Farjaad drove the car like a mad man, not caring about anything, barely registering the cars honking and drivers cursing at him as he sped by, neither caring about the red signals he broke on the way. Thankfully, the traffic at this hour of the night was minimal so he was lucky enough not to get in an accident himself.
He remembered the last time he drove this crazily. It was when he heard Umeed was in the hospital. Oddly enough, the reason this time being Umeed herself as well.
This girl would make him die of a heart attack one day.
His heart had stopped beating for a second when he heard that Umeed was at the center, alone and in danger. How did she manage to land herself in this situation? How does everytime she manages to make his heart stop, the reason being different everytime?
His mind was blank, not wanting to think of any dire consequences of the situation that could go worse second by second.
"Allah, meri Umeed ko apni hifaazat mein rakhna..." He kept praying for her safety, while speeding up.
It seemed like the distance to the center was never ending, even though it usually took them 20 minutes daily. Farjaad wanted to scream in frustratiom but held himself, knowing that would be useless.
Their last conversation played in his head, where he had cursed her that she'd be left alone.
Tumhe akele rehna hai na? Ab tum akeli hi rahogi
Did the curse actually came back to bite him only? He cursed her to be left alone but if something happens to her today, he will be the one who is going to be alone forever.
Pushing the accelerator to it's maximum, he bit his lip to stop the tears from spilling, honking crazily to anyone who came his way.
Nothing would happen to her.
He won't let it.
After what seemed like forever, he turned into the lane of the center, the car screeching to a halt as he could see the dark smoke emitting behind the high yielding boundary wall, his eyes widening as he tried to percieve the gravity of the damage. Which meant Umeed was trapped inside a center that was about to see its doom.
His eyes fell on the side, spotting Umeed's car parked safely. His heart beating rapidly, he rushed out of the hastily parked car with the door left open, as he ran as fast as his legs could take him, the sound of sirens and screams of people increasing as he reached closer.
Reaching inside, he saw the crowd of people, most of which were their workers he could barely recognize and a couple of guards and security men. The fire brigade was already here, working through the crowd.
But Umeed was nowhere.
His eyes scanned the entire crowd that was present there, knowing if she was here he would've spotted her in an instant but she wasn't. He ran as fast as his legs took him, tearing through the crowd, pushing everyone who came his way, rushing to get inside but was stopped by the person heading the fire team.
"Sir! You are not allowed inside!" He ordered, pulling him back but Farjaad wasn't having any of it. Jerking off the man's arm, he struggled as another guard held him.
"She's inside! You have to get her out! UMEED!" He shouted as if she will hear him.
In his disheveled state, no one would be able to say that he was Farjaad Khan Bahadur, the strict and composed businessman, who could intimidate anyone.
"There is no one inside, we've checked everywhere!" The man on duty tried to reason with him but Farjaad was desperately transgressive, not in the mood to listen to anyone.
"What nonsense! I know she is inside!" He argued.
"Sir please! I assure you, there was no one inside. You need to leave the premisis immediately, it's dangerous!"
"I AM NOT LEAVING WITHOUT HER!" He thundered, scaring the person in front of him.
"Sir, please co-operate with us" He requested, regaining his composure. "We cannot let you go inside. The fire is spreading rapidly, IT IS DANGEROUS!"
"I DON'T CARE! MY UMEED IS INSIDE!"
Clearly not in his senses, he pushed the pair of men away, grabbing one's mask and dashing inside before anyone could get a hold of him.
"That man is crazy!"
The uniform-cladded man shouted in frustration, commanding another team of members to follow him.
"UMEED!"
Farjaad hollered as he made his way through the burning arena, removing his mask and looking around desperately. Flames surrounded him as he tried making his way through it.
He ran a hand through his hair in sheer frustration, his mask slipping off and he could care less. Looking around hysterically, he kept calling out her name, searching around the entire place.
