The world contains a lot of Aftab Ali Khan I am sure, so what makes him stand out, Noorie wondered as she shook hands with him, but refrained from saying her name. She might be acting silly by talking to a stranger, but she definitely won't be foolish enough to share her personal details. For all she knows, he might be a trickster in the face of a gentleman.

"Um, Okay, it's if you do not want to tell me your name," He said, assuring her as he watched her hands clasped together. He could sense her hesitation and said,"... I wouldn't be stalking if that's what you fear. I am here today to attend a seminar and will be off back home, in another city, tonight."

"I don't know if it should help but I really do not want to exchange personal details," She told him firmly.

"Perfectly suits me, Miss. I merely intend to help, not to intrude."

"Help...," Noorie repeated after him, mocking at the word. There is no one who can help her out of what happened. Her sarcastic smile was not missed by Aftab and he lifted an eyebrow. Before he could say anything, she asked again,"So, tell me what you meant by "You do such things?"

Aftab half-smiled. "I am a counsellor – a therapist for mind and heart as I would like to put it."

Noorie stared at him with wide open eyes. He thinks I am mentally sick?

Ouch... that hurts! She felt agitated, but better not create a scene so she stayed shut and let him sing songs of his professional qualities.

"Don't get me wrong, by no means, I suspect your sanity, but you do look emotionally distraught and I can offer professional advice that might help you deal with your... ermmm situation," He wanted to say 'pain' but chose not to because that might only make her put up more walls. No one likes to be confronted that way. Such comments put people on guard and instead of being helped, it acts reverse.

"I congratulate you on your professional abilities, but I do not need help. At least not from a stranger," She said stiffly, shifting on her side as she looked straight , where other peoples – the happier lots were smiling and chattering.

"If you say so, I won't push you to share"

'Thank you," She said politely

Silence fell in between as she continued to stare at other peoples and Aftab kept observing her silently. She could feel his eyes on her. It should have made her feel uncomfortable, but maybe she really had lost her sanity because she felt completely comfortable sitting beside him, watching her – a complete stranger. What did he say his name was? She tried to recall. Oh yes, Aftab Ali Khan. It should mean something perhaps, but it doesn't ring any bell.

She let out a sigh and gave up trying to avoid talking to him. He didn't show any chances to move away.

"Did you ever felt lonely, Mr Khan,"? Her sudden question didn't surprise him at all. He more or less suspected she would respond or he would have gone moments ago.

"Tell me one person who has not experience pain, loneliness and failures?," He answered.

" Some people lives a perfect life too, like those peoples over there," She said pointing her fingers at some peoples she had been watching for the past few minutes. "It will be a sin if they complain, they look so happy, she added as he shifted his gaze from them to her.

"You cannot be more wrong. Just because they are happy now does not mean they never tasted distress. It may not be as perfect as it appears to you..."

"If this is not perfect than I don't know what is," Noorie said wishfully.

"Perhaps, they know how to accept change and be happy in spite of what life brings to them," Aftab said wisely as Noorie calmly listened to him. "Everyone, once in their life, experiences these feelings... They are bound to make their presence felt...sometimes together, sometimes in parts," He said in a very professional manner, but in a friendly tone.

Without realizing what she is doing, Noorie uttered," My life has become a perpetual struggle between wanting to be alone, but not wanting to feel lonely." And then as if feeling sad for her, added,"I am such a mess and I was not like this."

"Shattering their loneliness has become an eternal mission of us mortals, but only if we learn to embrace change and love ourselves, we will encompass more than half our problems."

"I am living a very non-existent kind of life...," Noorie revealed. "A life that seems to be deprived of the present," she added sadly.

"Only when you will let go of past completely, you can enjoy your present," Aftab advised in a an understanding tone.

"I know, but the flashbacks," She said bitterly fixing her gaze on her palms and then continued "I hate getting flashbacks of things I rather forget."

He studied her while she shared her tale and noticed the sparkle in her eyes as she lifted her face and their eyes collide. Without spending another second in the awkwardness of the moment, he quirked his mouth and said 'The past doesn't always have to hurt, if you know how to deal with it in the right way.'

