A Tale of Hearts

Chapter Five

Zoya's POV:

I looked at my watch. 5:30 huh? Okay good. Rubab should be almost done with her date now. I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE DETAILS! OH MY GOD YES. I took a U-turn and inputted the location of the café in the Civic's navigation screen. I texted her that I was on my way when I arrived at a red signal.

Hurry up. Things are getting awkward here. – Rubab. Was it bad that I laughed at that?

Okok. – Me I texted back as I started to drive again humming to myself. What song should I put on? I connected the Bluetooth and started sliding the phone screen up and down on Sound cloud. Whatever I will just put it on shuffle. Tum Mile started playing in the background as I made another left towards the rooftop café.

"Tum mile, dil khile. Aur Jeenay ko kya chahiye?" I sang along to the music while trying to find a spot to park in. Wait, they have a designated area for parking? Perfect. I slowly parked the car in an empty space as the best part of the song came up.

Na ho tu udas, tere pas pas
Main rahunga zindagi bhar.
Na ho tu udas, tere pas pas,
Main Rahunga zindagi bhar.
Sare sansar ka pyar menay
Tujhi men paya.

I was about to step out of the car when I spotted a familiar face coming out of a Porsche. Hold the hell up. Is that Kamran? I immediately got back inside and slammed the door shut. I ducked down behind the steering wheel as I looked at him walking out with a phone in one hand and the car keys in another.

What the hell was he doing here? Why did he come here? Oh my God. This is a disaster. No, I still have a chance, I can hide. I glanced at him stealthily from behind the steering wheel. Why was he so dressed up? He was wearing a sweatshirt with jogger pants and combat boots. The sleeves of his sweatshirt were pulled up to his elbow showing his protruded veins. His arms look so hot. What even is this?

No wait, he is usually like that but he gave off a different vibe today. More handsome in a way. He dialed some number and placed the phone against his ear while leaning against his car.

"Mili? (Did you find her?)" I heard him say since my window mirror was slightly down. "Nahi tou dhundhou usko. Tum logon ko kis cheez ke paisay de raha hun main? Agar America nahi gayi tou Australia dekho ya Saudi Arabia. Idher hi kahin hogi. (If not then find her. What am I paying you guys for? If she is not in the America, check Australia or Saudi Arabia. She must be around here somewhere.)" With that he hung up and slammed his hand on the roof of his car. "Anushay, men tumhe dhund kar hi sakoon lunga. (Anushay, I won't be in peace until I find you.)" I heard him say to himself and I gulped. Yeah, forget what I said about him being hot. Abort mission at all costs.

I watched him as he started pacing left and right in front of me. Ugh why was he getting closer? I needed to hide in some way. He suddenly looked in my direction and I crouched so that he wouldn't see me.

Jitni adaa utni wafa
Jitni adaa utni wafa
Aik nazar pyar se dekho lou
Phir se zinda kardo.

Shit, why was the song still on? I quickly turned it off and stayed hidden for a few more minutes. Was he gone? I slowly rose from my position to take a sneak peek. Okay good, he wasn't around. He must have left. What a relief. I took out my phone and started typing away to Rubab.

KAMRAN IS HERE TOO. WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME? – Me.

WHAT? I DIDN'T KNOW EITHER. I AM GOING TO KILL FAHAD. – Rubab.

NO FORGET IT, HE WILL USE IT AGAINST US TOO. JUST EXCUSE YOURSELF AND COME DOWN ON YOUR OWN. I don't think Kamran saw me so we are safe. – Me.

Okay I am coming down in 2 minutes. – Rubab.

I reclined back once I saw her text. It is okay Zoya, he didn't see you. It was a close call but he didn't see you so it's fine.

Kamran's POV:

I was heading to the mall when Fahad had told me to come over to the café. I didn't know why he had texted me to come over when he had his own car over there too. It's not like he needed a lift but oh well, it didn't matter.

We will hang out together after this. I am in a shitty mood. – Fahad. Ah, Rubab must have said something to piss him off again. He really let her affect him a lot. But I wasn't one to comment. I turned the car around to head towards the café instead. There really was quite a lot of crowd here. I was about to park in an empty space but a black civic beat me to it. Fair enough, I will just park in front of it. Whoever was driving it was a good driver. I parked in the empty space and stepped outside.

There was a slight chill in the air. This is why I liked Lahore's weather. It was the right amount of hot and cold. I saw some girls at a little distance looking at me and giggling to themselves. Ugh, immatures. I didn't care what they looked like. Anushay was the only thing that mattered to me. Shit, I missed her. How could I let her get away like that? I dialed the number of the private investigator I had hired to find out her whereabouts.

"Mili? (Did you find her?)" I questioned without greeting but the sigh on the other side answered my question. He really was incompetent. I needed to knock some sense into him. Or perhaps, I just need to find a better one. Gritting my teeth, I replied. "Nahi tou dhundhou usko. Tum logon ko kis cheez ke paisay de raha hun main? Agar America nahi gayi tou Australia dekho ya Saudi Arabia. Idher hi kahin hogi. (If not then find her. What am I paying you guys for? If she is not in the America, check Australia or Saudi Arabia. She must be around here somewhere.)"

I hung up in frustration and slammed my hand on the roof of my car. Just where the hell did she go? If only I find one trace, one clue, I will hunt her down. "Anushay, men tumhe dhund kar hi sakoon lunga. (Anushay, I won't be in peace until I find you.)"

There was a very dim sound of music coming from one of the cars. I had recognized the song as Tum Mile almost immediately because I could relate to it.

Jitni adaa utni wafa
Jitni adaa utni wafa
Aik nazar pyar se dekho lou
Phir se zinda kardo.

My mind drifted back to Anushay. If only, Zoya had looked at me once with love, I would have felt alive again, I would have given everything up for her. But I knew it wasn't possible. I just didn't know why? What changed in her? We were perfect back then. Why did she leave me back then? Just what happened to her?

I had inquired about her background and past. I wanted to know why she was running away from me but there was no records of her as Anushay. It's like they were wiped off the face of the earth. Her birth certificate, driver's license, school records everything had Zoya Ali. Having a judge as a father really had its perks. But it didn't matter, I will find her and talk to her myself.

I even asked a pro hacker to break into her social media accounts so I could find some leads but she deactivated all her accounts. She really knew how to play safe. It made me proud but annoyed too because I wanted to find out about her.

Shit, I really missed her now. I wanted to hug her like I did back then. Her embrace was so warm, so reassuring. It filled the void in my heart. I needed her so bad. I sighed as I felt eyes on me again. Was it a habit of people to stare? I snapped my head in the direction but there wasn't anyone there.

It was that same black civic that had taken my spot. I stared for a few more seconds but nothing happened so I shrugged to myself. Probably my imagination. I started to walk in one direction after double checking the lock on my car. My mind drifting to her again. Her smile, her eyes, her warmth.

Damn it, just where did you go Zoya? My dear friend, my peace, my beloved. 

I felt helpless. I looked up at the sky hoping for Allah to hear me. I was no saint but I knew Allah was there for us. He promised to be there for His people. Allah, I don't know what to do anymore. I miss her. Do something. Help me. Bring her back to me. Bring my Anushay back. 

Author's Note:

Hello and Asalam o Alaikum Lovelies!

Wattpad is fortunately working again for me. God knows how long this one will last but oh well. I wanted to give y'all a cute scene from Zoran before shit gets dark so here it is.

How are we all feeling?