Chapter 17

• Hira's POV:
• He didn't say anything, just stares silently at me and I start diverting my gaze at anywhere but him. I understand that he is pissed and he has the right to be. He was continuously asking me to come back or tell him where I was. But I was too stubborn to depend on him, not wanting to show myself weak and fragile to others.
• "How long have I been passed out?" I asked when I had enough of this awkwardness, but I still didn't meet his gaze.
• "Almost a day." He said plainly.
• "Oh." I waited for him to say something but not a single word came out of his mouth. He just stood there, leaning against the door, glaring at me.
• "Say it." I said after a while.
• "Say what?"
• "Whatever is in your mind."
• "There is absolutely nothing in my mind."
• "Lie."
• "If I am lying, why does it matter to you?"
• "It does."
• "Ahan! Why?"
• "Because you are my friend." I said carefully, I know he is about to burst out his anger and that's exactly what I want.
• "Oh, I didn't know that."
• "You know, you are behaving like a sulking wife." I tried my best to hide my smile. He didn't reply, only narrow his eyes at me.
• "Okay yar. I am sorry." I accept my defeat.
• "Sorry for what?"
• He really is sulking...
• "Sorry for not listening to my friend and continue to be a brat."
• "You shouldn't be sorry. You were with your students. A teacher must always believe in their students even when they are delinquents."
• "You know they aren't." I abruptly denied him. I don't like people being judged because of a mere rumour.
• "And they are not boys also?" He cocked his eyebrow and I kept silent.
• "Spending two or three hours is understandable, but a whole day...? Let's just forget it, okay. You are fine now and I don't care about anything else. So, you shouldn't be caring about anything else either, as long as you have a good relationship with your students."
• "Why are you dragging them in every single line you are saying?"
• "Because you only care about them."
• "Yar, what is wrong with you?"
• Why is he acting so strange...
• "Nothing." He said nonchalantly.
• Ary!
• I open my mouth to say something but close it back after seeing Auntie coming into the room. Looks like our bickering will have to wait a little more. Auntie brought soup for me and made me drink all of it. Zulqarnain stayed at his previous point and just watch both of us talking until a phone call distracted him.
• Strange guy...
• ~*~
• The next morning, I woke up as usual for work. Got ready on time and was about to leave my floor, when suddenly, I saw a figure climbing up the stairs.
• "Assalam o Alaikum, teacher. Going somewhere?" His hair was messy and he looks quite cute in his trouser and black t-shirt.
• "Wallaikum Assalam, going to work. Why are you up so early?"
• "To tell you that you're not going anywhere today. Dad has taken care of your medical leave."
• "Uncle?" he nodded his head in agreement.
• Uff! I totally forgot. Our boss is his friend.
• Great. Now I'll have to sit and do nothing all day.....
• "Thanks for informing." I said and turn back to my room. I noticed he didn't leave, maybe he wants to talk about something, but I didn't wait for it.
• He was behaving strangely since yesterday and it's creeping me out. The look he kept giving me is indescribable and only because of it, I refused Auntie's request of me spending the night in the guest room. I don't like saying 'No' to an elder, but I also didn't like the idea of staying in a room which is directly opposite of Zulqarnain's room, while the student of mine resides in the room beside it. Especially after noticing how Zulqarnain stayed at the door of his room watching me as Uncle ordered me to have dinner with them and didn't move an inch until I went to the dining room.
• At the dinner table, Uncle kept on telling me to take care of myself and Auntie kept on agreeing with him. While both Zulqarnain and Ahmar was in complete silence. Feeling ashamed for being so weak and that his family has to go through all this trouble because of me, I ate as fast as possible and excused myself.
• I thought I would feel better by going to work, but my mood is completely ruined right now. Not because I wasted my two days, but also it gives a bad impression. I slumped down on the couch and got mesmerized by the painting on the wall. It is a beautiful painting of a landscape, where a house is surrounded by beautiful greenery. Quite serene, away from all the commotions of a busy life. I wonder if such places really do exist. How would it feel like living in such a heavenly environment?
• A faint smile starts forming on my face, as the hope of living with my Ami and Baba in such place in afterlife came in mind. But who knows, who knows what afterlife holds for us. I stayed still, staring into space, thinking of nothing in particular. Suddenly, I felt Baba's presence behind me. I turn abruptly but found no one. There wasn't anyone but me, alone.
• An urge of seeing Baba made me search the whole room for my phone and then it just hit me.
• I lost my phone...
• ~*~
• "How are you feeling, beta?" Uncle asked me, as I settled myself on a seat between him and Auntie.
• "Alhamdulillah, I am fine now." I answered.
