Star Dazed

Chapter Forty: Goodbye Shouldn't Have Had Hurt, If He Was Better In It.

Who said falling in love will be easy,

Who said that there would be no hurdles in my way.

Who said that he will be my savior, my everything,

Guess what, whoever said this, it's a lie.

Because I felt my heart break into tiny pieces.

With his just one comeback.

-Maahirah.

Chapter Forty

Goodbye Shouldn't Have Had Hurt, If He Was Better In It.

(Maahirah)

Once, when I was a kid, I was going through this phase of becoming a detective. It was the most hilarious phase of my life.

I would wear this goggles and a black cape. I'd grab my water gun and in the dead of the night or any time of the day, I'll creep around finding something suspicious or out of place.

Mom, my stepmother, whenever she used to catch me, she used to call me a leech. Just like a leech draws blood out of your skin, by sticking on to the part of your skin. Mom used to say I don't exactly draw blood, but I do something along that line.

I'd push myself to the wall, and move along, using the wall as my support and when I'd be in the corner, I'll raise my gun. Whoever is about to cross my path, will scream in shock, as I'd jump out of my hiding, yelping in victory And, Mom would usually be the victim of this.

And, then Mom, would say that, "Maahirah, you're a leech. A magical leech. You make people's blood go stale with just one yell. Definitely, a magical bug."

I'd laugh it off. But, when this phase passed, I'm sure Mom prayed Nawafal of gratefulness to Allah. Just saying.

Anyways, I know, Mom used it as a metaphor. However, today, I really think that metaphor wasn't really a metaphor. It was more of mock kind of thing. For, right now, Aayan is using the wall as his shield, and making me do it too.

The hallways are lit with this neon-blue fluorescent bulbs, which really doesn't send off our shadows to anyone near the vicinity of the area. But, caution is Aayan's second name, I guess.

I don't use the wall, instead with a very bored expression, I follow him. He notices my gale and glares at me, disapprovingly. Twice. Thrice.

And, I know, I'm testing his patience when for the fifth time just as we round the corner, he stops, pushing me against the wall, he leans over me.

"Listen to me, Maahirah. This is no child's play. Your departure is a secret, get it? One wrong slip up will lead to a lifetime suffering for me." His hot breath fans over my face, making me go weak in my knees. He is not affected though, because he inches closer and presses my shoulder. "You've to follow my lead. Do as I do. Do what I say. I need you to be serious."

I nod, biting my lip. He moves back and the entire world's oxygen returns back to me. I take heavy gulps of air.

Aayan takes a right turn. "Wait." He says.

I peek over from the corner to find him clicking the button for the elevator to come up. When it does, he motions for me to get in. I run quickly and get in through the open door.

He comes in next. Dropping my duffel bag on the floor, he swipes his card on the card swipe thingy. The doors slams shut, at the same time, a keypad protrudes out. Aayan clicks 'Level-1'. And, the lift starts going up.