Unexpected Promises

Chapter 74

Atifa's pov: 

Numb; it's all that I felt. Darkness surrounded me from all the sides. And I couldn't feel any of my limbs, just a beeping sound could be heard, which irritated me. Was everything alright? Why couldn't I see anything, or open my eyes? 

As I forced myself to open my eyes, bright lights blinded me, forcing me to squeeze my eyes shut again. A searing pain pierced through my head before spreading out to my body, making me groan. 

When I tried to lift my right hand, a searing pain shot through my shoulder, making me wince and keep my hand back on the bed. 

Lifting my left hand, I rubbed my forehead, feeling numb, hurt and thirsty, all at once. What happened? Where was I? And why was my body paining? All these questions roamed around my mind as I tried to remember what happened the last time I was fine. Or how did I even land here? It didn't look like my room at all. 

Squinting my eyes, I looked around, trying to recognise this place and find water. The white and grey walls stared back at me with a few machines here and there, making me confused. Trying to sit up, a groan left my lips and I winced, just noticing my right shoulder. It was barely covered with a blue hospital gown and a white bandage could be seen, which was stained by blood. 

Staring at it in confusion, I tried to recall how I managed to get hurt, and that too on my shoulder. 

"You are up!" Looking up at the familiar voice, I noticed Saad standing by the door, looking at me, a relieved look on his face. When… when did he come? And why couldn't I remember- Oh!... 

Th- that gun… The bullet… Ammi… 

Just as realisation hit me, a shudder ran through my body, just thinking about what could have happened if I hadn't come in between them. 

Closing my eyes, I looked away from him. Thank God that he was alright. Alhamdulillah! I- I didn't even know what I would have done if something would have happened to him. But he was standing here, in front of me, so he was okay. Alhamdulillah that he was okay. 

And oh God, where was ammi? Was- was she- She was alright, right? Why wasn't she here? I- The- no one took her anywhere, right? Then where was she? And Amira? She was fine too, right? Then where were they?! 

"W- where is ammi?" Turning to look back at him, I croaked out, my throat parched as tears obscured my vision. 

"She's here. Don't worry about her. How are you feeling now?" Rushing to my side, he replied gently, making me realise about my barely covered shoulder. Quickly trying to cover it with the blanket, I looked around. 

"Water." I croaked out, looking back at him. 

"Y- yeah, here you go." Grabbing a glass of water from the bedside table hastily, he handed it to, the knuckles of his hands turning white because of the intensity by which he was holding it. Taking the glass from him by my left hand, I gulped it down, finding the coolness of water soothing. 

"Aaram se." I heard him murmur, just realising that he was holding my head from the back to support it while holding the glass of water too. Looking at him from the corner of my eye, I moved the glass down, away from my lips and kept my head back down, on the pillow. 

(Slowly.) 

"Jazak Allahu Khairan." Feeling embarrassed, I murmured while looking away and leaving the glass. "Where is Mira?" Furrowing my brows, I inquired while trying to change the topic. 

"She's sleeping." Keeping the glass back at its place and sitting down on the chair by the bed, he replied while pointing behind him with his thumb. Following his trail, I noticed her curled up in a ball and sleeping on the sofa with a frown etched on her face. "She was waiting for you to wake up, but when you didn't for a while, I asked her to sleep. She wouldn't even eat anything so I had to make her sleep." Looking down and playing with his finger tips, he explained while shrugging his shoulders in the end.