𝑊𝑜ℎ 𝑗𝑜 𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑞 𝑡ℎ𝑎, 𝑤𝑜ℎ 𝑗𝑢𝑛𝑜𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑎
𝑌𝑒ℎ 𝑗𝑜 ℎ𝑖𝑟𝑗 ℎ𝑎𝑖, 𝑦𝑒ℎ 𝑛𝑎𝑠𝑒𝑒𝑏 ℎ𝑎𝑖.

•••

There are some people, who came in your life as a blessing, and then, there are people like house-fly. Buzzing in your ear, not leaving till you notice them or give them attention. Azar was from other category.

One week passed without any inconvenienc. Azar didn't message her again, or bother her. Shyra seem to forget about him but then he re-appeared in her life.

It was a Friday morning, Shyra decided to skip her morning lecture and went to library as she had to submit assignment by the noon.

Picking a book from a shelf, she turned to go on a seat when bumped into someone. She didn't know when a person stood behind her, without any noise, like a wind. Taking a step back, she looked at the person, it was Azar. Without saying anything, Shyra went to other side to leave, but he blocked her way.

"Yeh kya...? Mere raste se hato." No matter how many times she tried to dodge him, he would come in front of her. If she goes to left, he goes on his right and stood in front of her, too close for her liking. At last, Shyra told him off, irritatedly.

(What-? Leave my way.)

"Hatt jaunga, mujhe bas apne na ki wajah batao." Stubbornly, Azar said.

(I will, just tell me the reason behind your no.)

"Yeh kya badtameezi hai? Main tumhe koi bhi jawab dena zaroori nahi samajhti. Hato mere raste se." Pushing him away, Shyra was about to leave but Azar hold her hand and pulled her to himself.

(What is this indecent manner? I don't think it is necessary to give you any answer. Get out of my way.)

"Azar!" Shyra almost shouted as she looked at the empty library with expanded eyes, at this time, classes were going on, maybe that's why no one was there, but she was shocked how come none of the faculty is there?

"Agar baat tum hum dono mein rehne deti toh koi problem na hoti, Saba ko kyu bataya yeh sab? Sabit kya karna chahti thi?"

(If you would have let it be between us, then there would have been no problem. Why did you tell this to Saba? What do you want to prove?)

"Mera hath chorho?" Shyra put all her strength to get her hand free from his grip, only for his grip to tighten and hurting her. Her eyes started brimming with tears.

(Leave my hand.)

"Tumhe pasand karta hoon, iske liye tumhe itna bhav khane ki zaroorat nahi."

(I like you, but you don't have to show that much attitude.)

"Mujhe tum... tum nahi pasand." She said it with difficulty.

(I... I don't like you.)

"Achha? Achhe se janta hoon tum jaisi ladkiyon ko, pehle apni khoobsurti dikhake ladke ko pagal karogi aur bhav bhi khud khaogi apni value badhane ke liye." Touching her face, he whispered. She felt as if his touch burned her, although, his touch was soft, Shyra thought her skin pricked.

"Chorho mera hath warna shor karke sabko bula lungi." Pulling her face backward, Shyra warned him.

(Leave my hand otherwise I will scream.)

"Achha?" Arrogantly, he raised his eyebrow. "Karo shor, huh?" Leaving her hand, he took a step backward and challenged her.

(Really?)

(Scream then.)

Shyra didn't take another second and run away from him, from the library.

Shyra has just reached hallway when Maha stopped her.

"Achha hua tumne yeh lecture nahi liya..." Maha was saying but stopped in mid when noticed Shyra's pale face. Shyra usually pink and glowing face was turned white as sheet, few drops of sweats were on her forehead.

(You did a good job by not attending this class...)

"Kya hua? Are you okay?" Touching Shyra's arm, Maha asked. But instantly realised Shyra is shivering.

(What happened?)

"Ku.. kuch nahi." Shyra cleared the sweat by her palm and shook her head.

(No... nothing.)

"You are shivering. What happened?" Before Maha could ask anything, Shyra's phone buzzed, indicating that she received a new msg.

Shyra opened the msg and found someone sent her her pictures, all of them where candid, some were from university, and some from that day when she was at Saba's house. Another msg came after her pictures.

"Yeh kya hai?" Maha, who was still standing beside her, looked into her phone, she has saw the pictures and message attached with it.

