Unshackled

Give Up

Azaan's POV.

Who is she? Why is her face telling me something? Have I seen her somewhere?

Her eyes, her lips, the way she talks, the way she gets annoyed—Everything about her. Who would have thought that I would ever notice a girl?

I don't know what's happening to me but something is going on. Every time I see her. Every time I see her in pain, when she says my name—Something happens to me.

I've never felt this way about anyone before. Asiyah. Isn't it such a pretty name?

But, I can't like a girl. I can't fall again. I can't be broken again. I don't want to. I need to let her be, I need to not care even if it's hard not to.

Perhaps, a friendship should suffice. Even that, she seems to hate my guts.

"Bro, what's up with you these days?" Aryan asked me.

We were at a bar drinking. Occasionally, we come here when time allows us to.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You can hide it from everyone but not me" he said.

"Did your plans change? want to get married or what?" He proceeded to ask.

"What makes you think I want to marry now?" I asked.

"You're after that girl" I know exactly where he's getting at.

"What girl?"

"The girl who's attracting everyone's attention since she set foot in the mansion" he said. Right, but no matter what I do I can never get her to bring her attention to me.

"You know I'm not after girls, they're after me" I said taking a shot.

"Are you sure about that?" He asked as my jaw clenched. I got up to leave feeling uneasy.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"mountains" I said before taking my leave.

I need to get away from here and stop thinking for some time.

***

Asiyah's POV.

I was in the cafeteria with the other girls. After what happened last night, I have so many questions but none of them wants to speak with me and I have no idea why. Where were they if not on the balcony?

I thought we were all in for this. Azaan left me in my room and quietly left after.

All the girls were sleeping peacefully at that time so thankfully, no one noticed. I don't like him but I have to be grateful because he really helped me this time.
I could've died. If he wasn't there, I don't know what would've happened next. I obviously won't tell him that. He seems so arrogant and egotistic and has a superiority complex. When I see him and his other friends walking in the hallways, the energy says it all. They have power while we have nothing. Not even a voice to speak. And the way he stares at me, as if I were his possession or something. It sends chills down my spine every time. I try my best to avoid him and pretend like he doesn't even exist.

I quietly ate my breakfast.

"Asiyah, it was me" Zohra broke the silence. I looked at her confused.

"I told the girls not to follow your plan" she said. I'm trying to stay calm but this is very much making me angry.

"Why did you do that?" I asked.

"I'm sorry, it's because you don't know yet but they would've killed all of us" she said. I've had enough. Not only do I not believe her but I found her quite scheming. Her brother works for them and she's here with us acting like she has no idea at all about what's happening? How can her brother just allow this anyway?