Chapter 4: "Project Zalma"

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November 24, 2020

A smile spread on Zayn's lips the moment she turned around the corner. He stretched his arm out wide. Shaking her head, Salma chuckled and walked up to him, letting him pull her close and snuggled into his chest. Zayn kissed her hair. Her familiar scent descending a calming warmth upon him. He left his arm draped over her shoulders as they listened to the man talking ahead.

Except that it was short-lived and imaginary.

Except that it was a dream.

The loud noise just outside his room made sure to remind him of that. Life, harsh and upsetting, had once again pulled him out of his sleep. He never came close to her by an arm's length that day. He just watched her from afar, wishing it was him who had given her such a gentle and affectionate reassurance instead of her uncle. Zayn let out a miserable sigh, rubbing the sleep off of his face and eyes.

". . . No, it's okay, I just dropped the bag," Claire could be heard telling Niall.

"Do you need help?" Niall offered from downstairs

"Thank you, I'm good."

Zayn stayed in bed long after he heard his sister's footsteps recede. He wished he would stop dwelling upon his dreams but how could he? Every time he saw her, his heart leapt out at her. Every time she interacted with the others casually, he wished it was him. He may have pledged to move on, but he had no control over his dreams or his heart's desires. There was no distracting either with lies, workouts and pep-talks in the mirror.

Bracing himself for the day, Zayn pulled himself up in a sitting position. He was still very groggy. A voice in his head invited him to skip classes and just have a lazy day at home. An incoming text alerted his senses. Stretching out, Zayn picked up his phone. He sleepily read the notification sent to him by the studio assistant. He was assigned the only available time-slot for the week.

"Guess no lazy day for me today," Zayn mumbled to himself as he continued reading the rest of the notifications.

A frowned knotted his brow.

Snob: Campus coffee place. 8:00 a.m

Snob: Sharp!

Zayn blinked.

Snob?

He would have retorted with a snappish text, telling her to expect him no earlier than one in the afternoon, but a ripple going through his body had him checking if it was actually her sending him texts. One, because Snob had stopped her correspondence, all except occasionally sending him threats to dump him in the dormitories' sewers for his intentions to marry Salma. And two, she only ever sent such bossy texts when Bee was in trouble.

She said 8:00. Zayn realized he only had forty minutes to reach the coffee place. His comforter was sent flying as he jumped out of his bed as if electrocuted. After a quick in and out of the bathroom, and getting dressed, he zoomed past Claire who was going downstairs.

"'Morning!" she called after him.

Zayn nodded in response, grabbing his jacket and keys and stomping his feet in his shoes. He looked around. Where did he dump his bag again?

"Where to?!" Niall asked, eyes wide at Zayn's urgency.

"Uni," Zayn replied shortly, shrugging into his jacket. He hurried towards the couch where he had left his bag the previous night. "Have a meeting due in thirty minutes."

Niall and Claire exchanged a glance. She shrugged.

Zayn snatched the bag off of the couch and ran towards the door.

"Last time I saw him this motivated, he had to meet Salma." Zayn heard Niall mumble.

"I hope to God it's not her aga--"

The snap of the door closing behind him muted his sister's bitter commentary.

***

Feburary, 2018

"So there's that," Snob finished talking.

Zayn narrowed his eyes at the veiled kick-boxer sitting across the table.

"Does Bee know about this?" Zayn asking, waving a finger between them, "or agrees to any of what you're suggesting to me."

Snob shrugged.

"We can find out?"

"Seriously?" Zayn raised an incredulous brow. "You come here making propositions on her behalf without even consulting her first?"

"Dude, I said I'd talk to her if you're willing."

"Like my will's the only one that matters here," Zayn said bitterly, turning away from her.

"Your will means shit to me." Snob rolled her eyes. "But she's facing more problems than she should and I thought this was the best way to go about it."

Zayn scoffed. He was right in his assumption that Bee was in trouble and probably needed his help, but had he known it was just Snob trying to play smart and not Bee sending her to seek his help, he would have stayed in his bed and had a proper breakfast.

Sarah stayed quiet, letting Zayn weigh his options. She had told him what she had told Salma the previous day, and stuck to her promise to withhold the information that Salma knows of said proposed solution, or agrees to it. Sarah knew Salma was concerned that if Zayn were to realize she 'might' let him in, he would fake a lot of his behavior around her just to earn her trust back. Salma, on the other hand, wanted him to know by the end of it all, she still may walk away, but at least she was willing to give it an honest chance.

"So you say I should demand a proper son-in-law status, with a genuine relationship to Bee, and Mr. Rahman would agree?" Zayn asked, sarcasm dripping his tone.