(What's this?)

•••

"What? He... how could he?" Maha and Shyra were on the background of the University, Shyra has stopped crying just now but was badly shivering in fear. Maha tried to console her by saying they were just pictures, he can not do anything, but his warning made both girls worried.

"Shyra, tum darro mat. Tumne kuch galat nahi kiya. Aur waise bhi woh kar hi kya lega unn pictures ka? Aise logo mein himmat nahi hoti bas khokli dhamki dete hain. Tum bilkul mat darro." Maha put her hand over Shyra's shoulder, trying to calm her.

(Shyra, don't be afraid. You did nothing wrong. What will he do with those pictures? Such people don't have courage, they just give hollow threats. Don't be afraid at all.)

"But... usne misuse kiya agar unn pics ko toh?" Shyra asked. Worry was visible in her eyes and voice.

(What if he misuse those pictures?)

"Aise kaise misuse kar lega? Hum complain karenge police mein."

(How can he misuse? We will complain to the police.)

"Police mein nahi. Nahi nahi police mein nahi. Maama papa ko maloom hua toh..." Shyra shook her head and refuses.

(We can't go to police. No, no, we can't go to police. Maama and baba will get to know this then...)

"Shyra, isme tumhari galti nahi hai, tum darr kyu rahi ho. Achha hai uncle aunty ko maloom ho jayega sab."

(Shyra, you are not at the fault here, don't be afraid. It will be good if uncle and aunty get to know this.)

"Tum samajh nahi rahi ho. Papa Ayat ke accident ke baad bohot hi... paranoid ho gaye hain mujhe leke. Unhe batana theek nahi rahega. Aur phir Maama... nahi unhe nahi maloom hona chahiye yeh sab." Shyra tried to make Maha understand.

(You don't understand. Papa is paranoid after Ayat's accident. It won't be good if he got to know about this. And Maama... no, it is better if she get to know this.)

"Toh Saba ko bata do?" Maha suggested, defenselessly.

(Then tell Saba?)

"Msg ka bataya toh rasta rok liya, pictures ka bataya toh pata nahi kya karega. Mere kuch samajh nahi araha hai." Holding her face in her hands, she once again started crying.

(This happened when I told her about msg, I don't know what he will do if I tell her about pictures. I don't know what to do.)

Maha fell silent after this, she couldn't come up with something which could help Shyra, except that she go to Azar and beat him up and take his phone from him, but that's out of question, she won't able to do so because he is stronger than her.

Maha looked at Shyra, she looked very worried. And the matter was serious, she never thought Azar would do something like this. And here, she was shipping him with Shyra.

"Shyra, tum apne bhai ko kyu nahi bata deti?" After some time of thinking, Maha come up with another suggestion.

(Shyra, why don't you tell this to your brother?)

"Haan? Bata deti agar mera koi bhai hota toh." Shyra's voice was broken from all the crying as she sarcastically said.

(Yeah? I would have if I had a brother.)

"Nahi... I mean, Kabir ko. Woh samajhdar hain, agar tumhe unhe bataogi ki parents ko nahi bata sakti toh samajhenge woh."

(No... I mean Kabir. He is sensible, he will understand your situation.)

"Maha, Kabir mere bhai nahi hain. Cousin hain, main unse kaise batau yeh sab? Woh ulta meri galti batayenge."

(Maha, Kabir is not my brother. He is my cousin. How can I tell him about this? He will blame me.)

"Mujhe nahi lagta Kabir aisa kuch karenge." Maha quickly defended Kabir.

(Kabir won't do anything like this.)

"Kabir tumhara cousin hai ya mera?" Shyra retorted.

(Kabir is your cousin or mine?)

"It was just an advice. Achha tum tension na lo we will think of something." Maha once again tried to give her empty assurance, but both of them know they could not do anything.

•••

At night, after dinner, Shyra decided to go to the backyard. She was restless since she came from University, that's why she thought of going to open area to breath fresh air.

She has just stepped on the ground when she saw a figure on swing.

Mentally groaning, Shyra turned back to leave. She came here to be alone, and bumping into Kabir is the last thing she want right now.

"Ajao, Shyra." Before she could leave, Kabir called her. "Waha aise kyu khadi ho?"

(Come, Shyra.)

(Why are you standing there?)