Umeed wasn't anywhere to be found and he didn't know where to look anymore. Wiping his face, which was dripping with sweat, he hopelessly looked around, his chest burning due to lack of Oxygen. The flames were spreading rapidly, situation was worsening but he was unable to locate Umeed. He had checked every place she usually visited, but she wasn't in her office or the hall, nor the studio, neither in auditorium.
Where are you Umeed?
The fire was spreading fast and Farjaad felt as if his life was on the line.
Which was true.
"UMEED!" He shouted desperately. Suddenly, something clicked in his head and he rushed towards his cabin, which was at the end of the hall, where the fire had barely caught up. Struggling with the door since it was jammed, feeling short of breath, he finally managed to push it open, revealing a figure lying on the settee.
Umeed was in his room.
He heaved a sigh of relief, rushing instantly towards her.
"Umeed!" He bent down beside her, turning her sideways and patting her cheeks, trying to wake her up but she unconsious. She had probably fainted before the fire broke out and didn't realize what kind of danger she was in.
"Umeed, utho!" He was begging her, his heart heavy with fear of loosing her, but she was unresponsive. He heard something crash outside and the smoke erupt wildly. It was getting dangerous every passing second.
Not wanting to waste any more time, he got up and pulled off the mask he was barely and fixed it on her face. She needed it because he could see the amount of smoke that was spreading rapidly as the fire increased.
Picking her up, he hurriedly made his way back in the hall, coughing loudly along with trying to catch his breath, as the smoke entered his airway. Barely able to see through the mixture of fire and smoke and partially able to open his eyes due to irritation in them, he moved randomly, trying to find a way out, shielding Umeed in his embrace.
It was a complete destruction of whatever they had worked on in the past one month. The furniture was burning, the pillars falling down, blocking their way and the entire art gallery had turned into ashes. But Farjaad didn't have time to dwell on any of it, desperate to take Umeed out of this place as soon as possible, who was lying unconscious in his arms.
His eyes had turned red and watery, throat burning and his intercostal muscles straining due to the exccesive coughing and shortness of breath, but he was trying to make it through. The woman lying in his arms was way too precious and still had a lot to live for and he would cross any limits to make sure she gets to live it.
"Kuch nahi hoga Umeed. Mein tumhe kuch nahi hone dunga" he whispered to an unconsious Umeed, his throat hurting as he spoke. A promise that he will protect her, even if he wasn't sure how to do that at the moment, but he will. Even if it his own life is at stake.
Constantly coughing hard and trying to keep his eyes open, he hopped through the fallen pillars towards the exit. Suddenly, something crashed and before he could register anything a hot, burning pillar fell upon them. His instant reflex was to shield Umeed as he covered her with his body, hiding her small frame in his, feeling the searing pain as the heavy, burning pillar hit his shoulders and upper back.
"Aah!" A groan left his mouth as he fell down with Umeed beneath him, his one arm wrapped protectively around her waist and the other shielding her head from the floor, so she doesn't get hurt.
Farjaad could feel his back on fire, the pain burning his entire being as he looked at Umeed, who was lying beneath him, a few inches apart, fluterring her eyes open due to the sudden jerk. Her head was hurting and she could barely open her eyes but one look in his eyes and she knew it was Farjaad, despite the fact that his face was covered in soot and dripping with sweat.
"Farjaad..." she whispered weakly through the mask, thinking she was dreaming about him, unable to keep her eyes open due to the pounding headache and unable to understand anything around her.
Farjaad who felt his life coming back to him despite of the pain he was going through, smiled through tears and constant coughing, as he heard her call him.
"Haan Umeed...mein yehin hun" he assured her, who had gone into a slumber again.
"Kuch nahi hoga tumhe..." His desperate voice had mellowed due to the fatigue and torment. He mustered up every ounce of energy left in him and pushed away the boulder that was lying on him. Moaning, he fell beside Umeed, his eyes shutting close due to the lack of energy no matter how hard he tried keeping them open.
Weakly, he pulled her frame closer, trying to protect her and wanting to feel her close, now unsure of the fact if they will be able to make it. He could hear the noise of sirens and shouts of people distantly, as he gave up, shutting his eyes close before looking at Umeed who lied in his embrace.
