Mikael was surprised to see the watchman missing from the security room. He passed it off thinking he might have gone for a break. Lucky for him as he didn't have to take permission. Knowing very well that Haider lives here too, he would definitely send him away. Slowly, he opened the gate and walked through the pathway. He rang the doorbell and patiently waited for someone to open the door. When there was no response, he twisted the doorknob and to his surprise, the door clicked open. Hesitantly, he pushed the door open.
'Alina!' His voice resonated through the silent halls. Mikael noticed only lights of a bedroom were on. He frowned and cautiously walked towards the room. The door was wide open. He stepped in and his eyes widened upon seeing Alina sitting in the fetal position on the bed and down was unconscious and bloodied Haider. He was sprawled on the floor, blood oozing from the one side of his head, eyes swollen and blackened, his lips bruised and had bloodstains. His shirt loosely tugged out of his trousers.
Mikael's heart thumped in his chest and he could barely speak. His mouth hung open in shock and his eyes don't blink. Alina whimpered staring at Haider. She felt a presence and slowly looked up. Through tears in her eyes, she saw a familiar figure at the door. He looked equally horrified.
'Mi—Kael.' She called his name in a shaky, meek voice. She leaped from her bed and launched at him, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist and began to sob badly. Mikael's brain wasn't working. He could see Haider's lifeless body and a crying Alina. He took a time to gather himself, then held her shoulder and pulled her away.
'What happened here, Alina?'
Alina swallowed hard and narrated the entire incident about Jahangir and his men threatening her, then after that incident, she had composed herself, she was in for a shock when she stumbled upon Haider lying like this in the room.
'I didn't do this to him—I found him this way—' She struggled to breathe as she cried. Mikael held her shoulders and shook her.
'Calm down.' He called her desperately. Then, without wasting any more time, he dialed the ambulance. He doesn't bring it out that she should have called the ambulance earlier. Her mental state wasn't as such that she would have thought with sense.
The next twenty minutes went excruciatingly slow for both Mikael and Alina. She kept glancing helplessly at him while he stood by Haider, resting on the bed, checking his pulse. He had wiped off the blood and removed his blood-soaked shirt. There were bruises all over his upper body like before. Finally, the ambulance arrived and carried Haider to the hospital. Alina and Mikael sat with him. She kept clenching Mikael's hand in both her hands and kept silently crying. Though Mikael was putting up a brave front, he was scared to death as well.
In the hospital Haider was admitted to the VIP ward, Alina and Mikael waited outside. She sat on the bench, staring at the floor while he anxiously paced outside the ICU. She looked at him.
'How did I get into this, Mikael?' She shrugged.
'What do you mean?' He enquired looking confused. She shook her head, lowering her gaze.
'I am scared, Mikael?' She confessed. Mikael nodded thoughtfully and then sat beside her. He took her hand in his,
- 'It is okay to be afraid. But your true love must conquer your fear. If someone comes and warns you to stay away from the person you love the most, will you?'
He was polite. Alina slowly shook her head, - 'What do you want me to do? Risk my life for him?'
Mikael nodded, she looked at him and shook her head again, - 'No! If anything happens to me what about my parents, Mikael? I know Haider for few months, but my parents, since I was born. I can't—' She pressed her lips and then sighed, - 'After all this, I am breaking up with Haider. I can't risk my life for him. I can't risk my life for his richness. I can't—I am sorry.' Her lower lip quivered as she tried her best to not cry. Mikael doesn't reply anything, he held the back of her head and made her rest against his chest. He gently caressed her back and asked her to relax.
Alina wasn't completely wrong, Mikael thought. This is Haider's fight, he has to fight it for himself, by himself. She closed her eyes feeling at peace. The sound of his beating heart comforted her. She exhaled deeply shifting closer and recollected their moments together. The first time he had held her hand and kept holding on to her for a second longer, their bike ride and the time they had spent together at the café and then visited his sister's, Amaal. Alina had just relaxed and then the doctor came out of the ICU. Mikael stood up all of a sudden, she almost toppled from her seat.
She stood up, tugged back her hair, and pushed past Mikael, - 'Doctor, how is Haider now?'
The middle-aged male doctor sighed grimly, he removed his frameless glasses and wiped them. – 'Mr. Zaidi is not out danger now. He has a broken arm, that we fixed and there was a wound on the side of his head that he sustained by getting hit with something hard and sharp. There is bruises of being hit with something like a belt.' – The doctor looked serious, - 'I think it is a police case.' He informed. Alina and Mikael glanced at each other.
Five minutes later, one of them was allowed inside. Alina walked in. Haider laid on the hospital bed, with his eyes close and the back of his palm pricked with a needle, connected to the IV drip. The other arm was in a cast and supported against his bare chest. Alina felt tears in her eyes as she looked at him in a most vulnerable state. She felt selfish for what she had thought earlier. With her gaze fixated on him, she sat beside him. Her hands shivered as she held his hand. She was cautious not to disturb the IV drip.
Alina gently caressed his bandaged forehead, letting tears fall down her cheeks. She was startled as she felt his fingers twitch in her grip. Her lips turned into a shaky smile. Slowly, Haider's eyes flickered open and he smiled meekly.
'Hey!' His voice choked and barely came out as a whisper. He wiped her tears with his thumb. 'you know I can't see tears in your eyes, my love.' He murmured in an unsteady voice. Alina chuckled through her tears. She held his hand again and brought it to her face. She rested his palm against her cheek.
'Why do you love me so much, Haider?' She questioned with innocence in her voice.
