Assalamualaykum.

Long time no see?

I hope you all are fine, In shaa ALLAH. And even if you are not, In shaa ALLAH you will be. Stay strong and have strong faith in ALLAH Subhan O Tallah..

Hope you like this chapter..

-----

Rukaiya's POV:

I was staring at the frozen blue rose on my bedside table. I remember mom saying that Ammar had bought it for me. It has a small card with it saying get well soon. A week has passed since I came back home from hospital.

Lying on my side it was on my clear view. Room was silent other than the slow wind sound made when the wind went through curtains causing them to sway back and forth, but lightly, very softly.

As if the wind was scared of hurting the clothe of curtain, somehow that thought made me close my eyes. I turned slowly lying on my back now yet I keep my eyes closed.

Few minutes passed and I felt like a dream was starting off as my thoughts made me dizzy and sleepy. That was until a knock on the door to my room wake me up from my little slumber. Opening my eyes I looked at the door and found Noor, standing there. I smiled at her as she walked in with a tray of food in her hand. I sat up as she sat in front of me.

"I am sorry, but you have to eat at time in order to get healthy soon, In shaa ALLAH." She said while setting the tray on my lap. I nodded to her polite order and picked up the spoon, taking a full of pasta and bringing it up to my mouth.

"Bismillah.." I heard her whisper, my eyes raised to her and she smiled. I ate in silence and she patiently sat by me. My eyes often rested on her, I remember how I misunderstood her when she first came to live with us. I use to hate her and I didn't really had a suitable reason either.. Just that she looked that Halima and somewhere that made me hate her from the very first sight.. But I was very wrong, Noor is nothing like Halima. And I am very happy about it.

"Earth to Rukaiya." Noor said as she clapped in air and I blinked snapping out of my thoughts. I looked down and then back at her.

"I am sorry, I just got lost in my thoughts." I apologized and she nodded.

"It's okay, are you okay?" She asked as she took hold of my medicines and started to get them out and keeping them in a small cap for me to take them.

"Yeah." I replied, not even caring if I mean it. I don't like this question, of course I am not okay, but how I am supposed to explain that to anyone.

"You are not." Noor said and I looked at her. She smiled, her eyes on the meds in her hand.

"And it's okay to be 'not okay'." She said as she raised her eyes and looked in my eyes. I felt like someone tapped on my heart and a lump created in my throat as her soft genuine care for me made me feel emotional.

"I.. I just.." I said with a sigh and looked down. My eyes on the fork, and another flash back from past clouded my mind. They use to give me fork to eat rice because they didn't had spoon in their house.

"You can tell me, I am listening." Noor spoke as she rest her hand on my forearm and I looked up at her as a tear rolled down my eyes and she gulped. It looked like she could feel my pain and it made me more comfortable after a long time.

"And first, take these." She said as she gave me a cap full of medicines, I took it and gulped down the bitterness. Mean while she took the tray and went to keep on the table by the wall. She came back and took the glass from my hands and sat again.

She sat silently once again. I kept looking down at my hands, the bandaid on my wrist. I realized many minutes have passed and I was still unable to speak anything. I looked at Noor and found her staring back at me, her eyes filled with tears as she smiled lightly when my eyes met hers.

"It will be fine, In shaa ALLAH." She said as she held my hand and I sighed and shook my head.

"I don't know where to start." I replied and she nodded, "I understand.. try and take your time, I am here." She encouraged and I felt tears shivering in my eyes before they fell and I closed my eyes.

"I completed my i-com and went to Dubai for further studies in University." I started somehow and gulped the lump in my throat. My eyes at the open window as I continued.

"It was my first year in University and I was very excited, I loved it there and soon in the cafeteria many people came along and became my friends. Aliya, Zubiya, Sameer, Sajda, Safiya and.." I looked back at Noor and she was looking back at me. I took in a deep breath and spoke up the name.

