He receives a punch as he steps inside the house from his stepfather. He looks at him with his red eyes and his eyes glaring at him always boils his blood.

"Is this the time to be home?". His stepfather yelled angrily

He looks at the time and it is just five minutes to when he is supposed to be home.

He snickers because he knows he just wants to make an excuse to beat him. His stepfather holds his collar shaking him punching him again.

This time he manages to draw some blood from the cut skin that his punch made. He watches his mother as his father beats him. His siblings too just stand there smiling looking at him. He stays quiet like he is asked to be by his mother years ago.

His mother didn't even look in his questioning eyes long enough anyway. He just lay on the cold ground being beaten by a man who was supposed to be his protector as the people around him once said.

When his mother was marrying another man after just a few years of his real father people around him told him that this was the best decision. They said he is a new father who will provide them with everything.

The thing is they told him about what he will give him not what will be taken from him.

He paid the most price.

He was beaten since they moved that was also why his mother never allowed him to join the school immediately because she was training him how to hide his wounds and everything from the world.

So, she hid him from the world.

"You shouldn't have come home late". His mother said as he stayed on the floor blood pouring from him

He looks in her eyes as she stands above him. He used to love her but why did she make him pay this price?. Why doesn't she love him?.

He has no idea.

He remains quiet at her words but his hurt speaks louder. The pain within him is eating him every day.

He picks himself off the ground stumbling each step towards the small storage room that is granted to him. He looks in the small mirror in the room and he can see the wound everywhere on his face.

He chuckles dryly.

Why did he even decide to live that night?. For this?.

Just as he asks that questions his conscious went off as he falls on the ground.

He finds himself running in the lifeless forest for hours. No matter how much he runs around all he can find is the same trees, same darkness and same him.

He has no idea where he is and why is he here.

All he knows is he has to run to live.

"Aashir". He heard a soft voice calling him, "Are you tired?".

He looks around frustrated because that voice always makes him run again but he can't seem to find anyone here.

"You don't have to run". He heard the same voice say

"Why?". He asked crying as he falls on the ground

The world on his small shoulder seems to be too heavy to bear on his own. His shoulder cannot carry this burden anymore. He needs someone. He needs help.

"I am here". He heard the same voice say softly

He raises his head slowly looking at the figure that stands in front of him. He closes his eyes because the light is too much to look at the person standing in front of him. Even when he cannot seems to see her face he knows he wants to desperately want to see it.

"Who are you?". He asked as his tears fall down freely

She sits in front of him wiping his tears, "I am yours, Aashir".

"What?". He asked

"It's ok to break down sometime and ask for help from your Lord. He is there for a reason. The harder life gets the more you should turn to him. He will ease your worries, Aashir. You don't seem to find a reason your Lord allowed you a chance to live again. You need to turn to him so he can help you. The sooner you turn to him the faster he will send me to you. Ask for help, Aashir". She said disappearing

His eyes open suddenly as he breathes heavily holding his chest that hurts from last night hits. He heard the sound of the calling of prayer and it seems to him that today they are louder than ever.

His body seems to have it's own mind as his feet carry him to the bathroom doing his ablution and then to prayer mat as he prays. He amazes himself when his lips seem to know every word of the prayers on their own. He learned prayers years ago and he didn't pray when he landed on this place.

But it didn't seem like he had forgotten anything. His body seems to feel each word, action and everything. Just as he ends his prayers raising his hands to his Lord he lost all his words. Now, his lips seem to not know what to say.

Should he be apologising for his sins?. Should he ask for help?. Should he ask why it was him?.

Questions after questions came in his mind but no word espace his tongue.

Ask for help, Aashir. Ask for help, Aashir. Ask for help, Aashir. Ask for-

The phrase repeats in his head but never on his tongue as he passes out once again with the burden on him.

******
She looks around in the class for something she isn't that sure about.

She sighs.

"He must have been in another fight". She heard one of her classmates say

"It's so hot. He looks so handsome with those bruises on his face". Another one said gushing

She clenches her fist unconsciously.

"It is hot, alright. But boys like him are meant to be in trouble. I mean low grade, low reputation, rich parents and no friends". One of them says

"True". Another agree

She calms herself down taking a deep breath but she wants to say something back to them.

"Aashir sure is trouble but I want to be with him so bad maybe I should-". She heard one of them say

"Maybe you should mind your own business and stop gossiping about things you have no idea about". She said angrily

She heard him sliding down beside her and she closes her eyes cursing herself to choose this time of all to speak.

"Thanks". He said smiling genuinely

She can swear there is a tone of amazement in his words. She took a deep breath ready to make an excuse but when she turns to look at him she sees how bad his wound actually are.

They seem unattended too.

But, she seems to notice only his eyes. They are beautifully filled with something deep within them. He can look into her eyes for a long time if he can but both of them seems to realise the boundaries in between them that they have to respect.

They turn their eyes away.

"I mean it. Thank you for standing for me". He said softly smiling to himself

She nodded.

