When everything else was falling apart, Shehryar gave Laila the job as his assistant. Now here they are months later in a very symbiotic and platonic relationship until Shehryar's past comes face to face and he swears to destroy everything from his...
❝use āvāz denī ho use vāpas bulānā ho hamesha der kar detā huuñ maiñ kisī ko yaad rakhnā ho kisī ko bhuul jaanā ho hamesha der kar detā huuñ maiñ haqīqat aur thī kuchh us ko jā ke ye batānā ho hamesha der kar detā huuñ maiñ❞
— Muneer Niazi
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Laila roved outside the door in the hallway, Zain had gone in with Inaaya. Her nerves prickled on the sensitive skin of the back of her neck. She shivered in the cold, sterile hospital hallway. Her arms cloaked in goosebumps due to the cool temperature. She only had a faded black shawl around her shoulders and the Penguin Pajama set. Even her feet were bare in slippers. She couldn't stand still partly due to the cold and partly cause of stress. Though her eyes caught the man leaning at the end of the hallway entrance. He was frozen, his eyes filled with something akin to fear. She took a step towards him but he disappeared from the hallway, shaking his head. The clocks ticked as she sat on the unfriendly plastic chairs while texting Malka to keep her informed. Her gaze wandered back and forth between the emergency room and the end of the hallway, waiting for him to return. He didn't even after a long while.
Tightening the shawl around her, she went in his search. He wasn't anywhere in the cafe or the waiting room. Her body went through chills as she walked out on the cold September night. The front was empty except for the guard and a few nurses. Her shoulders sagged in disappointment. He must've left. She turned around to leave but her eyes caught him in the shadows. A silhouette with a burning cigarette in his hands. She could hardly make out the person but it eerily resembled him so she took a leap of faith.
"Ali Sir." She called out.
"Go inside, Rapunzel. It's cold out here." His words were heavy, almost baritone.
"Come with me."
She held out her hand, but he didn't move. Her hand fell to her side in defeat as she walked closer. In the dim light, she found a handful of cigarette butts. All fresh. He held another one between his lips, trying to hold in the smoke for far longer than normal. His eyes had an overcast of a destructive storm and he failed at suppressing that storm with the toxic fumes. She snatched the cigarette from his lips, crushing it under her cold feet.
He lit up another one but Laila took that away too. Not saying a word he pulled out another one and She stared into his eyes daring him to stop her as she crushed that too. The storm in his eyes swirled more and chills ran down her spine. Her hand trembled but she didn't give up. Again and again, until he emptied the packet.
"What's wrong?" Her words were like rustling petals in the night, soft and caressing. "Talk to me. I can see you burning inside. " She looked into those dark eyes that were battling pain and destruction. Like he was trying to float, but despair tied itself to his ankle holding him down, suffocating him. "Talk to me." She whispered, raising her hand she touched his lips with her soft fingers. Her fingers were cold against the warmth left by the cigarette on his lips, as she rubbed the remains of it from his lips. His breathing was hard against her hand. "Talk to me, Shehryar" She breathed his name, daring to look in his eyes. His eyes snapped up and he clasped his hand behind her neck, pulling her closer in within a second.
