Chapter 5

• Mahnoor's POV:
• "Assalam o Alaikum Ami." I said in a dull voice as I entered our house. I placed myself and my bag on the couch.
• "Wallaikum Salam," said Ami, "Why such a gloomy face? Something happens?"
• "Nah everything's fine." I replied, sighing "it's just that college is boring without Kanwal. Every day my eyes search for her, during our lunch break, our free time, every minute. She got married to that killer, I feel like" I paused to think of the correct word "it's ineffable, the feeling. All the girls in college keep saying ridiculous things about her. They don't have any idea how hard this was for her. Seriously, Ami, I will kill each one of those idiots one day, those good for nothing jerks."
• "Beta (child), don't let their words bother you. You know the truth and that's what matters. You need to calm down, getting angry won't do any good."
• "Yeah, I know." I sighed and got up to put my things in my room.
• "Ami, does Auntie have any news from Kanwal?"
• "No, no news at all. She is starting to get worried about her. It's been a month since she heard from her."
• "I hope she is well." I mumbled walking away.
• ~*~
• "I am hungry yar. Let's eat something before going to other shops please." I practically begged my friends.
• We were shopping for the last four hours. We came to buy bags and scarf but our list kept exceeding every fifteen minutes but somehow I manage to drag everyone to the food court. After placing our orders I excused myself to go to the restroom.
• On my way back, I saw Ahad talking to a few men. Our eyes met and he turned around to leave. I rushed towards him before he went out.
• "Ahad" I called after him but was ignored "Wait, why are you running like a coward." He stopped and turned to me, frowning.
• Bingo!
• I knew it hit his so-called male ego.
• "What do you want?" He seethed.
• "Kanwal? How is she?" I asked without wasting a moment.
• "Alive." Came his answer.
• "What do you mean alive? What did you do to her?" I frowned.
• "I didn't do anything." He looked like I was a nuisance.
• "Then why don't you let her meet us or talk to us?" I questioned him, having enough of his attitude.
• "Do you want to meet her?" I heard a deep masculine voice from somewhere behind me.
• "Of course I want to meet... her." My loud voice became a whisper when I turned to the source of the voice and I felt my soul betraying my body that instant.
• Moosa Khan!
• He was here...
• "I can take you." He offered.
• To murder me? No thanks!
• "No, no thanks. Kindly give me the address I will go by myself some other day."
• Ya Allah, please make them go away.
• Deep breathes, don't show any weakness...deep breathes, don't show any weakness. I kept repeating the mantra.
• "What's the matter tigress? You're not going to meet your friend?" Ahad mocked me.
• "Ahad! Don't tease her. She is already scared." Said the man with black hairs, standing near him.
• "You don't have to be afraid, no one will harm you. Okay." Moosa leaned forward and bent a little to look in my eyes. Terrified by his presence I even forgot to take a step back.
• Then he turned to one of his men and said, "Call her parents and inform them I am taking her to Ahad's wife." 
• What?
• "No!" I almost screeched.
• Think you dumb wit. Think of an excuse.
• "No? Why not?" He asked gently.
• Is this a trap?
• "It's um, i-it's getting late. I think it will be be-better if I go home now. I will meet... her l-later?" I stuttered and I hated it.
• "Well then, I will drop you home."
• No way! Ya Allah make them go away! Please!
• "No! I can't go alone."
• With you.
• "I-I came with friends."
• "I see, " He said, "Shahid drop her friends home also send Noor's stuff to my car." On the inside, I was screaming but on the outside, I just blinked.
• Turning to me he said, "Let's go."
• I looked towards my friends and found them whispering something. It was not only them but everyone in the food court had their eyes on us. Leaving this place as soon as possible seemed to be a better idea, so I quietly started walking towards the exit.
• Moosa joined me and lead me towards the elevator. The entire walk till parking area he kept looking at me now and then as if I would run away. It's not that I didn't think about it but it felt too dangerous and I am sure that the speed of a bullet is much faster than me.
• I felt scared each time he gazed at me rather being uncomfortable. He was tall and his well-built frame above six feet was towering me. He wasn't a scary-looking guy but the dominating aura he had was enough to make a soul tremble. The fact that he is the leader of Black Eagles also made me fear him more and according to rumours, he is quite dangerous.
• As we enter the parking area his guards straightened up, with their guns. I gulped when he guided me to his black Prado. For some reason, vehicles like Jeeps and Prado frightened me and all the windows of his car were black, sending shivers to my bones.
• What should I do???
• "I'll drive." He took the keys from a man and told me to sit by tilting his head. Another man opened the passenger seat door for me and I silently sat inside. Moosa opened his front suit button, taking out his guns from the holster, he put one on the dashboard and one on his lap. The car started and so did I started to recite all the Surahs of the Quran I memorized.