"Nahi, woh... aap baithiye. Main disturb nahi karna chahti." Politely smiling, she told him.

(No, it's.. alright. I don't wanna disturb you.)

"Koi nahi, ajao." Kabir points at the empty swing and invited her again.

(It's okay, come.)

Reluctantly, she went to sit there with him. Kabir was busy in his phone, as Shyra observed him. He was maybe texting someone, the speed of his finger tapping the phone said so.

"Kya hua?" When he felt her eyes on him for too long, he asked, as he raised his head to look at her too.

(What happened?)

"Kuch nahi." She quickly shook her head and bowed it down.

(Nothing.)

Kabir shrugged his shoulder and once again got busy in his phone. Removing her eyes away from him and looked at the sky.

"Padhai kaisi chal rahi hai tumhari?" Kabir, who was maybe done with other person on the phone, put his phone aside and asked her, looking at her. His eyes seem to froze on her who's face was illuminating under the moon.

(How's your studies going?)

"Huh?" Shyra's head instantly turned on his direction, which snapped him out of his trance.

"Padhai kaisi ja rahi hai?" Clearing his throat, he asked.

(How's your studies going.)

"Theek." Shrugging her shoulder, she answered.

(Fine.)

There was a moment of silence between them again, but this time, Kabir observed her.

"Pareshaan lag rahi ho?" His brows knitted as he asked.

(You look disturb.)

"What?"

"Tum pareshaan ho." This time, he wasn't asking, but telling.

(You are disturbed.)

"Aap kaise keh sakte hain?" Shyra raised her eyebrow at him.

(How can you be sure?)

"Baar baar apne honto ko tum daaton ke darmiyan daba rahi ho, pair bhi tum niche hila rahi ho aur tum backyard tab ati ho jab tumhe taza hawa chahiye aur woh tab chahiye hoti hai jab tum pareshaan hoti ho... Don't think of me as creep, bas maine aise hi notice kiya yeh sab." When he was done telling her why he thought she looked tense, he realised how creepy it sounded, he quickly added.

(You are chewing your lips between your teeth, you are swinging your feet too, you only come to backyard when you need fresh air, and you need fresh air when you are disturbed... don't think of me as creep, I just noticed it.)

"I... don't know what to say." It would be a lie if Shyra said she wasn't impressed, even she didn't know all these facts about herself.

"You can share your problem with me... If you want."

"I am in huge trouble." Shyra mumbles.

"I can help you out, unless kisi ka murder kiya ho tab thora mushkil ho sakta hai." Kabir offered to help her, but quickly put his in the air, surrendering.

(Unless you have murdered anyone, then it would be little difficult for me to help you out.)

Shyra laughed softly on his act. "Nahi ab tak toh nahi kiya, but shayad kar doon."

(No, I haven't murdered anyone. Not yet.)

Kabir's eyes widened, "Aisa kya ho gaya?"

(What happened?)

Shyra took a deep breath out, thinking should she trust him or not? But decided to trust him and told him everything.

"Tumhari Uni mein hi hai yeh Azar?" Kabir asked when Shyra was done telling him everything.

(He studies in your Uni?)

•••

Next day, Kabir dropped Shyra to her university,

"Aap andar tak ayenge?" Asked Shyra. Kabir was walking by her side to her university, and it made her uncomfortable.

(You will come with me?)

"Darr kyu rahi ho? Relax raho, batao Azar kon hai?" Taking off his sunglasses, Kabir asked.

(Why are you scared? Relax, and tell me who is Azar?)

"Aise thori raste mein mil jayega. Hoga kahi, mujhe nahi maloom." Shyra hissed, but as soon as she said that, she spot Azar. He was standing with his friends near entrance, he didn't notice her though.

(We aren't gonna find him like this. I don't know where he is.)

Shyra stopped walking as she turned to Kabir, her back facing Azar. "Woh apne dosto ke sath hai, white shirt mein."

(There he is with his friends, in white shirt.)

Kabir only glance at Azar's direction then nods his head. "Theek hai, tum apni class mein jao."

(Alright, you go to your class.)

"Aap karenge kya?" Shyra asked.

(What will you do?)

"Fikar mat karo. I will handle."

(Don't worry. I will handle.)

"Hero mat baniyega, Kabir." Shyra told him, exasperated.

(Don't try to be a hero.)

