3| Meet Me At The Subway

M E E T   M E   A T   T H E   S U B W A Y

W O R D C O U N T: 2332

Anaabiya's anger blazed like a long-forgotten wildfire. Humza had struck a chord deep within her—one even her usually unflappable aunt failed to ignore. For a brief heartbeat, her aunt's eyes widened in astonishment before she recovered with a wry smile, "Well, that escalated quickly!"

Seething, Anaabiya's voice cut through the charged silence. "If you honestly believe this is the man I'm destined to marry, then I'm more than willing to shatter both his fantasies and yours. I am not dying to get married, certainly not to him. I refuse to be tied to him, and if you're so eager for a suitor, feel free to search one for yourself."

Her aunt's face twisted into an almost theatrical scowl as she snapped, "Oh, my dear, you're as misguided as you are bold! Such an ungrateful, disrespectful child—no wonder even your own sister doesn't want you in the home. And yet, here you are, turning your nose up at a man like Humza. He is the ideal match for you, whether you admit it or not. You should be grateful he left before your razor-sharp words, sharp enough to slice through thin air, could reach him. Frankly, I'm both astonished and relieved he hasn't rejected you outright."

And just like that, as if a switch had been flipped, her aunt smoothed out her frown, replacing it with a pleasant smile, effortlessly slipping back into her well-practiced charm as she acknowledged a passersby with warmth.

But Anaabiya barely noticed. Her vision blurred as hot tears pricked her eyes. Her aunt had struck a nerve—a deep, raw wound she tried so hard to ignore.

Not even her own sister wanted her.

Despite the sting of those words, she swallowed her pain, straightened her shoulders, and wiped her tears before levelling her aunt with an unwavering gaze. "You're right. My sister may not want me. But your son does."

She didn't bother to see the fury that surely painted her aunt's face. Without a second glance, she turned on her heel and strode out of the hall, pushing through the sea of guests and into the garden. Her heart pounded against her ribs, the weight of her emotions threatening to suffocate her. One thing was certain—she never wanted to see Humza again. Ever.

That night, Anaabiya lay restless in bed, tossing and turning as sleep eluded her. Her mind was a tangled mess, replaying the evening's events over and over. She couldn't shake the thought of what Humza must have assumed about her—perhaps he had expected her to be just like the other girls in the hall, utterly dazzled by his presence, hanging onto his every word, ready to fall at his feet.

To be fair, at the first glance, even she had found it impossible not to appreciate his striking features, the effortless confidence he carried. But the moment he had opened his mouth, whatever fleeting admiration she had felt had vanished like smoke in the wind. Arrogance had a way of dulling even the most handsome faces, and Humza, for all his so-called perfection, had proven to be no exception.

For the past few days, there had been no call or communication with Rafiya aunty or his family and Anaabiya had made a point to avoid almost every conversation with her aunt. Meanwhile, her aunt had grown more anxious than ever—especially after Anaabiya had casually suggested that Uzair wanted her in the house.

Anaabiya knew exactly what she was doing when she said those words, but at that moment, her aunt had deserved it. The shift in power had unsettled her, and it was evident in the way she had been on edge ever since.

One morning, as Anaabiya immersed herself in her work at the local school, finding solace in the laughter and curiosity of the children. Their innocent questions and eager smiles provided a welcome distraction from the turmoil in her mind. For a little while, amidst the chalk-dusted air and warm sunlight streaming through the windows, she felt at peace.

However, her peace was short-lived. That afternoon, when she was about to leave the school premises, her phone rang, displaying a private number. Her brows knitted in confusion, but an uneasy feeling settled in her chest as she hesitantly accepted the call.

"Hello?"

She froze. She had only heard that voice once, in a single sentence, yet she recognised it instantly.

Humza.

His voice still carried that same unshaken arrogance, as if the world bent to his will.

Panic surged through her, and without a second thought, she cut the call. Her heart pounded as she stared at the screen, but before she could catch her breath, the phone buzzed again. Her hands trembled. She wanted nothing—absolutely nothing—to do with him.

With a sharp inhale, she switched her phone to silent mode and shoved it deep into her bag, as if that could erase the moment entirely.

"Anaabiya!"

"Anaabiya!" Ahad's voice rang out behind her.

She forced a smile as she turned to face him. Ahad had been her best friend for as long as she could remember—her batchmate from school, the one person who had always stood by her side. It was he who had encouraged her to start working, urging her to create some distance from her aunt's suffocating control. In fact, he had even helped her secure a job at this very school, which his uncle owned. Now, he was not just her confidant but also her colleague.

His eyes studied her intently as he fell into step beside her. "How did it go? Did you say no?" His voice held an unusual urgency, almost as if he was hoping for a specific answer.

Anaabiya avoided his gaze, merely shrugging as she picked up her pace. But Ahad wasn't the kind to be dismissed so easily. He immediately matched her stride, persistence lacing his words. "Anaabiya, come on. Talk to me. What happened?"

She exhaled, her shoulders tensing. "Nothing," she muttered, though it was far from the truth. "My aunt thinks this is the best proposal I could possibly get. She keeps urging me not to delay the decision—says I should marry him as soon as possible because he's wealthy. Apparently, if I do, I won't have to work here anymore to provide for Nabiha. He'll take care of everything."

At that, Ahad faltered slightly, his steps hesitating for the briefest moment before he composed himself. A deep frown settled on his face, but he said nothing right away. Instead, he simply walked beside her, his silence heavy with unspoken thoughts.

As they made their way home—a familiar route they took together every day after school—the sun cast a golden hue over the streets. The heat was warm but not unbearable, and the occasional breeze rustled through the trees that lined the sidewalk. It should have been a peaceful walk, like always. But today, unease crawled up Anaabiya's spine, making her acutely aware of her surroundings.