***
"Aap darr gaye thay?"
Farjaad was surprised at her question, mostly because she had initiated the conversation herself, breaking her vow of silence. Lying on the hospital bed, bandaged and attached with fluids, she hadn't spoken more than a few phrases ever since she had woken up after the accident, seemingly lost most of the times.
"Haan Umeed, mein bohot darr gaya tha"
He replied softly, answering her question with utmost honesty. Sitting beside her, he took her cold, clammy hands into his warm ones, dropping a soft kiss on her knuckles, his eyes not leaving hers.
He had spent the entire evening trying to engage her in a conversation, wanting to normalize everything thinking she might be in a state of shock due to the accident, not knowing the actual reason.
"Kyun?" She asked curiously. Farjaad couldn't understand the context of the question. The genuine confusion in her eyes made him sigh, when the answer was too obvious.
"Kyunki mein tumhe nahi kho sakta"
He replied simply looking into her eyes, wanting to make sure that she realizes how much she mattered to him.
"Mere liye pareshan hona band kar dein ab" She advised, looking away as she tried to control her tears.
"Kis liye bhaie?" Farjaad asked, amused. He knew something was bothering her but he didn't want to probe further, specially when she hadn't fully recovered.
"Aray hum tou paida hi iss liye hue hain ke aap ke liye pareshan ho sakein. Pehle aap ki wajah se hote thay... ab aap ke liye hote hain" He winked at her, trying to lighten up her mood.
"Nahi hua karein. You can't be with me everytime" Her reply was short and serious.
"Why not? I will be there everytime you need me. Infact, even if you don't need me, I will always be there."
He promised, the sincerity in his tone made her look at him with hesitation. Here she was trying to push him away but this man was adamant on making her the prime focus of his life.
"Kyunki..." He continued answering her question before she could ask, as he tightened the hold on her hand.
"Tumhe shayad kabhi meri zaroorat na bhi pare. Mujhe tumhari zaroorat hamesha rahegi" He dropped another kiss on her knuckles.
"Tou yeh mein tumhare liye nahi kar raha. Khudgarz hun, apne khud ke liye kar raha hun" He chuckled, leaving her astonished. How could he say such things like it was so natural?
"Kia hua hai Umeed?" He asked, unable to stop himself from wanting to know the reason that was bothering her.
She shook her head and looked away, hiding her tears. She knew she would be leaving for Lahore tomorrow, despite promising him that she won't. And as hard as it was, she knew that it was the right thing ignoring the stinging pain in her heavy heart.
"Umeed?" He probed and she felt the moisture seeping in her eyes, feeling vulnerable in his presence.
"Can you hug me?"
Her request made him smile, knowing the wall was breaking. Already settled on the bed beside her, he moved closer and bent down, kissing her forehead softly and hid his face in the crook of her neck, holding her gently, trying not to hurt her. Umeed closed her eyes, bringing her probe-attached hand on his back, relishing the intimacy, feeling him breath in her scent.
A tear slipped down from the corner of her eye, knowing this peace was a fleeting moment.
The piece of her cherished memory faded in the blinding white light as she tried opening her eyes, scrunching her nose as her vision settled and she realized where she was as the memories from the past night flashed through her mind.
She was in the hospital.
And Farjaad was nowhere to be seen.
"Farjaad..." she mumbled, the flashes of him carrying her barely conscious self through the fire hitting her.
"Umeed?"
A concerned, motherly voice hit her eyes as she looked up to see Salma standing, with tears in her eyes.
"Mera bacha...tum theek ho?" She asked, carressing her hair softly.
Umeed nodded dazedly, pushing away the probes and wires attached to her.
"Farjaad kahan hai?" Her voice was weak as she asked.
"Mam aap kia kar rahi hain? You need to lie down!" The nurse rushed in immediately, ordering her to settle down but it fell on deaf ears as Umeed was in no mood to listen.
"Mam, please understand. You can't move unless this drip is over. You're already hypotensive, aur BP low ho jaega aapka..." She tried to make her see sense but Umeed had rashly pulled off the cannula, resulting in a profuse bleed from her hand.
