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"Under the light of all evidence that had been reported miss Zoya is declared a fraud for registering a baseless case and for wasting the time of court......"
The air was thick in that court room and Merzia's shoulders sagged as the judge announced his final decision. She had heard of the attack, it all happened so quick that she couldn't even gather evidence of the accident and present them against khan.
"Zoya I—" she didn't know what to tell her, she sighed as she held the phone to her ear. The heat and the loss, all was taking a toll on her.
"I know. It was bound to happen. I'm sorry for wasting your time" Zoya said hanging up. Her jaw locked and hands fisted her mobile.
Failure. A fucking failure I am. I couldn't do anything but damage. Its all my fucking fault.
She was cursing herself in her mind when a white stick appeared infront of her. She looked up at Ghazal who was holding a cigarette out to her.
"What?" She asked plainly.
"Here. Have a smoke. It lessens the stress" her friend said.
"No thanks" Zoya said turning her down but her friend scoffed.
"This is how I fought the grief of my father when he left me. It did help" her friend said pushing it in her hand.
"I said no" she gritted throwing it on the ground.
"If you say so. But if you ever need it you know where to find me" the girl said walking away. Zoya shook her head and walked the other way.
Coming home she was greeted with familiar faces of her family. Rabia asked her to have tea with them but she refused politely.
"Why would she sit with us Rabia. It was only till Yasir's death that she felt obliged to spare the family some time but now...." Muznah scoffed making her storm away with her eyes hard set on the marbled floor.
"Can you not speak rubbish all the time" Rabia sighed tired of her taunting.
"I'm just stating the fact that she doesn't even consider us as her family" the woman shrugged.
The sun rose and sank everyday and the silence in the family grew deeper. They didn't feel alive even after a month of Yasir's death has past away.
It didn't even feel like they were entering a few months, they all had gotten over the shock but the one who didn't, was her who hadn't kept any contact with the world outside her room.
The last semester of her university had started and she would leave for university even before anyone woke up. Came home during the quite hours of the day when the evening was just kissing the top of the white haveli. Tiring herself out in her assignments and job in the studio. She didn't go the office again, not wanting to face him. It was better if she kept it that way.
They were worried but he was even more, he couldn't personally keep a hold of her eating schedule, Hadiya would keep him updated from University but he could hear that she wasn't doing better there also. He tried to talk to her, corner her or just have her make his coffee but the encounter would only a few seconds long.
"Zoya?" He sighed seeing her sit infront of him silently, her back against the couch in his room and eyes gazing at the night ahead of her.
She hummed turning to him, green eyes dull likes still sea in the dark.
"Are you okay?" He asked sitting beside her on the floor.
"Yeah" she squeaked.
"Why do I have a hard time believing it?" He said in the silence of the room.
"I don't know. I'm fine though" she said nodding to herself.
"How's university going?" He asked watching as the rim of the cup touched her lips.
"It's going good" she sighed, shoulders slouching with the exhaling breath.
He wanted to embrace her tightly and not let her go but the indifference in her behavior was far more abnormal than it should be. Her eyes weren't as bright as they used to be, he carved the warmth they held, the joy they brought in their lives was no longer there.
The aura that surrounded her always was gone and only the people around her noticed how unlikely it was for her to stayed this way. Shayla, Minahil and all her friends tried including her in their plans but she wouldn't take part in them as joyfully as she used to.
She left him sitting there in tht silence that never left them. The coffee cold on his hand like his soul that wanted her to burn him with her dazzling smile and loud voice.
Breathing away the tears that gathered in his eyes he got up and put the cup away. He didn't know how his might went but it passed slowly under the weight of his thoughts.
"Let's go shopping today?" Shayla exclaimed jumping in her seat.
"Sure let's go" Minahil added.
"Zoya?" The two asked seeing her lost in her thoughts again. Her eyes turned to them expectantly.
"Sorry I wasn't listening" she said softening her expression in a smile.
"We're going shopping go change" Shayla stated.
"Oh... I... I Can't... I have work" she said smiling apologetically.
