Threads of Destiny

Chapter 7

Ibrahim POV

As the car pulled away from the villa, I closed my eyes and leaned back on the seat. All the paint-up emotions came crashing down on me at once.

She thinks I betrayed her and lied to her, but how do I tell her that I was bound by the words I had given to her mother?
How can things always go astray between us? How do I always end up in the same cycle of situations with her?
Where I have to choose between my responsibility to keep the promises I made and stay silent or to choose my love for her and tell the truth that I didn't betray her.

And guess what? Every damn time I have to choose my responsibility and it increases her hatred for me.

Then how is my not telling her the truth protecting her? It's creating more problems among us.

If only I hadn't given that promise then things would not have been like this. Inaya and I should not have to suffer like this.

A lone tear escapes my eye; my head hurts as her words ring in my ears, and the harsh words pierce my heart. The pain is so intense it feels like I can't breathe, the weight on my chest is too heavy to share with anyone.

"Sir ji, Where do you want to go? Please tell me the address," The cab driver asked, looking at me from the rearview mirror. He would have also thought how a pathetic person has sat in his car Today.

"Take me somewhere in any park or Lake where no one can go at this time; I want to be alone for some time; do you know any place like that here?" I asked looking out of the window.

"Yes, sir, I know one place that is nearly thirty minutes away, a very beautiful lake. You will like it."

Thirty minutes later, I found myself sitting on the ground near this beautiful lake. Thanks to the driver who dropped me here.

My phone pinged with a message.

Amir: where are you?

                                 Me: I'll come back in a 
few hours.

Amir:Badi Maa will call you if you're not at the dinner table.

Me: then why are you
there for? Handle it for me.

I silence my phone and put it in my pocket. The view of the lake was beautiful, with soft breezes blowing and the water glowing under the moonlight. The sun had set hours ago, and the night was quiet. It was a peaceful place to sit, but my heart felt the opposite, too troubled to enjoy the calm around me.

As I sat there, my thoughts drifted back to the day the first time I met her. A smile automatically comes to my face thinking about that day. She used to be a crybaby in her childhood and wandered behind me, calling me her best friend. But now she resents me so much. How fast nights change.

⌛ P A S T⌛

20th April, 2007

It was a bright sunny day; I was sitting on the bus beside my best friend Riyaz and talking to him and Taha, my other friend who was sitting behind us. Ismail Bhai, Amir and I go to the same school so they are also on the same bus as me.

Every day, we get off at the bus stop near our house, and then Noori Baji will come to take us back home.

We told them we were now big boys and could travel from the bus stop to home alone but no one listened to us.

As we entered our home, I could hear a loud giggling sound, "Bhai Qirat and Iqra are again playing with each other. Then why do we have to go to school?" I asked holding his uniform from behind, tugging at him to gain his attention.