by Sara Naveed
‘Sir Ahmar Muraad. You never fail to impress me. Today, I’ve come across another thing about you that has left me completely awestruck,’ she broke the silence.
‘What was the first thing?’ he said and looked at her.
‘Some things cannot be told.’
‘Your wish,’ he said, tossing the vegetables into a pan.
‘So, besides cooking and torturing your students, what else do you like to do?’ she teased him.
‘Are you an interviewer? Or have you joined the university journal?’
Zarish chuckled at his question.
‘No, your unwanted guest slash interviewer is just curious,’ she told him.
‘You don’t have to be curious about me.’
‘So that means you are not going to answer my question?’ she asked.
‘And what was your question?’
‘What else do you like to do besides cooking and teaching?’ she repeated her question.
‘I have always been interested in music . . .’ he began.
Zarish took the stirrer from his hand. For a moment, their fingers touched and eyes met.
‘I was the lead singer of a local underground band during my college days,’ he continued. He seemed lost in thought.
‘Band? Wow!’ Zarish exclaimed.
‘We used to perform quite often, mostly for fun.’
She stirred the vegetables, still astounded.
He nodded and took the stirrer from her hand.
‘I can’t believe this. Why doesn’t anyone know about this at the university?’
‘Because I’m not a show-off, you know. I don’t feel the need to discuss my personal life.’
‘Can I ask you a favour?’
‘Don’t even think about it, Miss Zarish,’ he said sternly.
‘Wait, what?’ she asked, surprised.
‘Don’t ask me to sing for you here.’
‘No. Not here,’ she said, grinning.
‘Then where?’ he asked lifting his brow.
‘The summer festival is coming up. Why don’t you perform?’
‘Are you crazy?’
‘Maybe. But it’s a humble request. Please, Sir. Don’t say no. Please, please, please,’ she begged.
‘No!’ he said.
‘Please, Sir.’
‘I can’t and I won’t,’ he said and walked to the fridge to get cheese and tomatoes.
Zarish felt irritated.
‘Why not?’ she asked, sounding helpless.
‘Because I don’t like showing off. The students should participate, not me.’
‘Students will appreciate it. Trust me,’ she said, looking into his eyes.
He looked up at her and shook his head.
‘I just want to see you sing. Please.’
He ignored her and continued cooking.
‘Is that a yes?’ she asked, her face lighting up.
‘Yes and no. The food is ready,’ he declared.
Ahmar had cooked chicken and vegetable pasta, and it turned out to be delicious.
‘I enjoyed the lunch,’ she said, wiping her mouth with a tissue paper.
‘Now you know you’re not the only one that makes good food,’ Ahmar said with a grin.
Zarish blushed because she knew it was a compliment.
‘I think I should leave now,’ she said as she stood up.
‘Shall I drop you?’
‘Thanks, but I’ve got my car today.’
‘Great. Come, I’ll walk you to your car,’ he said thoughtfully.
She took her leave and walked to the main door.
‘Why did you behave so rudely with Haroon and me in the last class?’ she suddenly asked.
‘Uh. I was just having a bad day. Sorry about that.’
‘You hurt my feelings,’ she said, unlocking her car.
‘Zarish,’ he said.
She turned around to look at him.
‘Thanks for coming today. Dad was really happy.’
‘The pleasure is mine, Sir.’
‘And about the summer festival, I will discuss it with Sir Faris, and let you know,’ he said with a smile.
‘Great!’ She nodded cheerfully. ‘I had a really good time. Thank you for the lunch,’ she said.
‘The pleasure is mine,’ he said, still smiling.
All the faculty members had gathered in the conference room for a meeting with Faris Ahmed. The dean discussed the upcoming events, which included the summer festival. He also discussed the schedule for the upcoming examinations.
After the meeting, Ahmar stayed back to talk to Faris.
‘Yes, Ahmar?’ Faris said.
‘Sir, I wanted to talk to you about the summer festival,’ Ahmar said.
Faris nodded and continued to read the file in his hand.
Ahmar was not sure if it was appropriate to talk about his performance at the event.
‘What have you thought about the concert?’ Ahmar finally asked.
‘Well, we will have to select the best among those who are interested,’ Faris answered.
Ahmar didn’t know if he was required to be a part of the selection process, so he kept quiet.
‘I know you are good at music, and I want you to help me select the students,’ Faris said, grinning.
‘Sure, Sir,’ Ahmar finally smiled.
There was a real buzz around the festival in the university. Students queued up outside audition halls. Maleeha and Ahmar were in charge of the singing try-outs, while Jamal and Wahab had to select actors for the plays.
Haroon participated in the singing auditions, but both the teachers rejected him.
‘Better luck next time, Haroon,’ Maleeha told him.
Haroon felt dejected.
‘Your voice has a good texture but you need to practise more. You can try again next year,’ Ahmar said.
Haroon controlled his anger and thanked them before leaving the hall. He asked Zarish to meet him in the football ground.
‘Hey. It’s okay. Never mind,’ Zarish consoled him.
He rested his head on her shoulder.
‘Music is your passion. Moreover, this is just a university concert. Don’t feel dejected, Haroon,’ she said and caressed his cheek.
