It was 2:10 AM. Iram, sitting at her desk, was busy writing the last pages of her diary, filled with the emotions she had held in her heart for years.

"... Hence proved, first love never lasts long... " Writing the last line, she closed her diary, labelled it with "Him" in italics cursive handwriting, and kept the diary in her locker.

" This marks the end of my one-sided first love. Now, time to study, Iram. " She said to herself.

She picked a new notebook from another drawer of her desk, which she planned for test practices.

" I have to finish Pediatrics from Practice of Medicine today. Iram, you have been giving tests on these topics for the past 3 months. Let's revise and test yourself again. You need to score better now. " Iram talked to herself.

Setting the alarm for 2 hours, she started revising the topics. 

" Okay, now, Meningitis, the inflammation of Meninges... " 

But after 10-15 minutes, her mind drifted to the imagination zone.

" Control Iram... Not now... " She scolded herself and continued her revision,

" The signs of meningeal irritation are neck stiffness, opisthotonus, Kerning sign, and Brudzinski sign... And what are those... "

'Shaizaan!!' Iram felt shivering down her spine as she heard that name. She heard it again. He was ruling her dreams and thoughts right now. 

" Shaizaan, please... Not now... " Iram scolded as if he was present in the room.

Iram couldn’t forget the feeling she felt after watching that dream again and again.

" Okay, let's continue... What is the Kerning sign? The patient is asked to lie in the supine position and then... "

' I want these earrings. But they are expensive. ' Iram couldn’t stop herself and closed her eyes.

She imagined herself shopping with the fictional man. She was trapped in her dreaming zone again.

Shaizaan saw Iram looking at the earrings from afar. And when she walked away, Shaizaan bought them for her.

At the parking lot, he passed those earrings to her.

' No. I cannot take these. It's expensive. ' Iram denied.

‘ My love, your wish is my command. You wanted those and I brought them to you…’ Iram smiled.

‘At least, wear one for me…please’ 

Iram imagined Shaizaan helping her wear the earrings.

She was smiling sheepishly until her alarm buzzed, jolting her.

" What??! Two hours gone? I haven't studied the topic yet...Uff shaizaan!!! " Iram said to herself.

“ I hate this. It will affect my studies.” Iram looked sad, looking at the alarm and her notes.

“ But wait…” An idea clicked in her mind.

" I need to write this idea for my next book. " Iram took her phone and typed new plot ideas.

“ Wait…I need to think about the title and the book cover, too. ”

Iram asked herself and lay down on her bed after switching off the lights in her room. 

After scrolling for hours, she finally settled on two title ideas.

“ Mere Shaizaan or Shaizaan: The name engraved in my heart💕"

She thought for a while. “Of course, the 2nd one…” Iram giggled and closed her eyes to sleep.

*****

“ Yes, I am on my way, Qizra. "

“ Tum itni late bus stand kyun pahunchi ho? " Iram heard the angry voice through the call.

{Why are you reaching the bus stand so late?}

“ Idk. Saari traffic lights aaj red mili mujhe raaste mein. "

{Idk. All traffic lights were red on my way.}

“ Aachcha theek hai… Railing slope se achche se aana… I am waiting near the snacks shop. "

{Okay, it's okay… Be careful while walking down the railing slope…I’m waiting near the snacks shop.}

“ Okay. “

Hanging up the call, Iram took a turn towards the railing slope, and this time, instead of walking down slowly, she ran down the slope. She was giggling at her childish act and feeling lighthearted at her cutest little happiest moment.

“ I know, Qizra, you will scold me, but this is so much fun… “ Iram said to herself as air rushed past her, creating a dopamine effect.

Towards the end of the slope, she couldn’t slow down and feared hitting the pillar, when a strong, built arm wrapped around her waist. One of her hands was over his shoulder, and the other was clutching her bag. She could feel his gaze, even through his sunglasses. She stared back at him without a blink, breath caught in her throat. It felt like the world fell silent as they heard their heartbeats slowly getting synchronised and whispered something in love. He slowly made Iram stand on her feet.

“ Are you okay? ” He asked in his deep voice.

“ Yes. “ She whispered back, still stunned.

“ Shaizaan… “ He said, releasing her from his hold..

“ Iram… “ She whispered with her eyes on the ground.

