Too young to love???

Chapter-19

Danial’s POV

As she neared us, I stiffened up a bit. My words replayed in my head and I felt bad for using them. Ashar had even called her his little sister; then why do I feel so insecure about him?

Diverting my gaze I looked at Rehan who was looking at her as well.I cleared my throat to gain his attention. As he turned to look at me, I asked him, ”How come you are here early? And who all accompanied you to the hospital?” I was wishing for Mariam to be absent.

“Dad’s decision, especially after knowing about Ashar. We picked grandpa on our way then came directly here. Mom thought that Sara must be in need of some emotional support”, he replied.

“Assalamu alaikum”, Sara said looking at Rehan as she stood only a foot away.

“Waalekum assalam, how are you doing?”, he asked her. I stole a glance at her, to find her looking tired. She had cleaned herself and so there were no blood stains on her body but her eyes looked cold and distant. They lacked their usual warmth and friendliness. Sometimes I even found her gaze somewhat compelling, as if telling the other person to reveal their secrets or to speak only the truth. Her eyes were the most expressive but she had also mastered the art of hiding her real emotions. Even her eyes could not tell the other person that she was suffering. All she ever allowed anyone to see was the fake happiness that she plastered across her features so well that nobody could see what was underneath it.

“I am fine, I just over-reacted I guess”, she said offering him a small smile. Rehan noticed the apparent coldness in her behavior and so he changed the topic.

“You met mom, yet?”, he asked.

“Yes I just met them; they are in Ashi’s room. I just came to ask whether you’d like to visit him?”, she asked him.

“Of course, which room is he in?”

“211, only two people are allowed at one go, so uncle is waiting outside, you can go in with him”, she explained.

“How come he’s here at the hospital?”, as he questioned her I realized that I didn’t know the reason either. God I can be so ignorant.

“He was kidnapped on his way back to his aunt’s place, the night he came to say goodbye to me. Apparently those people wanted money, they should have just robbed him but they thought by asking for a big ransom from his parents they’ll get more money. Looks like they couldn’t succeed in their attempts”, she said looking slightly relieved.

“Why couldn’t they?”, Rehan asked.

“Ashi gave them his parents number, the one that they use in India, while his family is in New York so they couldn’t get to them. Finally after so many days they got frustrated; they beat him up and left him in the forest here. They thought that no one would come to know of it, they had left him there to die”, she took in a shaky breath as she uttered the last sentence.

And it was then I noticed how vulnerable she actually was. She never lets anyone see this side of her. Why not? I don’t know but whatever the reason, I didn’t care. All I could care about was the fact that she considered herself lonely and I couldn’t even comfort her.

Thankfully mom came at that moment and told Rehan to leave. She hugged her trying to comfort her, saying that everything will be alright. What surprised me was that not even once I saw her crying. It both troubled and annoyed me, simply because she wasn’t acting like a normal teenager. She never did.

After that we went inside, mom forced us to have something, while I ordered a burger. Sara ordered pizza. She told mom that she doesn’t like hospital food. When exactly she had to eat hospital food, I didn’t know. There were a lot of things that I didn’t know about her or I think that I didn’t know anything about her, thanks to her amazing acting skills.