HER

14

"We should tell her family right now Faris. Why don't you understand?" Ansar gritted his teeth glaring at his son who stood rigid in front of him. Faris always respected and listened to his father but at the moment only Faris was aware of why Laila didn't go to her family directly. So listening to his father was out of option.

"I know baba but that's not what Laila wishes."

"They will come to know if not now then later."

"Then be it later. They will only add to her trauma instead of helping her."

"FARIS."

"Please try to understand baba." Faris pleaded to his father. "I myself will call them when Laila seems a little stable but not now."

"Why don't we-" A meek voice interrupted the stare down between father and son. "-wait till morning and then call her family?"

It was Faria who spoke. Her eyes stained red from crying as Moiz supported her from beside. She looked down when both father and son glanced her but Faris casted his eyes away from the girl immediately while Ansar on the other hand sighed running a hand down his face.

"Okay, Let's do that." He affirmed defeated. "I'll ask the driver to drop both of you home."

Moiz nodded at him before muttering a small thank you. His curiosity about who these people are only made him cautiouse about leaving Laila here alone but if Laila asked him to call the boy then she must have trusted him enough.

So he left her friend at mercy of these strangers.

It was midnight when Faris sat on chair beside a sleeping Laila. Ansar had retired to his room with troubled look on his face but sleep didn't come to him just like his son.

Faris stared at her bruised lips, her porcelain skin stained with purple marks, hands scratched indicating the her attempts to get away from beast who did this to her. His heart squeezedin agony at the mere thought of it and another tear tickled down his cheek.

"I hate myself for not being there." Grief coated words slipped out of his lips. "I hate everyone for not being there for yoy." Rage boiled in pit of his burning heart.

He cried by her side aware of the fate that awaited the girl whose honor was taken away at such hour of night. For the trauma that got engraved in her innocent mind. For the possible future that awaited her.

"It hurts me." He sobbed. "It hurts me to see you like this."

"I promise to bring whoever did this on his knees in front of you."

And Faris found himself falling in state of oblivion beside her side. Darkness started to cloud his mind until a whimper brought him out of state of unconsciousness.

A sob made him look up at Laila's tear stained face contoured in agony. She was crying in her sleep,  what happened a couple hours ago haunted her sleep in name of nightmares.

"Laila." Faris took her thrashing hands in his gentle hold.

"Please let me go."

"It's a nightmare."

"Please-"

"Laila. "

"-don't."

"Laila." He shook her hard making her open her eyes abruptly. A gasp left her lips as she stared at Faris'only worried face. "Shh."

"Faris."

"I am here." He wiped her tears gently. "No one is going to hurt you."

"He already did."

"And he will pay for it. I will make him pay."

A vow was given by the boy who cared for a girl too much. A promise of pain and agony to whoever did this to her gentle soul.

That night Faris stayed awake murmuring soothing words to scare Laila's nightmares away. The only person whom Laila trusted at the moment stayed with her whole night not leaving her sight for a moment for she was scared of demons who waited to find her alone and taunt her already distraught self.