She cannot help but worry about his wounds. She wishes she can just ignore it but it seems her heart doesn't agree with her.

Why is she like this?.

She never has a boy problem because her goals don't consist of them.

Why can't she ignore him?.

She shakes her head as she tries to focus on her lesson but she can feel his pain as he winces every once in a while with small movements he does. Even when it seems he is trying not to make much sound his small sound seems to reach her too loud and clear.

He is not trouble, he is troubled.

The thought seems to be never-ending but that thought just seems to occur to her.

He finds a small bag with a paper on it sliding to him by her. He looks at her small beautiful hand that holds them his mind to seems to be playing tricks on him because something inside him begs him to hold that hand and that is his escape from his pain.

He shakes his head no matter what after knowing she has boundaries he doesn't want to disrespect her in any manner.

He holds the small bag in his hand looking at few medicines for his wounds and painkillers in them. He opens the note which read,

"Take these they will help with the pain, hopefully. Take better care of your body and yourself. Your Lord granted you a life to live and this body belongs to him so take good care. Get well soon".

He smiles looking at the words. These words seem similar to the words he heard in his dreams. He looks at her scribbling on her notes without even casting him a second glance.

"Thank you". He said and see her nodding

******
After tending to his wound in the restroom he decided he needs to empty his stomach too so he went inside to one of the empty ones.

Just as he finishes he heard someone coming in. He is about to open the door when he heard them talk making him stop.

"We have to find a way to make Dunya come to me". Dylan said, "I have only two weeks before I get her in my bed".

"Dude, it should be easy to get her". Mark said

"How?". Dylan said curiously

"Don't you know?. Her parents are dead". Mark said

"What?". Dylan said shocked

"Yes, her parents died years ago when she was 15". Mark said, "Some drunk driver hit them when they were coming back".

"Then it should be ever easier. No parents mean no restrictions". Dylan said smirking

He heard them leaving but he just stayed there too shocked to react. He remembers when he asked her about her parents and the pain that she had when she just said they are away.

They sure are far away.

******
He walks slower than ever towards their table in the cafeteria. He cannot seems to wrap his head around the whole situation. He just silently sits in front of the trio who seems too busy among themselves. He can now see and understands why she acts how she acts.

She is holding them together.

That's why she is always running around and looking around at everything. Each minute she seems to have something to do. That day he saw her handing everyone things for school.

Why wasn't there a guardian?.

He wonders so many things as he sits in front of them. There are still so many gaps and he feels like he is back at zero from where he started. Because of doing an assignment with her he thought he is reaching somewhere. With her brother who is always cheerful, he actually thought he reached somewhere. And with that little bean (Nour) who seems to think of him as one of the families (brother) sharing everything when he is at their home with him, he actually thought he achieved something.

Where does he stand?.

"Are you ok?". Azhar asked him

He nodded.

"Just peachy". He replied

"Want to hang out later?". Azhar asked excitedly

He shakes his head, "No, I am busy. I do need to speak to you though".

Azhar nodded.

******
After quickly finishing his lunch he walks with Azhar outside of the school explaining him about Dylan plans.

Azhar punches the wall beside him, "God, I will kill him".

"Azhar we need a plan". He said trying to calm him down even when he is same as him

"Plan?. I don't even know how I can possibly save my sister from him". Azhar said almost breaking down," Her life is already hard enough I don't want her to suffer more".

"I heard about your parents". He confessed

Azhar stopped.

"How?". He asked

"Dylan. He said since you have none he would get her easily". Aashir explained

Azhar curse, "If you know-".

"I won't judge or change the way I am with you because of it". Aashir said placing a hand on his shoulder, "I won't pity you".

"How did you know?". Azhar said a little shocked and relived

"It's obvious you all wanted to be normal. You all try to be normal. Just that you are trying too hard that anyone can see through". Aashir said

"Not everyone seems to see that". Azhar confessed, "But we need a solid plan".

"I might have one". He said smirking

******
She looks inside her locker for the things she needs for her next class. Suddenly someone closes her locker and she almost has her hand stuck in it.

She looks at Dylan standing in front of her and a little fear enter inside her.

"Hi, beautiful". He said smirking

"Is there something you want?". She asked keeping her emotions hidden

"You. I want you. Can we be friends?". He asked

"No". She said trying to walk away but he blocks her hand

"Why the attitude?". He said blocking her again

"I don't want to talk to you". She said trying to move away

He moves his hand to hold her hand but someone blocks his hand pushing him away standing in front of her.

"Aashir". She whispers

Aashir glare at Dylan, "Wasn't I clear?".

Dylan looks at him a little scared but covers it quickly, "See you later, beautiful".

Aashir moves forward about to punch him for calling her that. It makes him want to kill him right there and then. But Azhar holds him back quickly.

"Don't, dude". He said calming him down

"I will kill him one day". Aashir said closing his eyes to calm himself

"Are you ok?". Azhar said looking at his sister

She hugs him tightly nodding. Aashir opens his eyes looking at her scared eyes clenching his fist.

"Marry me". Aashir said watching her eyes widen