Apple with a hole

I always said that I do not understand this craze for a happily ever after, maybe because I really do not believe in such made-up fantasies but looking at her tear-stained face as she tries to smile at me but miserably failing at it, makes me want to take a chance in this happily ever after notion.

Might as well we have one in the end?

She waves again as I pull my laptop bag's strip on my shoulder, not because I don't want it to slip off but because I want to be strong. I never thought that leaving a place was that hard. She came to drop me off with Ezzah and Pamir, for some strange reason, she hates the idea of goodbyes that she practically tossed at me when I looked at her with concern, as an explanation.

It warmed my heart, and I do not think I can dismiss my preference for it.

Sighing once again, I contemplated the option of not leaving, for staying some days more, before they literally throw me out of the country because of the expiration date on my visa but that's childish. I know I want to stay; to stay by her.

Glancing at two smiling faces and a horror movie reaction one last time, I turn around to leave for good. Will it be embarrassing if I accept that yes I did everything in my capacity to make these people somehow stop me from going because I did not have the guts in me to say it out loud?

Probably.

I thought maybe Ezzah knowing about my feelings towards Jeena, will be a good thing. I assumed she would stop me or at least help me out but Ezzah being the defender that she naturally is, decided to force me to go because I did not say that I loved Jeena, I just said I like her. She wants me to be sure before I hurt Jeena or worse ruin the friendship that we all had. I actually agree with Ezzah, but at the same time, I am a selfish person who was insane for someone else. I do not think mind in such a state really listens to logic.

My hardware system had crashed days ago when I saw her for the first time. One can say it, the so-called emotion I had for her was at first sight but not really, it was a chain of her existence. Her sassy attitude, smart mouth and the confidence she had without any use of the filtration system in her head was the thing that made me not to forget her but absorb her more in my memories.

After taking my boarding pass, I went to the terminal from where I have to hoop into my plane. There was still time before we board in, so I waited on one of the seats in the waiting area. I was practically sulking. Trying to distract myself from the empty feeling that has housed itself in me, I thought of sending a reply to all the morons on my phone who were asking 'when will I board'. It must be late in Pakistan, so there was not a point in calling Ami at this hour, instead, leaving a voice note was a better idea.

"Ami, I will be on the plane in somewhat 30 minutes. Do not be worried about me and take your medications in the morning at the right time or you know I will ask the doctor to give you an earful when I come back," slipping my thumb off the recording button I was about to get out of the WhatsApp app when I saw Jeena was typing.

The desperate me was praying that she was typing something for me, but the anticipation died in me when I saw the written 'typing' strip to disappear. The feeling of my stomach sinking was indeed a demonstration of how big of a pathetic lover boy I was now, despite the surety of love for me was not over 50 percent.

I twisted my lips in complete annoyance and turned my phone upside down over my left thigh. I should just die instead of embarrassing myself in front of myself. I could do extremely dense things, and yet I can survive people's laugh and criticism if I am okay by myself, and right now, I was not okay with myself. I do not care what people say, I never did, but seriously my soul knows how grand of a wimp I was and I cannot live like that.

Karma was kicking in, Haroon would be so happy after finding out that I gave into love- no like, I only like her as if now but I already miss her. I glanced outside from the large window as the planes moved slowly and the blue sky filled with sun rays as the glass of the window acted as a prism.

After somewhat 25 minutes, these idiots finally decided to put me in a plane, to get me off this land, so I can stop behaving like a feeble-minded loser that I was. Picking up my hand-carry and laptop bag I was about to move towards the entrance when my phone chose to howl like a wolf making people spare me a glance of disapproval.

Is there a rule that people have to stay silent at the airport or its waiting-zone? I could help but think glancing around.

Quickly taking out the phone, I decided to give a piece of my mind to the person calling me not because it was inappropriate to call me now but because I was just sad and lonely which is something I am not comfortable as for now. Yet seeing Jeena's name flashing causes my heart to beat at an unusual rate that I immediately slide the green circle and place the phone at my ear in an attempt to hear her before going back home.