"You always have work. Come on let's go. You can complete the work at night" Minahil argued.
"Mina—"
"Go take a shower, change and then we're leaving" Shayla ordered.
"But guys—" before another word could leave her lips she was pushed up the stairs into her room and forced to change because obviously the girls were lounging on her bed not leaving her alone.
"Happy?" She asked once she stepped out of tht house with them.
"Very" the girls replied.
"Zahan bhai" Shayla called barging in his room.
"What do you want?" He asked sparing her an annoyed glance.
"Please take us to the mall" his sister requested.
"I'm busy, take Ayan with you" he said not looking up from his laptop.
"Please bhai, he's not home." she pleaded shutting the laptop. He inhaled a deep breath and looked up to see her big eyes and pouted lips.
"Fine"
Pulling a better shirt on he walked downstairs to find the other two females standing by the door. The brunette smiled at him while the ebony haired girl only glanced and nodded.
Her hair fell over her shoulder in a sleek ponytail that reached below the curve of her waist, face pale and clear. She kept fiddling with her fingers of her locket all throughout the ride. Being forced into the passenger seat she didn't have much to do other than staring out of the window. Hamza who had tagged along chatted freely with his brother from the back seat sandwiching Shayla between him and Minahil.
"Are you seriously not going to buy anything?" Shayla exasperated.
"I don't need anything" the girl in lime green kurti replied playing with the ends of her multicoloured dupatta. The chiffon balanced on her shoulders with crystals hanging off it's edges.
"Shopping isn't about needing. It's about shopping" Shayla exclaimed giving her the stink eye. Zoya rolled her eyes and looked around.
Her phone rang and her eyes widened at the number. Her breath got caught in her throat. The girls were looking for outfits to wear at that upcoming qawali night at their family friend's house. She didn't bother answering the call and ignored it just like she had been for the last few months. The police investigation died down stating that it was a case of snatching, they couldn't find who did it. She didn't want to risk opening her mouth this time because this time the threats were directed to the person closest to her.
She couldn't possibly put his love in danger.
Her phone rang again and Zahan pointed it out this time.
"Yeah I'll go take this" she said breathlessly walking away. He watched as she hastily left the shop and rounded a corner. Glancing at the Saree he had picked out for her he quickly paid for it and followed her out.
She didn't pick it up and declined that call again, wiping the sweat away from her neck. She gulped and turned around to leave, her scream of horror was muffled under his palm as the taller man dragged her away to a secluded area.
"You think you cab ignore me easily" the man seethed holding her jaw tightly.
"Let me go" she hissed trying to kick him but he dodged her attack using his leg, shoving her more into the wall.
"Stay away from him" he warned.
"You can't tell me whom to stay with" she fought against his restraining hold.
"Oh sweetheart I can do more tha just telling. And you already know that" he smirked nearing her. His fingers trailing the length of her neck, pulling the dupatta away.
Her phone rang and he stopped, before she could answer her phone he snatched it away. His eyes narrowed and hardened as Zahan's name flashed on the screen.
"This man, you see him" he said pointing to where Zahan stood and looked around, his fingers came up to her temple and made a shooting gesture "boom, gone" he whispered dusting his hands together.
"Stay away from him, if you don't want him to join your parents soon" he gritted slamming her phone on the floor and crushing it under his sole.
"I have my eyes on every step of yours" he left her taking deep breaths. Tears gathered in her eyes as she gazed at Zahan with her hand cupping her mouth to stop her from making any noise, she turned her back to him and tried to stop herself from crying out loud but her legs shook and hands trembled.
"Zoya" she heard from behind. She jumped as she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Wha— are you okay? What's wrong?" He asked seeing her teary eyes and red face.
"Zoya" he panicked "did anyone say something to you? What happened?" He asked cupping her face, she didn't say anything just kept gazing at him, her mind playing all that possibilities of her loosing him.
Not him. I don't want to loose him.
"What's wrong?" He asked shaking her out of her, she took in a deep breath and turned away from him.