• I was scared. Scared to the point that I started shivering, scared for many reasons. I saw a real gun for the first time in my life, it can kill me right now. The city's most feared person was driving me home and I had to face my mother when I went home. She will kill me, the moment she saw me with him.
• What was I thinking? Why did I even reach Ahad in the first place, knowing that he isn't the same person as before?
• Ya Allah! Why am I so stupid?
• "Are you cold, Noor?" I snapped out of my thoughts at his voice, You're shivering."
• "No, I am fine." I said in a low voice, "and it's Mahnoor."
• "What?" He asked, turning to look at me.
• "My name. It's Mahnoor, not Noor." I kept my gaze on my hands.
• "I know."
• The car came to a halt. I looked outside, my house was a few feet away.
• Shukar Allah! He didn't kill me. 
• But!
• "How do you know where I live?" I asked. He chuckled like it was a stupid question.
• "I know many things about you, Noor." He informed me in his deep voice with a warm smile.
• Awkward!
• "Eh! I got to go, thanks for the ride." Rushing to open the door, I heard him yet again.
• "No problem, I will ask Ahad to let Kanwal contact you all and I'll take you to her on Monday. So wait for me after college."
• Go with him? No way!
• I don't have a death wish.
• "NO! no, it's fine as long as I talk to her on phone, there is no need to trouble yourself by taking me there."
• "I am not asking you, Noor, I am informing you. Move along now, your mother is standing near the entrance for you." He said pointing towards my house. 
• Ami...!
• I am dead!
• I quickly got off of the car and ran to my house.
• ~*~
• My eyes were puffy and red from crying for almost an hour. I hate being accused of something I haven't done. Especially when my family is the one accusing me, I cannot even argue back.
• Ammi scolded me for nearly half an hour for being near Black Eagle's men, especially their leader. It's not my fault that he suddenly decided to drop me home. I was the one who rejected the offer. Would it satisfy Ami if I started bickering with him and end up getting killed, right that moment?
• I heard my phone ring, it was from an unknown number. I picked the call and shrieked upon hearing Kanwal's voice.
• "How are you Kanwal? Where are you now? Is Ahad treating you fine?" I asked all the questions in a single breath.
• "Mano, relax. I am fine."
• ~*~
• My stomach growled. As I put my head on my knees. I can't bear this anymore. My hunger is killing me, but my ego is bigger, thus stopping me from going down and eat something.
• It was the second phase of telling my mother that her scolding was wrong.
• God!! I am hungry.
• I glanced at my mobile to check the time, almost midnight. And here I am sitting on the roof, waiting for something or someone. I don't know why I come up here every night, just to listen to his or her piano playing?
• Nope!
• I come here to listen to the pianist's feelings. The music felt like her or his voice telling thousands of stories, taking me to places I never knew existed.
• I wonder why I am intrigued by it...
• I was about to yawn but stopped in the middle when my phone rang and the name 'Kamil' appeared on my phone's screen. I pinched myself to make sure that I wasn't dreaming. He is my cousin and... my first crush.
• Picking up the phone instantly, I said "Assalam o Alaikum!" I was curious to know why he was calling me, at midnight.
• "Wallaikum Assalam. How are you Mahnoor?" Came his voice. 
• Since when does he care? And why is he being gentle today?
• "Fine, and you?" 
• "I am fine too." He paused for a nano-second, "Mahnoor, do you know what it is today?"
• "Yes, today is your birthday... and Happy birthday to you." I chirped.
• "Thank you but... I am expecting a birthday gift this year. So, what are you giving me?" And.. old, teasing Kamil is back.
• "What do you want?" I asked.
• "You!" He stated. His answer shocked me.
• Did I hear him right?
• "Eh?.. What do you mean?" My heart was pounding, but I willed myself to stay calm.
• "Mahnoor, I want your hand in marriage as my birthday gift, will you... marry me?" I sat still, he was being serious. It was like, my dream came true.
• "Mahnoor ?" I realized that I had stopped responding, I was feeling giddy.
• "Hm?" My cheeks hurt from grinning like an idiot.
• "I asked for something." He wanted an answer.
• "Eh?... I ..I." I face-palmed myself for being so stupid and received a laugh from Kamil.
• "You don't have to answer me right now. Khala (mother's sister) might be coming to talk about us, give her your answer, I will be waiting for a positive response. Okay."
• "K" I barely manage to say.
• "Allah Hafiz, Mahnoor."
• "Allah Hafiz." I said and he ended the call.
• My anger and my hunger vanished and I started smiling like an insane person. An overwhelming feeling took over me leaving a tingling sensation. I got up and ran downstairs to pray and thanked Allah for giving me something I never thought I could have.
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