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The air was cold, but something about it felt like home somehow- All Too Well. The moment Pratap reached the car at the Indira International Airport with a banner with his name on it, he removed the backpack from his shoulder and handed it over to the driver, who bowed. Although the weight was lifted off his back, something still felt heavy on his chest. He was heading straight to the wedding and was supposed to meet everyone after a long time. Everyone. Including her. He knew that the parents were waiting for his return to officially hand the company over to the next generation, and it meant seeing more of her than he intended to. He was not sure if he was prepared for it. A part of him was happy to be back home. There was something in the air, the smell, the noise, the feel and even the uncomfortable pollution that still felt like home. He was eager to see his brother and meet his parents and Jalal. The two people apart from Ranima who were constantly in touch with him were Heer and ...
“Staying friends is safe, doesn't mean you should.” Ruin The Friendship Ajabdeh almost felt sick to her stomach enough to skip her lunch as she sat down with her laptop, trying to distract herself. Bade Papa wanted her to write a speech for her first address to the employees next month. Her eyes kept wandering to the clock on the bottom right-hand of her screen as she calculated the time it would take for him to reach the venue. Her throat was dry, and no amount of water could do away with the tingling sensation she felt in her stomach. A knock on the door of her hotel room almost made her jump as she regained her composure and said a brisk “Come in.” Jalal peeped into the room, a little unsure as she narrowed her eyes slightly at him. “I just came to check if… You are alright?” He asked, a little unsure, walking up to the bedside. “Why won’t I be?” She retorted as he fell short of words. He cleared his throat and sat down on the edge of the bed. “Well, you didn’t have lunch, so… A...
I’m hanging on every careless word, hoping they might turn sweet again - Better Man. Jalalluddin Mohammad was a practical person in his head and heart. He wasn’t someone who would claim lofty ideas of love, put his bet on destiny or blame the Almighty for his misery. He worked hard and had his feet on the ground. Yet it did take time in his rational mind to sink in when Ajabdeh, almost sounding impulsive, asked him if they could give dating a try. She didn’t promise a relationship, love, or the label of being a boyfriend. She just wanted to go out with him and see how it went. Jalal was no fool; he knew very well that Rukaiya must have told Ajabdeh that he liked her, not that he ever wanted any form of reciprocation. He also knew her timing was impeccable, a month after Pratap left for London. Was she hurting so much? But why all of a sudden would she want him to date her when she already had him around as a friend? Was it a silly attempt at making Pratap jealous? If so, she would...
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I guess you didn’t care, and I guess I liked that- I knew you were trouble. It was Jalal who had informed Ajabdeh about Pratap’s breakup, and for the entire evening, she found it hard to concentrate on her studies. As she moved from her place for the umpteenth time, making Heer frown at her disapprovingly for distracting her, Ajabdeh got up from her seat and silently walked up to the window. Rain clouds had gathered on the horizon, almost hiding the setting sun, and she could hear them roar in the distance. Her eyes travelled from the horizon to the rustling of leaves in the old royal poinciana tree that stood right beside her window and finally further left to the edge of the pool, which was barely visible from her angle. She spotted his silhouette in the light of the dusk, as he seemed to sit on the edge of the pool, hugging his knees, his eyes fixed on the water. At that moment, Ajabdeh wished he didn’t know about her feelings so that she could approach him with some words of consol...
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“Time slows down whenever you are around.” - Today was a fairytale. Ajabdeh adjusted the guitar strings and looked around at the backstage mayhem. There was Shakti, who just participated in the last dance competition for school. He was now in a pair of baggy pants and an oversized t-shirt, talking to Heer about her upcoming dance performance. It was an interest her sister shared with him. He was performing a Western freestyle while she was a Kathak dancer. They glanced over at Ajabdeh sitting in her corner, and she mouthed the words “Best of luck” and showed her thumb up to her sister, who smiled faintly with a nod showing her the same. She went back to her strings again. “Stop fidgeting, you will be fine.” She looked up at Rukaiya’s words as she smiled at her. Ajabdeh put her guitar down and hugged Rukaiya. “Thank you for coming.” She spoke with a smile, “I doubted Aunty would let you.” “Jalal convinced her, I came with him. Ya Allah, Ajabdeh, you are shivering. Calm down.” “It is my ...
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Last updated: February 4, 2026.
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