"Bharosa rakho." Kabir assured her as he pushed her away gently and went to Azar.

(Have faith in me.)

Although, Kabir told her to go to her class, but Shyra couldn't trust Kabir. In fact, she was regretting telling him when saw how he went to Azar, talked to him so freely, her eyes widened when she saw Kabir putting his arm around Azar's shoulder and taking him away from his friends.

"Shyra, yahi khadi rahogi kya? Class mein chalo." Shyra was looking at the empty space from where Kabir left with Azar, she didn't realise when Maha came there.

(Shyra, let's go to class.)

"Maha, Kabir abhi abhi Azar ke sath yaha se gaye hain." Holding Maha's arm, Shyra told her, anxiety visible on her face.

(Maha, Kabir just went there with Azar.)

"Kabir kyu Azar ke sath ghoomne lage?" Maha asked, Confusingly.

(Why is Kabir hanging out with Azar?)

"Ghoomne nahi, maine tumhari advice leke Kabir ko sab bata diya. Ab pata nahi kya baat kar rahe honge Kabir ussey."

(He isn't hanging out with Azar. I took your advice and told Kabir everything. I don't what Kabir is talking to him.)

"Arey, tum yun hi Kabir ko underestimate karti ho. Fikar na karo he will handle this. Chalo class ke liye late ho rahi ho."

(You underestimate Kabir. Don't worry, he will handle this. Let's go to the class now.)

"Tum jao, main nahi ja rahi." Shyra irritatedly told her off.

(You go, I won't come.)

"Marzi tumhari." Maha shrugged her shoulder, and left her to be.

(Your wish.)

Feeling fidgety, Shyra sat on the stairs, looking at the way.

She didn't have to wait much, after some time, she saw Kabir coming, but Azar wasn't with him.

Shyra quickly stand up. "Azar kaha hai?" Going to him, she asked.

"Tum apni class mein nahi gayi?" Kabir looked at his wrist watch and asked.

(You didn't go to your class?)

"Kabir, kya baat ki Azar se? Mara wara toh nahi?" Shyra looked at Kabir's light blue t-shirt, looking for blood then again at his face when found his t-shirt clean.

(Kabir, what did you talk to him? Did you hit him?)

"Pagal ho kya? Yeh marne ka kaam Hanan ka hai mera nahi. Maine baat ki hai."

(Are you mad? Hanan is the one who beat everyone not me. I talked to him.)

"Aur woh maan gaye?"

(And he listened?)

"Zahir hai, waise bhi aise ladke bas dhamki hi de sakte hain, aur kuch nahi kar sakte. Aur tum, jaldi panic na hua karo, agey koi dhamki de toh bahaduri se uska samna karna. Baki main toh hoon hi, koi pareshaan kare toh batana." Kabir advised her, and Shyra just nod her head. Passing Shyra a soft, charming smile, Kabir left.

(Obviously. Guys like these only give threats, they can't do anything. And you, don't get panic easily.)

But Shyra stood there for sometime, until Kabir was out of her eyes, only then she left for her class.

•••

"Kya hua?" Maha whispered as she looked at Shyra. They both were sitting on the backbench, while Maha was full focused on the lecture, Shyra has laid her head on the bench peacefully.

(What happened?)

"Kabir handled it." Shyra softly mouthed, which made Maha almost squeal but Shyra put her finger over her lips, pointing at sir.

Bitting her lips to stop herself from smiling, "Maine kaha tha Kabir handle kar lenge sab." Maha remarked.

(I told you Kabir can handle this.)

In return, Shyra didn't say anything, but her lips were formed in huge smile.

•••

Did anyone also see love in the air?? 🤭

But mere liye dhoka in the air hai.. NTA cheated me 🥺😭 NEET will be conduct on July this year... which left me only 3 months to prepare for it. 😭💔

Ik, you guys must be thinking 'inka neet kab tak chalega?' Even I don't know yeh neet kab tak end hoga. Maybe jab tak crack na ho jaye 😬

Mohabbat aur neet ek jaise hote hain, insan roye jata hai, but chorh bhi nahi pata jab tak pass na ho jaye. Bas dua karo🤧

Khair, let it be, how was the update??

-Ufaq.

P.s how is Ramadan going for y'all?? Am I the only one who feels like... like this Ramadan is not Ramadaning like other Ramadans?? 😬