"Woh.... Uh... Phone. Mera phone toot gaya" she said "Haan. Woh gir... Gir Ke toot gaya" she breathed looking at her crushed phone.
(I... Uh... My phone broke ; yeah.. It fell and it broke)
"Tu isme rone wali kia baat hai. Koi baat nahi. Itna sirf mobile ke liye ro rahi ho. Naya le len ge" he said softly, making her nod and gulp her fear down.
(so.. What's there to cry about in this. No problem. You cried so much just for a phone. We'll buy a new one)
"Haan. Naya.. Naya le len ge" she said wiping her face clean. "Haan. Koi masla nahi hai" she reassured, more like reassured herself. She hurriedly bent down and gathered her Sim card, memory card and the other things she had in her phone case. Leaving the shattered device behind she stepped closer to his awaiting figure.
(Yeah. We'll get a new one ; yeah. It's nothing big)
"Come, it's okay" he said pulling her with him, looping an arm around her shoulder. She looked up at him, her heart skipping beats and her eyes welling up.
She looked to the side, only to realize just how big of a mistake she had done. Her eyes met a pair of electric blue ones that glared at her. Spotting her cousins she hurried out of his warm embrace. He frowned at her sudden action, but stayed silent at her stuff shoulders and battered breath.
They stopped by a mobile plaza and he got down to buy her a new phone. He asked Zoya to follow him and took her to a showroom.
Picking out a new set for her he was about to pay when another card came in his view. He followed the length of her arm to her fave that held an indifferent expression.
"What do you think you're doing?" He asked raising an eyebrow.
"Paying for my phone" she replied making him roll his eyes at her and snatch her card from the cashier.
"I didn't ask you to" he said.
"I have enough to pay for the damage I've caused" she said plainly. Their eyes glared daggers at each other and at the end she forced the man to use her card.
"What are you trying to prove?" He asked feeling anger at her behavior.
"You don't have to pay for me Zahan" she sighed standing at a distance from their car.
"I can when I know I can" he said making her take in a deep breath.
"I bought the last one myself, I can afford this one also" she said making him glare at her.
"Please don't argue over this. I don't like people paying for stuff I need" she sighed walking to the car silently holding the bag in her hand.
They didn't speak the rest of the drive not like they would've but that tension between them was worse than ever.
She ran inside without looking back and locked her room. Her heart pumped loudly and desperate tears rolled down her face. Sliding against the door she stared at her trembling hands.
She didn't believe herself when she searched for a familiar packet Ghazal has handed over to her. After a lot of persuasion she had taken a drag of it, and now she didn't seem to stop. Her friend said it's nothing wrong and the burning it caused in her chest did took her mind off of the issues she had been facing. She opened the window and let the smoke fly out before bathing her room in air freshener.
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"Hi Zahan" he heard, looking up he was met with the red head who was always visiting for some reason.
"Hey" he replied not giving her much attention.
"How have you been?" She asked sitting beside him.
"I'm fine Thankyou" he said shifting away. Annoyance seeping in his bones.
"Oh that's nice. How's your mom?" She asked "I don't see her anywhere" she added moving closer to him.
"Zoya's upstairs" he said curtly closing his laptop and getting up.
"She can wait" she remarked waving her hand and following him in gesture.
"Do you wanna go have a coffee with me?" She asked running a finger over his arm.
"Ghazal I would appreciate if you keep your distance" he gritted making her pout and twirl her hair around her finger.
"That's no fun" she whined holding his hand making him roll his eyes.
In the closing walls of her room she kept herself trapped, the smell of smoke lingered in the air as she tried to die it down using the air freshener. Her eyes blurred but she kept them trained on her books. She had a test tomorrow but her mind needed it dose of numbness to shove the growing anxiety and pain away. She had failed enough tests to not risk it this time.
Nobody was there to hold her anymore. Nobody cared.
"Why are you studying?" Ghazal said plopping down on her bed infront of her, her eyes holding boredom. "My friends holding a party let's go there" she added with an evil glint in her eyes.
"I have an exam" Zoya said wanting to keep the promise she had made. But hadn't she already broken it by smoking again.