"Hello?" I said, but there was not any reply from the other side. I drew the phone to my front to see was she still on the line, but she was and now I think it was an accident. Trying my luck again, I placed the phone back on my ear and said 'hello' again.

"I am not good with goodbyes, but you have to go, and it sucks because I will miss you and I hate missing people and the worse part is I do not even know you for long but waking up every morning to get you out of that stupid house for a tour made me realize that how much I enjoyed life. I did not think after Ezzah someone will be important, but you are, and the fact you are going, it makes me want to cry. So I am sorry but remember Rafan Ghamza, you- apple with a hole, remember this, if you forgot me and stopped contacting me in the name of being busy, I would personally come to Pakistan and kill you by myself." I could hear in her voice how hard she was trying not to cry, but it was sweet and fun at the same time that I chuckled. It made me grin like an idiot while people bumped into me to get into the bridge that heads to the aircraft.

"Is Ezzah there?" I asked, trying not to chuckle.

"Yes, why?" There was uncertainty in her voice.

"Because you did not curse," I explained but I heard a snort instead.

"This is all that you got from my whole rant? You son of a- creep." I chuckled as she cut herself midway.

She was a kid in need of much love, and she deserved it even more.

"I am sorry, but I was thinking about the fact that at least you fear someone in your life." I continued while the air hostess on the counter by the door was eyeing me with displeasure while I showed her my index finger up to tell her to wait a second.

"She throws some mean punches." She chuckled, grunting a little at the beginning.

"I have to go," I said as the smile was not there anymore on my face, I am sure.

"I know." She was not happy with the fact either.

"I will miss you, and I promise I won't forget you, and if you want you can still make my life miserable, and I won't complain," I promised, not just to her but to myself. I do not leave or neglect my friends. They are the family that I was given a choice on to pick by Allah, and that is why I always keep them close.

"Excellent. Now go, Allah Hafiz." She released a breath as she said those words.

"Allah Hafiz," I said, and she hung up. Gulping I moved towards the boarding entrance feeling a little less sad. She did call after all. Shaking my head with a small smile, I took my place after switching off my phone for good.

Glancing out of the plane's window, I looked absentmindedly over the mover planes and ladders that were being pushed around by people as I rested my head over the headrest of my seat. Closing my eyes, I read Aytal Kusri because I am still scared of heights and ami said you stay in Allah's protection after reciting it.

"I hope you stay true to your words, Jeena," I whispered, despite she was the one who made me promise to 'never forget her', but that's the same thing I want from her in the end.

Pacing in his room, his hands were stiff against his sides into fists as they hung like heavy stones. Then he started rubbing his palms together as he felt he was getting cold although the room temperature was 30 degrees. It was anxiety that caused him goosebumps.

When Kabir got that call earlier today, he only informed him before running out to meet the detective because Rafan had to stay behind for a meeting. He had to deal with the company that requested them back to sign the contract just after that detective's call.

Rafan was here in his room since then, waiting anxiously as if all the patience he had gathered in these few years had suddenly run out, and he was ready to collapse any moment now. It has been about five hours since Kabir had left without informing him of his whereabouts, and even that was making him perplexed. He wanted to know everything right away. Its been too long and he already had his fair share of sufferings according to him.

For a minute there, he completely forgets, that he was supposed to be revengeful. For some hazy reason, he was looking forward to seeing Jeena again without any hatred. Just a glance at her being okay was enough for him. Maybe deep down he was just worried and nothing more.

Three knocks brought him out of his agony as he walked towards the door in long strides. Opening the door, he saw Kabir standing with a tired look, holding on to a grape-colored file that Kabir almost twisted. Glancing up at Rafan, Kabir gulped as he fixed his glasses over his nose.

Rafan gave him space to come in, and with slumped shoulders, Kabir on a turtle-like pace entered the dull room. Hearing the door close behind him, Kabir made sure to keep it professional, does not matter that he cared for his boss.

"What did you find?" Rafan did not even wait for normalcy and jumped right into the main question.

