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Chapter 12

  • Hira's POV:
  • I rubbed my cold fingers against the palm of my other hand. I am nervous, so much that I want to run back home and quit this job before even starting. But I cannot do that and I have to face this someday. Why not now?
  • I glance at the digit of thirty-seven on the column of a total number of students in attendance registered on my desk, before raising my gaze to the attentive class with curious-looking faces.
  • I gulped before saying, "Assalam o Alaikum, class." And received snickers in answer.
  • "Wallaikum Assalam Ustani Ji (teacher)" A boy shouts from the last seat in a mocking way. So I ignore it and ask them to take out their books.
  • The first class went like an endless path to planet Pluto. Still, I manage to end the journey without passing out. My next class was of first-year students but the principal gave me a break by looking at my somewhat pale face. Few other teachers encourage me by saying that those were final years, they are quite out of control and since they are seniors, they think themselves as Ruler of college. According to them, other classes are much better but don't know why my heart is screaming not to believe them. So, I just smile at them and turn my focus to my consciously buzzing phone.
  • It was Zulqarnain, he keeps on bugging me since he got up. Thank God he is using his brain to not call me but his texts are quite annoying too because he sends one in every ten minutes.
  • 'Hello, teacher...?'
  • 'What is it?'
  • 'I am thinking of giving you a ride home after work.'
  • 'Keep thinking, but don't try to do it.'
  • 'But I am worried about you, Teacher. You aren't familiar with the place.'
  • 'Thank you for worrying about me Hero, but I am a big girl. And please, no more texts. I have a class to teach.'
  • 'Ok, I will miss you... :('
  • Eh????
  • Taking a deep breath, I got up as the bell rang and make my way towards the third year's class. My tracks come to an abrupt halt on hearing a boy's voice saying something about a new teacher with the nickname of 'Ustani Ji'.
  • Wow! I'm famous...
  • "She is just a simple looking middle-class woman yar. I don't understand why our college administration doesn't hire pretty young girls?" A boy says in a lazy voice.
  • "She is young." This voice belongs to a girl.
  • What the hell... Is that how they talk about their teachers???
  • Irritated by their way of talking, I step inside with a frown on my face, instead of a smile. All of the students took their seats when they saw me entering and greeted me with expressions which I wouldn't call a pleased one.
  • "Assalam o Alaikum class, take out your books." I say in monotone, outing the attendance sheet on the teacher's table. I was expecting some sort of behaviour like final year's students but to my surprise, they quietly open their books mumbling 'Wallaikum Asslam.'
  • Are they really better than seniors or my anger is clear from my face???
  • Well, whatever the reason is, at least we can have decent study time. I relaxed on the thought and start the lesson.
  • ~*~
  • Ahmar's POV:
  • "Haye...! She is so sweet." Tahir sighs as he says this probably the seventh time.
  • "I thought you like our English teacher?" Zaid asks.
  • "Yes, I like her too. She is hot but Urdu teacher is sweet. What's her name again?"
  • "Hira." Zaid answered, glaring at him.
  • "Haye... Hira..." Tahir puts his hand on his heart and drops himself onto the bed dramatically.
  • Seriously...
  • We are at our secret hideout again, talking about 'His' plaything, plus our new teacher for some reason. Zaid and I noticed that she will be Tahir's new favourite but wasn't expecting such behaviour from Faiq too.
  • I didn't tell the guys that she is 'His' so-called friend and is currently living with us and now I am glad that I didn't tell them. How can I even tell my buddies, it is embarrassing just to think that a girl alone, living shamelessly in our house, calling herself my brother's friend and now she has become our teacher.
  • "Oye!" I startled when Tahir snapped his finger near my face.
  • "What were you thinking?" He asks.
  • "Nothing."
  • "Lie."
  • "You were also thinking about Hira, right?" Faiq asks me curiously, putting his arm on my neck.
  • "Shut up. Why would I even think about that teacher? I got better things to do. And what the hell is wrong with you? Since when did you get Tahir's disease?" I frown.
  • "Yar, it's not a disease. It's called appreciating Allah's creations." Tahir defends himself.
  • "Yes, and I didn't catch his disease, believe me. I just like how she addressed us with 'Aap' ('You' in a respectable manner), instead of 'Tum' (You)." Faiq explains, sitting straight.
  • "Why are we even talking about her?" I ask, looking at them.
  • "That's exactly what I keep thinking. Let's go somewhere, Papa ordered me to come home before dinner time." He says, getting up and we copy his movement.
  • We all got into Tahir's car and drove towards some new restaurant Zaid kept talking about. We ate fast food and went to our houses to stuff some more food into our stomachs.
  • After dinner, Dad and I talked about the upcoming cricket tournament and I went to my room. I was about to go into the bathroom to change clothes when my eyes landed on my jerky big brother who is looking at her closed window like a Romeo.
  • The entire time during Urdu class until now, my mind was circling around that woman. Something is different about her and she is definitely not like the typical middle-class girls. They aren't broad-minded to live alone as a paid guest in their male friend's house, nor would their family allow them. So what's her story?
