TURN OF FATE, cl16

43.

CHAPTER FORTY THREE.
ABU DHABI.

"I'm going to kill you if you hang up on me again." Sneha threatened after Dariyah finally picked up her call after the 100th time calling.

"Fine, I won't. Now what do you need? I'm late for work." Dariyah sighed, not interested in talking with anyone.

It had been weeks since her breakup with you-know-who and Dariyah was anything but fine. To the ones who aren't close to her wouldn't see any change in her but the ones who are could find it out in a second. Dariyah was overworking— more than usual. She goes home late. She does this because even though she has made up with her mom that doesn't mean she has forgotten or forgiven her completely.

And with the Ramadan month going on, Dariyah was just not a person you could hold up for longer than a minute. She finds an excuse to escape from the conversation all the time, the fasting having her on an edge.

This worried Layla and the girls. The girls heard the news from the boys. Charles on the other hand, was normal as always but he was hurting too, but he didn't let it show and focused on the things that would make this all go away sooner. Meeting up with someone, secretly, and if not out he'd stay at his home all day. Not meeting any of the boys. Only talking to them during race weekends.

He and Max were almost equal in points in the Championship. Max leading him by only few points. Charles walked away whenever the topic of the girls or her came up. Even Pierre, his best friend was worried for his mate. He knew all about Dariyah from what Charles told him and the other boys.

"Are you okay?"

"You know." Dariyah halted, sighing.

"Yes, Max told me."

"Ofcourse he told you." Dariyah scoffed lightly, the boys and the girls were calling her up continuously as well, but she could never bring herself up to attend the call. Dariyah wouldn't have even picked up Sneha's call if she knew it was her. Dariyah rushed to pick up the call, thinking it was him.

"What happened between you two?" Sneha asked.

"Nothing, absolutely nothing." Dariyah sat on her seat in the bus. Yes, Dariyah's also ignoring Layla which is why she leaves before Layla could pull up at her place to pick her up.

"Are you free this weekend?"

"I don't know—"

"Yes, you are. So, meet me at our spot at 3PM sharp." Sneha interrupted her with a strict tone.

"Fine." Dariyah gave up, knowing it was useless to argue with her.

And then she cut the call and looked out the window. Her eyes blurring when she noticed some stranger wearing a shirt with his face on it. She looked away and plugged in her earphones and played her playlist.

•••

"Hamza, in my office. Now." The stern voice of Layla Connor brought Dariyah out of her focus in work.

Dariyah sighed but still got up and walked towards Layla's office. She nodded her head at Alen when he gave her an encouraging thumbs up.