She blinked at him dazedly when their gazes entwined but like him, she too focus on his words and replied,"There is no right way when you're dealing with the pain of the past. No matter what you do, how hard you try, it won't free you so easily." She looked at him as she enunciated, but when she found his intense eyes on her, she averted her gaze and said primly,"It has this trump card in its hand called memories and which they use quite smartly - they just know the perfect time to peep in and there - all your tries and positives thoughts goes in vain. "

He let out a little laugh at the way she explained it.

"Come-on, don't smile, I may sound sarcastic, but that's how it goes, been there, done that."

"Really?," He intended to tease.

Her lips tightened at what she felt to be his mockery, as she said, "Really! Some days I feel everything at once. Other days, I feel nothing at all. I don't know how to explain these feelings. It's like a slow numbness is overtaking me from inside and I am not able to control it."

"I'm not mocking at you," He assured. " Your explanation is more than acceptable, but I do not agree with the not letting go part."

"You suspect, I don't wish to let go?," she snapped.

Aftab remained calm. Experience with dealing with his patients has made him an expert at handling such behavior. He never gets surprised. In fact, he takes them as a sign for them to ultimately open up.  Most Does. He smiled inside. "Something like that!"

"You don't me, you cannot pass judgements like that." She was suddenly very serious.

The air was thick with tension. Noorie almost cursed herself for expecting that he – a stranger, who does not know her, will understand her. So what if he is something in this counselling business. Who knows how good he is with his work anyway. These days, everything is business – a mean to make ends meet, earn more, get fame and that's it. Why would Mr Aftab Ali Khan would be any different?

"I don't know you, that is why my judgements are unbiased, and accurately true. I think a stranger who has nothing do with your life gives a better advice than family and friends who most of the time lays false hopes on our hearts and mind" the subject of her thought stated forcing her back to their conversation.

She didn't say it in words, but grudgingly agreed with it. It's precisely what her family has been doing and to some extent Zayna too. "What do you suggest I do?," She uttered softly.

"Be truthful to yourself." He suggested.

"I am.... I am not the kind who pleasures themselves with vain thoughts and desires," She said pleadingly, hoping for him to believe."

He eyed her, scrutinizing her words thoughtfully. "Unconsciously, you do too"

"How can you be so sure?," She demanded to know. How can he just put up with so many accusations at her.

"Can you prove it?," He said throatily, raising his eyebrows. "Tell me about your past, I will tell you why I think so - with proofs."

It was a two-way solution to both their demands, but Noorie was hesitant.

"You are afraid... aren't you,?  He pushed a little further. He was keen to help her and it was not just because of his professional abilities, but something beyond that. A truth he needs to find out through helping her. The moment she caught her attention, he could not resist talking to her and wondered what might be troubling her. He thought  she got hurt or something, but the wounds, it seems, are much deeper than he expected. And now that he knows it, he cannot just give up, no matter how hard it might be to handle her.

Again, his question had two meanings and Noorie felt like taking one more risk and prove him wrong. 'I told you, you don't know me, so don't jump into conclusions about me, she said daringly. And then turn the tables around asking, "But the question is why should I trust you?

He shrugged. And then giving a husky  laugh and looking at her with innocent eyes said,"Because I won't benefit from it at all. But, you can. You have nothing to lose.. It's anyway your past... The part which is over. I cannot do a thing with it to hurt you in any way, but if you share with me, then I might enlighten you with a few facts you couldn't see and you will gain from it most certainly.

She considered for a while, taking her time.

And, then she told him everything related to Irfan and their broken engagement. For the first time, she had talked so openly about it with someone. She never got a chance to speak about what she is going through with her family because her parents already had their share of disappointments to deal with seeing their only daughter suffer like this and she didn't want to add fuel to the fire. And, Zayna had to go away to an important business trip day after that awful breakup and their talk on the phone was quite restricted. Zayna understands her, but Noorie never got the chance to open up her heart to her or anyone who showed interest and spill it all out. Until today....

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