Unexpected Promises

Chapter 31

Saad's pov :

When I woke up the next day, she wasn't there beside me on the bed, nor was she there in the room. Instead, a sleeping Alayna greeted me the first thing in the morning during fajr. She was sleeping beside me in her place. And that was odd. Alayna used to sleep with Amira in her room so what happened suddenly?

I was confused out of my mind but I decided to just do my wudu first and pray. Maybe she was in her ammi's room or downstairs. Maybe Alayna wanted to sleep beside me.

But when I came back from the washroom after doing wudu, the room was still empty. Deciding to go check up on her before praying, I left the room, and only then did I realise how silent it was. The house seemed eerily quiet, maybe because I wasn't used to watching it so quiet. It was usually filled with chatters or giggles. Or at least, it felt homey and warm unlike how it was giving cold vibes at that time.

My footsteps echoed as I made my way to Amira's room first, only to find it empty. Now where did she go? Furrowing my eyebrows, I made my way to ammi's room before knocking on the door a few times. When I didn't get any reply, I twisted the door knob and opened the door slowly, thinking that she might be sleeping for not answering the knocks.

But to my surprise, no one was there too. Maybe shock would be a better word. "Atifa?" Confused and worried, I quickly made my way downstairs while calling her name.

"Atifa!?" Maybe they were all downstairs in the kitchen or the living room. Or maybe in the drawing room or the guest room. Trying to keep myself calm, I checked all the rooms downstairs, hoping to find them, any of them. But to my utter horror, no one was there. In any of the rooms. They seemed as empty as they could look.

The hollowness of the house suddenly seemed too much. Like it would even swallow me up in its depth. And it scared me, the thought of actually losing them all. I never even imagined myself getting so close or attached to them so soon, but now that I think about it, unknowingly I had grown attached to them. And suddenly, life seemed empty and incomplete without them. Shaking my head, I tried to get rid of these thoughts. It wasn't the time to think about all these things.

Ya Allah! What was even happening? Where did they all disappear? Where did they all even go? I desperately hoped that this was some kind of a prank which they were all pulling up on me because I really didn't know what to do if it wasn't.

"Atifa? Amira? Ammi?" I called out as I rushed around in panic, trying to look for them. "Anyone?" I asked loudly, getting frustrated and annoyed. For God's sake, this wasn't funny in any way! I didn't even know what to feel or how to react!

Sighing loudly, I ran my hand through my hair before heading upstairs to pray. Maybe they went for a walk or something and would be back soon. I should just pray and wait for them, I thought. Maybe I was over thinking too much for I knew she wouldn't do anything this reckless. Yes, I could expect something like this from ammi but not from her.

._._._.

I woke up with a jerk due to the continuous ringing of my mobile phone. Scanning my surroundings with a frown, I remembered falling asleep while waiting for them to return. I was still sitting, leaning on the headboard of the bed. My neck and back ached due to the position in which I slept. Alayna was still sleeping beside me, I noticed.

Sitting up straight, I rubbed my neck in hopes of lessening the pain. Sighing, I looked at the source of my disturbance with annoyance. Picking up my phone from the bedside table, I accepted the call. "Assalamualikum."

Suddenly, I noticed something else there. Frowning, I picked it up. Why didn't I notice this before? The person on the line was saying something but I couldn't make it out. My mind was too busy comprehending what I just found.