𝐈𝐬𝐡𝐪 𝐤𝐢 𝐃𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐚𝐧~

9• Jealousy.

Assalam o Alaikum.
The ninth chapter is here...
But before you start thank you:
@ShailjaSaini
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For voting on the previous chapter.
And thank you @ShailjaSaini for commenting on the previous chapter.
Enjoy ❤️.

*ੈ𑁍༘⋆ *ੈ𑁍༘⋆ *ੈ𑁍༘⋆ *ੈ𑁍༘⋆ *ੈ𑁍༘⋆ *ੈ𑁍༘⋆ *ੈ𑁍༘⋆ *ੈ𑁍༘⋆ *ੈ𑁍༘⋆ *ੈ𑁍༘⋆

Hala's POV
     The cafeteria buzzed with the animated chatter of students, the air thick with the aroma of coffee and the clatter of trays. Amidst this lively scene, our usual table of friends sat together, but tonight, something palpably different hung in the air. It had been a week since the incident between Ayaan and Hareem, a subtle shift that had quietly altered the dynamics of our relationship.

     Ayaan, usually the anchor of our conversations with his easy smile and thoughtful remarks, now seemed distant and preoccupied. His eyes often drifted towards Hareem and Ibrahim whenever they shared a laugh or engaged in conversation, a subtle longing evident in his gaze. It was as if a veil had descended between us, and he found himself drawn inexplicably towards her, leaving me on the periphery.

     Watching this unfold, I couldn't help but feel a pang of hurt. Ayaan's unintentional neglect stung, his attention now more focused on Hareem than on our longstanding relationship.

     I wrestled with the unsettling thought that perhaps Ayaan's concern for Hareem was more than just friendly care. Could it be that his heart was slowly tilting towards her, his thoughts unknowingly drifting into a realm where I was no longer the center? The fear of losing him to someone else, especially to one who shared his affection, gnawed at me deeply.

     As I sat there, trying to mask my turmoil behind a smile, I hoped fervently that Ayaan's increasing attention towards Hareem was merely a passing phase, a transient concern born out of friendship and nothing more. For I couldn't bear the thought of losing him, not to the blossoming bond between him and Hareem, not when my own feelings for him burned so fiercely and so deeply.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

Hareem's POV
     It was night, and the cool, crisp air of the lawn provided a stark contrast to the turmoil raging inside me. The moon cast a silvery glow over the neatly trimmed grass, the stars twinkling like distant hopes. I strolled aimlessly, trying to calm my restless mind. When I first came to Pakistan, I had hoped for peace, for a chance to be with Ayaan without any obstacles. But destiny, oh destiny, had other plans. It seemed to take perverse pleasure in toying with me, constantly tearing me away from those I loved.

     Every time I dared to dream, destiny's cruel hand intervened. My thoughts wandered back to the first betrayal of this destiny: Ammi, who treated me like a stepdaughter, withholding the maternal love I so desperately craved. Then there was my family, from whom I was torn away at such a tender age. And Abu, who left me alone in this vast, unforgiving world. Now, it was Ayaan—Ayaan, who seemed destined to slip through my fingers just like all the others. Why did this always happen to me? Was I cursed? Was I so undeserving of love and happiness?

     My eyes filled with tears as these thoughts overwhelmed me, but I quickly brushed them away. No, I couldn't afford to be weak. Not now. Not when there was something worth fighting for. I would have Ayaan; I would make him mine, no matter the cost. Pyaar aur jang me sab jaiz hai. In love and war, all is fair. And I would stop at nothing to win this battle.