mean right. This man right in front of me is smiling, a genuine smile.' Qasim gestured towards him when she was washing the dishes but she was looking at Olasyar.

No one would believe Olasyar was smiling after what happened back there. She was just looking at him. Looking at the fact that how happy she found him. How can you not fall for a man like that?

He was so different. He defended her in front of others. If he wanted he could have sorted out the situation like every other person or could have directly left without making a scene but he made them see and realize the sin of that man instead. He maybe even saved others from him at point as well.

Zareen always said that a person's unintentional reactions are what matters to her because it is in those actions that a person shows his true colors.

His unintentional reactions were taking her away to a far, a more euphoric place that she did not even know if it existed.

"You were awfully very quiet," Olasyar stated. Zareen glanced over at him with a small smile.

"Nothing, I think I am tired." She replied and looked back at the busy city. Olasyar glanced at her for a second.

"If you want we can take takeouts or have dinner outside, so you do not have to cook." Olasyar offered. He did not mention about the dinner that they just walked out off. He wants her to forget if she can. So, it's better to not bring it up.

"That sounds very nice but I am sure that I won't be able to sit at a place which is not home or which is too fancy." She said holding her palms together and stretching her arms. Olasyar smiled at her actions. It was weird how he found these normal actions adorable when she does it.

"What do you want, biryani or pizza?" He asked. He has learned that she loves these two foods the most and she could probably survive on them for rest of her life. She smiled hearing him. Her heart, on the other hand, was all giddy with the thought of him remembering her likes and dislikes.

"What do you want? I mean we always eat what I like and I know you do not mind any of them, especially biryani but what do you like apart from that?" She said turning towards him after opening her seat belt.

"Ah, First of all, put that belt on, lady. Do you want to die or something?" Olasyar scolds while Zareen's lips turn down in a frown.

"No. Dude have you seen this?" she gestures her hand towards the slowly moving cars "they are slow as turtles. This traffic can't even kill a cat; even if they want to and secondly, I always wanted to sit like that but back there, they are too strict with this thing that it gets annoying sometimes. Leave this and tell me, what you want to eat." She explains and he just looks at her as if she is stupid but he knows that it's not a life and death situation, plus it does get annoying at times. So, he thought of letting it go for now, beside she is tired.

"I like street foods." He said shrugging after a while, still looking ahead but Zareen was gawking at him.

"You like what?" Zareen said with confusion lacing her words.

"What is so surprising about that?" Olasyar chuckled glancing at her before looking ahead again.

  Why was she so adorable!

"Because you... you are you." She said as an explanation.

"Should it mean something because I don't follow." He expressed moving his car at a better speed as he chuckled lightly.

"Yes! I mean you own a firm and you are practically a royalty, which still I find bizarre but what I mean is, should not you be one of those hygienic freaks who talk about low standard quality of food and stuff?" She spoke as if she had him figured out but she was putting him on the charter of the rich folks, not on the charter of himself but he did not find it offensive. People expect that from him because his surrounding is like that.

"All my life, I tried to live like how my plar lived. Despite he was royalty like me, which is how you put it, he always lived his life like a traveler. My father was always down to earth and he would always go around the town and have his little moments between the normal people, which by the way were his friends. Baba Jaani says that I am like him on these kind of matters and plus that is how he met my mother too. In Pakistan or in the UK, I would always go to such places, although the height of desi street food in England was not exactly similar to the ones here yet I still survived. When you do not have people around you that you love, you try to live like them so you feel their absences a little less." He smiled telling her about his habits. It was not usual when someone asked him about himself but he liked it. He felt as if someone cared and it coming from Zareen just made it just a whole lot superior in worth.

"How do you know about your parents so much when you never spent that much time with them?" She asked but quickly slapped her hand over her mouth. 

Great way of being insensitive Zareen. She mocked herself but Olasyar only smiled in return looking at the road and cars in front of him.

"Its fine, you can ask me anything you want too. I have a photographic memory Zareen. My IQ is higher than Qasim and Abeera's combined." He proudly stated but it was true he was a very smart man and people in England were shocked because they thought the countries with malnutrition have lower IQs' but Olasyar kind of embarrassed them on that point.

You shouldn't underestimate a Pakistani brain on these matter. Science does not really works with us that much. Olasyar remembered what he had said to his teachers back in the days.

"Show off." She waved her hand in the air but she knew it was true. She saw the certificate with millions of other certificates in his office/study when she was redecorating the place. 

"And the things that happened not before me or were out of my context of existence were either in my mother's journal or Baba Jaani told me." She nodded in understanding.

They were eating kabab roll in their car that they had brought from a food cart on the street when his phone rang.

"Who is it?" He asked Zareen because the screen of the phone was facing her.

"Darman." She said between her chewing processes.

"Swipe it and put it on speaker, please." Olasyar said as he took another bit. His hands were too dirty with sauce and oil in his hand while Zareen had tissues rounding her food's plastic wrap for protection. She did as she was told too.

"Ass Salam Alaikum, Olasyar Lala, we need you here." Darman's nervous but very demanding voice came through the speaker. Both Zareen and Olasyar stopped what they were doing and looked at each other and then at the phone, frowning on why was he saying that, like that. 

Chapter 36

So, that is a major shift or at least I think it is.

Imagine Olasyar smiling over his father's memories.

Who else hates when she cries and did Olasyar did it right?

By the way the baby is me and I do this with my Lala. Another fact at your hands.

So this all for today. DO let me Know did you like it or not with your comments and votes. I will soon try to reply the old ones. I am just trying to update sooner as possible that lets me take time on that but believe me when I say this your comments make my day.

Allah Hafiz.

P.S. the next chapter will be at 24th or 25th and my apologizes for such a long update.