Sitting in his home office, Ahad recalls the day when he puts the proposal before Moosa.
Yes, it was Ahad's idea to take students from Shareefabad for their work - the easiest way to gain their obedience.
Following his plan, Black Eagles have spent heavy funds on building an educational institute in Shareefabad and with help of Nats' sources in Ministry of Education, they even managed to transfer the kids of Black Eagles members into these institutes. But it wasn't enough. Those kids were put into isolation by transferring here. So, they spend more money in this area. Providing enough facilities in Shareefabad so no student would go outside the area for studies. It not only helps their gang to keep an eye on the youngsters' activities to assure that they are not being used by the enemies, as well as helps the gang in choosing the people they want.
But to Ahad, it was something personal too. Not only does he want protection for his little brother Ayan who is a few months younger than Kanwal, but to also keep watch on Kanwal. To keep her away from other boys and from the reach of the gang's enemies, which he did. They hired staffs in Kanwal's college, made sure that no one could approach her. Ahad thought of everything carefully before doing it, so his family wouldn't be ashamed of him, more than they are on his joining of Black Eagles. It's not that he wasn't able to anticipate how his family would react to it, but he never thought that Kanwal would reject him.
The person he loves more than himself rejected him just because he joined the gang?
The thought was maddening.
Was this the extent of her love? How could she pass her judgment so easily about me without giving me a chance to explain myself? Is this even love?
Did she ever love me? Or was it just a crush?
A simple liking, which died down with time?
Ahad kept asking himself these questions the whole ride back home and now, it just suddenly hit him, giving halt to his every assumption.
A few minutes passed, he kept staring into space. Taking in small smokes from the cigarette, his mind replayed the whole conversation with Kanwal. Her choice of words, the tone of voice, body language, he recalled it all, along with the feeling she gave him.
When his cigarette ends, he ran a hand through his slightly curly dark hair and exhaled a deep breath, letting out all of his frustration with it.
"You shouldn't have done that, Kanwal....." Ahad mumbles, looking at the ceiling.
One thing is clear in his mind - he is not going to give up on her. Whether Kanwal likes him or not, she will become a part of his life. And now, when Ahad has Kanwal's decision, it is his time to make his own.
He grabbed his phone and makes a call to a man named Hasseb, who is working as his right-hand man here.
"Find where Moosa is and arrange a meeting with him as soon as possible. And also, make preparation. I am going back." Without hearing his response, Ahad hung up and throws his phone on the sofa beside him, before getting up.
Striding towards his kitchen for dinner, Ahad glanced at the garden he specially ordered to be prepared for Kanwal. His anger resurfaced and he quickly averted his gaze.
I will get you, Kanwal. No more playing Mr. Nice guy...
~*~
"What could have Ahad done to her? ... What did he say to her?" Mahnoor said to herself while lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling.
She reached out for the stuffed bear which she got from Kanwal on her tenth birthday, "Do you have any idea, Mr Bear?" Mahnoor asked the bear, holding its both hands and stares into his artificial eyes.
"Yes,...I am worried about her too." She said to the bear and hugged it tightly.
It's already past three a.m., but sleep is far away from her eyes. She couldn't sleep, nor function normally after returning from the Basant festival. Her mind is cluttered, she hasn't changed and is still donning the same dupatta she wore earlier.
Kanwal's painful expression lingers in her mind.
Mahnoor knows it's foolish to be talking to a stuffed bear, but she needs someone to confide in, so she told everything to the bear. How she found Kanwal standing alone staring into space and before she could ask her anything, Hammad called for them to come back. Of course, they cannot talk about it in Alina's or Hammad's presence.
"You know Mr Bear, all this tension is making me hungry." She said, separating the bear from herself, "I'm going to rob the fridge. Would you like something too?" She asks as she placed it on the side and heads for the kitchen.
As she opens the refrigerator, her eyes landed on a bowl filled with Rus Malai and an ear to ear grin is spread on her face. Grabbing a small bowl, she puts a small portion of it and grabs the big bowl after putting the small one into the fridge.
Before going to her room, Mahnoor thought about the horrors she will be facing tomorrow morning when her mother gets to know that she ate most of the Ras Malai alone.
"But I left some amount, na!" She would say, justifying herself that she didn't eat the WHOLE bowl alone.
Smiling like an idiot, she went to her room and sat on a chair near the window and study table. Taking each bite, she thanked Allah for giving her such blessing in hunger. Deep in the silence of the night, her attention is caught by a black vehicle going across the road near her house in full speed.
'He would be dead if he doesn't slow down.'
The thought popped up in her mind. It may be a late night and there wouldn't be any cars on the street, but driving this fast on the small streets of the town can be dangerous.
Soon, Mahnoor hears a car screeching sound echoed in the silence of the night.
'He should've listened to me.'
She shrugged and turns her attention back to the bowl in her hand. A few minutes later, when Mahnoor glanced out the window again, she found the same black vehicle parked near her house. She frowned staring at Prado and waited for someone to come out from it or move on, but it never happened and soon, she starts to get an eerie feeling that she is being watched by someone inside the car. Her body shudders at the thought and she abruptly closed the window.
