5- Meaningless Effort

After dropping her home, Rayan couldn't control his smile, it was emitting in the form of light from him. Wallowing in mere nothing, he found himself on cloud-nine. Humming to himself, he twirled his car keys in a spiral, smiling widely. The look of rejoice on his face was crystal. "Oh ho, you're happy even without hearing the good news." Hoorain came, smirking at her brother who laughed a little. "Well, I am. But what's the good news you are talking about?" He asked, looking at his hand which could still feel her warmth in his, smiling to himself. " Hmm, first can I know about the reason behind this smile?" She teased, coming closer. Narrowing her eyes at him suspiciously but he shook his head, "I just had a good day." "You met Hoor Api, didn't you? Your face tells she is very happy." Hoorain assumed or what could make him smile? Isra? Puff, of course not. "Y-Yeah. What else could it be." He chuckled nervously, stretching his neck, looking away. "I am going to my room." He excused and was about to walk away but stopped the moment he started climbing the stairs and called Hoorain, "Hoorain!" "Yeah?" "What's the good news you were talking about?" He asked in bewilderment. "Oh that." Her face glowed, turning to him as she beamed. "Emraz Bhai finally agreed for a girl." She clapped, grinning. "Really!?" He asked in disbelief, trying to register her words, not believing them to be true. "Yeah!" She chirped. "Oh my, I can't believe it. Emraz Bhai actually found a girl." He laughed, running his hand in his hair. "Yay!" "Where is Bhai?" He asked excitedly. "In his room." "I must see him now." He smirked and left to see Emraz. Knocking on his door, he entered. He was sitting on the sofa, reading a book, engrossed in it, with his one leg over the other. "Hey." Rayan greeted, coming in. He smiled, "Hey, How was Hoor?" He asked. "She is great. First you tell me what I have heard is true or not." A mischievous look formed on his face, sitting on the other sofa, smirking at him. Raising a brow, he asked, "What?" "That you finally found a girl!" He beamed. "Oh that, yeah." He replied casually. "I can't believe it." He breathed out, putting his hand on his chest. "Why?" He furrowed his brow at his brother's comment. "Because you didn't want to." "Because they weren't my type. I never refused to get married, I just told Mama to find a girl who knows me and we get along." He explained nonchalantly. "So.. who's this girl?" He asked teasingly. He laughed a little, "Isra." His smile faded, abrupt aching his heart in incomprehensible agony. Blinking he prayed his ears heard wrong and this is nothing but a terrible joke. ‘This has to be a joke'. His lips began to quiver, unable to fathom the depth of his words which hurt his heart directly. "Isra who? Isra Bukhari?" He asked desperately, praying constantly for it to be a lie but it wasn't and each passing second now threw a sky of affliction on his head. Burning in vehemently unspoken suffering, he took a long gulp, controlling the sorrowful face. Emraz chuckled, "Who else, our Isra. Mom suggested and when I think about her, she complies with everything. I know her, we get along. I will try my best to keep her happy, she is so sweet." 'Why did I never notice her before? The ideal person was always right in front of me. Anyways, I hope she accepts the proposal." He explained, returning his gentle smile. "And if she agrees, then don't tease her much as she will your Sister-in-Law, you know." Emraz continued to speak sweetly. Rayan kept looking on the ground with his heart on the verge of bursting from dread, his whole being shivered slightly. Looking down sadly, swallowing hard to keep his emotions at bay but to no avail. They overwhelmed him. "Rayan." Emraz called, shaking his shoulder a little. "Huh?" "Are you okay?" He asked, concerned. "Yeah, um. I am fine." He nodded, passing a forced smile. "You don't like her?" He asked. "No. Um. I was just thinking." He smiled, looking here and there but not at him. "What?" "Nothing um.." He trailed off, not knowing what to say. "I am tired, let's talk in the morning." He quickly excused himself and went to his room. Slamming the door behind, he cursed loudly, loosening his tie and throwing his coat on the bed. How beautifully it started, he went to work and then took her with him after it, spending his whole day in her presence and now this happened, taking his tranquility away. "I wasn't kidding when I said I didn't hold your hand to let it go," He said, pulling his hairs, making them messy. Growling he threw his watch, brooch and ring, cursing under his breath for what happened. Fuming with fury, he threw himself on the bed, punching the sheets, staring at the ceiling with an inexplicable dolorous face, lips curled downwards by the ache. "It can't end like this." Closing his eyes to fall into the devoid so it could ease the torment of his mind. Trying to comprehend the darkness while remembering the day when It all started and till today he couldn't find liberation from this confinement he wasn't ready to call love.