Let Me Redeem [Completed]

It's you, Haadi Maher!

Three different friend groups, with a few mutual friends in each, had decided to go watch the latest released movie at the cinema together. They were all juniors, twenty people in total. Everyone was supposed to pitch in for the cost, an equal sum, and submit it to Rohina Jawad who would then buy the tickets.

Rohina was the most popular girl of their batch, the hottest and the most scandalous, all three things were interdependent and you could never guess which one rated higher when. During their freshman year, Bilal and Rohina used to be a thing, quickly becoming well renowned in the entire university. Though once they returned after a yearly break, it was a blow to all to see the two of them separated, the reason to which Bilal didn't find the need to tell even after the continuous persistence of Sasha and Leila. Hadi didn't press, Bilal would tell when he was ready, and besides, he didn't really want to know about his best friend's intimate life.

He did suspect though that something embarrassing had to have happened for Bilal to not even lie about it, something Rohina was doing excessively to anyone who'd listen. He'd never cared to, obviously. To avoid any encounter with her whatsoever, Bilal had thrust his share of money to Hadi, and giving way to their indolence the rest four of them too handed theirs to him. After which Bilal left saying he had a class with 'that worthless pile of rotting bat droppings' - poor old Professor Qasim, or MQ, as they called him, M for the signature bushy, curled Moustache that he sported - and he couldn't afford to skip it this late into the semester.

"Will that weasel face be coming too?" Hadi was about to get up to leave when Rafay, who had been quiet for sometime, spoke up.

They were sitting on the third floor staircase a little way from the class they'd be taking in their next slot. While Ma'az was free after that for the rest of the day, Hadi and Sasha had a

combined lecture from a senior professor. Their schedules were almost similar since they were majoring in computer science and computer engineering respectively. Rafay was even less serious about results than Bilal, he rarely attended classes so nobody ever really knew his schedule. It was anybody's guess where he'd be once they were done with English. And as for Leila, she'd be going to the library to complete a pending assignment.

Ma'az raised his eyebrows and looked over his shoulder at Rafay who was sitting at the step behind him beside Leila. "Khadim?"

"Who else." Rafay sneered, sounding bitter as if the name itself tasted sour and the memories that returned with the mention felt acidic in his mind.

Leila gazed at her friend with a mingled expression of reproach and gloom, though chose not to say anything. She was a friend to both and despised the situation that had been created between them over something minor. Being a mutual friend she had been stuck as a runner, trying to reconcile the two idiots and resolve the conflict. Leila was sick of all this and dreaded whatever Rafay would say after this.

"He is, honey." Sasha said softly, putting a hand on his arm.

Rafay clenched his jaw. "Then I won't."

Leila sighed, exasperated. She had been expecting it. Danyal Khadim had been the same the last time she had talked to him. "Please Rafay, don't do that."

"And you know what, you're not going either," Rafay, ignoring Leila's statement. turned to Hadi who had been observing silently. "Hadi, give her money back."

"No! You are not going to decide for me, Rafay. I want both of my friends there, please. Stop this." Leila arched her body to face him. "I've had enough of this."

"Fine. If you wanna go Leila, fine. But don't force me."

"I'll make sure you have seats on opposite ends, just-"