Barely feeling the pain because she was so numb, her limbs moved at her own accord, mumbling Farjaad's name, as both the females tried to stop her. The sudden loss of fluids and rush of blood from her hand, from her already hypotensive state, resulted in a sudden bout of dizziness as she fell back on the bed, held together by Salma. The nurse immediately started the infusions again while Umeed, who had no energy to fight anymore, fell back in a deep slumber.
***
"Umeed will be fine, she had just fainted from stress and the time in the fire just resulted in a drop in her blood pressure. She'll be okay"
The doctor explained, as he spoke to the worried couple settled in his office. Aziz and Salma looked af each other before heaving a sigh of relief. Salma could feel her life returning back, recalling how scared she was when she learnt Umeed was stuck in the centre. Thankfully, Aziz with his connections had quickly made it possible for team of ER to call other departments on board and were quickly taken care of.
"And Farjaad?"
"That's what I am worried about..."
The doctor kept forward his concerns as their relief changed into concern.
"Why, what's wrong?"
"Dekhein Aziz Sahab, aap mere dost hain, I'll be very honest. The burns are superficial, they'll heal in time. Thankfully, no major burns or fractures as well, but what's bothering me is his fluctuating sats..."
"What do you mean?" Salma asked in a worried tone.
"I don't know why but he is unable to maintain his blood oxygen saturation without external oxygen. It has been more than a day but his vitals are still unstable..."
"Will he be okay?"
"I don't know, Mrs. Aziz. He is constantly on 4 liters of Oxygen so that he mantains his saturation. Without it, his sats keep falling. Does he have a history of asthma or COPD? Any allergies?"
"Not that we know of" She answered as the couple exachanged looks.
"Actually yaar, he lives in Karachi. Mere marhoom dost ka beta hai aur yahan kaam se aya tha kuch din ke liye..."
"I think you should call up his family. Maybe they'll know better. Till then, we'll add a few more bronchodilators and let's hope it gets better" he explained the plans of his further treatment.
"He'll be okay right?" Salma asked, close to tears as Aziz comforted her, misty eyed himself. That boy was very dear to them and seeing him in this situation was heartbreaking.
"He'll be fine, In Sha Allah. Aap log dua karein"
***
With slow and weak steps she entered, pushing the door open with all her might. The beeping sound of the monitor welcoming her to an unsettling sight.
Farjaad lied on the bed, attached to a couple of wires and tubes, on both his sides. The double IV line maintained, pushing coupios amounts of saline in his system along with the nasal prongs that supplied constant oxygen.
Umeed's heart broke seeing him as she tried to control her tears. Feeling dizzy, she took small, measured steps towards him, slowly settling beside him.
Silently sitting beside him, she kept staring at his face, pale and devoid of any emotion and yet so beautiful.
A sharp pang of guilt hit her heart as she recalled how he had carried her semi to unconscious body through the fire, not caring about himself at all.
"Kia zaroorat thi aapko wahan aane ki?"
She asked, in a heavy voice, close to tears, making her gulp down the emotions that clogged her throat. She raised her hand up till his cheek, wanting to touch him but refrained, fisting her hand and pulling it back.
I will be there everytime you need me. Infact, even if you don't need me, I will always be there
His words rang in her ears, a promise he had made back then, fulfilling it even now when they were at their worst.
"Aisa kab hua hai ke aap ko meri wajah se koi nuksaan na hua ho?"
She whispered with a wistful smile, on the verge of tears, biting her lip to stop them from pooling in her eyes. But no matter how hard ahe tried, she was failing every passing second.
She looked down at her joined hands, took a deep breath to control her sentiments, trying not to break down but just as she looked up at him once more, she couldn't hold back.
Tears flew down her cheeks rapidly as she finally let go of her tough wall of emotions, releasing an ocean of tears, wetting her cheeks.
"Please...aap..."
