Oh! My Darling Teacher

Chapter#9

Zulqarnain POV:

I rushed to the emergency after asking the receptionist about Hira. She was awake when I reach there. She was staring at the ceiling, with no such thing as tears in her eyes, her face is completely emotionless and if it wasn't for her breathing, she would have been mistaken as a sculpture or a dead person because of her pale face.

Ami, on the other hand, was sitting beside her, holding her hand. I clear my throat to get Ami's attention. Her head snapped towards my direction as she heard and shakes her head in the negative, stopping me from coming forward. I nod in acknowledgement and silently look at her from a distance. The freshness I saw on her face that day is nowhere to be found. But she isn't crying or panicking like a typical person usually do when their only family member dies, leaving them alone. She was calm as she had always sounded on her calls, no matter how serious her father's condition is. Maybe she has prepared herself for this day, but still, her calmness is somewhat scary.

"I need to go. Baba must be waiting for me." Hira said, staring at the ceiling.

What the...

"Beta you should stay here until the doctor discharge you." Ami says, squeezing her hand lightly.
"No, Auntie. I shouldn't let Baba wait anymore. He was in a hurry to go. So, I better send him off quickly too." Her voice wavers for a second before she collects herself again. She is complaining and she is angry at her father for leaving her. Going through the stage where a person gets angry after accepting a loss.

So she isn't in a state of denial...

This thought brings relief.

"I need to go. Tell me where Baba is?" She asks, getting up.

"Beta (child), your neighbours are taking care of everything. You don't have to worry."

"Oh!" She pauses for a minute. "Do you know where my phone is?" She asks, looking at Ami.

"I have it." She returned her phone and said, "An elder neighbour of yours told me that they have contacted your family."

"It doesn't change anything. They won't come" Hira murmur and makes a quick call to a guy named Hassan and if I remember correctly, that guy is her friend.

So she doesn't call her family...

Suddenly I felt a strange irritation when her facial expression relaxed on telling Ami that her friend is coming.

Why didn't she think of me?

I am her friend too...

I wanted to ask her, but it isn't the right time and besides, right now I have to meet that Hassan guy first.

~*~

"I will take care of the funeral arrangements." I say to Hassan, walking outside the waiting area of the hospital. I met Hassan a few minutes ago. He is the same as my height, normal body, and dusty brown hair. All in all, he is an average looking guy, but he has the aura of those simple Pakistani caring men who can be trusted with everything and for some reason, I don't like that.

"No, wait. Let me handle it." He says, coming after me.

"Is there something wrong with me doing it?" I frown.

Why can't I do something for her?

"It's not like that. Actually, I was thinking that if you could take Hira home. I came with a bike so I cannot take her home. Our friend, Saba and a few of her neighbours are already there. I will take care of things here and besides, you don't know her relatives too. It will be problematic if they come here to collect the body." He calmly explained to me everything.