BORN ROYAL : sequel of being muslimah

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

AAMIR'S POV :

              "Do you guys hear that?"  I asked turning around to look at them. Again I heard - A distant call for help. 

               "We need to help" I said and my friends shook their heads in agreement. We kept pushing on the twigs and leaves that crossed our way. As we got closer we heard the shouts even more, The voice joint with rushing water.

               "Towards the river" Mark pointed out and we followed the sound of the gushing water. Five minutes later we stood at a river bank. Searching for the person who called for help. Finally we saw a hand peeking through the strong current. The two of us dunk in Mark staying behind.

       Rushing towards the person we grabbed onto the person. I knew that instant it was a woman. If it wasn't to save her life I would never have touched her so inappropriately. The current kept growing stronger. We both pulled her to the bank with great difficulty. How she had drowned was something we could not decipher. 

         We put her on the bank. Her hands all gone numb and limp. Mark Having studied a little about first got to work the very instant. I took out my jacket I was wearing and draped it on her. I didn't want to have any haram thoughts looking at her drenched state.

               Whatever Mark was doing must have helped coz she soon started to cough the water which she had swallowed out. Mark helped her to sit straight and rubbed her back.

We camped near the river bank that night. Creating a bon fire. We all slept on our camping beds beside the fire as the lady lay peacefully inside the tent.

          She was too shaken to talk. Questions kept running inside my head.

Who was she? How had she drowned? How would we find her companions and hand her to them? 

           Our quest had taken a completely different direction. We were leaving to South America tomorrow what were we to do with this woman? Hand her over to the officials? Take her along? Leave her behind? What were we to do?

               Sighing I turned around slowly drifting off to sleep as my eyes became heavier and heavier. Only to be awoken at six a.m in the morning to the shouts of the very woman who had worried me all night. 

             Running towards the direction I found her back towards me. I went closer to find out what it was that had made her scream.

   

           A lost Gemsbok stood their all alone staring right at the woman. It must have gine astray since they always travelled in a group of fifteen or twenty. The gazelle was pretty much a harmless creature unless it was with it's companions. 

            Interacting with her was a completely different thing. I didn't know how to communicate with her. I couldn't hold her hand and drag her to camp. I stood their for a while hoping she would somehow notice me. She did and she let out a shreik  again. I wanted to mentally slap myself. The Gemsbok ran away. I really wanted to take it's picture.

        Sighing I told her to follow me and we reached camp. The two of them were awake now making something to satisfy our hunger with.

I settled down a few feet away from her as she sat cross legged in front of me. I tried to look anywhere but  at her. She still hadn't told us how she had drowned. 

           My friends sat besides me as we waited for her to speak. Mark being the most curious finally spoke. Asking her how she had drowned. She shook her head - She didn't know.

Who was she with -  "Friends" Was all she said.

Where she wanted us to drop her - "Anywhere but with them" Was her answer.

        Her answers were like riddles. Not explaining yet telling a story of their own. What were we to do now?

"Where are you from?" I finally questioned.

"South America" She finally answered. I beckoned my friends and we huddled together deciding what to do. Our next destination - South America. Problem solved. We would simply drop her at her home.

         I was curious about her. How could her friends have left her to drown? There was definitely a different side of a story to hers. Her eyes spoke a different story. Sadness and loss being the most dominant. What was it to me- She was just a person we were helping. Let her keep the story to herself.

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AMAAN'S POV :

                 Like the past few months I pushed the wad of money into the girl's post box. Feeling content with myself. I silently walked down the lane when a voice behind me ordered me to stop. I froze on my tracks. Had she found out? I wore my  hoodie covering a dominant part of my face. 'God, Please don't let her recognize me.'

          "You!" She gasped her fingers covering her slightly parted lips.

          "You are the sales guy from the perfume shop."

           I pinned my lips together. Looking at the floor.

          "But Why?" She said still looking at me in awe.

          "I wanted to help."  I said as I turned away from her and took quick steps away from her afraid she would return back the money. 

           "Wait!" She whispered.I was already twenty feet away from her and I sped away.

             Jasmine- That's what her name was. The girl with the hijab and the radiant face - Character as clean as the snow and heart- Brighter than gold.

          Jasmine- The girl who spent her Sunday's playing with the orphans. The girl who helps the blind reach their destination.

Jasmine- The girl who helps everyone not thinking twice about herself.

Jasmine- The girl I was head over heels in love with.

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