  • Did my brother marry her in secret and is lying about her being a friend? Or has she run away from her house or something?
  • But the confident look in her eyes doesn't show any guilt and the way she stared back at me on that night and today in the class was... indescribable. It was like she is searching for something and challenging me at the same time. I will not lie that it hit my ego very much, especially when she walks around the class during her lecture instead of standing near her table like other teachers, or should I say, female teachers. They are scared of us and yet she ordered me on her first day to put my phone in my pocket by pointing at it and glaring at me.
  • She really needs to be thought a lesson, but before that, I have to find out about her relationship with 'Him'...
  • ~*~
  • Zulqarnain's POV:
  • "Assalam o Alaikum." I say loudly, entering the house and drop myself on the couch in the living room.
  • "Wallaikum Assalam, you are later today." Hearing my voice, dad came into the living room.
  • "Yes, dad. Just stuck at work." I open my eyes. "How are you? Where is Ami?"
  • "Your Ami is heating up dinner for you and I am fine."
  • I smile at his answer but didn't say anything. Actually, I don't want to talk much right now or else I will spill out all of my frustration I have been feeling since Hira has started working on my off time. I planned to take her out for lunch after her first day of the job and had prepared myself for all types of reasoning and rejections I would be facing from her. But it never came to that, because my assistant scheduled me to be in an interview.
  • "Zulqarnain, dinner is served." Ami called me from the kitchen.
  • "Coming, Ami." I reply and drag myself to the kitchen.
  • After dinner, I went outside for a walk.
  • Ugh! Who am I kidding? I came outside to see whether Hira is awake or not and thanks to Allah, she is awake since her bedroom light is still on.
  • I quickly pull out my phone and call her, but my face soon turns into a frown when I find her phone busy. I look at the time and curse her friend Hassan. Hira told me that she talks to Hassan daily at this time.
  • I don't understand why does that guy calls her at night when he has a fiancé? Did he talk to her in front of her father too?
  • The thought of Hira's father take me back to his burial day and I shiver. The image of Hira came running out of her house barefooted, calling for her father is still stuck in my mind. It's hard for me to even imagine how she is managing everything properly. Only the thought of losing one of my parents make me scared and she lost both of them.
  • I want to help her move on and start her life in a new way, because before, her life circled around her father, and her house.
  • I took a deep breath and pick my phone which starts buzzing all of a sudden.
  • 'Assalam o Alaikum'
  • 'Wallaikum Salam, Zee. What am I hearing today?' She shrieks.
  • Great, now she will scold me for being dull in the interview. She takes her and my reputation very seriously.
  • 'What did you hear today?' I pretend not to know.
  • 'That you have been barking around in the studio.' She gritted her teeth.
  • 'Bhao Bhao.' I bark like a lazy dog.
  • 'ZEE.' She threatened.
  • 'Leave me for now, yar. I am tired. Will talk to you tomorrow. Allah Hafiz.' I say and hung up without hearing her response.
  • I glance back at her window and this time I find the lights were off.
  • Great.....
  • 'Hey, teacher! Can we talk?' I text and waited eagerly.
  • 'No, Hero. I'm sleepy.' She replied.
  • 'Oh come on, just for a few minutes? Have pity on your friend who has been standing under your window in the cold.'
  • This time she didn't reply. The light of her room turns on and soon I saw her face on the window. She facepalmed herself and asks me what I am doing, by moving her hands.
  • I look at my phone in my hand and then at her. I don't know what she understands but she shook her head in negative.
  • ~*~
  • Hira's POV:
  • 'Oh come on, just for a few minutes? Have pity on your friend who has been standing under your window in the cold.'
  • I read his text and quickly got to the window after covering my head with a dupatta. He was really standing under my window. I helplessly chuckled and facepalm myself.
  • This guy is really something...
  • I ask him 'what is it?' by moving my hand. In answer, he looks at his phone in hand and then at me. I shook my hand in negative as a response. There is no way I am allowing him to eat my brain after Hassan.
  • He puts both of his hands on his hip and glared in my direction for a minute before slumping himself on the grass.
  • This guy really is a joker...
  • I move away from the window and call him after accepting my defeat. I don't want to be blamed for a famous actor catching a cold because of me.
  • ~*~
  • "I am going, auntie. Allah Hafiz." I say before leaving the house. She is so sweet to get up early just to send me off because Ahmar leaves without saying anything.
  • "Beta, why won't you go with the driver?" She asks worriedly.
  • "I am fine on my own, auntie. Thank you." I smile.
  • "Assalam o Alaikum. Hira, wait two minutes. I will drop you." Both auntie and I jump by the sudden voice of Zulqarnain and our heads turn toward his room.
  • Oh no, I am not going with him and get the title of being a friend of the famous 'ZS'
  • "Auntie, I am going." I quickly ran out, waving my hand to her. She called me but I ignored her.
  • They have already been doing so much for me, I cannot ask for more or rely more on them. This is my life and I will lift my own burdens, like how I am used to doing.
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