Dua-e-Khair

Sahil (8)

10 Years Ago:

Lahore, Pakistan

"You're lying right?"

"Saba if you're joking toh please yeh mazak ka time nahi hai" Ahil expressed.

"Ahil.... I am not joking... Mein wakai ja rahi houn" Saba said softly.

He looked into her eyes this time, hoping for her to say that it was all a joke, that she was just messing with him and all of this wasn't actually true.

"I know it's sudden for you.... And I am sorry too.... But it's for the best" She explained.

"Best?.... For who?.... Clearly not for me" Ahil seemed quite pissed.

Saba stared at him with a sadistic look on her face, she didn't want to lose her composure at any cost.

The surroundings became unbreathable for Ahil. The walk that he thought might be comforting for him, turned to be the most painful one he ever imagined. Taking few deep breaths he continued:

"Tum ny mujhe pehle kiyoun nahi bataya.... All this time you knew what was going to happen yet you choose silence instead.... Can I ask why?.... Yah yeh janany ki bhi aukat nahi hai meri?"

"Aise baat nahi hai Ahil.... I had to leave sooner or later.... I just couldn't bring myself to tell you the truth.... Yeh sab meri sooch sy zaida bura turn out howa hai.... And I am seriously sorry for all of this" She replied.

"Tumhein mere sy itna bara jhoot bolny ki zaroorat nahi thi.... You never lied to me yet you did anyway.... And now you just exploded to my face that you're leaving tomorrow.... I mean that's insane.... Didn't see that coming" He laughed mockingly.

"Ahil you're over reacting..." She said.

"Saba mein over react nahi kar raha.... I am just shocked.... Not because you're leaving tomorrow but because you lied to my face, all this time you kept this from me just because you didn't have the guts to say so" He blasted.

"Mein maan rahi houn apni ghalati.... I know I messed up" She responded.

The streets grew as quite as they could be. Both stood under the light of the lamp post, unable to comprehend what was going on. The silence was disturbing.

"What now?" Atlast Ahil broke the spell.

"I don't know" She said.

"What do you mean you don't know?" He asked as he faced her.

"Mujhe sirf yeh pata hai keh mein Canada ja rahi houn kal.... Mein kuch aur sochna nahi chahti.... I have too much on my plate right now" She exhaled.

"Am I being too much for you?" Ahil said in the most polite way ever.

"It's not you.... It's this.... It's us.... Or maybe it's me.... I don't know" Saba cried.

"Kia chahti ho?.... Bol do whatever you want to say.... But please don't lie this time" he asked.

Saba held his arm, looked up at him and said:

"I don't think so I can do this anymore.... You know how we both feel about long distancing and stuff.... I just want us to remain friends without one of us getting hurt at the end.... Tum samajh rahay ho na?" She let her thoughts out infront of him.

"You already gave up before even trying.... We can make this workout Saba.... Hamesha toh aise nahi rahein gy na.... Atleast give it a chance" He begged. He wanted to cry out loud, the only woman after his mother that he ever trusted was Saba Lodhi, the feeling of abandonment began to creep inside of him. His heart started to ache. Sometimes, when you love a person too much, the pain of their loss feels as intense as physical pain. And Ahil was about to face this bitter reality.