Anaya's Confession and Najjad's Resolve

The day before Anaya's arrival at Najjad's school, her family moved into Najjad's house. Her father had been transferred to the city, making it practical for them to stay with Najjad's family. The families had always been close, and the transition was smooth. Najjad was in his room when he heard the doorbell ring. He went downstairs to find Anaya and her parents standing at the doorway with their suitcases. His parents greeted them warmly.

"Welcome, welcome! It's so good to have you here," Najjad's father, Amir, said with a broad smile. "Thank you, Amir. We're glad to be here," Anaya's father replied, shaking hands with him.

Anaya smiled at Najjad, who returned the gesture. They had always been close as cousins, but today felt different. There was a nervous energy in the air, an unspoken understanding that something had shifted. Later that evening, the families gathered around the dining table for dinner. The conversation flowed easily, filled with laughter and reminiscing about old times. Eventually, the topic turned to Anaya's future.

"So, Anaya," Najjad's mother, Sunaina, began, "have you thought about where you'll be studying?" Anaya glanced at her parents before answering. "We've been discussing it, Auntie. But we're not sure yet." Amir leaned forward, his eyes twinkling. "Well, I think it would be a great idea for Anaya to join Najjad at his college. What do you think, Najjad?"

Najjad looked up, a bit surprised but pleased. "That would be great! Anaya and I could help each other out." Anaya smiled, a sense of relief washing over her. "Thank you, Uncle. I'd love that."

Later that night, Najjad found himself on the roof, enjoying the cool breeze and the quiet night. Anaya joined him, her presence calming and familiar. "Najjad," she began softly, "there's something I need to tell you."

He turned to her, curious. "What is it, Anaya?" She took a deep breath, gathering her courage. "I love you, Najjad." Before he could respond, a rustling sound interrupted them. They looked up to see Eijaz, the eagle, perched on a nearby tree. Startled by their conversation, he lost his balance and fell, landing on the ground with a soft thud.

"Eijaz!" Najjad exclaimed, rushing to his side. "Are you okay?" The eagle nodded, a bit dazed but otherwise unharmed.

Najjad turned back to Anaya, his expression serious. "Anaya, I've had bad experiences in relationships before. I don't want to suffer again." He was thinking of his past life's wife, but Anaya misunderstood, thinking he was referring to his recent breakup with Alia.

Anaya stepped closer, her eyes earnest. "I understand, Najjad. How about this: we are in a relationship until the end of college. If you fall in love with someone else, I'll step aside. But if you don't, we'll get married." Najjad hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Alright, Anaya. I'll accept your condition."

A smile spread across Anaya's face. "Close your eyes," she whispered. He complied, feeling a flutter of nervousness. Anaya leaned in and kissed his cheek, then hugged him tightly. Najjad's eyes flew open in surprise before he smiled and hugged her back.

"I'll accept all your conditions," he said softly. "And if I don't fall in love with anyone else, I'll marry you." Anaya's eyes sparkled with joy. "Can I tell our parents?"

"Not yet," Najjad replied. "Let's wait until we finish college. But I promise you, from today, you're my girlfriend, and I'll take care of you and make you happy." They continued to hug, oblivious to the fact that their parents had overheard the last part of their conversation from the stairs. Smiling, their parents quietly retreated downstairs.

"Congratulations," Amir whispered to Sunaina. "It looks like our families will be even closer now." Najjad found himself restless, his mind racing with thoughts about the next day. He couldn't help but think about what Anaya had said earlier. Just as he was about to head to bed, he heard a soft knock on his door.

"Najjad, can I come in?" Anaya's voice was gentle but insistent. "Of course, Anaya. Come in," Najjad replied, opening the door for her.

Anaya stepped inside, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I couldn't sleep without talking to you about tomorrow." Najjad smiled, inviting her to sit beside him on the bed. "What do you want to talk about?"

"I was thinking," Anaya began, "maybe we should have a plan for when I enter your class tomorrow. It might make things easier." Najjad nodded, intrigued. "What's your idea?"

Anaya stood up and started pacing the room, her mind working quickly. "When I enter the class, I'll introduce myself as your girlfriend. We'll see Alia's reaction. Then we can tell everyone that we had a fight and took a break, but we patched things up a few days ago." Najjad considered it for a moment. "That might actually work. It could explain everything without causing too much drama."

Anaya smiled, relieved. "Great! So, we're agreed?" "Agreed," Najjad said, standing up. "But for now, you should get some sleep."

As he turned to leave, Anaya reached out and caught his hand. "Najjad, could you stay with me for a few minutes? Or... maybe we could sleep together?" Her cheeks flushed a deep red, mirroring the surprise on Najjad's face. Najjad's heart raced, but he nodded. "I'll stay until you fall asleep."

He sat down beside her, and Anaya laid her head on his lap. "I want to sleep like this," she murmured, her voice soft and drowsy. Najjad stroked her hair gently. "Alright, Anaya. I'll be here."

As Anaya's breathing steadied and she fell asleep, Najjad looked around for Eijaz. To his surprise, he found the eagle caught in a trap. "Eijaz! How did you get in there?" he whispered urgently. Eijaz struggled slightly, his eyes wide with frustration. "Your mother gave me some meat and told me to eat it. After I ate, I lost consciousness, and when I woke up, I was trapped here."

Najjad frowned, puzzled and a bit worried. "Hold on, I'll get you out." Just as he was about to free Eijaz, he felt his own eyelids growing heavy. He leaned back slightly, trying to fight the drowsiness, but soon he was asleep.

Once Najjad was asleep, Eijaz managed to free himself from the trap. He quietly flew down to Sunaina's room and perched by her window. "Your plan worked perfectly," he whispered. Sunaina smiled, her eyes twinkling with satisfaction. "Good. This is just the beginning. Thank you, Eijaz." Eijaz nodded, and then flew back to Najjad's room to watch over his friend and Anaya silently.