“Wake up, Sunshine.”

Mornings in Muzaffarabad were always so heavily clouded with the memories of the past that Saira would have a hard time separating the reality from the dreams. She would often unknowingly cross the thin line and enter the other side where the world was still a perfect bliss, and the sky was clear, and the Sun was bright and Raamiz was still sleeping next to her.

Syed Raamiz Rizvi, Saira’s first love and the man she had chosen as her life partner. They had grown up together in Muzaffarabad, playing hide and seek in the trees, their laughter echoing off the mountain peaks, their initials engraved on the lonely little bench in her backyard. They were almost inseparable and with every new Sunrise they witnessed together and every sunset over the valley, they grew more and more fond of each other.

They had similar interests as well, they both wanted to become doctors. Surgeons, in fact. But once they entered the medical field, Saira realized that she didn’t have the skill nor the courage to become a good surgeon. She now had interest in something almost as fascinating, if not more-anesthesia. So right after they both cleared their part 1 exam, they decided to get married and settle in Rawalpindi to complete their training.

She could still recall the evening he had proposed to her. They were both visiting Muzaffarabad for the holidays and Raamiz knew that this was the place he wanted to ask her to be his forever, after all this was the very land that had brought them together in the first place; their own little piece of Heaven. They were walking side by side on the narrow path that led to Saira’s house on the cold December evening. Suddenly, Raamiz paused and turned to look at Saira’s face dimly illuminated by the sunlight, the shadows starting to settle around her eyes. He didn’t say anything; he just held one hand out to her and smiled. Saira knew what he was asking, she took his hand in hers, and they walked home hand in hand as the Sun finally set behind them.

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“Saarim what’s up with you today?” Haroon’s question startled the slightly dazed Saarim who now became aware of three pairs of eyes fixated on him.

“Um nothing. Why?”

“I just feel like you’re hiding something. Let me take a look at your face,” Haroon continued as he drew closer to Saarim until he was just inches away. Saarim started to feel a bit conscious.

“Aha! You’re sad. Now tell me, what is bothering you?” Haroon asked with genuine concern this time.

“Pfft, it’s nothing. I’m going to get something to eat from the cafe. See you in a bit.”

Saarim had been a bit lost that day. He couldn’t really figure out why he felt so low all of a sudden. He was always in a good mood, and genuinely enjoyed his work. But today for some reason he felt really sullen and couldn’t even find the energy to hold up a conversation.

On his way to the cafe he crossed Saira’s empty room and for a minute her face flashed before his eyes, her pale beautiful face and deep brown eyes. Oh how he wished to see her now. And that’s when it hit him, he was missing her! Even though it had been only two days that she hadn’t shown up at the hospital and he knew she’d be back before Friday, he still couldn’t help missing her.

He opened the door and went inside.

It was a tidy and well kept room. Everything was in place, not a thing out of order. Saarim’s room was a mess compared to this. He randomly went through some of the files on her table until his eyes settled on a notebook with her name written on top of it in red and black ink. He picked it up, it was her diary. Saarim knew how unethical it was to go through her stuff without permission but he had always been so curious about her and this could be his only chance to get to know her. So he picked up the notebook and left the room.

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