Dangerous Territory [Completed]

12. Swimming Area

A couple of hours later when my back had started to ache from lying for too long, and my head felt a little light, I debated for a while and then finally took my scarf and left the room. Ramsha and the group hadn't returned, though she had called to check up on me a couple of times. I realised as I walked out of the bungalow that I didn't know where exactly Bilal had gone. Not that it mattered, I only merely wondered if he had gone horse riding or somewhere else with the other guys.

Grabbing a bottle of water from the refrigerator, I decided to get out from the kitchen door. To my surprise I found it opening into the swimming area. The water shimmered under the sun as boys and girls teased around, some lounging on the chaise lounges, others only dipping their feet, sitting on the edge.

Upon hearing loud voices I turned around and saw Sarim running towards me, his long hair flying behind him, with a furious looking Saba at his heels. Bewildered, I stepped away from the door and as Sarim sprinted out, Saba chucked a glass from the table and hurled it at him, swearing at the top of her lungs as she did. The glass shattered into several shards at the step down the door and Sarim howled in glee at missing the target. Throwing a glare, Saba swore again and stomped out of the kitchen.

Baffled, I came back to the door and raised my eyebrows at Sarim who stood grinning down the steps. He was the clown of our batch, always trying his best to crack a joke and come out as an entertainer. Oftentimes he failed, and his 'jokes' sounded pretty dry and lame, and when that happened he looked for an alternative and ended up teasing the first person his eyes set on, wanting to instill some fun.

"God, that chick, she's wild!" He commented, his mouth split up into a huge grin.

"What did you do? You know you could have got hurt, right?"

A spark came off on his eyes and he jumped up the step to stand beside me in the door frame. "And why do you care, miss vanilla?" He actually cooed.

I couldn't decide what to express indignation on, him calling me vanilla, or him being pretentious enough to think I freaking cared. "No you dumbshit, I don't care, I just don't want you creating a scene here. It would have been a chaos, I hope you realize that." I hoped my voice didn't sound sick and throaty.

He leaned in. "That would have been fun, right?"

I scowled, and to not appear affected by his closeness, I squared my shoulders even more. "No."

As I said that, I saw him raise his hand and bring it up to my scarf. "This is a nice scarf. Where did you get it?" Rubbing the silk between his thumb and a finger, he flicked his gaze from me to the scarf and then back.

Now he was treading in my personal space. "Shove off, Sarim." I pushed him off by the shoulder but didn't realize that as he moved away, he pulled my scarf with him. Too shocked to produce a reaction, I saw him swing it in my face with a mirthful glint, and sprint off towards the pool.

Regardless of knowing he was goading me into coming after him, that was exactly what I did, because I could not tolerate anyone baiting me with that scarf. I was more offended than I was particularly annoyed.

"You jerk!" With a start I lunged after him and followed him to the pool as I shouted, attracting attention. "Give it back!"

He stopped at the edge of the pool, holding it over the water, threatening to drop it, challenging me. My heart beat accelerated and I glared at him, hoping helplessly that my look could kill. Damn, it couldn't even intimidate. I wondered, consequently with a pang, how on earth Adil was ever overawed by me, and pounced at him. Everything happened so quick, I couldn't hold myself back as Sarim let go of the scarf and then as I turned to catch it in time, I was pushed into the water after it.

As I plummeted into the depths, a cold shiver ran up my spine, my mind started panicking as my heart skipped erratically. I flailed my arms wildly, hoping it would bring me back up to the surface, the water was really deep and I was going down with every passing second, the roof disappearing in the haze.

Breath knocked out of me and my lungs constricted. Oh Allah, this was painful. Just as I was losing hope nobody would save me, closing my eyes, a hand came around my waist and I immediately clung to it holding the person by the shoulder. Moving up, the moment I got my head out of water I pulled in a long breath, bringing air to my lungs through the nose and my mouth. Blinking rapidly I tried to open my eyes, and brought my free hand to wipe the wetness from the face, but of course it couldn't provide much help because my hand itself was wet. When my eyes finally opened, I saw to my horror that the person holding me was none other than Adil. My body wanted to act on instinct and pull away from him, but the rational part of my mind knew I couldn't because that would mean going down into the water again. Ignoring the nagging embarrassment over the wild beating of my heart that still hadn't calmed down, I opened my mouth to sound as low as possible. "Please don't let go."

Not a flicker of emotion passed his vacant face, and as he began to pull me forwards, heading towards the stairs, I heard an array of hoots rise up in the air. I didn't need to think to know why the noises were made, and at the mere prospect of it, heat rose to my face, making me aware of the temperature I hadn't quite successfully shook off. Upon reaching the shallow area of the pool, he took his arms away from my waist. Though before he could turn and swim away, I spoke up. "Please get my scarf... Uncle gifted it to me." I hastily added, as if I wanted to prove that I held high regard for Uncle, as if he cared what I felt.

Without responding, he turned and dived in, swimming away under water as if that was exactly what he had been doing all his life. I had never known Aunt's brother was such a rich man to own an entire exquisite farmhouse. If Adil had been coming here so often that it seemed swimming came naturally to him, he must be really close with his Uncle and his family. They must have helped him when mine practically left him stranded in the middle of an ocean.

I think what the teachers in the school had told was true after all, that if Allah takes one thing that is dear to us, He gives so much more.

My arms wrapped around my dripping body, I waited as he came back, handed the drenched scarf to me and without sparing me a single glance and without a single word, he turned his back at me and trod the water to keep afloat as he moved away. I felt a sudden hollowness in my chest as I sat there on the cold tiled stairs, gripping my silk scarf, amidst a cheering and excited crowd of girls and boys, at the sheer loss of a family. A strange sense of loneliness enveloped my heart as I realized how extremely cut off the three of us were. My mother had no siblings and Father had only one, that too he deliberately pushed himself away from, not thinking once about what his daughters desired.

---

My last day. It was supposed to be my last day, for I had to go back home and study for the exam. But life it seemed, wasn't taking a break, the terrible, wretched come back of time wasn't easing up. To say I was completely sapped by the stupendous blast of black incidents exploding at my face, would be an understatement. I wanted it to stop. I wanted to shout and scream and take a pill and wake up after an entire long year. I wish it was possible. I didn't know what to do. There were no more tears, I wish there were. They might have taken some of the strain away. I was suffocating in the mess.

What would you do when you receive a call from home, the maid telling you your Father got a call a few hours ago from some kidnappers, informing him that they have your sister with them and that they want 10 billion as ransome. And the maid goes on to tell you that the news brought your father a heart attack and now he's in ICU. What would you do?

For a moment I was numb, shell shocked, not able to breathe properly, not able to see. Ramsha was saying something, I could see her mouth working but couldn't hear what she was saying through the dull ringing resonating in my ears and my skull.

What would you do?

As the numbness ebbed away, I was spiked by contempt and resentment so strong for Father, I didn't feel anything for the state he was in. I was breaking.

What would you have done?

Oh, Allah, what should I do?

A/n: I apologize for the extremely dumb chapter names, but once I finish the story I promise I'd think some better ones up ;)