"And, Halima." She nodded slowly, registering the new information. I sighed and leaned back at my bed stand. Starting at the ceiling now.

-----

Ammar's POV:

I leaned back on my office chair and started at the ceiling now. The Bluetooth again being silent. Ruks just started speaking but once again she is silent. I just hope I am not going to hear the worst. I hope she haven't been through terrible things. My mind was not prepared to know all of it but I was trying to keep myself together as my baby sister spoke her heart out, after a really long time.

"Halima was different. She was more caring and sweet to me. Soon we started to share things with each other. Notes, food, time and mostly trust. I trusted her with my feelings and emotions. She was always like a sister to me. We use to hang out together. I even wanted her to talk to my mom and dad when we use to facetime but everytime she made and excuse and walked away." Rukaiya paused and I sat straighter in my chair.

"She looked like you, Noor." Rukaiya said to Noor and I could hear a small hmm from Noor. I frowned and I remembered how Rukaiya always hated Noor, was this Halima reason for the hatred?

"But she was never like you. All the care and love.." Rukaiya paused again and I sighed. Halima has lied to her, I can feel by the way Rukaiya's voice was getting heavier. I stood up and walked towards the glass wall. The scene out wad gloomy with raining lightly and dark atmosphere. I waited along with Noor for Rukaiya to begin again.

Noor was right, Rukaiya needs a lot of time to finally speak up after a long time of silence and we need to be patient. I am glad I am not in front of her, maybe she wouldn't be as comfortable.

I rest my palm on the glass window and looked down, as she started to talk again. Slowly but surely.

-----

Noor's POV:

"She was not what she made me think she was.. one year of complete lies and empty friendship. To me she became a family and slowly but gradually I lost my interest in praying." She sighed and looked down at her hands and then back at me.

"I used to pray hardly but I used to try and pray.. but.. I was just so busy in my own life, I forgot to pray at all. I was busy with her, going everywhere, making morning routines, night routines, jogging, gym, study plans. Somehow that little hope and want of praying vanished away from my life, I didn't even realized, Noor." Rukaiya said as she looked at me and I nodded, feeling low already. I understand what she is saying and I can feel the disappointment, she wasn't happy abt it. And that was a happy point that she was not happy abt letting go off praying.

"Then..?" I asked and she sighed and stood up. I turned in my position as she walked towards the window. I stood up too, my mobile in my hand as I walked closer to her. Rukaiya stared at the night outside, it's cold but she didn't seem too bothered by it.  Rain drops would fall at her and me here and there but she stood unmoved, as if her mind was back in time, something that completely changed her. Something worse than, Halima.

"Rehan." The whisper made
my eyes snap at her face. Her face held so much pain, it hurt me as well. Her lower lip trembled as she kept staring at the scene in front of her. The darkness opposite of her pain in her eyes, so bright and burning. She gulped and looked at me.

"And then I met Rehan." She said and I nodded slowly, she tilt her head to side and a tear leaked by the side of her face, slowly tricking down her cheek as her eyes stared in distance.

"I met Rehan.." she whispered and closed her eyes as many more tears took turns and flowed from doors of her soul, her eyes.

And just his name can make her this way, I know his story would bleed her heart out.

I took a step forward and rest my hand on her arm and she opened her eyes and looked at me. I nodded and she sat down on the floor, I did the same. She rest her back with the wall and gulped.

"Rehan Malik." She said and sucked in a deep breath, wincing a little, it was clear the name was a pain. And she was finally sharing this pain with us. Her family...

-----****------

Assalamualaykum.

The goal is 30 votes and 25 comments and In shaa ALLAH next update right after it.

I know I have been inactive.. but I can only say, I missed you all. Hope you are not mad me.

Jezakh ALLAH Khair for understanding and staying by my side. Thank you.. Thank you very much.

P.S. I love you all..

StayBlessed and Smiling.
-ShamaKhuvahish🍃