ZaYa OS ~ Mera Humdard ~

She remembered the events of the past twenty-four hours as she stood by the pool. Those harsh words thrown at her which she would never forget. The scratches on her body which constantly reminded her of how unfortunate she was. She didn't deserve to live.

"Forgive me Allah". She said in a low voice, almost a whisper. "Main nahi jaanti yeh sab kaise hua, aur kyun hua. Main nahi jaanti kya sahi hai aur kya galat. Sirf itna jaanti hoon ke main aapki bohat izzat karti thi aur ab aise nahi jee sakti. Aapke saath nahi reh sakti Abu". She had never felt as lonely in her life as she felt today. Not even two years ago, when her mother had committed suicide because at that time she had her father with her. But today, she had no one. She spent her last two years hating her mother for leaving her like this but today for the first time she understood what exactly her mother must have gone through.

There was loud music playing while couples were dancing. Some were drinking; some were flirting while others were making out with no care in the world. He walked around restlessly and admired every person around him, wishing he could be one of them. Why was fate playing such a cruel game? Why was he the unlucky one?

His family was in Bhopal, that's where he lived too. He had come to Mumbai for the first time. He wanted to be alone, away from his family.

He walked to the area where the dancing was going on and tried to dance but his steps wouldn't match with the beat.

Her body was slowly starting to sink now. Her breaths were slurred. Her vision was blurring.

She closed her eyes and held her breath as she silently prayed for Allah to take her.

People were crowded around the pool. They had seen a girl jump into the pool but no one knew that she didn't know how to swim. They were all shouting for help but no one had the courage to dive into the cold water and take her out.

He walked to the bar and requested for a drink. He had never tasted alcohol in his life before but today he wanted to. He wanted to get drunk. He wanted his mind to be at peace. He wanted to get noticed. He wanted someone to come and help him. He wanted to know he wasn't alone.

He took the drink from the bartender and sat down on a chair. As he brought the bottle closer to his mouth to take a sip, the strong smell sickened him. He threw the bottle away from him in frustration and got up. Everyone started looking at him as the glass bottle shattered on the floor. Some were laughing at him now, while others just made a disgusted face at him or gossiped.

He couldn't take the humiliation anymore. He was starting to feel suffocated and needed some fresh air so he walked out towards the pool side.

What he witnessed next was even more disturbing. He knew there was something wrong as soon as he walked out and saw everyone crowded around the pool shouting for help.

"Kya ho raha hai?" he approached one man and asked him.

He could never see anyone hurt or in trouble and after knowing that there was a girl in the pool almost dying, he couldn't control himself. Without a second thought, he took off his shirt and dived into the freezing cold water.

Music could still be heard blaring from inside.

Pal, do pal, ki hi kyun hai zindagi
Iss, pyar, ko hai sadiyaan kaafi nahi
Toh khuda se maang lun
Mohalat main ik nayi
Rehna hai bas yahaan
Ab door tujhse jaana nahi
Jo tu mera humdard hai
Jo tu mera humdard hai
Suhaana har dard hai
Jo tu mera humdard hai

He swam around frantically while he shivered in the cold water. After some time, he could vaguely see a figure sinking under the water. He held his breath as he desperately tried to get under to reach her.

His hand touched her waist as he pulled her towards him with full force. She fell in his lap as her chest collided with his. His heart was starting to beat fast; no one had affected him this way before. He knew at that moment that he had to save her life at any cost. He didn't know what she meant to him; all he knew was that she was an important part of his life. He couldn't see her so helpless.

He checked her pulse with his right hand. As soon as his hand touched her, he felt goosebumps all over his body. He noticed a small smile form on her lips which gave him hope. Her heart was still beating but with every moment her pulse was weakening. He positioned her on his back and swam out of the pool.

