This chapter is dedicated to @Mahaol for being one of the biggest supporters of this book!

Enjoy!

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S H A H R O Z

He had already texted her to meet him in the library and was waiting in the spot he chose for both of them. He always chose a spot which was sort of private but not too much of that kind.

Minutes had passed and he had skimmed the textbooks, started up the laptop, and sent her a couple of texts which she didn't reply to. Shahroz couldn't help but feel a little insecure about himself.

'Of course she wouldn't come. You're always bugging her and being your lame little self.' A voice in his head said and he wanted to shut his brain down at the moment.

It had been fifteen minutes now and he was getting anxious. The library isn't that far from any of the halls, and he grew worried that something had happened to her. He decided to send her a final text and if she doesn't respond then he'll go search for her.

: Should I come? Where are u?

His fingers tapped against the wooden table impatiently until his phone lit up with a message. He immediately checked it.

: No it's okay. I just got caught up in some stuff. I'm on my way.

He let out a breath of relief once she replied. He didn't realise it but sweat had formed on his forehead while thinking about any harm caused to her. He was glad she was okay.

The door creaked open and his eyes met the green-eyed beauty. He noticed her hijab was slightly dishevelled and her cheeks had a natural flush on them.

And her eyes were slightly red.

"Hey." He voiced softly, yet deeply - a voice he only had for her - and gave a small smile.

"H-hey." She spoke meekly, her tone laced with slight timidness. He noticed she hadn't looked into his eyes and he had to push that pang of hurt away and make sure that she was really okay as she mentioned.

"What took you so long?" He asked and she huffed slightly while sitting, her hands going straight for the book to avoid any further questioning.

"I-I.. ", she paused and took out her pencil, spending extra time in doing that till she thought of an excuse, "Th-the professor c-c-called me."

"Oh." He let out, his voice seeping into the pits of uncertainty as he watched her fidget with the buttons of her own laptop until it started up, her fingers pressing here and there mindlessly. Shahroz's eyebrows creased as he saw her do that.

"Maria." He whispered, loud enough for her to hear. She didn't look at him and continued with doing God-knows-what on her laptop.

"Maria." He said again, this time louder and more impatient. Was she ignoring him? The thought saddened him.

"Are you okay?" He asked worriedly and she gulped, her throat closing in on her. He slowly placed his hand over hers and she flinched before pulling it away swiftly. Pushing away the feeling of rejection from her was getting harder by the second.

"Maria", he voiced breathlessly, not even caring if she looks up at him or not before continuing, "if you don't want to do this then it's fine. We can do it some other day. I'm not forcing you, okay?"

She felt a lump in her throat, causing her unable to speak even though she had opened her mouth once to voice her thoughts but closed it the next second, her eyes not meeting his. Her voice miraculously came back to her the next second and she spoke.

"No it's f-fine." She looked up at him but he was already staring at her. She gulped and his eyes shifted to look at hers - like really look into hers. She felt too exposed, as if he could see right through her soul.

"I already c-came here so let's s-start." She gave a tight-lipped smile and he nodded. If she was going to be as stubborn as usual, then nobody could stop her.

Oh how she wished this day would end as soon as possible.

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Marina was going to explain the last two pages of the chapter when Shahroz's phone started ringing. He checked who the caller was.

Samina.

Why was his mother calling him right now? Without giving a second thought, he cancelled it. He didn't want to talk to his mother right now.

Or ever.

He put his phone away and they resumed their studies, Marina constantly asking him if he understands and Shahroz nodded his head, stealing discreet glances at her in the process.

He noticed how dark and thick her eyelashes were, and how her pupils had that ring of gold around them. But what fascinated him most was how spotless and light her skin was that he wanted to run his finger on her cheek.

But he wouldn't.

"Shahroz." She snapped her fingers in front of his eyes as he shook his head to break himself out of his reverie. He looked up and saw her expression coming out as annoyed.

"We're done." She said as she was about to start packing her stuff but his phone starting ringing again. He checked who the caller was and frowned.

Shaheer.

She was standing right next to him and saw the name on his phone and froze. Her mind told her to take a run for it but her legs weren't cooperating at the moment. Her heart started beating faster and she was afraid the man standing next to her could hear it.

He accepted the call, making sure it wasn't on speaker like last time.

"Hello?" Shahroz asked uneasily and Marina had to stop herself from biting her nails in public.

"Hey, little brother", he noticed Shaheer's tone was different from usual, kind of a little too happy at the moment, "where are you right now?"

"Uhh.. in the library. Why?" He could tell something bad is about to come up. Marina was sweating profusely at the moment but he didn't notice. He was too concentrated at his brother's voice at the moment.

"Ah, just what I thought", he could feel his brother's smirk from the other end before he continued, "is that girlfriend of yours with you?"

Shahroz gritted his teeth before answering, "She is not my girlfriend, and what do you want from her?!" Marina's first tear leaked upon hearing that, followed by more to come. She didn't realise it but she had silently started crying, her hands covering both sides of her face. Even Shahroz didn't notice any of that as he was slightly facing away from her.

Shaheer's voice made way to his ears again, "I don't want anything from her, brother", he paused to let out an evil chuckle, "I just wanted to let you know that me and her were going to have a little make out session, and much more if things wouldn't have stopped in the wrong way."

Shahroz cut the call immediately and stared at the blank screen of his phone, his jaw tightening. His anger reached a level he didn't know it could.

'Why did she not tell me that?', he thought as he closed his eyes tightly, 'Am I not capable of knowing that my brother hurt her?'

He turned around and was about to blow up but what he saw behind him left him shocked.

She was standing behind him, hands on her eyes as she sobbed quietly, his eyes unable to meet hers. She was shaking and her whimpers caused an inch of softness to coat his heart.

But he still needed answers.

"Marina, hey." He started but she shook her head. How could she be so weak? First in front of his brother, and now in front of him?

"Maria?" He asked but she didn't respond. His hand slowly inched towards hers, his intention to remove it from her face but she pushed it away with horror. She felt horrible for being touched.

"Fine", he sighed before continuing, "if you're not going to say anything then I'll ask anyway."

He paused for a while, giving her time until she nodded before continuing.

"Why didn't you tell me that he hurt you?" He asked, his voice oozing out pain and insecurity.

She removed her hands, her face still not looking up at him as she answered.

"I didn't w-want to b-bother you." She shook her head at how pathetic she sounded.

"Hey, look at me." He spoke softly, his voice playing with the chords of her heart.

She looked up and a tear fell, his hand came closer to her face to wipe it but she moved away. The swift movement caused her red wrists to be exposed to him.

"Who did this to you?" He already knew the answer to that but he asked anyway.

"S-shaheer." She whispered and his blood boiled upon hearing his brother's name from her trembling lips.

"I'll give him a piece of my mind." He was about to leave but she pulled the end of his jacket, causing him to turn around.

"D-don't", she looked up at him, their gazes being locked, "he'll hurt you. Please." Her eyes pleaded him and he sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Listen to me", his eyes captured hers in a way which hypnotised her, "you won't bother me if you tell me something that's bothering you. And if it's my brother, then I can beat his ass for you anytime. I'm not doing it right now just because you're stopping me, but I swear I won't go easy on him next time." He smiled and she chuckled softly, his sleeve which he held by his fingers going near her face to wipe the remaining tears, making sure not to let his skin touch her's in the process.

At that moment, he realised how beautiful she was. Her slightly bloodshot eyes, her flushed cheeks, and her nose which was pink made him feel things he never felt before.

He didn't realise it, but he was falling for her.

So slowly that even his own heart hurt.

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