House of Ashes [Complete]

28. Nuisance | پریشانی

Once Azlan had dropped her to the hotel, she leaned into the couch situated by the window. The living area was wide with a makeshift kitchen on the right corner while to the left was her room with attached bathroom.

She huffed as she took her shawl off, recalling her last conversation with his family. It'd just been a few minutes and she was already missing them. It's alright, Safa. You took the right decision. You can't stay with them forever.

Heaving a deep sigh of contentment mingled with gloominess, she discarded her phone out of her purse and dialed Asmara's number.

Mansha was living with Asmara as of now. Her father had bought a small apartment in Islamabad, deciding to stay there till Ayyan would get recovered. He hadn't stopped Mansha from going back to the village. Not that it was easy for her. It took her a whole week to make up her mind and finally giving the verdict of going back since that was the only right decision. She couldn't put a hold on her life even though the reluctance in her stance while stepping into the car mirrored her welled up orbs, indicating how excruciating it was for her.

To her surprise, her father didn't stop her from pursuing her ambitions this time. He had obliged with her wish of studying with content. Just how the fear of losing someone can make you see sense and do what is right! If only people could understand it before it's too late! Because sometimes it does get too late.

Too little, too late.

"AsSalamuAlaikum!" Safa greeted as soon as Asmara picked up the phone.

"WalaikumAsSalam! You've forgotten me, haven't you? Barey log! (big people!)" Her perpetual complaints commenced instantly.

"Excuse me? Aren't I the one who called you?"

Safa would call her every once in a while to keep her updated about Ayyan's condition and herself about the school and her students. But here she was, still being at the receiving end of Asmara's complaints.

"You must be getting bored, that's why. Why? Have Shehryars kicked you out due to your salty behavior?" She suppressed a chuckle as she teased.

"Me? Salty? The irony! Coming from you!"

Once immersed in the conversation, she told her about her decision of moving out while Asmara being the understanding human and friend that she was, supported her.

"You did the right thing."

"Yeah." A satisfactory smile reached her lips with a bit of sadness.

"Come'n, tell me about my students now! Do they miss me?" She drawled, changing the topic.

"DO THEY MISS YOU?" Asmara asked rhetorically. "More like asking me to go away as if my going away would bring you back." She shook her head with tsk. "They miss you a lot. Like, a lot. Sometimes it makes me jealous. I mean, how can they love you more when I've been teaching them long before you joined?" She whined like a toddler.

"Of course, they love me more. I mean, have you seen me?"

The same narcissism!

Asmara chortled.

"You must have bounded them with your spell or something. That's the only logical explanation."