Teri muskurahatein hain taaqat meri
Mujhko inhi se ummeed mili
Chaahe kare koi sitam ye jahaan
Inme hi hai sadaa hifaazat meri
Zindagani badi khoobsurat hui
Jannat ab aur kya hogi kahin
Jo tu mera Humdard hai
Jo tu mera Humdard hai
Suhaana har dard hai
Jo tu mera Humdard hai

They were out of the pool now. Some other men tried to help him take care of her but he told them he would manage. He didn't want anyone else touching her. He felt she only belonged to him now.

After reaching his room, he put her in his bed but she was still unmoving. He didn't know what to do to make her stable again. Evan after pressing her stomach and making her vomit out all the water from inside her, she was still not responding to anything. He was starting to panic now. He called the doctor and explained the situation to him.

"If you have taken out all the water from inside her and she still isn't conscious", the doctor informed him, "she must be suffering from hypothermia. It would take me a while to reach there and we don't have that much time. You have to act fast otherwise her condition could get worse".

"I'm ready to do anything doctor. I just need to save her life. Tell me what to do". He was starting to panic now. The doctor thought for a moment and then instructed him, "the first thing you must do is remove all her wet clothes from her body".

"WHAT? How can I do that without her consent? She would never forgive me!" he cried.

"This is the only way to save her life I'm afraid. After removing her clothes, lay your body next to hers. As close as possible. She needs heat from your body". The doctor gave him various instructions and then hung up.

He had no choice now. He knew she would hate him for this but right now his first priority was to get her out of danger. He dried her hair and then wrapped his towel around it as the doctor had instructed.. Next, he covered her body with the blanket as he closed his eyes and slowly peeled off her saree. It was the toughest job he had ever done. Every time his hand came in contact with her skin, he felt a shudder. What was even tougher than that was when he had to take off her under garments too. He bit his lip and somehow managed it.

He then lay his body close to her. Both of them were under the bed covers. He looked at her innocent face, her eyes were still closed but she seemed to be in peace. She looked relaxed.

They lay like that for twenty minutes. He was still lost in her. Then, she suddenly started coughing loudly. She was starting to breathe heavily and her body was shivering again. Her chest heaved up and down as she desperately tried to get air.

He got up swiftly and started to press her stomach. It wasn't helping. He realized that the only option he had now was CPR. It was the only way to save her as the doctor still hadn't arrived.

He was hesitant at first as he slowly brought his face closer to hers. He was just an inch away now. He was still deciding if he should go ahead or not. Her condition was getting unbearable for him.

Their lips were touching. He opened her mouth with his tongue and began breathing inside her. He breathed and breathed for as much as he could, as fast as he could. He didn't realize when her breathing had started to get steady and she had started to respond to his kiss.

He was on top of her now, only the bed covers separated their bodies and they kissed passionately for longer than expected until there was a knock on the door. He quickly pulled back as he realized what he was doing. He got up and walked towards the door while putting his shirt on. He opened the door to see the doctor with a nurse standing next to him.

"How is she doing now?" the doctor inquired.

"I did all the things you asked me to do but she is still not conscious".

"Don't worry; the nurse will take care of her". He walked out of the room with the doctor while the nurse dressed her. The doctor then came in the room and did the necessary treatment to heat her blood back to normal.

"You did a very good job. If you hadn't been with her, she wouldn't have survived until now. Anything could have happened to her. She is out of danger now. Let her rest. She will be conscious by tomorrow morning", the doctor informed him before leaving with the nurse.

He walked to the bed and knelt down beside her. He put his hand on her pulse again and sighed with relief that it was normal. He looked at her face to see her smile again. He knew his touch affected her as much as hers affected him and he knew it was his touch which had brought her back to life. He kissed her forehead as he started humming the song to her again. The song which was meant for them. The song he would never forget.

NEXT MORNING:

She slowly opened her eyes to see a pair of chocolate brown eyes looking at her lovingly. She looked around and then looked back at him again.

"I'm Zain, Zain Abdullah", he said, before she could say anything.

"Aaliya", she replied and then asked, "did you save me?"

"Do you remember what happened?"