'I don't know.' – he gulped softly, - 'but do you love me?' He blinked at her. Alina's grip loosened a bit, she hesitated, darting her gaze to avoid looking at him. Haider's heart dropped, deep within he knew her answer but he hoped he was wrong. He lost his dad, whom he loved the most, then drifted apart from his mother and now he was on the verge of losing Alina, his love. He swallowed feeling his throat parched.
Alina looked at him, - 'I am glad you are okay, Haider. If Mikael hadn't—'
'Mikael?' – Haider shifted in his place, - 'He is still alive.'
Alina was taken aback by his comment, - 'What do you mean?' She eyed him. Haider shrugged.
'What Miss. Alina? I think you can't hear me with my low voice.' He pretended.
She shifted and reluctantly smiled. Then, a nurse arrived and began checking his vitals. Alina asked her about Haider's medicine. The nurse replied with a straight face, - 'That man with you, he has gone to get the medicine.'
Haider eyed Alina, she looked relieved. He didn't understand why Mikael was being so helpful to them. Next time, he won't ask Banerjee to do anything but take care of Mikael on his own.
▪⎯⎯⎯∞⎯⎯⎯▪
Mikael returned with the medicine. Alina was in the room with Haider. He looked glad upon seeing Haider was awake and enquired about his health. Haider simply nodded in response. Mikael looked at Alina, - 'Meera called, your parents are calling you, but they can't reach you—by the way, you found your phone?' He asked. Alina shrugged, then she looked at Haider.
'I am going to talk to my parents from the hospital phone. If you need anything, Mikael is here. Okay?'
Haider was very displeased but didn't say anything and just nodded. Then, Alina hurried out of the room. After she had left, Mikael could sense awkwardness in the room. He cleared his throat and walked around the bed. Haider looked straight as he sat beside him.
'Uh, Haider. The doctor was saying, and I think the same. I suggest you make a police complaint. Since you are a VIP I think they will act.' He said with concern. Haider scowled at him.
'Mr. Jaffery,' – he began in a meek tone, - 'Please stay away from all this.' He raised an index finger. Mikael leaned back, keeping a neutral expression. There was silence again between them, the beeping sound of the medical machines punctured the uncomfortable silence.
After some time, Alina came and informed Mikael that they can get a meal for dinner together, - 'There is a restaurant nearby, walking distance.'- Mikael nodded and stood up, Alina looked at Haider, - 'Haider, the nurse said she will get dinner for you. Now,' – She caressed his hair lovingly, - 'you close your eyes and rest.' She smiled at him, cupping his face gently. Haider moved his hand and held her hand.
'Please don't go. I need you.' He pleaded. Alina smiled, lightly patting his cheek.
'I am not going anywhere far. I will be just back.' She blinked at him and then slid her hand from his soft grip. She rested his hand carefully on the bed, passed a smile, and walked out of the room. Haider felt helpless as Alina and Mikael talked with each other whilst walking out.
After their dinner, together they walked back. Mikael glanced at Alina and she looked back. She smiled gratefully at him, - 'Thanks for being there with me in my tough time.' She confessed. He chuckled.
'We are friends, so, it is no big deal.' He replied. Alina nodded, wrapping her arms around herself. She let out a deep breath.
'You know, Mikael. Once Haider recovers, I am going to break up with him.' She revealed. Mikael was taken aback.
'Are you sure?'
Alina nodded, - 'How is this feasible, Mikael? He has too much baggage. You can't expect me to carry all that. In a relationship, both the partners need to bring equality at the table. Equal baggage and an equal amount of happiness.' – She paused.
Mikael waited for her to say something more, but she didn't, - 'Tell me one thing, Alina. Do you love him?'
Alina tugged her hair behind her right ear and folded her arms again, - 'What do you mean?'
'I mean, if you love him you should be accepting him with all his flaws, right?'
'Flaws?' – Alina looked miffed, - 'I can overlook his OCD, his claustrophobia, and his night terrors. Okay, maybe to an extent I can. But his father—I think I explained this to you before.'
Mikael scoffed inaudibly, - 'Then, why are you even bothering to stay with him till he recovers. Just leave him now.' His tone mocking her. Alina frowned at him.
'I have not lost my humanity, Mikael. I can't dump him when he needs me the most.'
'Well, wouldn't his father find out that you are still with him and kill you this time?' He taunted.
Alina's mouth dropped open, - 'Are you taunting me?' – She raised and dropped her arms in the air, - 'I thought you liked me. You should be happy that I am dumping him.' She sneered at him.
Mikael looked at her, - 'I am not happy with your reasoning. I thought you were different from others. A kindhearted woman.' He explained.
Alina stopped in her tracks, he walked few steps, stopped and retraced his steps, - 'You know what, Mikael. You are saying this because you haven't stayed with Haider. You have no idea how suffocating it is to be in a relationship with that man. He is so intimidating, so dry and—this is also one of the reasons. Now, when you stop judging me then come to the hospital. Else don't bother.' She scolded him and angrily walked away. Her cheeks flushed and hot tears pricked her eyes. She irritably wiped them from the back of her palms as she walked away from Mikael.
Okay, How many of you, my lovelies, agree with Alina? Is Mikael being a jerk to judge her? Also, do anyone care so much for someone they have no feelings for?
What are your thoughts on these questions and the chapter? Drop your thoughts, please *smiles* Stay Tuned for the next update *lots of love* *hugs and kisses*
Also, recently I have given an interview to- @callmesancheti Please do check it out and drop your love and support *muaaaah* *muaaah*