The Strange Path
RECAP: It was very late in night so they couldn't even call her name loudly. "Aarzo!", Ali shouted as he saw her crossing the road, nearby them, with a truck coming towards her, travelling on the same road.
Chapter: 7
As Ali saw the truck coming towards her, he was found dumbstruck for a moment and then quickly started running towards that road, calling her name ever so loudly. "Aarzo!!....Aarzo, there is a truck coming….move from there", he shouted on the top of his lungs. However, Aarzo was standing there like a statue, on the middle of the road. Zohaib, who was still searching for Aarzo at the other corner, heard Ali calling her name. He ran as fast as he could towards the direction from where Ali's voice was coming. Ali made it to the road atlast, running twice as fast as he could, grabbing Aarzo's hand, ran taking her to the other side of the road. Either say it Aarzo's luck or what that the truck also stopped at the same time. The truck driver asked about Aarzo to Ali, if she was okay or not, advising her to not to attempt anything like that ever again. Zohaib also reached at the spot and the three of them headed for home, without saying a word. There was just silence between them.
"Were you in your senses? Do you even realize what you were about to do? DAMMIT, YOU WERE ABOUT TO KILL YOURSELF!!!", Ali took all his anger out and yelled at Aarzo who was just sitting quietly on the bed, staring on the ground.
"Will you say anything or not?", Ali asked her a moment later, still angry on her. "Why did you come there? Couldn't you left me to die peacefully? Or will that also cause harm to someone?", Aarzo replied giving a glance to Zohaib then kept staring on the ground. Zohaib felt guilty as he knew she was talking about him. "Are you mad? What rubbish are you talking?", Ali replied, amused of what he had just heard her say. "I am talking what you heard. Why don't you understand? I want to go to Dad. He is waiting for me. He……he ……he was standing right there", she said standing up and going to the place where she imagined her Dad's picture. "See. He……he was…ju…justttt right here. Right here. Right……heeeeerrrrrrreeeee", she added unable to say anything else as she fall on the ground, crying her heart out. All the pain that she was keeping to herself was pouring out of her through her eyes. Ali came to her and she hugged him abruptly, crying on his shoulders, repeatedly saying "He is waiting for me. He is calling me".
"Here. Drink it.", Zohaib said as he handed Aarzo a glass of glucose water. But Aarzo denied taking it saying she doesn't want it. At least not from him. "Aaru…c'mon take it. You really need it.", Ali said who was sitting beside Aarzo after he calmed her down. Aarzo took it and drank it in one sip. Wow! She was thirsty. "Aaru, Let's go. I will take you to your room. Get a good sleep!", said Ali as he assumed she must be feeling much better than before now. Aarzo just nodded and went with Ali to her room.
Both Ali and Zohaib were cleaning the room; it was a looking a little messy. Even after having two single beds in the room with other furniture, it still had lots of empty space around. It would probably be the 2nd largest bedroom in the house. Ali was just about to turn off the lights that he saw Aarzo standing on the doorway. Tears were rolling down her face. She looked so miserable yet innocence was written all over her face. "Aaru? You alright?", he asked concerned what could be the problem. "Ali… Aaaa..lliiiii…..I am very scared. That room is very dark and…….and Shiza and Afia have also slept. It looks so scary around that room. i….i.. can't sleep there", she mumbled, sobbing a little. Ali waited for her to complete what she wanted to say. "Ali….can….Can I stay here, in this room tonight? Please?", Aarzo said like a little kid pleading cutely to his parents for one more candy. "Ofcourse Aaru! You can sleep on my bed and I will sleep on that couch.", he said looking at the couch, placed at the end of the room. "but .....but….he …he will get angry on me and he will shout again", Aarzo told him, a little worried that Zohaib won't let her stay here. "No Aaru. He won't. He has his own bed. And this is YOUR house. You can sleep anywhere you want.", Ali said admiring Aarzo's cute way of talking. She was just looking like the little Aarzo again, reminding him of their childhood memories. Zohaib felt so guilty and ashamed of himself at this moment that because of him Aarzo was going under this kind situation. However, he stayed where he was, lying on his bed, pretending that he is asleep, watching all of this. Aarzo quietly went to Ali's bed and lied down. In a few moments, she was drowned into deep sleep. She was looking more innocent while sleeping. She just looks like an angel who has just landed on earth from the sky. "We will have to take her to a doctor tomorrow, as soon as possible.", thought Ali as he looked at her. "She doesn't deserve so much pain.", thought Zohaib who was also looking at Aarzo. Both of them dozed off to sleep thinking about Aarzo and the condition she is going through.