"Jeena Ghamza is known as Jeena Rehman here. Since the detective had started following your wife," Kabir gulped as he paused, afraid that he had crossed a line, but Rafan's expression felt like Rafan did not even pay attention to what Kabir had said, "he has gathered all the information about her whereabouts, including her daily routine." Kabir said as he faced Rafan.

"She lives in Tekirdag property." Delivering his words, he forwarded the file, but when Rafan tried to take it from him, Kabir did not let it go as he swallowed. Rafan's eyebrows knitted and he pulled the file out of Kabir's grip with a jerk, causing some pictures to slip out and drop by their feet.

As Rafan bent down to pick a few of the pictures up, he realized a kid with Jeena. Jeena had changed a lot. She was wearing a blue headscarf with a Turkish styled black jilbab. The kid was holding her hand as she walked out of what looked like a hospital. There was another picture where Jeena was standing with a man who had the kid in his arms as they candidly showed a perfect, happy family.

Rafan's heart broke right there, on the spot. He dared to look away from the picture as he felt something shattering inside of him. His eyes burned with unshed tears.

'She would not,' a part of him said, but it looked so real.

"Who are they, to her?" He did not glance up as he went down on his knees to pick up the rest of the pictures.

"Her family. That man is a doctor and the girl's father. I was looking for him at the hospital when I heard some nurse calling him as doctor M.J. and at the same time, that girl called him baba when she ran up to him. I am not exactly sure about their relationship yet but..." Kabir stopped not sure if it was a good idea to go on any further.

"What?" Rafan's head shot up, taking Kabir off guard. Kabir fought the urge to not gasp at Rafan's bloodshot eyes. Rafan was scared but more than that he was hurt.

"They live together, in the same house." A tear finally slipped out of Rafan's eye, and he looked away. He stood up with everything in his hands and took some steps away from Kabir.

"Is there a weak point?" Rafan voice had changed, there was sort cruelty not only in the meaning behind his words but his tone, and Kabir was disappointed, but he had the answer.

"She is going through a financial crisis, for more than a year now. The bank was not ready to give her a loan because of her lack of paperwork, so she took help from a local man who lends money to people. She has a legal contract with Ahmet Altan according to which her house is kept as collateral security until she does not pay off her debt. Legally there isn't any other name on the papers apart from her's." Kabir uttered with a slight inconvenience.

"How much?" Rafan asked despite concern covered his heart again.

'Why she needed so much money?' A thought crossed his mind.

"Enough that you can pay off without a dent. Ms. Jeena also has been late for a few deadlines." Kabir knew what Rafan was thinking. He had been working with him for months now. Kabir had seen Rafan deal with people. Rafan was doing exactly what he always does, but this time on a personal level.

"Buy it. I want that property on my name." Rafan ordered as his whole body language changed. He held his face high as his jaws felt jammed. He pushed his hand in his pant's pocket as he griped the file and pictures in his other hand.

"What if Mr. Altan refuses and does not want to sale the house to us?" Kabir knew that was a stupid question, but he did not want Rafan to do it, so he made lame excuses. Kabir felt dejected, thinking how will Rafan deal with it in the future. Rafan was angry, and anger makes people do stuff that they later regret.

"Then give them the best fu**ing price, Kabir!" Rafan snapped at Kabir, who nodded back and left the room.

Rafan placed the file on the coffee table by the window, but he still had the pictures of all three of them. By now, he did even hold back the tears that were streaming down his face. He ripped that picture apart before fisting the shreds in his hand.

"We are not done yet. I will take everything away from you. Your house, your family, your reputation, and your pride, everything." His lips twitched from one side on their own as a vicious smirk formed.

Chapter 9

What's up, mates? How was it?

What are your thoughts up to now? Do you find them cute together... depending on the past?

Does anyone feels sorry for him or thinks his anger if justified?

Also, another fact I just say that to anyone who asks me about something I am not interested in.

This is it until next time,

Allah Hafiz.

P.S: The next chapter will be between 17th to 18th Aug.