Chapter 15

• Hira's POV:
• I bring them to what we call a 'Dhaba'. It's a restaurant near the highway, so they serve in an open area. No air conditioner and no fancy and comfortable seat for my dear students. The sitting arrangement here is on 'Charpiai' with a water cooler on the side. The isolated location of this restaurant is the best thing for me. I don't want to be seen hanging around with them by my staff members or my other students. It will be an awkward situation, for me of course.
• The boys glare at me when I told them that we are going to lunch here and if I didn't use a little of my arrogant behaviour and some mockery, they would never even sit at such place. They kept on complaining about the fast and dusty wind that will destroy the hygiene of the food and at one point, I was so irritated that I asked them to go back home.
• But when lunch was served in purely Iranian style, their whining and taunting about I never went to a better place than a 'Dhaba' died down and they ate as nothing happened. They laugh at each other when the fast wind of the open area messed up their hair and fly off the spoons from their plate. They got so busy with their own selves that they completely forgot of my presence. Well, maybe not the presence but the point that I was their teacher and I was asked to spend time with them for Allah knows what reason.
• I ate silently, don't wish to be targeted by their insults. But this happiness was short-lived when Zaid leans back on his hands after finishing his lunch.
• I squirm unconsciously, sensing the presence of a male close to me, and he noticed it, as a smirk creeps upon his face.
• Curse his sharp observing...
• He leans a bit closer and said, "Despite having a hot and spicy attitude, our teacher is not good in handling hot and spicy food." I quickly pull away and narrow my eyes at him.
• "Yes, I prefer sweet things. That is exactly why I am here with you guys." I gave him a tight smile.
• His smirk vanished and the other boys also turn their attention to us.
• "Don't you think you should be more careful and watch your mouth when you are alone with boys?" He narrowed his eyes at me.
• I didn't answer. I turn my attention to the waiter and ask him to bring 'Kheer' for everyone. It's best to ignore them if they are persistent in showing their superiority of being male. More arguing will not lead us anywhere, it will only increase their arrogance.
• "Hm! It's tasty." Faiq said, after swallowing the first spoon.
• "It would've been tastier if someone feeds you with their own hands." Ahmar shot a comment, focusing at his kheer.
• Ohh???
• "Mere dost, ye le (my friend, take this)." Tahir said in a dramatic style, holding out a spoon of kheer towards him.
• "What are you doing?" He pulled his face back and asked with a cocked eyebrow.
• "I cannot see your lonely state. My heart aches. I cannot find the person who you seek for but at least I can feed you." He said, trying to put the spoon into his mouth and we all burst out laughing.
• I noticed that Tahir doesn't go with the mocking and teasing both Zaid and Ahmar do, but he doesn't stop them either. Instead, if things start to go into the wrong direction, he tries to put them back on track by interfering with a serious face or by a practical joke.
• Ahmar shoves his hand and said, "Get lost."
• After that, Tahir took the lead of the conversation and inform me about every minor detail of college since they took admission. Even the affairs among students, as well as the teachers. It was quite awkward when he said that students aren't blind or stupid that they could not understand what's going on between a male and female teacher and winked.
• I find myself unable to respond and it only encourages them.
• "Ary! We aren't talking about you. Why is your face getting red?" Zaid said, tilting his face.
• Red...? My face is red???
• Unconsciously, I touched my face and received an 'Awww' from Tahir.
• "She is blushing." Faiq smiled, looking at me.
• What...?
• I was about to deny him but the phone buzzed again.
• Uff! Zulqarnain, let me live...
• I hold out my hand to them, motioning to stop and received the call.
• "Hello, Assalam o Allaikum."
• "Wallaikum Assalam. Where are you now?"
• "Jahanum me (in hell)." I said angrily.
• "Yar, I am not in the mood to joke. Tell me where you are and I will come to pick you up." I frown at his strict voice and excused myself.
• "There is no need for you to come. I am with my students."
• "They are four grown boys, Hira."
• "So?"
• "What do you mean 'so'? I am worried about you."
• "Why? Don't you have faith in your brother?"
• "I have faith in my brother, that's why I am worried. Come on Hira, please tell me where you are?" He said after a moment of silence.
• "Sorry yar, I promised my students that I will spend some time with them and I am not going back on my words just because of your whim. I'll talk to you later." I hung up without listening to him and rushed back to the boys, after paying the bill.
• "So, what's next?" I asked.
• "Next up is shopping." Faiq answered.
• "Shopping?" I asked.
• "Yes, shopping. You treat us with lunch and now it's our turn. Besides, we cannot take you to the party wearing this stuff." Ahmar said, pointing towards my outfit.
• "Party? What party?"
• "Don't worry about it, love. You will eventually understand everything." Zaid said, opening the passenger seat door for me.
• "Watch it, kiddo. Never ever address me like this." I deadpan and slid inside the car.
• I know they are deliberately trying to scare me or piss me off, but still... they shouldn't forget their limits.
• ~*~
• "W-what is this place?" I literally stutter when they guide me into a huge building's underground hall.
• Bright laser lights, loud music, and dozens of young boys and girls. This place has the environment of a night club which is usually seen in Hollywood movies. But the difference is, I don't see mini dresses here or alcohol.
