Broken Birds

Seventeen

Anwar's POV.

Aryan invited me over to his house to hang out.
I know you're probably thinking why I would do that but the right question is 'Why not?'

He's officially my boyfriend now and I broke up with Awwal the night he came over for dinner. I didn't see the point of wasting my precious time with him.

Before then I had to drop off my nephew Aslam, Zubair's first born at Maimuna's house. He kept insisting and his mother finally agreed.

I smile when she opens the door "Hello, here he is. Goodbye" I turn around to leave.
"Adda?"

I huff and turn back, looking at her.
"So you're just going to cut off Fadila and I?"
I shrug acting confused "What do you mean dear sister?" I ask sarcastically "If you have nothing to say I have somewhere I have to be"

"With your sugar daddy?" She spits annoyed.
I couldn't help but laugh "My sugar daddy? Yes, with him. What? Is there something wrong with that?"

She shakes her head "At least pretend to be decent"
I chuckle "So just because you think you married him changes the fact that you also happen to have a sugar daddy? Last time I checked he's 25 years older than you so next time you want to stupidly judge people—dear please look at yourself first" I huff "And I'm your older sister so don't you ever talk to me like that, ever again".

She just stares at me.
"And after that three days take that boy back home yourself. You don't have to show everyone how mannerless you are, don't ever call Zainab to come pick him up again".

::

I lie down on my bed sulking.
Aryan called me last minute and canceled. He apologize and promised to make it up to me but that was yesterday.

I haven't heard from him since then.
His phone is switched off and I realized I know none of his friends. He said it's because he doesn't trust his gender.

Now I'm here hoping and praying my boyfriend didn't just ditch me. If he does I don't know what I'd do.

My eyes tear up just thinking about it.
I can't handle it.
Someone knocks on my door.
"Who is it?" I ask annoyed.

I hear hissing even before the door opens. Sarah enters glaring at me "What is it?"
I huff wiping a tear that escaped my eyes "Aryan hasn't called me"

She walks over worriedly "Seriously? Since when?"
"Around 4pm yesterday"

She hisses again, dragging it out "It hasn't even been 24hrs, dear child why are you overreacting?"
I sit up hugging my pillow "Because it's unlike him, he—he calls all the time, if he doesn't call then he certainly texts but he's been silent".

"Well—he's your boyfriend, you'd know when something seems off"
I nod now weeping.

"Come on. I'm sure it's nothing. Something probably came up, maybe at work or at home"
"And he couldn't text me?"

"Just wait, okay?"
I nod still crying.

::

It's been a month since I last talked to Aryan.
All I think about is him and often I find myself searching for him.

"Aryan Mohammed, he's a 33 year old successful AI engineer with zero to none social skills unless it involves his mother and sisters"

Sometimes I find myself imagining scenarios where we bump into each other and rekindle our relationship—No, he and I are still a couple.

Sometimes I would stare at my phone for hours with hopes that I'd at least receive a text message from him.

Zainab suspected maybe he was married and his wife caught him and a few times I made myself believe that might be the case but what if he's gone? Like what if—he's passed. I scold myself each time I think that but if he did, how would I know?