Four days passed in a blur. At last the day arrived. It was today when Zahra and Daniyal will be running away. Right now Zahra was in the car, going towards her university. Only Haseeb was with her as Haya and Dua took a leave today.
The whole ride her heart was heavy with a strong feeling of guilt. Last night she had hugged tightly both Dua and Haya as an uncertain feeling of depression loomed over her heart. She was depressed leaving her cousins and also felt sorry for Irtaza but she had no choice other than that. She had also went straight to Irtaza's study, surprising him. She had never been in his study until called by him. And then both of them had talked and talked. Zahra was feeling sad for him and before leaving the study, she gave him a backward glance and uttered a small, 'goodbye' before turning around and saying a small sorry in her heart to him.
"When should I come to pick you up?" Haseeb asked. Zahra didn't want to go with any driver and fortunately Haseeb's, Zahra's, Dua and Haya's university were close to each other so all of them decided that Haseeb will pick and drop them off from there universities.
Zahra had already decided with Daniyal that she'll be reaching university by 9 oclock and he should be there to pick her up at about 10 oclock. Tho she felt sad for leaving the haveli but since last night her heart felt a sudden excitement on meeting Daniyal after a whole month.
A month which changed her life.
"Umm... you can come by 11 because I only have a single class today." she replied, knowing that she had been already ran away by 10 oclock.
"Okay"
"Thankyou Haseeb. Thankyou so much for everything. You're my bestest cousin. I had the best time with all of you."
"Lol Zahra. Why are you saying this? Are you going somewhere?"
"No. Said it just like that."
"Oh ok ok. No worries then."
She reached her university and Haseeb dropped her off infront of her university gate. Zahra knew that there were guards stationed out in her university, dressed in casual attire, for her security. She came to know about her secret bodyguards when that day those goons were behind her and Irtaza ordered those guards to take those goons away somewhere.
So she also had to outrun them and for that she brought a black burkha in her bag. She'll be wearing it and then she'll come out of the gates wearing the burkha so no guard could recognise her.
She entered into her university gates watching Haseeb left the place and also to outdo those guards making them sure that she entered safely into her university.
She looked at her wrist watch, it was 8:45 by then and now she had to wait for the clock to stuck at 10. She went straight to the cafeteria and ordered a coffee there, it was a cold day today.
Waiting for the coffee her thoughts consumed her as a small smile crept on her lips thinking that she'll be meeting Daniyal at last. Her mind begin to recall all the good and bad memories she made in haveli.
With her cousins, with Dua, Haya, Haseeb and Saif too but her cousin Shehryaar, he always seemed dangerous to her and she was sure of it when last night she accidentally overheard his conversation with someone on the phone.
Flashback
Zahra was going towards Irtaza's study as she so wanted to bid a farewell to him. All the studies of every member of haveli were located in the same corridor as the haveli was large with alot of well furnished rooms.
She was passing infront of Shehryaar's study when suddenly she stopped, on hearing him barking orders someone on the phone. Her curiosity peeked and he stopped by the door of his study as the door was slightly ajar making his voice clear to her ears.
"Cut him infront her in pieces" he ordered, his voice calm.
And he got the other man's reply on the phone.
"If she still gets out of control just apprise her that I'll be paying her a visit soon,"
"Good. Get her tamed and in shape before I come back," He ordered and hung up the call.
And the very next second, the door of his study opened completely and he got it that Zahra was listening to his conversation.
"I hope you haven't heard anything." Shehryaar said and left the place leaving her all confused.
And then she ran away straight to Irtaza's study. Well she was afraid of his younger brother.
Flashback ends
Her mind was still stuck with the last night's incident. She was still confused, whom he was talking about last night. But this thing was crystal clear to her, that whoever it was, she was in a big big trouble making her internally pray for that poor woman.
Anyways, she was happy and sad at the same time for leaving that haveli.
She sighed and rested her back against the chair as her coffee arrived and she paid the bill which was a hundred rupees.
She looked towards the foggy sky through the glass window of cafeteria as her mind again recalled that memory when Haya, Dua, Saif, she and Haseeb had waken up the whole night, talking, laughing and throwing snarky comments on each other.
There heartily laughing pictures played in her mind when they all had a water fight in the lawn.
Her throat constricted with tears.
She was going to miss them.
Then she remembered her grandmother, tho most of the times she'd ask her to be around Irtaza, but she was the sweetest, who constantly worried about her health, diet and everything. And sometime she'll visit her room at nights to keep a check on her whether she's doing right or is she missing her father. And if she finds her crying then she used to embrace her in a warm hug and console her, suppressing her own grief of her son's death.
Her throat constricted.
And then Irtaza came into her mind. His strikingly charming and dominant personality, he was indeed an alpha male who had the power to control everything by the flick of his fingers. His image in her mind made her slightly shiver.
She knew he was powerful, a powerful mafia don but she thought that Daniyal's father, Waqas uncle was much powerful than him, because he was in police as that was what Daniyal told her, that his father can destroy Irtaza and he's much more powerful than him, so she need not to be worried about Irtaza after they both will run away. His father through his contacts will shield them from the mafia.
And Zahra believed what he said.
Because she had a blind trust on him.
How naive of her.
But she also felt sorry for Irtaza. She had seen it in his eyes, numerous time that how happy he was to get her in his life. His beautiful smile flashed infront of her eyes when he uttered those three words to her, under the moonlight, that he loves her. She recalled the satisfaction and contentment in his eyes that day.
The satsifaction of having her by his side.
And what she did, decieved him?
That thing was making her guilty and depressed.
At last a lone tears escaped down her eye on thinking about him, but she brushed it off immediately.
No doubt she felt sorry for Irtaza but she forced to do what she did. Despite the fact that Irtaza showed his kind side to her, she can't love him, even if he would've been kind towards her from day one then still she can't love him because it would be a betrayal to her love for Daniyal. Her heart was already occupied by Daniyal and if she had to love someone then first, her love for Daniyal must be eradicated from her heart, which she thought was impossible.
Moreover, she didn't want to act like a playgirl, who leaves one boy when she finds a better one. Irtaza was better from Daniyal in every aspect, even far more than better but it was her heart.
She cant do anything about it.
Because she didn't look for anything in Daniyal except his heart. Whenever Shoaib was done harassing her and touching her inappropriately at inappropriate places, she'd cry and cry and at that exact moment Daniyal always used to pop out from somewhere and cheer her up. If he wasn't there then she was sure that she might have committed suicide.
Although Irtaza had also cooed her, cheered her up at various moments when she was extremely depressed but her heart was already occupied by someone's else love.
And you can't love two people at a same time.
She had truly forgiven Irtaza for his atrocities but still she can't forget them. Those scenes were imprinted in her mind making her more and more fearful of him.
The time passed quickly and she got a call from Daniyal breaking her chain of thoughts.
She attended it quickly.
"Hello Daniyal. Where are you?"
"I'm on my way. The traffic is jammed yet."
"Oh ok ok. When you will reach here, its already 9:45."
"Might take an hour, I'll reach there by about 10:45 or 11."
"Ok fine. I'm waiting."
"Me too. Love you. Take care. Bye Jaan."
"Bye meri jaan. I love you too."
She said and cut the call as a small smile reached on her lips. She was so happy and excited to meet Daniyal.