Yaariyaan

Chapter 11

Hello, how is everyone? Idk if anyone is even here or not but I am back, and hopefully I will complete these stories and bring more stories for you guys.

•••

They have sneaked out many times before. But tonight, it was indeed an emergency.

"And where is Zayyan?" Aniqa asked before climbing the wall of the boys' hostel.

"Lucky of us, he is out partying with his friends..." Aaban soon followed after her and told her.

"And how is Ahil?" She stopped and looked at him with questionable eyes. In return, Aaban could only shake his head.

Silence once again lurked between them as they walked on the grass of the hostel ground.

A siren hooting of owls was coming from somewhere afar as cold wind brushes against them. Shivering, Aniqa pulled her coat closer to her to keep herself warm. It was such an emergency that she forgot to take another shawl or hand gloves. She wasn't even wearing socks or shoes, just normal slippers and now her feet turned ice cold.

Seeing her shivering, Aaban took off his gloves, and passed her.

"Tum har baar gloves kyu bhool jati ho?" Asked Aaban, irritatedly.

It has become one of her habit to forget her gloves every time they are out in night, while Aaban had to pass her his gloves despite being cold himself.

"Itni emergency mein lene aogey toh gloves kissey yaad rehta? Damn, my feet are numb now..." Wearing the gloves, Aniqa told him with a clenched jaw, her teeth were chattering.

Aniqa's face was red as if lacking air, as she dragged herself to the hostel. It seems like hostel is really far right now.

"So..." Aaban wasn't walking as fast as her, he was taking his steps slowly behind her, keeping check if anyone is there or if they get caught.

"Huh?" Aniqa looked behind and asked.

"Why were you telling Emaya about sneaking out?" Walking beside her, he asked.

"Oh, that...." Aniqa looked everywhere but at him.

"She is my roommate na.. And she saw you and me sneaking that's why..."

Their dormitory was indeed very far away, Aniqa thought.

Aaban didn't ask any more questions, as they walked in silence.

• • •

Ahil was packing his stuff when Aniqa and Aaban came there. Adish was silently sitting on his bed.

"Ahil!" Aniqa's loud voice echoed the whole room, making Aaban, who was standing just beside her, cringe.

"You? I told you two not to bother her." Ahil was not surprised to see her, but neither he was pleased.

"What do you mean by not to tell her? I am your friend, I deserve to know..." Aniqa took some huge and steady steps toward him and asked.

"Dheere, Aniqa." Aaban scolded her. "Agar kisi ne sunn liya toh hum sab musibat mein ajayenge."

"Offo, tum toh chup hi raho." She waved her hand to him. "Ahil! Are you okay?" turning to Ahil, she softly asked and placed her hand on his shoulder.

Aaban rolled his eyes and sat beside Adish.

Ahil was busy packing his stuff and nods his head.

"I am sorry." Aniqa whisper, placing her head on his shoulder, she hugged his torso.

"Everything will be okay." Aniqa softly whispered in his chest, in return, Ahil only hugged her tightly.

He needed it, a warm hug. Aaban and Adish both gave him comforting words, and pat his shoulder but both boys didn't hug him (neither Ahil was comfortable with their hugs.) but Aniqa's soft and warm hug comfort him, as if telling him everything will be okay.

"Your father... do you wanna talk about it?" Aniqa mumbles, but Ahil only shook his head negatively.

Adish wasn't looking at them, he knew, if he would, he will burst into tears for Ahil, and crying is the last thing he wanna do.

While Aaban's eyes were on them only, he was sad for Ahil, but for some reason, he didn't like them hugging.

"Mirza, are you ready-" Sir Richard, who was a warden of their hostel, came there, to see if Ahil is packed or not, but seeind Aniqa there made him freeze.

Ahil and Aniqa quickly parted away, as Adish stood up from his bed to explain.

"Sir, actually..." Adish has just started saying but Sir Richard showed his hand up.

"Mirza, your car is waiting for you downstairs, hurry up otherwise you will miss your train." Sternly, he said and left. Ahil was going to his hometown, Lucknow.

"Will he... will he complain about us?" Aniqa asked.

"I told you not to tell her, because of me she will get in trouble now." Ahil complained.

"He won't. If he wanted, he could do that right now. He won't fill any complaint. Ahil, safar mein ja rahe ho tum, yeh sab na socho, aram se jao aur pohoch ke call karna." Adish put his hand on Ahil's shoulder and told him.

Nodding his head, Ahil picked his suitcase from his bed.

"Chalta hoon, tum sab log apna khayal rakhna." He looked at them.

"Tum apna aur aunty ka khayal rakhna." Aaban told him.

Before Ahil could cross the doorway, Aniqa called him, as he turned to her, she once again leaped on him and hugged him tightly.

Adish couldn't stand idle either and went to them, joining the hug. Aaban was looking at them from afar when Ahil stretch his arm out and called him.

ACore Four poured their heart out in that hug, Adish or Aaban didn't care if they don't look man enough as they cry for their friends, Ahil couldn't control his tears anymore as he also cried for losing his father.

•••

Ahil was four years old when his father was jailed.

It was his birthday, all hus friends and relatives were there, his mother cooked his favourite meal and his father bought lots of present for him, the happy Ahil didn't realize when the soulful party turned gloomy when police came there, his four years old mind didn't understand anything, why police was there, why his father's hand was cuffed, his mother was crying, but why? Everyone were just standing there, no one moved an inch when police put his father in police van and left, seeing his father going made Ahil scared as he tried to run after the van, but his uncle hold him.

Four years old Ahil didn't understand anything. But as he grow up, the talk of others reached his ears, he was referred as terrorist son. His father was put in jail for fake charges, his father didn't commit any sin, but somehow all the evidence were against him.

Earlier, his mother used to take him to meet his father, but Sabhi Mirza forbids her after few meetings, he didn't want Ahil's little mind to be affected by all of this. It has been years since Ahil last met his father, he don't know if he is really upset that he lost his father? Because his father wasn't there for him anyways, his death didn't make any changes in Ahil's life. Then why was he crying? Maybe because his father died as a terrorist, which he was not, but the world and his own relatives think of him as a terrorist.

Very few relatives and friends showed up for Sabhi Mirza's funeral.