He held her hand and pressed it against his chest.
‘I know you’re right. I didn’t like how they told me I was not good enough. Those teachers were telling me how to sing. Can you believe it?’ he said irritably as he freed himself from her grasp.
‘Hey.’ She held his hand again. ‘It’s okay. Calm down, please.’
Perhaps it was just bad timing, but right then Ahmar happened to pass by. He was on his way to the parking lot when he saw them together. He was consumed with jealousy. He could not understand why this was happening. He wanted to snatch her hand and take her away forcefully.
He wanted to confront her for being so intimate with her male friend. But he knew he didn’t have the right to stop her or control her life. Therefore, he quickly opened the door of his car, roared the engine to life so that she could notice his aggression, and drove off. It happened exactly how he had planned it. She saw his car heading towards the exit gate. Perhaps she understood his feelings or heard his thoughts.
Ahmar could not ignore the thoughts that clouded his mind. Why did it bother him? It was her life and she had the right to spend it as she wanted. He knew they were good friends, but he still felt anxious.
He took a decision right then. He would ignore her from now on. After all, she was a mere student. Nothing more and nothing less. He decided to stay away as much as possible. She was trying to get involved in his life and he was aware of that.
She and Haroon were meant for each other, he thought. They were close friends and had known each other since they were kids. Ahmar knew he had to break away, maintain some distance. It was the right decision, for both of them. He really regretted introducing her to his father and letting her into their lives.
On the other hand, Zarish felt something ent
irely different. She could sense from his attitude that he had issues with Haroon. Perhaps he did not like the intimacy they shared. However, she could not change this. She could only change his thinking. She had to tell him the truth about her relationship with Haroon; they were just friends and nothing more.
Later that day, she sent him a message:
Hey. I want to talk to you. It is important. Sometime tomorrow, please?
‘I hope I can tell him easily,’ she thought as she chewed her lip.
Ironically, Ahmar didn’t check his messages that night. He got up early the next morning, had breakfast with his dad and drove off to the university.
Bad news awaited him. The band they’d selected for the festival had backed out as the lead vocalist was unwell. He felt distressed. He spoke to Faris but nothing came out of it. He was asked to arrange for a new band immediately.
‘We can look for some other singers. Don’t lose hope,’ Jamal assured him. Ahmar sighed.
‘How about Haroon?’ Jamal asked.
‘He needs a great deal of practice,’ Ahmar said sarcastically.
‘Ahmar’s right. We need to get someone who sings well,’ Maleeha interjected.
Zarish and Sherry were drinking cold coffee in the cafe when Saleha and Maha joined them.
‘Guess what? The lead vocalist is unwell, so his group is not performing now,’ Maha said.
‘Really?’ Zarish exclaimed.
‘Yes. We just got the news,’ Saleha said.
‘So, who is going to perform now?’ Sherry asked.
‘We have no idea. The faculty members are discussing it,’ Maha said.
‘I think I know someone who can,’ Zarish said.
Zarish went to Faris with her idea.
‘I know he is passionate about music. He sings exceptionally well,’ Faris said thoughtfully.
‘Then please let him perform. I don’t think we will get anyone else at such a short notice.’
He looked convinced.
‘Will you ask him to perform?’
‘Certainly, I will. You don’t need to worry about that.’
‘Thank you, Sir,’ she said and turned around to leave.
‘Miss Munawwar?’ he called out.
‘Yes Sir?’
‘I’m glad Ahmar has such loyal and obedient students,’ he said with a smile.
‘He’s a great teacher.’
‘Undoubtedly,’ he said.
‘Thank you for introducing him to our lives,’ Zarish said. ‘My life,’ she thought.
‘Oh. C’mon,’ Faris said, a little embarrassed.
‘Sir, I have another request.’
‘Sure. Go ahead.’
‘Please don’t tell him it was my idea.’
‘Oh, don’t worry about that,’ he assured her.
Zarish smiled gratefully.
‘What?!’ Ahmar said when Faris asked him to perform at the concert.
‘But Sir, don’t you think it would be unfair to the students?’
‘Not at all. I know you are an incredible singer and nobody can match up to your talent. I want my festival to be a success. So, you will perform. Clear?’
Ahmar nodded.
Even though his problem had been solved, something still bothered Ahmar. He sat in his office, thinking about his next step. It had been a while since he had performed in front of an audience. He could not just go on the stage and start singing; he needed practice. Ahmar had to see if his voice still had the same spark it had a long time ago.
He entered the auditorium and walked to the stage in a backdrop of silence. He picked up the guitar that lay lifeless on a chair and strummed the strings. The music broke the silence and his face cracked into a smile. A few minutes with the guitar and he realized that he had regained familiarity with the instrument. He carried on the process as he played the chords. There was a time in his life when he could not imagine himself away from the world of music. His life had changed drastically in the last few years.
Each chord on the guitar took him back in time to the playground of the university as his friends surrounded him; all of them praising his voice and prowess with the guitar. A song hit his lips and he started humming it.
