You and I //Z.M

//30// Stay

#30

(I recommend Stay by Rihanna for the chapter. Seriously do)

Zayn

"It's very important Zayn. Please here me out." Zeha said.

I wasn't in a mood to hear her. Not at all.

"Zeha, I don't-"

"It's about Aliya. You need to hear me out." She interrupted.

My head snapped in her direction as soon as she said Aliya. "What about her?"

She quickly wiped her tears away which I didn't even see coming.

"Don't hate me Zayn. Please don't. But more than that, don't hate Aliya. It's not her mistake. She didn't do anything. She is getting hated by everyone for no reason at all. Zayn, whatever happened on that day, was all mum's idea. It was all hers" She said

I was confused. "What are you saying?"

"It's true. Mom planned everything. She wanted you to hate Aliya. She wanted all of you to hate her. She wanted you to leave her with me taking her place. And I helped her Zayn. I helped her do that."

My mind was as white as a blank paper. I didn't even understand anything.

"I took Aliya's phone when she wasn't looking and saved my number under her brother's name. And then I called her, told her that her dad wasn't keeping well. Told her that I am her brother's friend."

I felt the world crash right next to me. I felt dizzy, my head was heavy.

"Mom made Waheedh and his family late. I don't know how but she is the one. She is the one responsible for everything. That letter...it wasn't written by Aliya. It never was. She didn't have any plans to leave you Zayn. She would never deceit you or Doniya. It wasn't her. It was all me and mom. She is still clueless. She never did anything. Forgive her, please." She said, as she cried with her head buried in her hands.

Although I was happy that Al wasn't the one, I felt thousands of bricks falling at me from a height. The weight of my guilt. Unknowingly, a streak of wetness flew down my cheek.

"I will never forgive you for this Zeha. Why me, even Allah won't forgive you! I feel ashamed to call you my cousin." I shouted at her and ran inside the studio to grab my jacket and leave. I need to see her. I need to apologise. I need to do everything.

I need to tell her I love her and how much I need her in my life. I need to tell her that I can't live without her. I need her to forgive me.

And I will do that.

I ran outside to see the driver reading the newspaper.

"We need to leave. For home. Immediately."

Aliya

"He valued his independence more than anything Aliya. His independence to do whatever he wants to do. Until you came to his life. Until you came and ruined it all. He got tied to you. He needs his independence back. Can you do that?" Aunt Suraiya said.

My glossy eyes made it hard to look at her. Could I do it?

I can't live without him. Not now. Not ever. I love him too much to let go.

He is done so much for me and my family. So much that I can never repay him for his love. For his respect. For his patience.

I spent so many nights thinking how to give it all back to him, how to repay him. And whenever I asked him, he used to say I am crazy.