Licking my lips to hide my smile which is forming when I see her excited face, I turn towards her with my hands tucked inside my pocket.
"Hey hey laugh again for me please" she literally pulls my arm in her hand and swings it from one side to another while poking my arm with a creepy smile playing on her lips so I do as she is requesting. A very childish act to be said but a cute one and that cuteness cannot be ignored well, at least my eyes are not able to ignore it.
"You are well aware that you look like a creep right?" I question her and she reacts faster than I thought by throwing my hand away with a disappointment filled pout.
"I am just dying to see your smile and laugh, which you forgot how to do" she tells me something which I do not think is true, but the fact that she is acting like a greedy girl without hiding it makes me feel special.
I agree that I am not as same as I was before. Well, people change...for good, I guess. But that doesn't mean they are going through some kind of trauma as my little cousin thinks which can clearly be seen with her words and actions.
I do not act the same with her like I used to do before, that was when we were kid, and we change as we grow up. I know she hates me for not sharing everything with her and not sitting with her and having a little chit chat because I am always busy with work but that doesn't change the fact that I still enjoy her company as I did before.
She is fun to be it only at times but mostly I find her annoying.
I know she thinks after my dad's death and mamma's health which is worsening as days are passing by, I have changed but thats not true. I just don't feel like talking much now a days and opening up is something I find it very difficult.
She is totally different because she is and was just like this since she was a kid, she keeps nothing in her mouth, she starts searching for someone to blabber up everything and then sits happily, she is the biggest crack head I have ever seen and I know she is very bold but is too scared to bring her boldness out and that is the only reason I am letting her do this presentation by her own self even though I am planning on helping her as much as I can but indirectly so she does give all the credits to me or others which is the only thing she does when someone gives her any kind of idea.
I look up when I see her stomping towards the couch angrily "Now what's wrong with you?" She does not reply but sits on the far corner of the couch quietly while looking at her bruised elbow.
A sigh escapes my lips as I drag my legs to the sulking girl "Ziah, I am talking to you" it comes out as a growl in irritation rather than a calm tone which I always use on her.
"Who asked you to talk? Go back to your survival for living, your work and ignore me like you always do" her eyes clearly shows that she hates me at the moment and I don't understand what the hell I did.
"Your unbelievable" I shake my head not feeling like pampering this sulking girl because that should be the least of my concern so I turn to walk away but hear her gasping in a 'are you serious' tone but I do not turn back to look at her.
My office is not a mansion it is big but not as big as I cannot hear loud mumbles when there is pin drop silence and that's how I hear Ziah cursing me to better die than live in anger but quickly apologising to Allah and taking it back what she just said by slapping her face and repeating Astaghfirullah multiple time, so I do not die I guess as she just requested few seconds ago to Allah.
I said you she is unbelievable.
Shaking my head I go back to do my work but first I take down the paper work which I will be handling it to Ziah when she leaves since it has all the information which she will be needing for the presentation.
I lift my chin up to take a peek at the girl who is still talking to herself and I try my best to stay glued on my seat and not go and listen to her ramble like I used to do few years back and that's the only reason why she is attached to me more than the other cousins and I know I have no word to say when she yells almost everyday that she hates me because I deserve that for ditching her and ignoring her because at that moment of time in my life I needed nothing but silence and that's how everything changed and I like the changed me rather than the old me even though I know smacks and slippers will be thrown on me if Ziah heard this.
I hug myself while standing near the bus stop with my broken scooter which just now ditched me by saying 'I am sorry but I am breaking up with you and your no fit to be with me' gosh I really felt the heart break when it did not start.
Keeping my tears in the far corner I tap my leg on the ground while chewing my lips nervously, I look straight ahead where there is a mechanical shop but I am too scared to go there cause they all look bulky and scary and there are some frat boys smoking their lungs out and it gives me a really bad vibe, so from the past 20 minutes I am standing in the corner of the bus stand not knowing what to do.
None of the boys standing their looks decent and when I see one guy glancing at me probably caught my judging gaze, I quickly look somewhere else.
I am that person who is not familiar with busses I do not even know which one I should take which will lead me to my home so that's risky, I don't want to end up in some other in familiar area.
Dad for sure will be taking a nap now since its already 8 and mamma will be in the kitchen and she will careless to pick a call while she is in her golden room and my brotherâ let's not talk about him.
