our wounded heartbeat

4-

AUTHOR'S POV

Sakina awoke to the soft glow of the dawn breaking through her window. The golden light filtered gently into her room, and she stretched languidly, still wrapped in the warmth of her blanket. It was five in the morning, a peaceful hour reserved for solace and spirituality. Rising from her bed, she made her way to the small prayer rug occupying a corner of her room. This was her time for Tahajjud, the pre-dawn prayer which held a special place in her heart.

As she knelt down in silent supplication, her thoughts drifted to the day ahead. After offering her prayers, she turned on her phone while her mind was still in a state of calm. One message stood out, a text from an unknown number.

“Good morning!” it read, the words simple yet brightening her early hour.

Ignoring the mystery of the sender, Sakina replied with a brief, “Good morning!” before casting her phone aside. She never liked the idea of mysterious texts; they always came with strings attached. The quiet of the morning beckoned her back to her studies.

She pulled out her textbooks, flipping through the pages filled with math equations and historical dates. As the hours slipped by, she lost herself in the world of academia, knowing she’d have to be sharp for her classes.

Soon after, she prepared for school. She showered, dressed in her crisp uniform, and packed her bag with books and lunch. However, as luck would have it, the inevitable mishap happened her younger brother, Zain, accidentally spilled juice all over her bag just as she was ready to leave. Frantic, she spent precious minutes cleaning up the mess and repacking her belongings.

“Zain!” she cried, exasperated. “Can’t you be a little more careful?”

“Sorry, Sakina aapi! I didn’t mean to!” he replied sheepishly, eyes wide with remorse.

Sakina hastily grabbed her backpack and rushed to the door. However, as she stepped outside, a burst of wind caught her off guard, sending a few loose sheets of paper spiraling into the air.

“Oh no! Not now!” she exclaimed as she franticly chased after her notes, her heart racing. After a mad scramble, she gathered most of her papers, but the clock was unforgiving.

In a desperate attempt to salvage her morning, she sprinted towards her school but realized she wouldn’t make it on time. As she approached the school gate, panic surged within her.

Standing outside, she couldn’t help but think about the punishment awaiting her for arriving late—detention for sure. The prospect made her stomach twist uncomfortably.

Lost in her worries, Sakina looked up and spotted someone familiar, her senior, Kamran. He was leaning casually against the gate, exuding an air of indifference, as if he owned the place. Their eyes met, and she felt a shiver run down her spine not from admiration, but from a long-standing rivalry.

“What are you doing here so late?” Kamran taunted, a smirk plastered on his face.

Sakina took a deep breath to steady herself, “It’s none of your business, Kamran.”

He chuckled, the sound dripping with mockery. “Seems like it is my business when someone like you is late. Teachers will love giving you a talking to.”

“Why do you care?” she snapped, a flash of defiance igniting in her eyes.

“Honestly? I don’t. I just find it amusing.” With that, he pushed himself off the gate and looked up, contemplating a rather audacious act.

“Wait,” Sakina called out in surprise, “What are you doing?”

He was scaling the gate, his athletic frame moving effortlessly over the metal barrier.