• "Beta, I was hoping that I would find you resting when I got home. But instead, I saw you working in the kitchen."
• "I was bored, Uncle. And besides, I am fine now."
• "Your Auntie told me that you don't go out often. Why is that?"
• Ya Allah! Why is he asking such questions...?
• "Just, no reason..." My answer ended up as a mumble.
• "Zulqarnain, why don't you take her with you for an outing?" Uncle turns his face to Zulqarnain and I saw Ahmar's face snapped towards Uncle and then his gaze shifted to Zulqarnain. I also follow Ahmar's gaze and found Zulqarnain looking at me.
• "Sure dad, I think I can manage some free time for her." He said, turning his gaze from me to Uncle and ignoring my glares completely.
• Ullo kahin ka (idiot)!
• "Good. Hira beta, get ready after Maghrib. Leave early so he could show you around and Zulqarnain, don't bore your friend with your work details, okay?" He said to me and then to Zulqarnain and he nodded in response.
• Idiot...
• ~*~
• I changed into a black coloured a-line frock, paired with the same dupatta. Slipped my feet into a block heel sandal and step outside the room, but abruptly stopped after spotting a small bouquet.
• A smile is spread on my face as I pick it up.
• "You are an absolute drama Hero." I mumbled and turned back to put the flowers in the room.
• ~*~
• Zulqarnain's POV:
• I stood leaning against my car waiting for Hira to come down. My anger at her hasn't lessened, but I have to control it because taking her out is dad's order and besides, I've also waited for this day for quite long. She never goes out with me before.
• My head snapped towards the door on the sound of sandals and find Hira striding towards me in her usual careful way. She looks stunning in her black frock and I find it difficult to avert my gaze from her.
• Look away...
• Look away...
• "Sorry for keeping you wait." She said in her usual happy tone and my anger came back.
• I can't understand how can this woman behave like everything is normal...?
• I didn't answer her but straightaway opened the passenger seat door for her instead. She gives me a surprised look and I completely ignore it.
• She will be sitting beside me...
• Hesitantly, she sat inside and I made my way to the driver's seat. I fight hard to hide my smile from how she squirmed to the door when I started the car. I really like the fact that she is one of those girls, who keeps their distance from men and her nervousness is really cute.
• We haven't gone far when I heard Hira's voice, "Um... Listen, yar." But I didn't answer.
• "Zulqarnain,... I'm sorry." My head snapped towards her when she called me by my full name in an apologetic way. This is the first time I hear her calling me by my name, usually, she would skip it or would call me 'Hero' instead, and the way she says it sounded the same as her laugh, a thousand of chimes starts ringing all at once.
• Seriously, I am losing my mind...
• I shook my head to get rid of my thoughts.
• "Ary yar, I didn't mean to ignore whatever you said. I had everything in my mind and I was being careful... And what happened that day wasn't the boys' fault at all. I think they are-"
• "I am in no mood to talk about your students." I said bluntly. It sounded sweet when she apologizes to me, means she cares about my anger. But I don't like it when she took a one-eighty degrees turn and goes back to her students again.
• "You are behaving like a jealous wife, yar."
• Jealous what...?
• I only shot a glare to her but didn't say anything. Few more minutes passed in silence.
• "You know Hero, you are STUBBORN." She said, just like a mother does to her child.
• "Huh?... I am stubborn?" I gave her a disbelief look and continues, "Well excuse me, lady, I don't remember ignoring my friend."
• "I told you na, I kept in mind what you have said."
• "Well, I didn't tell you to keep it in your mind. And did it protect you from anything?" She didn't answer me but kept quiet. Perhaps I shouldn't have talked with a raised voice.
• "Listen, I am sorry but I was really worried about you. I couldn't help myself from getting angry at you for being so reckless. And that friend of yours, the son of Changez Khan (Genghis Khan) kept on-" I stopped myself from completing the sentence. He was a real pain but I don't want Hira to be torn between two friends.
• "I am sorry about Hassan. He isn't a bad person. He just gets overprotective sometimes and doesn't use his brain." She said after a while.
• "Why do you always take others' sides? Can't you agree with me for once?"
• "I never disagree with you. I am just telling you that-"
• "That no one is bad, it's only me who lost his mind."
• "Zulqarnain..." She didn't complete her sentence and turns her face to the other direction while I start to divert my mind from the ticklish feeling I felt on her calling my name.
• I have really lost my mind...
• We sat in utter silence till we reached the restaurant near the beach. I turned to her to apologize for my childish behaviour but she got out of the car before I could say a word.
• Great, she is angry...
• Cursing myself under my breath, I also got out the car, thinking of dozens of sentences at a time to lighten up her mood but didn't find the need of using them as the cool sea breeze had already done that favour for me.
