Sifar - A Collection Of Desi Short Stories

🍂UNLESS I'M WITH YOU -14🍂

Time do flies, but some particular moments are ephemeral. They tend to slip away faster than the rest like sand slipping through fingers. Though momentary, those hours they spent on the beach were magical for her. Those hours were filled with innumerous happiness, every second was of comfort. As if all the concerns were left behind in the background. She never felt this light in her life, there was no burden waiting for her. 

But then the reality struck, it always come knocking like an uninvited guest. She was the same orphan girl who has a debt on her head, despite the change of the owner, the amount of debt is the same. The struggles which come along, the feeling of shame that she owes money to someone was still intact. The sole of her white sneakers was tattered, her shoelaces were torn, and her pants were faded and ripped on the knee. She has to look after her siblings and ensure their future. All the things were the same, but there is a strange warmth and comfort underneath. Perhaps it was the presence of the man sitting in the driving seat beside her.

His beautiful black eyes were shining as soft slices of the moon in the raven sky. His face was glinting with the red light as she turned her head to see the car stopping at the traffic signal. The thoughts of him and the time she spent with him occupied her that she skipped her surroundings for a while. Her eyes soon flickered to his expensive brown shoe tapping on the surface, he was busy reading the traffic light. As if realising her gaze, he turned to her.

"Looks like today's traffic is worse than usual" He muttered, surmising the reason behind her daze.

"Afaf... What is bothering you?" He snapped his fingers making her jump.

"Jee....Kuch nahi" She shook her head negatively.

"Sure?" He raises his brow, his eyes skimming her face. She hummed positively and turned to the window in order to escape his scanning gaze.

The car soon stopped near the familiar street and he parked it in a corner. Afaf hang her bag on her shoulder and start walking to the deserted alley. She couldn't pinpoint what it was but something was pricking her heart, maybe it was a needle of reality bursting the bubble of fantasy.

"Very bad! You didn't bother to wait for me" He complained catching up with her pace, the key was dangling in his fingers.

"Uhh...Sorry," She mumbled absentmindedly.

"No problem, I will catch up with you every time" He grinned while matching her steps. But soon his eyebrows get furrowed at her silence. He is aware that she does talk less but something is not right. It was her unresponsive nature! She wasn't like this a few hours ago.

Before he can ask her, they reached the wooden door. Amal opens the gate after listening to the knocks. She quickly muttered salaam to both and give way to come inside. Roshail peered at Afaf, he was scared that things soon take a U-turn and she will not allow him to go inside. However, nothing sort of that happen, she replied to Amal's greetings and enter inside without saying anything.

Amal turns her head at the man standing still and said " Roshail Bhai, Are you not going to come inside?"

Roshail smiled at her coming out of his reverie and walked inside. He roams his eyes in every corner but did not find her.

"Appi ko dhoond rahe hai. She is in the washroom " Amal uttered realising his gaze. He awkwardly smiled rubbing his forehead and nodded his head. He shifted his attention toward Anam who was filling colours in her drawing book.

"Hey, How are you doing princess?" He settled on the floor near to her but Anam ignored him.

"What's going on?" He ruffled her hair but she slapped his arm away.