"That's the thing about pain. It demands to be felt"

― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

"You are leaving me?"

Her voice sounded wounded.

Her eyes flowed with tears and he just looked at her, without love.

"I am Seher, I am leaving for good." And he left, just like that, without even looking at her.

Her hand dances in the air as if one touch and he will be back, one more plea and he will be back in her arms.

And she did, "No wait. Don't leave."

Seher wakes up with a startled. Breath. She repeat as she felt the familiar pain in her heart.

something everyone is quite aware of. The pain of losing someone dear to us, the pain of losing a beautiful friendship, the pain of losing the first love, or the pain of losing family. Every pain is different, so as people dealing with it.

The morning breezes bring hope, rustling shyly to the dancing trees. October is here, slow pace, the fall is near. Autumn is quiet, gradual pace in killing, remembering the pain that people left behind.

People feel differently, some hold too deeply others don't, some bawl their heart out while others chose to be silent, some stay silent other cause the storm. Some pain we all are aware of like failing in a class test, a broken nail, losing a friend or the first breakup while some we have no idea about.

But the worst kind is the one where someone suffers alone.

Being lonely even in a crowded spot, where they have everyone around except the one who is needed, the pain where the cause and the cure are the same.

That's the Pain Seher Mirza carries with confidence as her second skin with the signature smile lingering on her face always.

// Kisi ke intezar mein dil tarsta hain

kisi ke intezar mein dil tadapta hai

kya saza de iss zaleem dil ko

jo apna hokar v kisi bewafa ke liye dharakta hain //

Some say it's painful to wait for someone, some say it's more painful to forget them. But honestly, the worst is not knowing whether to wait or to forget.

Seher Mirza is staying at that point for quite some time. Holding the last bit of hope in her.

But looking at her one can never say that. Always smiling, making everyone happy around her. This twenty-six summers old beauty has suffered enough.

Though she never complained, Rubina Khan, her Ammi is quite aware of her pain, but it's better not to talk about the past.

Seher is the epitome of perfection. Not an orthodox Muslim, but she knows her limit and keeps her head high with dignity intact. Her Maa, Saira raise her to be independent, and now looking at her, to say that Saira feels proud, will be understated.

Seher has those beautiful pairs of light brown eyes with a tinge of orange in them, holding the world in them. For decades Rubina and Saira have been best of friends. When Seher decided, two years back, to shift to Delhi NRC, both of them were shocked but agreed nevertheless.

Seher was born to Saira Atif and Mirza Amir. Mirza Amir, the owner of Amir Groups and a renowned face in the business. Saira herself was a Doctor. But over years, differences arise and it was Seher, then a 12-year-old baby, who asked her parents to get separated.

Saira and Mirza though not officially divorced, but been living separately for the past 12years now. But that never made Seher judge her parents.

Once Saira asked her how she was okay with all these, she replied, "Maa, he and you are really not happy together and keeping the relationship for my shake would be the last thing I wanted you, people, to do, I will stay with you, anyhow he's never home and if he wants to be a part of my life, I'm ready but staying together, I'm not

From that time Saira shifted back to Lucknow, with a 13-years-old Seher. With time Mirza also spent a few months with Seher.

His only child.

He always tried to make it up for Seher but deep down he knew, Seher is far too good to be just his daughter.

If not for the way Saira raise her, Seher would have been just his daughter and not the Seher Mirza who is now crushing the business world under her heels.

When Seher shifted back to Delhi NRC, Mirza wanted her and Rubina to stay somewhere near him around South Delhi but Seher being herself rejected it. Living in this place of Golf Links, she may lack some comfort her father would have given but this place is something she bought from her own salary.

Working in Rizwan Industries was something neither her father nor Mir Mustafa Khan, her bade baba liked much for her. But they didn't have the right to stop her.

Mirza Amir has business all around the east, and always wanted her to join the family business. But knowing her that even little, he never forced her. Whereas Zain Amir, Mirza's nephew and Seher's cousin did. But Seher made him understand her points.

Sometimes she does help Zain with some deals, knowing he will be the next CEO as she already declined the post and Zain have Mirza as his only family left.

In short, life has never been easy on Seher. Maybe without her job and Ruhan Rizwan, it would be more complicated. Maybe she would have, but the only person to whom she could have said all the things we're not there to listen anymore.

The alarm rings at 6 am and without a minute delay, Seher left her bed. She woke up a long ago, sleep and her were not been on good terms for the last few years. By 7 she is ready for office. After making breakfast she takes it to her room, as Rubina had a little fever last night,

"Ammi, breakfast kar ley aur baad Asha ke sath Maa ane wali hai, mujhe late horha aur aj ane m v late hoga toh wait na kare", Rubina smiled and kissed her forehead. Seher left in her cab. Her work is a place she found true peace. The only thing that has not changed over the years is in a negative direction.

Not that Seher is always been this sincere towards her work. Never. Hell, she always wanted to be a Professor. But guess life make you do things you never thought of. Now Seher Mirza is the Finance head but truly, she is the one running the company.

Rubina herself has lost so many things in her life, but seeing Seher holding herself and taking all her responsibility is something she never asked for. But now after knowing Seher, all she knows is that she can't stop because Rubina is the only thing keeping Seher together.

There is nothing in this world soothes her heart more than hearing Seher calling her 'Ammi'. A name she never thought of hearing. The call is so pure that many times she can't believe that Seher is calling her that. The world has given her many things to be grateful for, wealth and name, but along with that pain and taunts too.

Being the Begum of Khan Haweli, she paid a lot more than expected, and hatred is one of those things. But after leaving everything behind and coming to Delhi NRC, settling in this place, she truly feels the home she was looking for.