She didn't even know what to say. Her emotions were jumbled up, her feelings a complete mess. She had tried so hard not to feel anything for so long that now when she was forced to face her feelings, she was feeling too much at once.
"Allah jee, meri madad karein please..."
She weeped, praying to the only one who had been her hope throughout her life, specially the past 2 years when she had no one to lean on. Whispering a few verses, she blew softly on Farjaad, praying for his life.
With tears constantly flowing, she leaned closer to him, balancing her head on her arm, gazing at him with eyes full of tears.
"I am sorry..." She didn't know what she was apologizing for.
Maybe for hurting him so much.
Or maybe for hurting him and yet unable to push him away completely, so he wouldn't have landed in this situation in the first place.
Or maybe for the fact that she was present at the centre at that time where he didn't think once of jumping in, despite the danger. He was in this situation because of her.
She remembered how tangled her emotions were when she learnt he was leaving. After their conversation at the terrace, where she just wanted to run away as far as possible, she didn't know where to go and what to do. Fighting within herself, trying to stop herself from swaying in emotions and not let him go, she grabbed her car keys and drove off to clear her head, landing at the centre, in his office, trying to gather her thoughts.
The war within herself soon turned into a breakdown as she cried her heart out in his room, until she fainted on his couch, not knowing the destruction that awaited.
"Aap theek ho jaen, please. Aap ko kuch ho gaya tou...."
She hiccuped, unable to get words out from her mouth, unable to express the agony she was feeling, unable to express the love she had bottled up in some corner of her heart. The love that had lead to this doom.
Tumhe shayad kabhi meri zaroorat na bhi pare. Mujhe tumhari zaroorat hamesha rahegi
"Mujhe bhi aapki zaroorat hai, Farjaad" She sobbed, finally accepting the fact that he mattered to her, a lot more than she had been showing since the last few weeks. Only, he wasn't awake to listen to it.
"Mujhe bhi aapki zaroorat hai..."
She repeated her words, her voice turning into a whisper as she sobbed hard.
Recalling their conversation at the terrace, she remembered the words she had thrown on his face.
Mere paas koi wajah nahi hai aapko rokne ki. Behtar hai ke aap chale jayein, aur kabhi wapas na ayein
Mujhe kyun farq parega? Na mujhe aap ke aane se farq pada, na jaane se parega
The exact same words that now had come back to her, biting her in the worst way possible. Karma didn't wait for very long to make her see how she her condescending and scornful attitude had led her to this point.
This wasn't how it was supposed to happen.
That conversation wasn't supposed to be their last one.
Tumhe akele rehna hai na? Ab tum akeli hi rahogi. Taras jaogi tum, lekin ab jab pukaro gi tou nahi aunga. Yaad rakhna
She shivered as his words rang in her ears. Looking at him who was sleeping soundly, her heart raced as she breathed shakily.
"Nahi, please..." She begged, realizing those weren't just words. Those were words just waiting to turn into reality and even the thought of it was lethal.
How could she have let him say that?
"Nahi, aap ko kuch nahi hoga..." Her voice was a broken whisper, as if she was begging for a sign that he'll be okay.
"Please..."
She could feel her mind getting cloudy as the fatigue from the entire ordeal seeped through her. Feeling lightheaded, she laid her head beside him, not wanting to leave his side at any cost as she unconsciously intertwined her fingers with his, slipping into a deep slumber beside him.
Her eyebrows twitched as she felt someone touching her shoulder gently. Her head was still foggy and realizing that she had been sleeping for quite some time, she opened her eyes to see Farjaad still unconscious and slowly turned around to see the person behind her. Umeed couldn't believe her eyes as she registered the person through the haziness of her mind.
"Mimi..."
She whispered, a feeling a melancholy hitting her as she realized that it was her best friend standing in front of her. Unable to control her emotions anymore, she hugged her best friend and cried.
***
I hope it wasn't disappointing because yeh meine kaise likha hai mujhe hi pata hai😂😂 But do leave your thoughts! Would love what you think of this chapter❤️
Lots and lots of love to you guys! Salaam hai aap logon ke patience ko😭🤗💕