Holding a huge burger in her hand, Shahina wondered how to start eating it. She was already annoyed by Yawar's food choice, burgers were never her favourite. Furthermore, she was expecting something else because Yawar kept saying that he wanted a proper meal to remain energized for driving the whole night.
What is the definition of a proper meal?
She thought for a moment and quickly shrugged it off. Understanding his logic was pointless. On the other hand,Yawar, who kept glancing at her, noticed her reluctance, so he got out of the car to make her feel comfortable. However, he didn't miss the chance to peek inside whenever Shahina was taking a bite. He wanted to laugh out loud after watching her struggling with a burger bigger than the size of her mouth.
It wasn't like he had never observed her before, but right how he realized her delicate features differently.
She has changed…
He thought, remembering the naive little Shahina from the past. Even though they both have grown up now, she was still a fragile girl compared to his strong build.
'You will not break like a glass if I hold you tight, right?' Yawar mumbled to himself and smiled.
He was genuinely happy right now, not just because he was spending time with his favourite person but also because his request to take online classes for his final semester was approved. Therefore, this time, he will be back in a few months. Back to his home, back to Shahina.
~*~
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Yawar's formula of putting the whole blame on him didn't work, and Shahina was scolded by Amma-bi for the first time. But it wasn't only her, Yawar got his share before the guns of her glares turned towards Shahina. However, unlike her, Yawar was fine with her scolding. He even grinned like a stubborn child and hugged Amma-bi before leaving, by which she melted instantly, and on the other side, Shahina ended up sobbing quietly, even though it wasn't her fault.
They reached home nearly at midnight because Yawar wanted to have some ice cream and the shop was located on the other corner of the city. It seemed like he was deliberately wasting time, and Shahina couldn’t stop him. Luckily, Moosa wasn't at home, or his greetings would have been unbearable for both. Perhaps Yawar knew it, and that's why he was carefree about everything.
The next morning, Shahina thanked Allah that Amma-bi wasn’t angry anymore and the source of her problems was not in the house.
Peace for a whole year...
Shahina thought, even knowing that life is full of surprises and a whirlwind of events was about to change her life forever.
~*~
It was like any other day in the college, and Shahina was walking towards the canteen with her one and only friend, Kinza. Due to the sports week held every year, they were given free time to enjoy the matches where teams of other colleges come to participate. The two of them decided to watch the volleyball game after having some snacks.
Listening to her friend’s endless chatter, both of them made their way to the crowd, but before they could find any place to sit, someone called them out from behind. Turning around, they found a woman in her mid-twenties, looking keenly at Shahina. She was a staff member of their own college or a guest from the other side, they didn’t know. However, Shahina was taken aback by her looks, which seemed very familiar to her, yet she was unable to acknowledge it.
“Your name is Shahina, right?” The woman breathed out as if she had been holding her breath for a long time.
Hearing this, Shahina also forgot to breathe, and her face paled instantly. Her condition didn’t go unnoticed by Kinza, and she quickly dragged her away saying, “You are mistaken, excuse us.”
After that, they didn’t stay there and came back to the canteen. Kinza wanted to ask Shahina whether she knew that woman or not but remained silent. Her first responsibility was to inform Owais about the woman who approached Shahina and make sure she didn’t get near her until she received her next orders from him.
Kinza was a distant relative of Owais. She wasn’t a part of the Black Eagles yet, however, she was planning to become one. She got to know about the Black Eagles when she was desperately looking for work. After her father lost his job, she needed to arrange her own education expenses. Owais knew her situation, so he offered her free education and a separate salary for the job of being the eyes and ears of the Black Eagles near Shahina.
She was wary about the nature of this job, but still, she reluctantly accepted it. Kinza wanted financial support, and the Black Eagles were ready to help her. This was how Kinza came to this college and became Shahina's friend.
~*~
After getting the news from Kinza about a suspicious woman approaching Shahina. Owais quickly pulled strings in the college and got an early leave for both Shahina and Kinza. He ordered her to remain in the house until the identity of the woman was confirmed, and the same rule applied to Shahina. However, she wasn't worried about it, as she recognised her elder sister the moment she called out her name.
'Your name is Shahina, right?'
Her voice and her expectant eyes were glued to her mind. All the blurred memories of her family started to surface again, along with the horror of her past.
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