Rubina even in the late forties is much beautiful, have to be after all without any denial she had been the begum of Khan have for so many years. Surprising settling here was not been a problem for her. She never thought Seher would take her along. But as Seher said,

Ammi, yaha bohot rounak h jahan ki jo hmare liye acha ni hai, kuch yaadien aziz hoti h magar dardnak bhi, hume waha sub shuruwat se shuru krne ka mauka milega, wo hmare liye iss waqt zaruri h, apke bina hum ni jaskte kahi, ap hamari Ammi h, ap chal rhi h hmare saath. Yaha jitna na sahi pr apko khush rakhne ki zimmedari h humari, hum pura nibhayenge"

Not that Seher needed to convince her much, Rubina herself was dying to come out of that place. Not like that place was bad, of course not, in fact, she was in love with that haweli. She was married to the only son of Nawab of the haveli, at 21 became the begum and her husband, the Nawab loved her. They fell in love with each other while studying at Aligarh University, Nawab Ahmed Mir Khan was there for a seminar and lost his heart to a young Rubina of 20 years.

After months when Ahmed Khan came back from London to complete his MD, they got married in the Haweli. Ahmed and Rubina had their best memories which Rubina will always cherish. But not necessarily everything ends on a good note. At some point, life gives you choices and you are bound to choose the wrong side.

It's been a decade almost she lost Ahmed khan, her love, her husband, the legacy of a Nawab ended. That day onwards hell became her life. For the world, she is the Begum but inside she was nothing more than a puppet. Every day she hopes that Allah will look upon her Seher, and her life will again bloom with all the colours

Seher works as a Manger in Rizwan Enterprises, Mir Mustafa khan always wanted her to join Khan Industries, even today the post is empty for her. But Seher being herself rejected that. Staying back in Lucknow was much easier, a vacant post waiting for her, the Haweli, her family, and especially Mir Mustafa Khan, her bade baba. The prior Nawab of the haweli, father-in-law of Rubina. But she was also aware of the prices that Rubina had to pay over the past decades, and she refused. So, she chose to leave. For two years straight now, she had been living in Delhi NRC. Working all the time, at the office or at her place.

Ruhan Rizwan, CEO of Rizwan Enterprises do have a soft corner for Seher for the longest time, MBA from the same college and best friends for years now. But he knows his limits well. He knows his company is completely dependent on this beauty with brains, who have the most beautiful brown orbs with a tiny stroke of orange in them.

He knows that Seher is aware of his feelings but being the gentleman he is, he made it clear that he will never cross his boundaries. For him, falling in love is quite easy, even anyone will fall for Seher, but being able to be a part of her life, her friend, someone she could rely on this city Delhi, and someone she cares about, is certainly something he never wants to lose because of his unrequited love.

So, he did the best thing he thought, staying best friend is a much safer option and everything he wanted.

// Ishq aur dosti mere jahan h

Ishq meri ruh, toh dosti jaan h

Ishq pe fanah kar dun zindagi apni

Magar Dosti pe wo Ishq v qurbaan h //

Without knocking Ruhan enters her cabin and as always found her busy with some file, a phone between her ear and shoulder,

"Listen, make sure the caffeine intake is not than 3 cups a day, I don't care how but please do it. And don't tell me it's me who ask you to do this, he won't like it. Yeah, anything else. Okay, then I will call you next week. Bye."

On completing the call, she turned around," Boliye Ruhan jee apke liya kya kare?"

"Pehle toh yeh btao, Rubina aunty ki tabiyat theek ni ye kyu ni bola? Aur tum aj office kyu ayi tb?"

" Ammi theek h, Maa k ps h waise v. Aur agar main office na aun toh next day jyada kaam mujhe hi krna hoga. Toh behtar hain janab ap help kre meri aur meeting ke liya ready hojaye"

" Oh!! Aj New York wali meeting hai, yaar I hate meetings. Ab 3hrs tak yehi chalega."

" Nautanki chalo yaha se, sabhi dramebaaz yahi kyu hote h!"

" Tum ho na sabka dhayan rakhne ke liye, islia"

" haa wahi toh, ab baatien band kaam zyada"

Three hours of meeting that too with Seher presenting where you are bound to concentrate is really not easy. To say Seher is workaholic won't be wrong. But this deal is something she wants at any cost. Ruhan being himself supported her, though he feels that it's not only about the deal but never asked her anything.

By six in the evening, the office is quite empty, and the sound of continuous typing is evident that Seher has no mood to go back any time soon. Ruhan enters again, this time his jacket off and sleeves rolled.

"Oye, Ghar jaa aj, kal kr lena. Please yaar"

"Ruhan tu chala jaa please, just send the driver for me, mujhe Cab ni milegi raat ko. Aur I have some other work too, so please."

" Okay! Then Bye."

With not so happy smile Ruhan left, he knows what she meant by 'kuch aur kaam'. Even after everything, only Seher Mirza can care for people she shouldn't have.

Meanwhile, it's nearly 9 am in NYC. And Arhan Ahmed is in office. Sulking as his PA doesn't give him his much-needed black coffee. He had already called him twice but till now his coffee is nowhere to be found.

With an irritated sigh, he went to the office next door and found it empty with a phone ringing continuously. Without a waste of time, he picked it up,

"Hello"

but there is no reply from the other end which made him furrow,

"Listen speak up I don't have the day to hold this bloody phone call" before he could say anything else the voice from the other side shook him to the core,

"That you never had I guess, just that you picked up the phone and not Haris, pass him the message that it not less caffeine, it is no caffeine for a month"

//Mohabbat mein doo logo ka qareeb hona zaroori nahi

Doo logo ke beech mohabbat ka hona zaroori hain//