Author's Note
Hello everyone!
Thanks for reading my new story. I know I have some of my other stories still in process and I will complete them asap. This new story is different from the Murder Mystery that I've been writing and I hope all you will enjoy. Your comments and feedback mean a lot to me, so don't forget to leave them.
The song doesn't mean anything to the chapter but I listened to this while writing. I hope all of you will enjoy the song as well.
xoxo
****
Throwing my bag on the couch, I slumped on the sofa and sighed. What a long day it was today. I had been gone since 10 a.m. for our rehearsal for convocation that was scheduled to take place tomorrow. After four years of hard work and determination, the day had arrived when I would be graduating from university and starting my professional life. I had so much planned for my future and I just couldn't wait to get hold of my degree and start working on my plans. But there was still twenty-four hours to go before I would be on my own and would do as I please.
Only twenty four hours.
I closed my eyes to relax a little and let the throbbing ache in my temples go away. I hated it. The university had summoned us at ten a.m. for the final rehearsals of the convocation ceremony that was supposed to take place tomorrow at the Convention Center, Islamabad. Since morning, they have been making us parade over the stage like anyone could make a mistake. All the chatter and the heated weather made my head ache. September was always this hot and this year was no such exception. Finally, after hours of practices, they allowed us to go home. I grabbed Sadaf's hand and dragged her towards the parking lot. I didn't want anything else than to have some ice-cold water and go home. I walked towards my car, and unlocked it.
"Sometimes, Aliza, you show this aggressive side of you that makes me wonder whether I really know you or not." Sadaf complained while a grin covered her face. She always said that whenever I acted aggressive with her, like today. Sadaf and I had grown up together as we were classmates from nursery school. We'd come a long way of knowing each other. As I looked at her over the hood of the car, I couldn't believe what a gem my best friend was. With her straight black hair, which she had dyed into ash color nowadays, she had beautiful almond shaped eyes with the color of midnight. Her lips were a perfect cupid's bow and her slender figure accented her beauty. She was only two inch shorter than me, which would perhaps make her almost five feet seven inches tall.
I grinned at her.
"That's what I'm all about." I said and got inside the car. She opened her door and slid in.
"Yeah right." She rolled her eyes at me. I reversed the car out of the parking and reined it on the road.
"I'm so hungry and thirsty. Today was torture, I swear." Sadaf complained.
"I couldn't agree more." I replied.
We were passing the Fatima Jinnah Park when Sadaf spoke.
"Let's grab something from McDonald's. I think I won't last long if I don't eat something." She made a cute face, which made me laugh. I turned the car towards McDonalds. As we gave our orders, we waited in the Drive-thru as the patron got our food. I turned towards Sadaf.
"Are you staying the night with me?" I asked her.
"No! Not tonight, Aliza. I have to go home because if I don't, my parent's won't make it to the graduation ceremony tomorrow. I'll stay tomorrow night and then we'll party." She replied.
"That sounds wonderful, Sadaf. We will definitely party, after all, you don't graduate every day."
"Of course. Damn, I'd forgotten I had to meet Shahmir today." Sadaf exclaimed out.
"Shahmir! Oh! Didn't you guys have a fight or something?" I asked although I knew her answer clearly. Shahmir was Sadaf's boyfriend. Sadaf had regular fights with Shahmir, over topics as stupid as the weather. I knew that pretty well and when they made up after a fight, it was gross. I used to kick them for making me see all that lovey-dovey and gooey stuff. It was nauseating.
"You know how our fights are, Aliza." She chuckled.
"Yeah! Yeah! I know how you guys are." I said as I took the bags of food from the salesperson and paid the bill.
"What does that mean?" Sadaf asked.
"What?"
"That Yeaah! Yeah! I know thing."
"It's just like you guys fight more than you make up." I said while starting my car.
"Isn't it cute?" she asked.
"It is, for sure." I said and beamed at my gullible and hare-brained friend. She was stupid and in her stupidity, she made lots of mistakes. I tried to cover up for her wherever I could. Of course that's what friends are for, aren't they?
I parked the car in the parking so that we could eat in peace. Driving and eating wasn't my favorite activity at all. For a while, we sat in silence as we watched the people coming and going while we dug into our sandwiches.
"You know what ignites my curiosity Sadaf?" I asked her as I watched the people.
"What?" she asked as she popped a fry in her mouth.
"Look at how people come and go from a restaurant. It's the same with our life, some people come and some people go. We can't stop them; we can't slow them down because in the end, it's what fate has in stored for us. I feel that I'm living a farce; this is not the actual life I'm supposed to live. There is something else out there for me."
"Then what is it? You can open up to me, you know that." Sadaf said.
"Of course, sweetie. I can always rely on my best friend." I smiled at her.
"I have some other purpose in my life, Sadaf. I have to find that purpose, that thing that will make me feel happy. Although I have career plans, I need inner peace and in order to find that, I can do anything in my life, anything."
"I know, love. But whatever you do, I'll always be standing by you." She said.