An unusual voice hit Zarish’s ears as she walked past the auditorium. It was warm and comforting. Sparked with curiosity, she gently pushed open the door of the auditorium hall to peek in, and saw Ahmar sitting on the stage, playing the guitar and singing. He was lost in the tune but Zarish’s footsteps on the wooden floor brought him back from his trance.
‘Hey!’ she said.
For a moment, Ahmar felt like ignoring her and wanted her to leave but he did not say anything. He did not forget that he was still her mentor and could not be rude to her. Whenever he thought of her, Haroon invaded his mind. It made Ahmar envious that Haroon and Zarish were together. Ahmar failed to understand why he felt this way.
‘Yes?’
‘I hope I didn’t interrupt your singing session.’
‘You already did,’ he replied curtly.
‘I’m sorry about that.’ She walked to the stage as she spoke. ‘You have an amazing voice.’
‘Thank you,’ he replied.
‘I wanted to speak to you,’ she said.
‘About what?’
‘Congratulations for getting the opportunity to sing at the festival.’
She tried to sound happy.
‘How do you know about that?’ he asked, frowning.
‘Does that make a difference?’
‘Of course, it does. Tell me how you know about it.’
‘I asked Sir Faris to give you a chance,’ she said.
‘You . . . what?’
Zarish saw his eyes burning. He abruptly got off the chair.
‘Yes, I knew that you wouldn’t volunteer by yourself so I decided to give you a little push.’ She tried to chuckle.
Ahmar’s cold stare forced the smile to retreat.
‘Look . . . I really wanted to see you sing,’ she said sheepishly.
He inhaled deeply, trying to rid himself of the anger.
‘I know you might think this is stupid, but actually it’s not,’ she tried to explain her actions. ‘I wanted to bring your passion for music back to life.’
‘Thanks for showing your generosity, but it was certainly not required.’
‘Don’t be nervous. You can do it. I trust you.’
‘Your trust doesn’t matter to me anyway,’ he hissed.
Zarish felt the coldness in his tone but tried to ignore it.
‘Is something wrong? You seem a little worried,’ she asked.
He gazed at her intently.
‘Can I be of some help?’ she offered.
No. Actually, yes.’
‘What is it?’
‘Leave this hall, please,’ he said.
His harsh words hit her hard, and though she tried to ignore them as much as possible, tears welled up in her eyes. She turned and walked out of the auditorium.
‘He makes me cry all the time, as if my feelings mean nothing to him,’ she thought as she walked out.
Ahmar rapped the chair hard with his knuckles.
‘No. I can’t be rude to this girl. I can’t treat her like this just because I don’t like Haroon,’ he thought. Almost on an impulse, he rushed outside to catch up with her.
‘Zarish!’ he called after her.
Zarish stopped when she heard him call out her name but did not turn lest he see the tears.
He walked towards her to make her stop but lowered his gaze to the ground.
‘I’m sorry. My mind was preoccupied with something.’ His gaze remained lowered with embarrassment.
‘It’s okay, Sir,’ she said without turning back, wiping the tears brushing past her cheeks. She did not want to cry in front of him. But her emotions betrayed her.
Ahmar heard her trying to choke down her sobs.
‘It’s not the first time that you’ve spoken to me like that. I am used to it,’ she sni
ffed.
‘Don’t say that please,’ he whispered.
‘I have to go home, Sir.’
Zarish stepped ahead but he held her hand. She could not believe it. It was the first time he had touched her. She could feel the electrifying sensation run through her entire body. His touch brought a warmth and excitement. She felt butterflies dance in her stomach, and it aroused her. Her heart fluttered. It was a strange feeling for her. She had not felt the same excitement, warmth and arousal when Haroon held her hand or touched her.
Ahmar was amazed at his own audacity. He felt different whenever he was around her. She slowly turned around to face him and their eyes locked in an intense gaze; so deep, it felt like he was reaching into her soul.
It took only a couple of seconds for him to realize that they were standing in the corridor. He immediately let go of her hand and took a few steps back.
‘Why did you leave my hand? I’ve never felt so good,’ she thought.
He cleared his throat and broke the reverie.
‘Uh, you okay?’ he asked.
She nodded, pressing her lips into a fine line.
‘This is not the end. You have to help me for my training sessions,’ he declared.
‘Me?’ She raised her brows.
‘Yes. You.’
‘Okay. Sure,’ she murmured shyly.
‘Meet me after your classes tomorrow,’ he said, looking into her eyes and observing her reaction.
She just nodded, moving her gaze downwards.
Zarish started her new mission in life. Every day, after her classes, she would help Ahmar with his practice sessions. She could not fathom the reason why he had chosen her, of all people, for this purpose. He had a beautiful voice, but his singing appeared to be slightly rusty. She had spent most of the sessions staring at him as he sang with his eyes closed. Now, the practice sessions had concluded and it was the last day before the summer festival. Ahmar was packing his stuff and was ready to leave for home.
‘Will you do something for me?’ he asked.
‘Yes, Sir?’ she said, shutting her book.
‘I noticed Haroon’s guitar skills. Will he play for me at the festival?’
Zarish thought for a few seconds.
‘He plays the guitar really well,’ he commented.
‘I know. I have to ask him first.’