41: Cupid game

“Hassan likes Aliyah,” Simran announced, not letting her eyes move from the dish she was washing. Even though she was facing her back to the audience, it was not difficult for her to assume the stunned pairs of eyes gasping behind her.

“Tell me you’re kidding,” Arif requested.

Turning the tap off, she turned to them, “No, I’m not!”

“But who told you this?” Manya furrowed.

“Hassan himself,” the latter shrugged.

Huffing, Arif argued, “Why did he not tell this to me then?” The frustration in his eyes were pretty visible and he grew into more when Simran shrugged,

“Maybe, trust issue!”

“Fine!” he scoffed. With a pitiful smile, he said, “Anyway, let him know he was a good human. Too young to have such a noxious death!”

“Arif!” Simran whined.

Manya stood there watching the exchange between the two, attentively, ready to interfere when things go out of hands.

“What, Sami? What do you expect from me? You’ve been living here for a month! Haven’t you got a clear notion of Ansif and his unpredict