Something felt... off.

Her fingers twitched as she resisted the urge to reach for her phone, convinced it was still ringing inside her bag. And yet, that wasn't the only thing making her uneasy. A strange sensation prickled at the back of her neck—the unsettling feeling of being watched.

She subtly glanced over her shoulder, scanning the street behind them. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but the feeling remained.

Ahad, ever observant, didn't miss her restlessness. "What's wrong? Are you looking for someone?"

"No!" She responded too quickly, her voice betraying her.

He stopped abruptly and caught her by the elbow, turning her to face him. His dark eyes searched hers, concern evident in his expression. "Anaabiya, tell me now. What's bothering you?"

Her lips parted, but the words wouldn't come. She didn't even know how to explain it. The unwanted proposal, the constant pressure from her aunt, Humza's call and now—this unnerving sense that someone was watching her.

It was all becoming too much.

Anaabiya's grip tightened around the strap of her bag, her pulse unsteady. Ahad's sharp gaze was fixed on her, his concern evident, yet she hesitated. Saying it out loud would make it real, and she wasn't sure she was ready for that.

But the weight in her chest was suffocating.

She exhaled, her voice quieter than she intended. "He called me today."

Ahad's expression hardened in an instant. "Who?"

She didn't need to say his name for Ahad to know, but she did anyway. "Humza."

His posture went rigid. "What did he say?"

Anaabiya let out a humourless laugh, though her stomach churned with unease. "Nothing."

Ahad frowned. "Nothing?"

She nodded, her fingers trembling slightly. "He just said 'hello.' That's it." She swallowed, forcing down the rising wave of emotions. "And I—I panicked. I was so scared and furious at the same time that I just cut the call."

Ahad's jaw clenched, his brows knitting together. "Just 'hello'?"

She scoffed, shaking her head. "That's all he needed to say. He thinks this is already decided. That I belong to him. Like I should be grateful he even acknowledged me."

Ahad's eyes darkened, his entire demeanour shifting.

Anaabiya inhaled sharply, her voice thick with frustration. "You know what he said the first time he met me? When his mother brought him to see me?" She let out a bitter laugh. "He barely even looked at me in the beginning. Just took one long glance and said, 'She will do.' As if I were an object he was selecting. Like I was just good enough to pass—no more, no less."

Ahad cursed under his breath, his fists curling at his sides. "And your aunt still wants you to marry him?"

Anaabiya gave him a tight, bitter smile. "She thinks it's an honour. That I'd be a fool to refuse."

Ahad stopped abruptly, stepping in front of her to block her path. His voice was low, but there was a deadly seriousness to it. "Anaabiya, men like Humza don't ask. They take. He's not looking for a wife—he's claiming ownership."

She swallowed hard, fear clawing at her chest. "I know."

Ahad's gaze flickered around the street, suddenly alert. "And you said you started feeling like you were being watched after the call?"

She nodded slowly, her skin prickling at the mere thought. "Yes. Before today, I never noticed anything. But after I hung up, it felt like someone was following me. Like someone was there. Even now..." Her voice trailed off as she glanced over her shoulder, a shiver crawling down her spine. "I can still feel it."

Ahad's entire stance shifted, his shoulders squared as if preparing for a fight. His voice was firm, unwavering. "You're not walking home alone anymore. If Humza thinks he can just stake his claim like this, he has no idea what's coming."

Anaabiya wanted to believe him. She so desperately wanted to believe that ignoring it would make it go away, that this was just paranoia.

But deep down, she knew better.

This was only the beginning.

"Tell me you at least blocked his number," Ahad said, his concern evident in his voice.

Anaabiya sighed, running a hand through the folds of her hijab. "No, I didn't. I just put my phone on silent and threw it in my bag."

Ahad let out an exasperated breath. "Anaabiya, the first thing you do when someone like him calls is block the number. Why would you leave it open?"

His words made her feel ridiculous. Of course, she should have blocked Humza immediately. Why hadn't she thought of that?

Without wasting another second, she reached into her bag, pulled out her phone, and unlocked it. Her stomach twisted at the sight—seven missed calls and one unread message.

Dread settled in her chest as she hesitated before opening it.

Meet me at the Subway tomorrow at 4 PM. Don't even think about bringing your boyfriend, and don't make the mistake of not showing up. You won't like what happens if you do.

Her fingers curled tightly around the device, rage bubbling beneath her fear.

Arrogant jerk!

He thought he could control her like he controlled everything around himself..

Her jaw clenched, but then something far more unsettling hit her.

He was talking about Ahad. He was assuming Ahad was her boyfriend. In another situation the thought would have made her gag or laugh her heart out even but this was different.

Her breath caught in her throat as realisation crashed down on her—she was being watched.

Heart hammering, she lifted her head, scanning her surroundings frantically. Every stranger, every passing car suddenly felt like a threat. Was he nearby? Had he been lurking in the shadows, waiting for her to read his message?

A wave of unease washed over her.

She was so lost in her own panic that she barely registered Ahad taking the phone from her hand. Without a word, he navigated to the contact, blocked the number, and locked the screen before handing it back to her.

His expression was unreadable, but there was something dark in his eyes.

"You're not going." His voice was calm, but there was no mistaking the warning in it.

Anaabiya's breath caught in her throat as unease settled deep in her chest. If Humza was making a threat this openly, it meant he wasn't just watching—he was confident, unbothered, as if he already knew the outcome.

And that terrified her.

Not just for herself, but for Ahad. Because if Humza saw him as an obstacle, she knew he wouldn't hesitate to remove him.

I know that escalated fast but just so you know, the drama is about to start.

E D I T E D on 29.12.2017