"Yes. I jumped into the pool because I wanted to end my life. Why did you save me?"

He looked at her in disbelief.

"How can you be so ungrateful of this life Allah has given you Aaliya? Is duniya mein log ek aur din jeene ke liye tarap rahe hain, aur tum apni jaan de rahi ho? Apni zindagi ki kadar karo!"

"Jeene ki koi waja hi nahi rahi", she told him sadly. She looked at him and saw general concern for her in his eyes. She lowered her eyes again and continued, "I was living a very happy life with Ami and Abu until two years ago when Ami committed suicide. No one knew the reason why she did this. I hated her for ditching me and Abu because I never knew the truth until yesterday. Abu brought a woman home yesterday and told me she is his new wife. I told him no one can take my Ami's place. He told me he doesn't care that my Ami committed suicide because of his affair and if I had a problem I should leave too. My Ami had loved Abu a lot. Now I know she was heartbroken because he loved someone else and she committed suicide because of this woman. For the past two years I was hating my mother and blaming her instead of my Abu!" she was crying now with her face buried in her hands.

He felt sorry for her. He put his arm around her as she buried her face in his chest. He let her cry for as long as she needed.

"This is what I got for going against my Abu", she showed him the bruises on her arms and back.

"You're a very strong girl Aaliya; don't punish yourself for your father's mistakes. Forget everything and start your life from a new beginning. Please don't do something like this again. You're life is very precious. You are special".

"Really?", she asked him as if she needed assurance that she was important. "Then promise me that you will always be with me. Promise me that you will always be here to save me from making these mistakes. Waada karo Zain. Kyunki meri zindagi ab tumhari amanat hai". She looked at him expectantly but was disappointed when she saw him get up from the bed and walk towards the window, facing the other way.

"I'm sorry Aaliya. I can't give you any guarantees on anything. You should learn to take care of yourself. Agli baar yeh bhi ho sakta hai ke tumhe bachaane koi bhi na aaye".

"But why can't we stay together?", she asked in a heavy voice. She could feel her heart breaking into a million pieces. She couldn't afford to lose the only person who cared about her.

"Because my own life is a question mark", he replied dejectedly.

"What do you mean?", she was standing next to him now and saw a tear fall from his eye.

"I have leukaemia. I came here two days ago to see a doctor because I didn't want my family to find out and get upset. The doctors say I don't have much time left to live. Perhaps a year or less", he looked at her with eyes full of pain. She now understood what he meant when he was telling her to appreciate her life and be grateful. She slowly brought her hand towards his face to wipe his tears but he held her hand and pulled her closer to him. He held her tightly as they stood there and cried in each other's arms.

She drew back after a while and looked into his eyes.

AFTER ONE YEAR

"Guess what!", she came running into the office and jumped on him.

"This is an office Aaliya. Control yourself", he said while hiding his smile.

"So what? I'm your wife. Anyway, don't spoil my mood. I came here to give you good news", she spoke in one breath, not waiting for his reply, "You're going to become a daddy in seven months! I am two months pregnant! Come on, leave these files, come with me and select names for our cute baby". She pulled him out of the office while Zain was still trying to comprehend what he had just heard.

Yes, they had gotten married a few weeks after they had met. They got married in Bhopal with his parents' blessings. Aaliya never bothered to contact her father again; she had broken all relations with him. Zain's parents had eventually found out about their son's illness but they knew Aaliya was there to take care of him. Zain and Aaliya had decided to settle in Mumbai as that's where Zain's treatment was going on. His leukaemia still wasn't cured but he had started responding positively to his treatment ever since Aaliya had entered his life. Her love had given him new hope and strength to fight against his disease and he knew that as long as she was with him, he had a reason to live.

-----THE END-----

I was originally planning to have a tragic ending but then changed ti at the last minute because I wanted to give the message to not lose hope, while keeping it realistic at the same time. Bad times don't last forever, as long as you have faith, hope and willpower, you will through it!

Likes? Comments? Criticisms? (: