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For some odd reason, I couldn't find it in me to accept the fact that Ahad would want to kill us. Nobody else knew him like I did and I was sure that there was something imprecise. I was determined to find out. I contacted Ahmed bhai the moment I came to my friend's apartment. He treated me like his own sister and he was ready to succour me at once. Ahmed bhai was very understanding. He told me he was glad that I seeked his help. He said that he himself would look into the matter.

But my mind was restless and edgy all the time. I wanted answers.

My friend's apartment was colossal. It was a two store building. She had given me a room in the first floor for a few days while she herself lived in another room on the same floor. I was sitting near the window watching the sky. I wasn't really philosophical but wasn't the sky really beautiful and alluring at night? It was a full moon and my room was silvered and transformed by the light of the moon, which at full, hung like a great luminous pearl on the radiant breast of heaven.

I wanted to get into a car and drive until I found what I was looking for, Maybe a part of me wanted to find it's impetus or maybe a new start or maybe it's just a sky with unclouded stars but there was also this part of me who knew that I couldn't walk much without having Humza beside of me.

My thoughts were abated soon because I began to have a nagging feeling in the back of my mind. A feeling you get when someone is staring at you. I was being watched. I turned my gaze to the road which was visible from my room, searching for any source but there were none. It was late and it was but obvious that nobody would be out there. There were cars parked in front of the building but nobody was in there, at least I thought so.

Deep down I was petrified, and so I pulled the curtains and went back to bed. With teary eyes I managed to sleep for about 2 hours.

"Assalamo alaikum warehmatullahi wabaraka tuh." I turned to my right and then to my left while repeating the same.

I passed my hands over my face and ended my fajir prayer. I was late for fajir today. Folding my prayer mat, I placed it on the table.

I had asked Nabiha to pack my clothes and sent it through Huzaifa. Despite the many fits thrown by her, She finally understood that I needed space.

I Had always heard that sleepless nights were for either lovers or loners. I was the loner here. It had been two days since the whole episode at Starbucks had happened and there was still no sight of Humza. He always let me go so deftly as if I meant nothing. The recent happenings had completely shaken my reliance.

The morning when ammi called me, she had asked me to meet her. When I met her, she was already nervous, timid and trepidatious. I wouldn't say I was hurt when I came to know about the accident. I just didn't know how I felt about it. I thought a lot and finally concluded that it wasn't his gaffe, he was already dealing with culpability and I didn't want to increase his agony. I loved him.

What hurted me the most was him not trusting me. He didn't even want to clear it. He was about to abandon me. It was that easy for him to discard me from his life. May be I was exaggerating but I was distraught. So many lies and that too from the people I trusted the most.

Humza had said he wouldn't survive a day without seeing me. Liar!

He never even tried to find me or call me and I was already feeling the void.

"Anaabiya, I am going for a bath. Please could you see if my black top is still wet." Fatima, my colleague requested. "Sure." I set aside the news paper that I was reading and ambled towards her balcony.

Her black top had an oil stain and she only seen it half an hour ago. It was a sunny day and so she hoped that it would dry soon. I picked up the top which was hanging on a rope. It was still slightly wet and slightly shrivelled as well.

"It's still wet." I shouted so that my voice was audible to her as she was inside. "Okay then leave it. I'll wear something else." She yelled back. I again placed it back on the rope and began to move in. I could feel someone's eyes on me and so I paused and looked around, hoping to see who was actually spying on me. That's when my eyes met the most captivating and beguiling pair of hazel eyes.

My eyes were literally popping out of it's socket. Humza gave me a half smile but that's not what appalled me. His attire, he was wearing the traditional white kurta paijama and a grey watch adorned his wrist. His arms were folded to his chest and his back rested to the bonnet of his car. He looked extremely handsome and for a second there I forgot everything. "Assalamo alaikum." He shouted and I looked at him as if he had grown a second head. His voice was clear since it was only a two store building.

"What are you doing here?" I pushed back the wife side of me and pushed forth the feminism in me. "Reply to my salam first." He was grinning. Something about him had changed. He seemed happy.

"Walaikum assalam." I rolled back my eyes. "Good. Well I came here to take you back home. I think two days were enough to punish and torture me." He answered.

"Humza this is no film going on in here. You can go back. I'll be back when I want to." I gritted. "I can't. I need you. I want to make amendments."

"You can go back. Give me some time alone." I leaned over the railings.

"That's what I can't do. I can't leave you alone no matter how hard you push me. I know you need me but you wouldn't say." A few of the people passing by laughed at us and I groaned in frustration. "Just go back home Humza." I was tired. "You are my home. I am right here and I am willing to wait." His words were breaking my walls and so I decided to leave.

"Then keep on waiting because I am going in." I began to move back inside.

"Anaabiyaaaaa." He shouted again. I ceased my footsteps and looked back at him. His charming smirk was back. "What? Can't you just stop talking to me." I snarled.

"You look very sexy in the morning." He laughed and I felt heat rushing to my cheeks. Great!

I glared at him and forced myself to walk away without replying. I went back in. I could feel my heart in my throat. Wao! I was already falling for his charms.

"What took you so long?" Fatima asked. "Nothing." I shrugged. "Go get ready then or we'll be late." I looked at the watch and yes, she was right.

It was no surprise that Humza still waited right in front of her apartment. I ignored him because this time he was seated in his car. So now was he going to stalk me everywhere?

We hailed a cab and headed towards the school. I could see that his car was still following us. The moment we reached the school gate, his car stopped and it only started moving once we entered the main door.

I don't know what was wrong with him but it became a regular thing. I often started receiving roses and chocolates from him. To torture me more, he only wore the traditional wear. It became a challenge for me to ignore him.

On one Friday night while returning back from the grocery store, I again saw him outside the apartment. It was too dark but I could recognize him anyhow. This time I decided to talk to him. "Why have you turned into a stalker lately?" I stepped infront of him and waited for him to answer.

"I am not stalking you. I just wanted to be there if you decide to change your mind and come back with me. I just don't want to give you a chance to think twice for you might change your decision then." Warmth seeped into my heart raising a question too. Am I unnecessarily causing repercussions in his life as well?

He cupped my face in his hands and closed the space betwixt us. I didn't protest for I needed him too. I thought he would kiss me on my lips but he kissed my forehead instead. "I love you. I apologize to you for everything. I would never let you go now. See I mend my relation with ALLAH. You were always right about him. I was an idiot." His words held sincerity and now I was in a state of dilemma.

"I.." I was interrupted because of his ringtone. He fetched his phone from his pocket. Huzaifa's name blinked on the screen. He disconnected it. "You were saying." He spoke. "I was.." His ringtone again boomed and he groaned this time. "I need to take this." I nodded my head in understanding. He didn't go away but received it in front of me. His one hand still held mine.

"Yes.." He smiled in assurance at me but his face suddenly changed colors. "What's wrong?" I asked him. "But I already told you to let him go." Humza shouted. He was angry and it was evident. "Okay I am coming." Humza disconnected the call and looked at me with a pained expression.

"I am sorry I have to go." He said plainly.

"What's wrong?" I asked quizzically.

He sucked in a sharp breath before he began "I swear I had asked Huzaifa to let Ahad go but he didn't. Now Ahad has escaped and he is in search of me. He wants to kill me and Huzaifa thinks I am in danger, so he is calling me to one of our safe houses. Don't worry. I am not scared of him. I can deal with it." I felt as though my knees would unbuckle underneath me. Fear and terror jolted my insides but I kept on staring at his face.

"Don't worry I'll be fine." He reassured me and began to move towards his car. "Wait. I'll come along." I sprinted to his side. "No I can't involve you in this. You are important to me. I can't take the risk. Just go back in." His voice a bit authoritative now.