Going back to company is useless cause I will be the only one their and I am sure I will hear strange noises of jinn talking so there is no chance I am going back.
The last thing a sensible human will do is book a cab but me being the idiotic person I am I do not roam around with cash in my hand, If I need some money when I am at work I ask Ziyan and other than that there is No use of money so my lazy ass always forgets her wallet in her home.
So the only thing I can do is call my Boss.
I do not think twice but hover my finger over the number which is saved as Ziyan, The boss. My heart thumps against my chest at an unknown reason when I hear the phone ringing.
And soon that familiar calm voice reaches my ears like music "Hello? Ziah?" My name leaving his lips in such a soft way makes me cry cause of the situation I am in facing a mechanical shop where their are boys who are now looking straight at me while talking about something which I can tell is about me and the fresh new heartbreak my scooter gave me with all the drama that happened in the morning because of which my limbs are still paining and all these things leads to one thing that is crying their eyes out but in a closed bathroom.
"Ziah are you there?" I nod gulping my hot tears in as if he can se but clear my throat to speak " umm are you busy?" After a pause he speaks again.
"No I am not and where are you? Did you reach home? Why am I hearing vehicle sound?" I press my lips together at the genuine worry in his tone "IâNo" I stutter but hear him sighing.
"My scooter broke upâI mean my scooter is not working even when the tank is full and I don't know what to do..can you please pick me up if you are free?" I mumble the last part so he does not hear the plead in my voice.
"Where are you exactly now?" I can hear some shuffling and the door being closed shut but I concentrate on the question he asked "I am near the bus stand where there is a mechanic shop but there are some boysâ" when I raise my head up, panic hits me like a stroke and my heart beat raises its speed thinking about the worst when I see the group of frat boys resembling exactly to those street fighters with chains and rings over them as they walk towards me.
"Ziyan! Ziyan! They are coming were should I go?" I can hear him breathing heavily as he rushes hearing me "hey calm down, who are coming? Listen your just few steps away from the office so go their and stay in and do not come out till I come and get you, did you get that?" I nod my head before pulling my bike keys out I rush towards the right which leads to the building were I work.
"Please don't cut the call?" I speak while breathing heavily as I am walking with heavy steps but also hear footsteps nearing, from behind and I do not dare to look back "I am with you, you don't have to be scared, did you reach?" I shake my head as a answer even though he is not able to see but no words are coming out of my mouth, I am so scare that I know if I open my mouth I will be crying like a pathetic girl. "Hey girl!" When I hear a voice from behind I take a peek over my shoulder only to see those thin no muscle boys rushing towards me.
Without thinking twice I grab my abaya up before running towards the lane where I can see from afar the building which is safe for me but I hear them yelling at me to stop.
Finally tears leaves my eyes but the obvious panic voice of Ziyaan calm me a tiny bit cause I know he will come and save me.
Mumbling all the prayers I know I rush towards the building which is closed, I impatiently ask the guard to open who rushes when he sees me. "Ya Allah" a gasp leaves my lips when I see them only few steps away from mine and before the guards could let me in a rough hand grabs me roughly by my wrist and I was yanked forward now standing in the middle of those bad-looking boys who were grinning evilly. I was trembling really bad in fear even though some part of me knew they won't be able to do much but just by staying inches away from them disgusts me and a very bad feeling creeps through my chest.
"Excuse me please leave her" the young guard moves forward to help me and I thank Allah quickly that someone is there to help me but soon my hopes comes down crashing when the guard was pulled in the group.
"Bro just enjoy, she is a nice piece of meat wrapped up completely, don't you want to see what will she look like if she unwrapped?" Everyone cheers at his disgusting sentence as silent tears flow down my cheek and I am doing the thing I hate the most, crying in front of people.
I snap my eyes up at the watchman who quietly takes the money they slipped in his hand while nodding with a grin.
"Listen, if you guys want money then tell me I can give you as much as you want but please leave me" I try my best to not stutter and stand as stiff and as small as I can so they do not bump in to me accidentally.
"Money? That's a piece of cake for us to earn, you can give us something else" I shudder at the possibility of what might ask.