"Yes," Snob replied simply. "Grow a pair. Man up. Grab your chance when --"

"You know, I understand you're unhinged, but do you honestly think all of us leave our brain in bed when we wake --"

"Oh, cut the crap!" Sarah snapped. "Didn't you leave your brain and conscience in bed when you woke up, got dressed and went to her house like some sleazy slimeball to marry her?" Zayn winced. He wished he could go back in time and send Bee the text that was still in his drafts, asking her if she knew who Arethas was. "You knew full well she was clueless and what it'd do to her if you were to trick your butt into her room!" Snob kept ranting.

"You know you should shut it and stop bringing that day up every time we meet."

Snob scoffed.

"If you think, I'd let you off the hook that easy, you have another thought coming, Pretty eyes!"

"I think we're done here!" Zayn snapped, irked by her name of choice for him.

"Are you in or out?" Snob said as Zayn grabbed his bag.

"I'm out!" he cut her short.

Zayn stood up to leave, feeling even more worked up. Apart from messing things up with Bee, Zayn had always regretted upsetting her father on top of slashing his side open. Mr. Rahman was a very charming mix of a jolly and graceful gentleman. Zayn had actually liked him in the short time that he had known him. He wished he would have at least told Mr. Rahman of the complexity between himself and Salma before jumping to accept the proposed match.

A warm breeze ruffled his hair as he came out of the crowded coffee house. He felt someone hurrying after him.

"Listen --"

Snob. Zayn sighed. She seems determined.

"I'm not going to ask you again, Harris. This is the only genuine chance you'll get with her --"

"Some chance it is." Zayn scoffed, and kept walking. "Take advantage of them when they're in a pinch and expect them to start trusting me somehow. You're the one brain-dead here, not me. "

"He doesn't trust you already!" Sarah snapped, making him halt. "What is there to lose?! Mr. Rahman's distrust of you started with your mistreatment of his daughter. You fix one, the other is fixed by itself."

Zayn clenched his jaw. He fought the temptation, reminding himself that walking away was the wiser option, but --

"Why are you pushing me into it?" He turned around to face her fully. "Why would you go behind Bee's back to tell me to try again? She hates my very existence. I'm trying to move on. For her!"

Sarah looked away from his anguished eyes, feeling guilt pinch her gut painfully.

"Because Salma is uncomfortable with the current arrangement and she's pushing for an immediate divorce," Sarah said quietly.

"She can't bear the thought with me!" Zayn cried, feeling sears in his heart at the raw truth behind his words, "and you want me to pursue her further?!"

"She's uncomfortable because it's unfair to you!" Sarah snapped back. "She thinks it is wrong to set an expiration date on the nikkah before it is even --"

Zayn's shocked eyes snapped back to her. Sarah realized her mistake seeing his lips part in surprise.

"What did you just say?" he whispered.

"I said." Sarah tried to undo the damage. "She's uncomfortable with the current scenario since --"

"She wants to give it go?" Zayn asked urgently, trying his best but failing to keep all kinds of crazy emotions budding all over his heart.

"I think," Sarah said, choosing her words carefully this time, "she'd be less uncomfortable with this. At least she'd know she's not sinning by ridiculing the sanctity of a nikkah. And then whether it works or not, would be on you --"

"Just - pause!" Zayn held up a hand to stop her. "And rewind. She'd give it a go? You're saying she'd actually give me a chance?"

"I think so," Sarah shrugged. "Look, I know it sounds like I'm here having fun picking at your emotions - which is partly true. It's a pleasure to see you suffer." She smiled, making Zayn give her the stink-eye. "But she's really going through a lot these days. And one of the things stressing her out is the fact that to overcome her problems, she's being forced to do something that's morally and spiritually wrong. I thought I'd help her out a bit by talking to you. She doesn't have that many options --"

"So if I demand a fair chance with her in return for keeping the nikkah, you're saying she might consider it, and not feel like I'm taking advantage of her problems again?"

"I can talk to her about it and see how she feels?" Sarah said, studying her ridged nails to avoid meeting his gaze. Dude's eyes were shining with hope. Sarah had started regretting doing what she was doing. And yet, she knew he would make it. He was determined, and annoyingly stubborn. She was certain he loved her, truly. And Salma? She was just a kind soul holding precious everything that was pure. Zayn's only challenge would be to build the trust he had broken.

"Don't tell her I'd be going to her dad," Zayn said. "Just propose it as your idea. I want an honest response from her. One she'd voice without pressure or anything."

Sarah hummed her agreement, feeling amused. As much as they misunderstood each other, they were so alike in their thought process.

"Can I talk to her myself--"

"No."

Zayn sighed.

Sarah has joined Agha Gul in the Zalma team 😁. What a weird combination of members lol 🤣

Anyways, apologies for the delay, and also my absence from the notification area. I will be getting back to y'all soon ☺️.

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J.