In These White Halls

|• chapter - 34 •|

S H E H R Y A R

Annaya.

My love.

My world.

My everything.

I sighed and ran a frustrated hand through my hair thinking about what to do now. A day had passed by since I last talked to her and she wasn't returning my calls or texts, making me more worried than I already was. The strange behavior she had potrayed when Hamza came in my office had made me suspicious of something but I didn't pay much heed to it and carried on with my work.

The day progressed into night and into another new day with no sign of Annaya, anywhere. Her absence was taking a toll on me and now I was nearing my edge.

I had already called Armaan to ask about Annaya but he too had no idea about her and said that she was behaving strangely. Manaal bhaabi from afar had said that it was just a phase but something in me knew it wasn't. I had this feeling that there was something big behind this and that Annaya would do something stupid.

This feeling only intensified as time ticked by and then finally I lost it. I grabbed my car keys from the table along with my phone and made my way out to the front porch where my car was. Quickly getting in I drove off towards Armaan's house praying for Annaya to be there.

The heavy rain droplets splattered on my windscreen as the clouds growled above me, indicating the arrival of a storm. The wipers splashed the water here and there, clearing my view as I sped past other cars to reach her house.

A frustrated sigh escaped my lips as I impatiently knocked on the front door, waiting for it to open. No response came and I was about to break the door down when it opened revealing a worried looking Manaal bhaabi.

Bursting through the door I quickly walked inside and saw Armaan sitting on the sofa with a difficult expression. What's wrong with him? I thought.

"Armaan." I said.

"Shehryar." He acknowledged and we shook hands as I looked around the whole house to see where Annaya was.

"She's not here." Armaan said dejectedly and I felt the air rush out of my lungs.

"What do you mean she's not here? Where is she Armaan?" I demanded getting up. This was it. My breaking point was here.

"I mean what I said Shehryar. She went away. I don't know where and I–" he stopped as if stopping the tears from falling. He took a deep breath, covering his face with a neutral expression as he continued "–Shehryar I have no idea where she is right now. Hamza is around and I don't know what is going on. Manaal told me that Annaya had left to do some work and I'm as clueless as you are."

My eyes travelled to Manaal bhaabi who was continuously fidgeting on her place and with the way she looked at me, I knew she knew everything. The fact that Armaan took hamza's name had me feeling nauseous because I didn't want him to be involved in all of this. I had no clue what to believe or what to do except to talk to Annaya which was getting harder and harder.

"Manaal bhaabi." I said gaining her attention as she stuttered a small greeting.

"Where's Annaya, Manaal bhaabi?" I asked. My voice threatening and edgy but I didn't care about it right now. I wanted to know where my Annaya was.

"I-I dont-t know." She replied looking down as tears spilled from her eyes. Her little answer made my heart clench as my eyes watered too. At first I had this small hope that Annaya would be okay but seeing the turn of events and her disappearance had only left me feeling empty.