• "So, do you like it?" Ahmar shouted in my ear due to the loud music but become way too close, so I abruptly took a step back and nodded. Then, he leads me to a sitting area in the corner, along with Zaid. Both Tariq and Faiq left us when we entered the area. After a while, my eyes spotted them both on the dance floor and my jaws dropped when I saw the same old sweet Faiq dancing with a girl younger than him. After looking at her closely, I recognized her as one of the first-year students. Once again, my jaw was about to hit the ground but I schooled my composure quickly. And Faiq, he is the complete opposite of what I have been observing so far. His glasses were nowhere to be found and his one-sided parted hair has turned into spikes. I don't know that I am amazed or shocked, watching how skillfully he leads the moves and twirl his companion.
• Where the hell did my students go....?
• I asked myself and turn to Zaid for an answer but on finding him busy with his phone, I turn to Ahmar, who was perhaps eyeing me carefully all this while because as soon as our eyes met, he smiled with a wink.
• I shook my head in disappointment and asked, "What song is this? I never heard it."
• "It's a new song." He answered leaning his head towards me, "Would you like to give it a try?" He tilts his head to the dance floor and I narrow my eyes at him.
• Taking the hint, he said and got up, "I will bring some drinks."
• Okay...!
• But...
• Okay! I should calm myself and believe them. They will not put anything strange in it...
• I try to calm myself and for some reason, I failed to do so. Maybe it's the loud music that is giving me this uneasy feeling. I change my position on the seat and tried to divert my attention.
• "Here you go, teacher." Ahmar said, putting a glass of drink on the table and I couldn't help but notice how much he sounds like Zulqarnain when he used the word 'teacher'. A smile voluntarily spread on my face and I take a quick sip without questioning what the drink is.
• A breath of relief escaped my mouth on registering the taste of lemonade and putting all of my hesitations behind, I gulped down the entire drink within three times, hoping that it would help me feel any better. I am sweating as I had just finished running miles.
• I glanced at my wristwatch and realize the reason behind my fatigue. It's past midnight, almost my bedtime.
• Time passed so fast today...
• Then, I start calculating the time we have spent in different places. I got so engrossed in my thoughts that I didn't realize when the boys left me alone and if it weren't for the phone vibrating, I would've continued on being absent-minded.
• 'Ary! Hassan.' I abruptly get up and rushed outside to attend his call. I know he would be mad if I told him where I am.
• "Hello! Assalam o Allaikum."
• "Wallaikum Assalam. How is my friend today?" he said in his usual jolly style.
• "Alhamdulillah, and you?"
• "Same! Ary yar, I cannot hear you properly." He shouted.
• "Wait, I'll walk further." I said, going outside the building and stand in the spot near the path to the underground hall. This passage is on the back of the building's entrance, so it's dark and quiet. Well, actually, too dark and quiet.
• "Yes, tell me. Can you hear me now?"
• "Yes, you aren't at home?'
• "No, actually I came with my staff for dinner." I lied because I don't want to hear the same lecture as Zulqarnain about coming here with four boys.
• "Dinner? This time of night?"
• Oops!
• "Yes, we got here late." I glanced around, answering him and my eyes landed on a frame of a man standing at some distance from me. It may be dark here and I cannot see his face, but I could feel he was watching me.
• This area is already giving me an eerie feeling and after a dark strange figure is standing near me, made everything scarier.
• "Hira? ...Hira, are you listening to me?"
• "Huh? ...ah, yes... yar, can we talk when I get home?" I said, stepping back towards the entrance of the hall.
• "Hira? Are you alright?" he asked. Perhaps he noticed the panic in my voice.
• "Yes... I am fine." I answered and turn back to look at the figure and find him following me.
• Ya Allah!
• "You don't sound fine. Hira! Tell me what it is." he said strictly but my mind was preoccupied with the man chasing me. Ignoring his question, I start running towards the gate and keep looking behind.
• Suddenly, everything stopped and I couldn't move forward. A small scream escaped from my mouth on realizing the reason for my abrupt halt. I bumped into a man and now he is holding me with his both arms.
• I tried to wiggle free from the hands which are holding me, his grip is suffocating me but the hold was too tight and slowly, my struggle died down and I find it hard to open my eyes and keep myself steady. I felt someone shaking me but before I could respond, everything went blank.
• ~*~
• Ahmar's POV:
• I went to the restroom and on returning, I found our teacher missing. I quickly scan the area but couldn't find her.
• Where did she go....?
• Once again, I start scanning the hall when I saw Tahir coming towards me.
• "Oye! We got a problem."
• "What problem?"
• "Miss Hira fainted outside." He answered, going back to the exit.
• "What? Where is she?" I fasten my pace and join him.
• "Zaid is with her. She got so panicked that she started screaming for help." He informed me and continued, "What did you put in her drink?"
• "Shut up yar and lead me to her."
• He is going to kill me...
• ________________________________________
• *Dhaba: it is the name given to roadside restaurants in Subcontinent. They are situated on highways and generally serve local cuisine, and also serve as truck stops.
• *Charpai: A traditional Sub-continental woven bed. Mostly use in Punjab and ruler areas of Pakistan and India.