DECEPTION

6

The door shook under the weight of Asraar's heavy fists.

"Zaraar! Open the door!" Asraar whisper-yelled.

Zarrar squinted his eyes in the dark, he glanced at the clock on his bedside table blinking neon.

3.33 am.

There was still time for Fajr.

He groaned and buried himself deeper in the warmth of his blankets, willing Asraar to go away.

Several minutes later, the pounding on his door didn't seize, his phone began to vibrate incessantly forcing him out of his bed.

Asraar.

Zaraar cursed him under his breath. Throwing away the blanket wrapped around him, he shuddered with cold as cool air licked his spine.

"Give me a second!" He languidly rose from the bed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He finally dragged his feet to the wooden door and pulled it open.

"What is the mat-" He burst forth but was swiftly interrupted with a hand on his mouth. Zaraar found himself being shoved into his darkroom, fighting against the stronghold of his brother.

"It's me," He heard his brother in his ear and calmed down a bit but Asraar's quiet voice didn't ease his concern, he found himself asking when Asraar removed his hand, "What's happened?"

He saw Saim, he had switched on a single, dim light in the room as Asraar stalked to Zarrar's cupboard.

Asraar threw the first shirt he found at his brother with a dark coloured hoodie, "Get Changed."

Zarrar obliged, silently watching Asraar dump his clothes in his travel bag. It didn't take a genius to figure that in the span of the past few hours, something had gone awry.

Once dressed, he addressed his brother and their right-hand man, "Can someone please tell me what's going on?"

No answer.

With a slight nod of Asraar's head, Saim stole Zaraar's phone from his bedside.

"What Madness is this, Asraar?" Zaraar floundered for words at Asraar's erratic behaviour as he hastily zipped the bag and turned to him.

He grasped Zaraar's arms, "The police is downstairs."

Shock coloured Zaraar's features at the news, "What? Why?"

Asraar spoke quickly, "There is no time to explain. I need you to leave, right now. Saim will accompany you to the airport and you will not return until I say so." Asraar's hand moved to rest on Zaraar's nape, he pulled him closer and pressed their foreheads together.

Saim quietly left the room.

"No, not without you."

"Without me."

"Bhai, tell me what's wrong? What's happened," Zaraar said, pushing away from him. "What have I done?"

"You haven't done anything. It's a mistake. It's my mistake," Asraar thrusted the green passport in Zarrar's hand and a burner phone he had dug out from the pockets of his pants. "You need to leave. Please."

"I can't leave Manar like this. Let me tell her. Let me leave her a message," Zaraar said, looking around for his phone. "Where's my phone? Where is it?" Zaraar flipped the sheets, the pillows on the bed looking for his phone.

Asraar pulled him to stand straight and shook his head, vehemently, "No one can know about your whereabouts. Least of all her. You will not reach out to her under any circumstances not until I say so."