• The small smile playing on her lips and the look on her face was enough to tell me that she is back to her normal mood. I never thought that she likes the ocean. I reserved a table here because it's away from the city and we could have some privacy, but now I am glad I chose this spot.
• "You like the sea?" I asked to start a conversation.
• "Very much." She smiled, inhaling a deep breath.
• "That's great. I like it too." I said like an idiot.
• "Can we go to the shore?" She asked excitedly.
• "What? No, it will ruin our clothes."
• "Come please, for a few minutes?"
• "Okay, but not now. After dinner."
• "But... don't you think it's too early for dinner?"
• "Suit yourself, we could spend more time together afterwards for dinner here." I blackmail her. Why? I don't even know.
• "Fine, let's go." She said and I start to lead the way.
• Our table was the last one, in the corner. I pull out a chair for her like a gentleman. She raised her brows with a smile and took the seat saying "Thank you" in a very charming way. I take the seat opposite to her, in such a way that no one could see my face. After a few awkward moments of silence, I cleared my throat to get Hira's attention who was busy looking at the sea in the dim moonlight.
• "It's majestic, isn't it?" She asked, still gazing at the sea.
• "It is." I agreed, looking at her and take out a box which I have been hiding since we reached.
• "Here." I put the box on the table and slide it towards her. She looked at me and then at the box.
• "What is it?"
• "A frog." I answered, only to receive a scowl from her.
• "What else would be inside a mobile phone box? Of course, it is a phone."
• "Why are you giving it to me?" She asked plainly.
• "So you can throw it into the sea and make a wish because I don't have coins right now."
• "But coins are thrown in a fountain or wishing well. Or else fishes would die if they accidentally swallow the coins." She said with fake concern.
• "Don't worry. We'll dive into the sea and gather back the coins before the fishes get the chance to eat them." I said, tapping the box with my index finger. She lowers her gaze to it and lifts back to me, with a mischievous smile. But didn't touch the box for even once.
• "Take it, Hira." I pushed it further to her.
• "I will buy one tomorrow."
• "You don't have to buy another one when I had already bought it for you."
• "Thanks, but I will buy one of my choices."
• "Fine, just take it till you buy a new phone."
• "Yar..... I don't like this phone. It's .... too big." She said, looking at the box with a disgusted face.
• Another reason to refuse...
• "Hira, no more excuses. Just take it." I said firmly. She opens her mouth to say something but my phone's buzzing sound stopped her.
• It was Sara.
• "Hello, Assalam o Allaikum Sara."
• "Zee, where the hell are you. I have been trying to call you for almost an hour." She shrieked so loud to the point where I had to pull the phone away from my ear.
• "Sorry yar, I was driving."
• "Where are you now?"
• "Err... I am with family right now." I lied to her and Hira's head snapped towards me.
• "Can I join? I am getting bored."
• "No, you can't. We are discussing some family issues." Hira smiled and look away on my response.
• Okay! I better get going...
• I excused myself and walk further inside, where the noise of the shore is less. I stood in a corner and start convincing her that she cannot join me on my family dinner, but the entire time, my gaze was plastered on Hira, who was again busy watching the sea. She looks older than her age right now, like all the burden of the world is upon her fragile shoulders.
• What can I do to wipe that look off her face...?
• ~*~
• Hira's POV:
• "Zee...!!!" A crazy shriek brought me back to reality. I turn my face and find Zulqarnain is surrounded by many of his fans. Young girls start asking and begging for his autographs and selfies and he was struggling to avoid them. But I guess it's not as easy as it seems.
• I smiled on seeing his troubled face. He is confused but couldn't show it. He smiled in his usual charming way on something a girl said and bent down to take a selfie with her.
• That's my Hero... always smiling...
• My...?
• I got surprised at my own thoughts.
• No, not mine...
• No one is mine, I am alone...
• With an emerging bitterness, I glance at Zulqarnain with wetness in my eyes, remembering how we fought in the car and on the thought that it will not last forever. All the care I have been receiving from Zulqarnain and his family will be gone too one day and I will be left alone with nothing.
• "What is wrong with me?" I mumble and got up when my tears start dripping from eyes uncontrollably. But before leaving the table, I didn't forget to take the phone he gave me.
• Wiping my tears, I stride towards the reception and ask to make a phone call. Luckily they allow me. I dialled Hassan's number and ask him to pick me up.
• Hassan told me to wait fifteen minutes, so I start walking towards the shore, alone. The area I am heading looks scary right now, covered with darkness. But I shouldn't be scared, right? Because sooner or later I will be devoured by the darkness of my future, which holds nothing but uncertainty and loneliness.
• _________