In Karachi itself, in the very center city where the city thrums with life and the street smells both salt and street food, Aisha and Daniyal lived. Their lifelong friendship began at an early age, having been nourished by play and mutual trust. Their families lived next door, and their lives intertwined like the vines climbing the walls of their old neighborhood homes.
Aisha was the epitome of grace kind, ambitious, and with a smile that could light up even the darkest of days. Yet Daniyal meanwhile was the pragmatist, with common sense and a kind heart. They were pretty different in a lot of ways, yet their relationship was effortless.
One cool evening, as the first stars blinked into the sky, they sat on the rooftop of Daniyal’s house, sipping chai. The city hummed below them.
Hey Miss Aisha, Daniyal laughed, “When will you publish that poetry that you hide from the world?
Aisha laughed, her cheeks turning pink. It is not always a must for everyone to have all the information. “I am a soothing person, Mr. Daniyal,” etc.
I’ve known since the beginning,” he murmured, his gaze locking with hers as if sharing a secret.
For a moment, the world seemed to pause. The space between them narrowed, but Aisha shied from the discomfort with a chuckle.
Days escaped us as they spent longer and longer on the road and Aisha slowly discovered that Daniyal’s laughter lingered in her mind, the very thought of Daniyal brought her a sudden sensation of peace she could not articulate. Daniyal also started to feel something irresistible towards Aisha unlike before. Her laughter seemed sweeter; her quirks more endearing.
One afternoon, Aisha’s cousin Nadia came to visit. She was loud, fun, and brimming with life. Again, as is typical, Daniyal seemed to find a place with the rest of their small gaggle. However, when Aisha saw Nadia playfully slapping Daniyal on the arm and laughing at his jokes, something changed within her. An undefinable surge of jealousy settled in her midsection. Her ideas transformed into a vortex of her questioning about her feelings.
That night, Aisha found herself restless. She looked up at the ceiling, with feelings stuck in a knot of doubt. Memories of Daniyal’s warmth and his firm presence touched her in his way. Could it be love? She blocked the concept, not knowing how it could affect their interaction.
Weeks later, to the general satisfaction of all, the rain the desperately awaited rains arrived in Karachi in a sweet and mellow song. Aisha stood by her window, watching the world turn soft under the downpour. Her phone buzzed.
“Come to the park,” Daniyal’s text read.
Picking up her umbrella, she raced to the small park where they had so many memories of childhood afternoons. Daniyal stood under a tree, soaked but grinning.
“Are you crazy?” she exclaimed. “You’ll catch a cold!”
“I had to see you,” he confessed, his voice unwavering even as his eyes betrayed his nerves. “Aisha, there’s something I need to say.”
She froze. Her heart beat in her chest did the rain blur the immediate surroundings.
I think that I have loved you longer than even I knew, Daniyal said. And if there is even a slight possibility that you also do, I knew I had to seize it.
Aisha stared at him, her mind racing. And at that exact moment, she giggled–a bright little chuckle that lifted Daniyal’s spirits to the highest and farthest point in the sky.
“Awful timing, is it not,” she murmured, inching in a little, inching in a little further, etc. “But yes, Daniyal, I do. I think I always have.”
There they were, in the downpour, all the generations of unspoken feelings broken down by the rain, Daniyal’s hand moving towards hers. A single touch passed between them simple, yet speaking volumes they couldn’t put into words.
From that moment on, their relationship grew into a more profound, more mature kind of friendship. They stood by each other, navigating every peak and valley of life together. Aisha’s hopes of becoming a writing and also of her works being published came true, with Daniyal supporting her regime all through the process. Daniyal’s startup flourished, and Aisha was his biggest supporter.
One evening, with the sunset behind it, the sky in the color of orange and pink, Daniyal sent Aisha back to the rooftop from where it all began.
“That’s when I understood that life without you is life without you,” he commented as he pulled out a little velvet box. Aisha, will you marry me and make me the luckiest guy on Earth?
Tears filled Aisha’s eyes as she nodded. “Yes, Daniyal. A thousand times, yes.”
Their union was a day of love, joy, and partnership. Strung tight by family, friends, and each other, on this day they made a promise to stand by one another for years to come. It wasn’t just a matter of love, but also a touching tale about friendship, faithfulness, and pure support.
Over the coming few years, they produced a life of becoming happy and purposeful. They made discoveries, traveling together through the world and developing a closer connection with one another. Aisha’s poetry book became a bestseller, and Daniyal expanded his startup into a nationwide success. Their dwelling house was, the upshot of all, a nest of affections, and in that place, reminiscences and shared goals were, of all things, in the midst of life.
The other day, lying down by the seaside watching the tides beat on the strand, Aisha smiled gently at Daniyal.
Remember what it would be like if we kept doing that jump? she asked.
Daniyal gripped her hand hard, steady, and warm. “I don’t have to wonder. This is exactly where I belong. With you.”
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Focusing on his right shoulder, Aisha rested her head on his right shoulder, content in knowing that their narrative from platonic to soulmates for life was only the beginning of a love story and a shared life. It wasn’t “amazing”, but it was “ours”, and that was why it was “truly amazing.