"Who cares?" Ghazal grunted "We can go to my place and then to my friends"
"I don't—" Zoya tried protesting but Ghazal was already dragging her away.
"Ohh shh. It'll make you feel better"
"Alright" Zoya sighed letting herself get dragged.
"Where are you going?" Rabia asked but Zoya was already out of the door leaving her to frown.
"I don't like this outfit Ghazal. I'm not going" Zoya protested seeing her friend hand her a red croset with black jeans.
"Oh please Zoya stop being boring. It's just a get together. Besides who cares what you do." Ghazal said shoving her in the bathroom.
Zoya stared at the outfit and then at herself. This wasn't her type but what was left of hers in herself. Right no one cared about what she did.
"You look so good my dear" her friend complimented, Ghazal frowned seeing her pull the black jacket over her shoulders and cover her front.
"Who's going to be there?" She finally asked.
"Oh" Ghazal hesitated before pulling her smile back up "a few of my university friends and other few friends"
"I'll go back if I don't like it there" she said making her friend nod. Ghazal pulled out her phone and texted the person who had asked her bring Zoya there. A smirk tugging at her lips as she watched the girl next to her zone out.
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"Do you like it here?" Ghazal asked as the girls sat in the group of other girls. There wasn't much going on. Her doubts were clearing about the party. It was really like a small get together. The outfit had put her in a conflict.
"Here have some drinks" one of the girls passed her a glass.
"What's this?" she questioned.
"Soft drinks" the girl smiled. Zoya brought thr glass up to her nose and shrugged when nothing smelled odd. It tasted like a normal drink also. She didn't pay heed to it until later when her mind became fuzzy.
"Have some more" of that girls shoved a glass in her hand.
"No thank—"
"Ohh come on" Ghazal pestered making her tale the glass from her hand.
A few glasses down her vision blurred and all she could see were neon lights and more people around her. The music started blaring and she cupped her ears to muffle the sounds out. She didn't feel it when someone dragged her to the floor.
She tried to cower away from hands that held her waist of slid on her body, shuddering at the feeling she pushed the man away who looked familiar.
"Jhanzaib?" She frowned at the man who grinned at her.
"Yes my dear?" He mocked flushing her against himself.
"Please take me home. I don't want to be here" she requested trying to push her away.
"Of course let's go" he whispered in her ear leading her away from the crowd.
"The door—" she slurred feeling herself sway at her feet "its that way" her words slipped as she pointed that other way.
"Jazzy" she grunted feeling herself fall against a soft surface.
"Yes?" The man grinned at the sight of her.
"Where am I?" She asked getting up but she was pushed back. Her eyes ached but she could see his silhouette shrugging his jacket off.
"Please take me home. To Zahan" she said walking to the door but she was pulled back and her head whipped to the side.
"First you go behind his back being a whore and now you want to go back to Zahan" he mocked fisting her hair making her cry louder.
"You didn't want me right?" He grunted "now watch me ruin you. Even your Zahan won't want you once he sees the pictures" he hissed making her breath hitch.
"He's not like you" she yelled pushing him away but her other cheek stung as fingers printed on her face.
"If I couldn't have you then I'll make sure this world spits on you" he yelled pulling her jacket off her shoulder making the zip cut her arm.
"Get away from me" she yelled feeling his hand curl against her throat and mouth against her shoulder. A scream ripped passed her lips as his teeth sunk in flesh.
"That's all you can do. Scream like slut" he seethed pushing her on that bed and getting on top of her. Tears streamed down her face, she tried curling herself in a ball feeling the waist bang of her jeans loosening around her waist.
"Get the fuck away from" she yelled punching him with every ounce of energy she had left. He pounced on her locking her under him. Blood streaking his eyes and lustful rage filling him up. The girl in question wasn't his friend anymore she was a toy he oath to break and relish.............
Assalamualikum guys how are you all?
So here an update.
hope you like it.
Comment and tell me how it is.
Enjoy.
Allah Hafiz.
Love
Hafsa_tahir