Khaali Raaste

CHAPTER 1

  A Simple Life

AUTHOR'S POV

"Zara, I think someone is following me, like I'm being watched by someone," Ayesha said while sitting on the college ground, her voice low but filled with uncertainty.

"Ayesha, you are just overthinking. No one is following you; you just read that novel yesterday, and it's affecting your mind," Zara tried to reassure her, dismissing her concerns with a wave of her hand.

"Well, you're absolutely right, but do you think I'm so obsessed with that novel that now I'm hallucinating about a stalker? Are you crazy?" Ayesha shot back, her eyebrows raised.

Zara rolled her eyes. "Ayesha, for your kind information, there is only one person here who is crazy, and you know who that is? It's you, Ayesha, the one and only stalker-obsessed psycho," she taunted, her tone laced with a mix of mock anger and amusement.

"Haha, very funny. I know I'm obsessed with stalkers, but that doesn't mean I want to meet one in real life. You know, they're amazing in books, but in reality, they don't respect you, and if they become obsessed, they'll force you and torture you. This feels good only in books; I don't want to face them in my real life, not at all."

Zara chuckled. "Is that it? Then do me a favor and give me that new novel you bought because you don't want..." Zara snatched the novel from Ayesha's hands and started running away without completing her sentence.

"Zara ki bachii, come back, or do you have a death wish? I swear, once I catch you, I will kill you for sure!" Ayesha shouted, chasing after Zara. She was fiercely protective of her books. You could do anything, but touching her books was a no-go.

"But you were saying that you don't want this to happen in real life, so just give up on this novel, or else I'll think that you want an obsessed stalker in your life," Zara yelled over her shoulder as she ran faster.

"No, never! I will not give up on that! I love that book, and it's so expensive! For God's sake, don't turn its pages like that, Zaaaaraaa..." Ayesha shouted, panic in her voice as she worried about the fate of her beloved book. Just then, her words were abruptly cut off as she bumped into what felt like a solid wall.

"What the hell? Where did this wall come from—" she began but stopped short as she realized it wasn't a wall she had crashed into.

"Oh, I'm sorry, kiddo. I was in a rush and didn't see you running," a deep voice said. She looked up to see a tall, muscular man with piercing eyes. However, she didn't soften; instead, she glared at him, frustration written all over her face.

"Are you blind or what? What the hell are you doing in the ground? If you're in a rush, just use the track! What if my head had started to bleed? Actually, are you even human? Because bumping into you felt like hitting some sort of stone wall," Ayesha snapped, her tone filled with annoyance. The man's eyes widened in shock.

"Kiddo, listen, I think you were the one who bumped into me, and..." he tried to explain, but Ayesha cut him off.

"Zara, chalo hum chly, aik toh mera sir tor dia aur agy sa behas kr rhy hain jaisy meri glti ho," Ayesha grabbed Zara's hand and began to walk away, leaving the man standing there, bewildered by her outburst.

["Zara, let's go. First, he nearly broke my head, and now he's arguing as if it's my fault."]

"Ayesha, glti tumhari thi, oski nhi. Why did you make him feel like he was the one who was wrong?" Zara questioned, trying to make Ayesha realize her mistake.

["Ayesha, it was your mistake, not his. Why did you make him feel like he was the one who was wrong?"]

"Zara, shut up! Or do you want me to slap you? And you were the one who was wrong, and give me my book back!" Ayesha fumed, snatching her novel from Zara's hands with a scowl.

"Acha Ayesha, ruk meri baat to sun, kaha ja rhi ha?" Zara called after her as Ayesha stormed toward the main gate.
["Okay, Ayesha, wait! Listen to me. Where are you going?"]