"No. I Just can't leave you alone. I know him Humza. He wouldn't hurt me. Maybe I can make him spill. We need to know what's going on." I spoke hurriedly. "No means no Anaabiya. Just go back in now." He gritted. He kept on looking around as if someone was watching us.

"You want me to forgive you. Take me with you. This is your only chance or I am not coming back ever." I browbeat him and he only glared at me. "You are impossible, woman." He spat before unlocking the car doors. I quickly went to the other side, unlocked the door and quickly seated myself beside him. He was angry but I know I couldn't leave him alone. I pushed the small grocery bag at the backseat as we pulled out of the parking area. My palms were sweating and I was a nervous wreck.

"Don't worry Anaabiya. I wouldn't hurt him no matter what. I have promised ALLAH. No more haram stuffs." He smiled.

My heart beat was really fast and there was an unsettling feeling in the pit of my stomach as if something wrong was about to happen.

We parked near a tree and went in through the pathway that lead to the forest. The grass was slightly wet. It was around 9pm. After walking for about 10 minutes a gazebo came into sight.There was a slightly raised platform which had a shade. It was circular and so we went in. "This was your safe house." I laughed. There was absolutely nothing here other than this gazebo and a pond. "It is sometimes safe." He smiled back. "It's already 9. I should offer my salat here itself." He looked at his watch. "We can offer it when we go back home." I smiled.

"No. What if I die before I can reach home? It's better to offer it now, right?" I couldn't express how happy I was. The change in Humza was so visible. It was true. ALLAH gives hidaayah to whoever he wants. It was my dream to offer a prayer with him. I was beaming because he was finally on the right path. "So let's go turn by turn. You offer first and I'll offer it after you." I was just scared. I didn't want anybody to harm him. He began to laugh. "What's so funny?" I groaned.

"Nothing. Just stop worrying Anaabiya. We are praying. ALLAH will protect us." He had a point though.

On our way here we had informed Huzaifa that even I was coming along. We did our ablution near the pond. He tried calling Huzaifa but his phone was unreachable. We then offered our salat at some distance from each other. It was a dream come true. I thanked ALLAH again and again.

After we were done, we sat on the floor beside each other. "Where is Huzaifa? How long are we supposed to stay here?" Even Humza was frustrated. We had been waiting for quite some time now.

He was resting his head back on the pillar and I rested my head on his shoulder. "You know that I love you right?" I looked up to see his face and he was looking at me lovingly. "I know and I love you too." He lowered his head and this time he captured my lips. It had been so long since I had tasted his lips. We started off slow but within seconds he was almost towering over me, kissing me passionately. I was drowning in his charms when heavy footsteps had us gasping for air. We broke the kiss and I shifted back uncomfortably. My face was slightly flushed.

I looked around to see Huzaifa entering the gazebo but he was not alone, Maliha was with him. "Oh my god Malihaa" I squealed and rushed to her side. I hugged her tightly. It seemed like, it had been forever since I last met her. She didn't say a word and something seemed out of place.

"Alhamdulillah you are finally here. But why did you bring her?" Humza was quite agitated by Maliha's presence. "He's right Maliha. You shouldn't have come. It's not safe for you." I complained as well but her face still remained a devoid of any emotion. Huzaifa walked towards her and slided his arms around her waist. That's when my eyebrows furrowed. "What's going on? Are you guys together?" I couldn't hide the smile that captured my lips. "Yes, we love each other." This time Maliha answered it. Humza seemed to have been scrutinizing them for some unknown reason. "Congratulations. I am really happy for you both but Huzaifa it's not safe for her to come here." I repeated. I was worried for her.

"Well, she requested me. Actually she wanted to see you both die with her own eyes and so I let her come." Huzaifa sniggered but it was a sadist smile. I wasn't even sure if I heard him correctly.

