Broken Boundaries #romancereads2019 #earlylover

25.

Saba's POV

Do you ever get that feeling of victory without even having it? Feeling like today is my day? The whole night I've been tossing and turning, thinking what will happen today until I fall asleep at 5:00 a.m. My alarm wakes me up at 7:30 a.m and I already feel like I've won the case.

Today is the day I'm gonna fight the fear that haunts me inside face to face. Today is the day I will get justice for what Danish did to me and will definitely get him behind the bars forever. If only he hadn't been the monster he was, we might be still dating. But then what? I've realized that everything that happened to me was to show me that I  was choosing my love of life on wrong basis. I fell for Danish because of his looks and tones, which is wrong. Because I never bothered to judge his character, his attitude towards other human beings. And that's why I ended up being tortured.

Destiny took my life from me, but destiny was kind enough to give it back to me real soon. In just a month, I was shown that it's not the looks that matter, it's the heart. Zain brought me back to life without even asking me, without showing me off what he did for me. So today, after the hearing is done, I will express my feelings to him and tell him how much he means to me.

With that being decided, I give myself a last glance in the mirror and leave the room. My mom is already waiting for me downstairs. Dressed in a plain black kurti with white pants she looks more beautiful than she is. She smiles kindly at me and says, "let's have some breakfast dear."

"No, mom." I reply with a  smile, "let's go to the court first and win for my self respect."

We both lock the door and get in the car. I haven't heard anything from Zain or Haya after they went back home yesterday but I'm sure Zain will come today. He has to come, he's my strength.

The rest of our journey passes in silence, my mother praying with her hands folded for our success. I park the car in the parking lot and we both step outside. Its quarter to 9 when we finally reach the hall and head towards our seats. It's a large room with a big stage-type area for the judge, two pallets on the opposite sides and six rows with fitted seats for people to sit. The rows are almost empty but people have started to come in.

A few minutes later, Zain and Haya come and sit next to us. Looking at Zain who's dressed in grey shirt and black jeans, his expression calm and polite makes my heart pound faster. He passes me a smile and rubs my shoulder a little. "You ready for today?" He asks with a smile that glows his sparkling eyes.

"Yeah..." I nod my head. That's when the judge comes in and everyone stands up in honor.

"The case is opened." Judge says. That's when the police inspector Mr. Salim and his men enter the hall with Danish and walks him to the pallet. Just the sight of him makes me shiver but I shut my eyes and take few deep breaths then open them again. Danish looks at me with angry eyes, eyes that clearly show how much he hates me. I hate him too.

"Your honor", our lawyer says, " On 5th August 2019, Saturday, my client Ms. Saba Arif went with offender Danish Ahmed to attend her bestfriend's wedding. When the function was over, my client's bestfriend's brother Zain offered them a ride home because Danish was drunk. But Danish didn't accept the offer and forced Saba to get in the car so that he could drive her home. Saba got in the car but then Danish took her on a mysterious building located at the Central Highway.  It was 2 in the morning when they reached there. He dragged my client to the dark room where he had kept his wife Zoya and his five year old son Fahad kidnapped for days. He started beating his wife. Saba slapped him for hitting a woman like that which made him angry and he raped Saba infront of his wife and son." The lawyer tells my story with a loud voice and all I can feel is guilt.

Why me? Lord, why me?

Zain holds my hand tightly when the lawyer continues," S.H.O Salim received a call from Zain early on sunday morning, requesting him to find Ms. Saba. Zain was told from Danish's friend that he owned a building on Central Highway which he inherited from his grand father. Both of them went there and saw Danish harassing Saba again in the morning. They immediately arrested Danish and took my client home safely. Saba got several bruises on her legs, back and arms due to fighting for her rescue. And now Saba only seeks justice from court. Saba, Zain, Zoya, Fahad and Mr. Salim are the witnesses of Saba's claim against Danish." The lawyer finally stops and sits on his chair.

"Offender Danish Ahmed," says the judge in a serious tone, "Do you have anything to say?"

Danish looks at me and then his wife. He's helpless, everyone is standing against him and he knows that he has no way out this time.

"Just that I wish I hadn't been so blind in lust. Whatever I did to Zoya, my child and Saba is worth a severe punishment. And I agree to every punishment court has to give me." Danish replies,  his eyes red and cold, his gaze never leaving the wooden floor.

"The court orders offender Danish Ahmed to be imprisoned for seven years for breaking all the rules of humanity. The court is proud of Miss Saba Arif who has the courage to speak for her rights even after being tortured and harassed. She is an example to all the other sexual harassment victims in the country. The case is CLOSED." The judge says and everyone stands up.

My mother hugs me right there. And then I'm welcomed with warm hugs from Haya and Zain as well as other women in the hall.

We walk outside the court towards our car. "Let's celebrate tonight!" Haya exclaims and all of us laugh.

"Tonight, at my place." I say and they all nod with a smile.

"Yahoo!" Haya exclaims and hugs me again.

I open the front seat door of my car and stare at the sky one more time. "I won, Papa. Your daughter fought for her rights and she won. I wish you were here to celebrate with me too." I whisper looking at the blue sky.

"Saba?" My mom calls out and I get in the car and drive home.

This time, the drive is the longest, safest and the happiest one.

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