The bright yellow sunrays entered through the open window, lightening the whole room. Aarzo's eyes opened as the rays fell on her face. A smile came on her face as she heard the birds chirping. Then her gaze fell upon the room. For a second she was confused as to where was she? Then, she realized it's her own house. "But what am I doing in this room? Why am I not in my own room?", she questioned herself, getting worried. She stood up and went to the couch where Ali was sleeping. "Ali…Ali what am I doing here?", she asked shaking his arm, waking him up. "Huh…what happened?? Did Aaru ran away again?", Ali blabbered out, still half asleep. "Why would I run away?", Aarzo replied laughing on the funny thing Ali just said. Ali rubbed his eyes and saw her standing infront of him with a smile on her face. "Oh so you didn't run away!", Ali said stupidly. "What am I doing here Ali?", she asked sitting down beside him. "You don't remember anything?", Ali asked, standing up in amusement as he stared her. "Remember what?", she asked confused of the way Ali was asking her the question and reacting. It looked as if something very big happened yesterday. 'But What?', Aarzo tried to think. Then it hit her. All the incidents that happened yesterday from where she and Zohaib had an argument to she trying to jump from the window, then running away and then coming back home with Zohaib and Ali. And finally, coming to this room yesterday as she was so scared. Sadness took over her as she felt very disappointed of her actions. Once again, the tears came back to her eyes. Ali asked if she was okay, but she didn't reply to him. Ali left to freshen up as he assumed she needed sometime alone maybe. Aarzo was thinking over all those events that how can she be so irresponsible and lose herself like that. She should have been patient with Zohaib as now she was understanding that it wasn't entirely his fault and here she started getting mad on him as if he had done something horrible. She should apologize to him. She WAS wrong. And her father hasn't taught her to misbehave. He had taught her to respect, be patient, cooperative and most importantly listen to what others have to say. She should apologize to him for sure.
"Are you okay?", someone tapped on her shoulder. She looked to see it was Zohaib, looking down on the ground. "I have to say something", both said at the same time. "You can go first", Aarzo said politely, in a very low voice. "No, you can say first", he replied still looking down. He wasn't able to meet his eyes with her. "Okay!", she replied, not wanting to make it a game of "you first, you first". "I am sorry. I shouldn't have behaved like that to you. Maybe, I am a very bad person", saying this she began to leave the room. "Aarzo, wait! Won't you listen to what I have to say", he said hoping she would give him a chance. "I will. But if you are going to apologize, then I am sorry but I can't forgive you. Even if I really want to. I don't know why? But I really can't forgive you at this moment. I hope you forgive me.", saying this she left for her room. Zohaib on the other hand thought that it was best not talk to her at this moment and give her sometime to think.
"Aaru?.....Aaru?? Where are you?", asked Ali as he entered her room. She came out of the bathroom after taking a shower. Drops of cold water were dripping from her hair on her face. She was just looking so beautiful. "What happened? Were you calling me?", she asked while drying her hair from the towel. Her clothes were a little wet from the water dripping from her hairs. "Ummm............ I just wanted to say that get ready as we have to go somewhere.", he said leaving the room as he felt that Aarzo was feeling a little uneasy. Aarzo just nodded in agreement having no interest in even knowing where he wanted to take her as she was drawn in her thoughts. She just did what he told her to do and got ready to go with him.
So, here is the end of this part. Where is Ali taking her? Will Aarzo forgive Zohaib? When will they break the news about Mr. Minhal to Zohaib's parents? Or will they ever be able to do that? A surprise visit from someone close to Aarzo is coming in the next part. Who can be that person? Keep reading/guessing/suggesting/and yea COMMENTINGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😛
TC.
Edited by ania_91 - 17 years ago
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