I have watched multiple gymnastics tactics in YouTube to use in such situation but my hands and legs are too numb to even move, my heart is planning to give the grinning guy a kick on his groin but my mind is not functioning and I feel so paralysed that I am not even able to scream.
That is not what I thought will happen if I was ever put in this situation, I thought I will kill them without weapons if they dare to touch me but I don't why I am not able to do anything.
The only thing I know is I am scared, I am so scared that I am not even able to lift my eyes up. I don't how other girls survive at this type of situation but now I know that I am not someone who has a big heart, I am not a bold women I am just week pathetic girl who can't even kick or yell at these disgusting souls.
"Babe You can give us a lap dance, I am sure you will enjoy it" the cheer which reaches my ears disgusts me and when the guard giggles with them is the most betraying thing I have ever felt.
"I can give you one"
That was not me, my head snap when the voice reaches my ears, the voice I was longing to hear.
A sob leave my lips when I see him standing not so far from me looking straight into my eyes with a coldest expression I have ever seen on his face.
I so want to run to him but I am not able and this time its not because my legs our numb but because I know If I take a step forward they will touch me and hold me and I don't want their disgusting hands on me.
I bite my trembling lips, pleading him with my eyes to take me away and his eyes moves from mine and drops on the guard who is smirking proudly and that tells me he is new and he is not aware that he is standing in front of his boss.
"We are not gays here buddy, but you can join us we can share this girl with you" the boy who is the only one speaking utters something that makes Ziyan clench his jaw in anger but he hides it behind a calm demeanour.
"What is your name?" Ziyan takes a step forward with his eyes on the guard who looks confused "huh?"
"You name?" He again asks and he reluctantly replies "Racco" he stutters and Ziyan eyes his new friends from whom one has wrapped his arm around his shoulder.
I hold my hands together just wanting to get out from here.
Ziyan calmly pushes a guy aside but soon his large hand wraps around my wrist as he pulls me towards him and I stop the urge of hugging him tightly when I was close to him. My heart relaxes when his scent reaches my nose and his warmth hugs me mentally, this is all I wanted, someone who I can feel safe with and he is everything that I need now.
"You can have fun but I guess you should do it inside the people hear can break you head for misbehaving with a girl" he speaks as he opens the big doors wide not letting any room for others to speaks since he is dragging me inside with him.
One guy laugh from behind as he walks in "your right, but bro you look more eager than us but let me tell you we got her first so we will be the first to have a taâ" before he could complete his filthy sentence which can leave a scar in my mind just by listening to it Ziyan interrupts so I do not hear those filthy words. "Of course" he nods pulling me in as the guards who were sitting in the corner talking with someone in the phone sits up alarmed.
"Please open the door" Ziyan speaks first so they do not call him boss infront of them, they quickly does as said and we all get inside the quiet building.
"Hey can you close it behind, we don't want them to have a show right?" One guy rushes to close and I hold Ziyan's arm tightly "waitâtheir would be cameras here right? We will get caught bro" I cringe at his words and I was not able to hold back so I turn to wrap my arms around Ziyan's neck as I sob quietly in the crook of his neck. Ziyan doesn't think twice to pull me closer and hug me back. Giving all the warmth I need now.
"Lock the doors now and do not open till I call you and tell you to do it, did you get that?" With his hand moving up and down he speaks to someone in the call and when he hears a loud yes he cuts the call but I can feel the boys who are standing behind are now more alarmed.
He pulls away and wipes my tears with his thumb "Can you stay in the cafe for few minutes sweetheart" he speaks with a smile and when he sees me nodding he takes me in ignoring the yells of the boys who are cursing him with words I have never heard.
He open the small cafeteria door and sets me on the near seat and takes his AirPods out "where is your phone?" I look at him with wide eyes when I see my hands empty "it's okay, use mine for a while and here..." he unwraps my hijab and plugs in the AirPods in my ears carefully "listen to whatever you want till I go and come hmm?" When I give him a nod, he starts a song with high volume and I am not able to hear any yells now but my eyes follow him and I see him straightening up and leaving me. The last thing I see is, his hands going down as he unbuckles his belt and soon his sight disappears behind the door.
And I know what is going to happen now so I grab another chair to rest my legs on them as I concentrate on the lyrics and not what happened with me cause I know if I think I will be sitting in the corner trembling in fear.
*****