"What the fuck are you saying Huzaifa?" Humza growled and his anger radiated off his eyes as he continued to burn holes in Huzaifa's existence. "Oh well I am just stating the truth. Nothing to be angry about buddy." Huzaifa clasped his hands as if he said the most funniest thing ever. Even Maliha was smiling now. For quite some time I remained puzzled. I was still trying to figure out what was happening when I heard Humza clenching his jaws.

"It was you." Humza gritted out and it all clicked suddenly. "It was always me. You were an idiot to not have noticed it before." He said mockingly. I knew Humza was angry because he began to plunge at Huzaifa only to be stopped by his next locution, "Oh please don't make that mistake now. You see this?" He lifted his grey pistol. My heart started hammering in my chest. Ya Allah no. "I have this. What do you have? Nothing. Now one bullet and your lady will be no more." Humza was at some distance from me and I knew how much he feared for me, for that was the only reason he had stopped himself from plunging at Huzaifa. "You would never even dare." Humza warned and this seemed to have ticked something off.

"Are you trying to challenge me brother?" Huzaifa laughed. By now I was in tears. This side of Huzaifa was causing a havoc in my system. He motioned something to Maliha and she immediately twisted my hand back while holding up a gun against my forehead. My legs began to wobble instantly as a loud cry rippled from my throat. "Don't." Humza warned. "Why are you doing this Huzaifa? And... And Maliha we.. We trusted you." My mind was a wreck and so I stammered.

"It's very simple. We want the power and we want the money. Soon after you two will be gone, the power will be ours. Well technically you did nothing ever. All you did was order me around. I was the one who was supposed to be the mafia boss but you and your father stole it from me. My father was elder to your father. We deserved to rule." Huzaifa's voice was laced with malice and rancour.

"Let her go and we can have a one-on-one." Humza gritted. "No I am not leaving you here." I bellowed.

"You know I would have let her go. I even asked that ex of yours to ask you to stay away from him but you didn't listen. Now you have to face the consequences too." Huzaifa was constantly pacing around like a psychopath. He was profusely sweating but Humza just stood perplexed, right infront of me, as if he still couldn't believe that Huzaifa had this side to him.

"Does this mean that Ahad works for you?" I felt a pang in my chest as I finally pulled the guts to ask him. "Since you two are going to die now. I can tell you everything. I am a one man army. Nobody works for me. I used your brother. I blackmailed him and I was right, that fool chose to go through so much just to save you." My legs were already giving up on me as tears kept on falling incessantly. I was always right. Ahad would never do this to me.

My phone began to ring in my pant pocket and Huzaifa immediately had his attention to it. He pulled out my phone and received it. The phone was on speaker.

"Hello Anaabiya." It was Ahmed's voice. Huzaifa threatened me to reply. "He.. Hello." I answered. "Listen Anaabiya we found out. You were right. It was not Ahad. It was Huzaifa. We have rescued Ahad and We have proof against Huzaifa. Just be careful. I am trying to contact Humza. But I..." Before he could say more Huzaifa disconnected the call and threw away the phone.

"You really took help from him?" He was a bit angry and I could sense why. He knew he couldn't fight Ahmed at all.

"Listen Huzaifa let us go. You can be the mafia king or whatever you want. I was going to leave the mafia world. You can have it. Just don't hurt her or nobody can stop me from hurting you." Humza's voice was sharp and it held a promise. Huzaifa began to scratch his chin thoughtfully.

"Love is a bad thing. Do you know what? It makes people weak and we are mafias, we shouldn't have any weakness at all. You should kill her before she becomes your weakness. Like this." Before I could understand he had already aimed his gun at me and pulled the trigger. "Noooooo." I could hear Humza. I shut my eyes tightly waiting for pain to embrace me but it didn't happen, instead I felt Maliha's hold around me losening before she completely slumped on the floor.

I almost jumped back at the sight before me. There was blood on the floor as her cold body laid frozen on it. I stood there rooted.

"Don't worry. I aimed for her." How heartless could he be? Unshed tears filled my eyes as I blinked them back.