Of Broken Hearts and Tears

Chapter 16

"Maya you are coming with us and it is final." Areesha was saying to Maya but she shook her head again.

"I told you I don't feel well. You guys go." It had been the thousandth time Areesha had told her today to go with them to her parents house but Maya had refused obstinately. She didn't want to make it more awkward with Zayan than it already was. It had been over a month since Uzair was born and Areesha was better too. Every time Zayan came over she just locked herself in her room to avoid him. Now why would she go to his house voluntarily?

"Even Ammi and Baba are going. Why do you want to stay home alone?" Areesha persisted.

"I told you I am sick." Maya snapped at her and Areesha's hopeful expression faltered.

Here she was trying to freshen her by taking her out and she was being so rude.

"Areesha-" She said holding her hand as she started feeling guilty for beong rude. "I'll go if you really want me to."

Areesha smiled at her. "It's fine if you are really are not feeling well. I just thought that you hardly get out of the house these days so you should come with us. We will have fun."

"Yeah I'll go." She said with a slight smile.

"Ok let me go and check up on Uzair. He isn't eating anything."

 Maya smiled after her. She was really blessed to have such a bhabhi. 

She tried not to think of how she had left the hospital. Even her brother had questioned her about that. She was surprised to say the least when he had asked her that over dinner because he was ignoring her these days. It really hurt her to know that her relationship with her brother was deteriorating. 

The only thing she could do about it was to tell him the truth which she couldn't bear to. So she just let it go and hoped that time would heal everything. But in all honesty she doubted that. 

However, time wasn't always the best healer. She was still stuck in the same stage. She was trying to move on but to handle everything alone was the hardest part. She couldn't forget how he had touched no matter how hard she tried.

Even Areesha knew something was up with her and that's why she kept looking for excuses to take her out. Her family was very shocked when she said that she had left her job. The job she was so passionate about. But she couldn't pick herself up and walk in that cabin now as if nothing had happened. So she just gave up. The best she could do was be a coward about it and not get out of her house now.

***

Maya was fiddling with the food as she tried to eat the food without throwing up. They were currently having dinner at Zayan's house. The food was really good but Maya didn't have the appetite to eat anything and she felt like she was going to throw up.

"Maya beta you aren't eating. Try this pasta." Areesha's mother said to her and she looked up from her plate.

"N-no. I'm fine auntie. Thank you." She said politely. Her brother looked at her concerned from beside her but she ignored his gaze and shoved a spoonful of rice in her mouth and swallowed it down without even taking in the taste.

Since they had come she was avoiding Zayan like plague. She had caught his eye once or twice but she quickly looked away.

She spooned another bite in her mouth and chewed it slowly. She hated staying quiet . She had always been a chatter-box who was the soul of such family get-togethers but now she was scared of speaking. She was scared that she was going to blurt it all out to her family. She was scared that her out-spoken attitude wpuld cost her more than it already had. She had suffered too much already due to her own mistakes.