“ Enjoy your journey. “ She dared to look at him. As he left, her heart made her speak something she never expected herself to say. “ Uff… haseeen…” She covered her mouth instantly and looked at him with wide eyes, walking away to the main gate of the bus stand complex.

“ I hope he didn’t hear that. ”

“ Wait, what? ”

“ What? “ Iram stirred in her sleep, and her mind replayed everything. She could feel butterflies in her stomach.

“ Tauba tauba, Astaghfirullah. ”  Iram said to herself. She typed the details of her dream into her phone.

“ Why does it feel like the hints I wanted for my future? As if the poetic line I wrote last year just came alive. Is Shaizaan the one for me? ” 

Iram looked confused about her recent dreams. She searched for the notebooks she used in college last year. 

A loose page slipped out of the notebook and landed on the desk. It carried the poetic lines she had written a year ago. Iram picked it up and began to read.

Ek nayi lahar si aayi meri zindagi mein

Ek naye se safar ka aagaaz hua

Kuch naye chehre ab anjane nahi rahe

Kuch baatein ab unkahi nahi rahi

Ek unka kadam yun meri zindagi mein aise dastak laaye ki

Mujh anjaan ko maloom na tha

Unki baaton se, Unke lehje se

Mujhe mohabbat ho gayi

(Kyunki unn jaise se main bekhabar thi)

Phir ek mod aaya

Woh panchhi udd gaya apne naye raaston ko tay karte hue

Aur main, meri tanhai, aksar baatein krne lage

Ki woh mujhe kuch yun batane aaye the,

Suniye meri jaan,

Aapke liye ek khabar aapke hone wale zawj ke taraf se

Aap toh mujhse mohabbat kar baithi

Jab woh hai

Woh hai, jo aayenge

Aapke dil pe dastak yun denge ki

Aap khudko, apne dil ko nhi sambhal payengi

Unka bas yehi paygham hai

Sabr rakhiye, khud pe bharosa rakhiye

Aap bahut kuch kar sakti hai iss duniya mein

Yeh taaleem unmein se ek hai

Yun ghabraye nahi

Bas badte chale jaiye aage ki orr

"Ab bas kuch hi mahine baaki hai humare darmiyan

Ab bas aapse milne ki yeh besabri humse ho nahi rahi hai"

Dil thaam ke baithiye

Aa rahe hai woh

"Aa raha hun Main!"

{

A new wave came into my life

A fresh journey began

Some faces that were once strangers now felt familiar

Some once unsaid words are now spoken

He stepped into my life

In a way, I never expected

From his words, from his tone

I began to fall in love

(For someone I never knew existed before)

Then came a turn in the path

Like a bird, he flew away to follow his new roads

And I, my loneliness, often thought

Maybe he came only to tell me this

Listen, my dear,

There is news from the man who will be your husband

You fell in love with me

When he is there

He is there to knock at your heart

So strongly that you won't be able to hold it still

This is his only message

Be patient, trust yourself

You can do so much in this world

Your education is one of many gifts you have

Don't be afraid

Keep moving forward

"Now, only a few months remain between us

Now this eagerness to meet you cannot be held back anymore."

Hold your heart steady

He is arriving soon

"I am coming to you."

}

The leftover pages were scribbled with her dreams from a year back; she barely remembered. And the name 'Shaizaan' appeared in the dreams, she saw recently.

“ Shaizaan… Who are you? Why is this name in my dreams? ”

Iram’s chain of thoughts was broken by the ringtone of her phone. It was Alyna. Rubbing her eyes, Iram saw the clock. It was lunch time again. She was waking up during lunchtime for the last few days at home.

“ Yes, Alyna. ” Iram attended the call.

“ Iram, I’m sorry…” Alyna was panicking on the call.

“ Calm down, Alyna. What happened? Why are you apologising? ”

“ A man named Shaizaan took your award from me. He said he’ll return it if you call him. He was one of our chief guests. I don't know why he did so…”

Iram was shocked hearing the incident.

“ Who the ‘h’ is Shaizaan? Why would he want my award?” Iram burst in anger.

“ Uff Allah…” Iram covered her face with her palms and winced.

“ Who is this Shaizaan? ”

PS:-

Author IShK: " If I could answer Iram, I would tell her. 'The man of your dreams, whose name is engraved in your heart, is your soulmate. The one you prayed for.'

If only she could hear me."