"Thanks sweetheart. Anyways, enough of the heavy stuff, why don't you call Shahmir and ask him where he is? I'll drop you there." I said.
"Sure. Let me finish my sandwich then I'll call him."
"Do that." I said as I dug into my own sandwich.
****
I parked the car beside a rusted, old Mehran and stepped outside. The parking lot was packed to the seams, it seemed. There were cars as far as I could see and students with their parents were hurrying inside. I took out my black and blue gown and matching hat, which I was supposed to wear. Quickly, I locked my car with the automatic lock and rushed inside. I turned towards mom and dad, who had stepped out of the car and were adjusting their clothes. I looked at the time on my phone: it was five minutes to nine.
"Hurry up, mom! Dad! I'm getting late." I called to them as I walked towards the entrance.
"We are right behind you, honey." Dad called out to me. We rushed through the throngs of students, all dressed in identical black and blue robes like mine. I turned towards my parents.
"Okay, mom, dad. This is it. I will see you after the graduation ceremony." I hugged both of them.
"Good luck, sweetheart." They said in unison. I waved them and rushed towards the stairs, which led us to the upper alcove where my classmates were gathered. I searched for Sadaf, amidst all hi's and hello's of my classmates with whom I'd spent the last four years of my life. I glimpsed her in the end of the alcove therefore, I walked over towards her. As I reached her, I slapped her lightly on her head which made her turn towards me.
"Aliza!" she exclaimed and hugged me.
"Sadaf!" I mimicked her. Before we could say another word to each other, the host announced for us to take our seats as the ceremony was going to commence soon. Sadaf and I hurried to find the nearest seats and settled down.
As the Dean stood on the podium and cleared his throat to start his opening speech, I look around me. Everyone sat attentive as the Dean praised the university and the students. Soon, it was time for us to receive our degrees and we were herded towards the stage. One by one, the names were called and the student walked to the stage, accepting the degree from the Prime Minister of Pakistan. Soon, it was my turn as I walked on stage, I felt my legs turn to jelly. They say your convocation is the best time of your life because you can see the last four years of your life as how you've spent them and your future becomes clear as well. You are focused on what you want to do with the degree you have acquired at this time. My mind was also focused on my future. I beamed at the PM as I accepted my leather-bound degree and bent my head for him to place my gold medal on my neck. I was the only lucky one in my class to have acquired a gold medal. Sadaf had acquired a bronze one. I bowed to the PM and came back to my seat.
It took two more hours for the ceremony to come to conclusion. Sadaf and I walked towards the courtyard where the refreshments were served for our parents. We were looking for them when someone hugged me from behind.
"Aliza!!" The excited smile could've been no other than Shahmir. I smiled and turned around.
"Hello, Shahmir!" I greeted him.
"Hello, Liz!" he called me by the nickname, which I hated. Shahmir had joined our class in our second semester at NUST. Since then, Sadaf and he were going out. To me, he was like an older brother and he always treated me like that. He was dressed in a navy blue V-necked t-shirt and matching jeans. His light brown hair was tousled, which looked kind of cute. His eyes were the color of ocean, sparkling blue which made every girl in the 100 meter vicinity fancy him. Although we teased him for having girlish eyes, he had an aura of masculinity and dominance around him.
"How are you, Shahmir?" I asked him, ruffling his hair all the more.
"Liz! Don't ruin my hairstyle." He groaned and stepped out of my reach. "I'm good. That's a wonderful achievement." He looked at my gold medal that rested below my chest.
"Thank you, Shahmir." I beamed at him. Sadaf smiled at us.
"Please excuse me; I need to find my parents." I excused myself and walked towards the place, where I had seen them a while ago. My parents were deeply engrossed in conversation with Sadaf's parents.
"Aliza!" Dad called me and threw his arm around my shoulder. I beamed at him.
"Congratulations, Aliza." Sadaf's mom and dad congratulated me.
"Thank you." I said simply.
"It's such an accomplishment, dear." Her mother said.
"It is." Sadaf's dad agreed.
"Where did Sadaf run of to?" Her mother inquired.
"She'll be along, aunt. Some of her friends stopped her." I tried to cover for her. She needed a few minutes with Shahmir so I tried to buy her that. Her parent's still didn't know about Shahmir and I didn't want them to know until she was ready to tell them herself.
"Well, I guess we should move." Mom suggested.
"Yeah, we should." Dad agreed. I opened my clutch, looking for my car keys.
"Let me say goodbye to Sadaf." I said as I went in search of her. She was with Shahmir and they were engrossed in discussion.
"Hey guys! I'm leaving. Have to drop mom and dad home. How about we all meet up at Gloria Jeans in about two hours?" I asked.
"Sounds like a plan." Shahmir said.
"I'll see you around, Aliza!" Sadaf said.
"Sure. By the way, your parents are looking for you." I gave her the heads up.
"Thanks. I'll join them in a bit." She said and waved at me as I left.
***