FEAR OF FONDNESS

Chapter 7 THE PAIN

Shinaya's POV:

After school, even after school practice, I continued practicing basketball in a park near my place. I was determined to lead my team to victory, but this time one more reason to win was added to my list. I wanted to lead Abeera's team with a score that she wouldn't be able to compensate for the loss this time.

 As I continued my practice I heard a group of boys nearby, their smirks and comments directed at me. "Hey, beauty! Want to play basketball?" one of them taunted. Though I recognized him vaguely, I couldn't place where I'd seen him before.

Before I could react, they entered the court, their intentions were clear. "Come on, baby, you don't even know how to play," one of them jeered, advancing towards me. Sensing trouble, I began to move towards the exit, but some of them blocked my way, taunting me further. "What's the hurry?"

With growing tension in the surroundings, I asked them, "What the hell you want?" only to receive lewd remarks in return. I was drenched in fear, I had never encountered this type of situation in my life. 

Suddenly one of them tried to snatch my ball, I refused to back down, instead I hurled the ball  towards him with all my strength and attempted to flee towards the exit. But they were faster, they rushed after me and gripped my arm tightly.

"Let me go! what do you want?" I screamed, trying to free myself.

One of them came near me and started dragging me towards the exit. My sixth sense told me that they were trying to kidnap me. I kicked his knee and then I quickly freed my arm from his grip and then I slapped the boy who was trying to kidnap me. I again tried to run away but he caught me again, but this time with all his strength. He gripped my arm and twisted it behind my back.

"How dare you bitch!" he said grinding his teeth and twisting it even harder.

Pain shot through me as I screamed, begging them to let me go. There were only a few people in the park, some of them tried to stop them but when they saw a glimpse of a gun in one of the boy's hands they didn't dare to come between. and why would they have? I was no one to them. That boy continued to twist my arm until I heard a crack. I cried out in agony. And with a final remark, they left, "Enjoy bitch!". Suddenly, they released me and fled, leaving me shaken and injured. I was yelling and screaming in pain. I busted into tears. The pain was getting unbearable, it felt like  my arm was cutted down.

 After they were gone some people came quickly after they left and helped me out. I called my brother on my phone. He was there in no time. He got me to the doctor. The whole time was a brutal pain I had never experienced before.

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After returning home, my mother rushed to me with tears streaming down her face. She was clearly anxious. Soon, my father also arrived home. My brother Atif, Azaan, and everyone else in the family seemed tense. It was evident that they were deeply concerned about me. And understandably so, because what had happened wasn't something little.

But the tension I felt was other than theirs. The doctor confirmed that my joint had been displaced from its position, and I needed to rest my arm completely for at least two weeks. This news hit me hard. Basketball was my passion, and I was eagerly looking forward to playing in the finals, especially since it was my last chance in school. But now, with this injury, that dream seemed shattered.

A tear rolled down my cheek as I thought about this bitter reality, the reality of not being able to play in finals. "It's okay mera bacha," My father tried to comfort me, patting my head and promising that we would find out who was responsible for what happened. Despite his reassurance, I couldn't shake the heavy feeling weighing on my heart. I didn't have the words to express the emptiness I felt inside.

As I lay on my bed, feeling the weight of what had happened, Maryam called me. I recounted the incident to her, and she was freaked out. She insisted on coming over immediately, but I assured her. I was okay for the moment. She then suggested involving her father, who was a brigadier in the army, to track down those responsible. However, I declined her offer, explaining that my family was already working on it. After that, I received a call from Mahnoor and Aqsa too. She also insisted on visiting, but I also assured her that I was fine.

My mother suggested reporting the incident to the police, but my father disagreed. He believed that involving the police would only complicate matters further without yielding any results. My uncles, who were also MPs and had connections in various departments, assured us that they would take care of finding the culprits themselves, as they couldn't let any chance show their powers.

At last when  I couldn't sleep or find any solution to this problem. I got off my bed and moved towards my window., and sat a side of it looking towards the dark sky, praying, may the finals be extended a week so that I could participate in it.... and I didn't know when I fall asleep resting there.

And Shinaya didn't know that her prayer was going to be accepted too soon by Allah