Orphic

Episode 17

Zoya's pov

Life's not how it used to be. I mean it is. Everything's the same but now that the veil between my past and my present has been lifted I can't help but find my mind slipping into the dark Oblivion.

It's been two weeks to that breakdown. Baba has become overprotective of me since then.

Zahid bhai has apologized for choti Tayi's behavior but that doesn't mean I'll forget all those allegations this fast. I forgave her but forgetting will take time. It's better to close our eyes with little to no conflicts.

I can't get the sight of that night out of my mind. The nightmares have decreased but visions to people I don't know still haunt me. Faces I've seen but don't recognize fill my mind in silent moments.

I try ignoring them the best as I can but sometimes it just gets overwhelming. There are nights where all I want to do is curl up next to Ammi and cry like I used to when I couldn't complete any assignments or my friends would used to make fun of me. Sure baba is supportive but crying infront of him only ends up in him getting worried.

Then there are nights where I... I just stay up all night and stare at the ceiling with a blank mind. Sometimes I want to just find who this person was but then sometimes I want to just give up and let go what had happened. But I can't. Not when my baba died just to bring justice to those innocent girls.

"Zoya..." I snapped out of my thoughts and looked at Shayla who as far as I remember was planing outfits for Zahid bhai's wedding.

"Jee. What were you saying?" I asked shaking my head and turning myself to her. Her face twisted into a displeasing frown. Rolling her eyes she lifted the two outfits.

"Which one?" She asked shaking the dresses infront of me.

"Hm.. let's see" I said taking the red one in my hand.

"This one is really nice. It would look good on you" I said putting it against her.

"You think so. Minahil said red makes me look fat" she said looking down at herself.

"Do you like it?" I asked pressing the syllables.

"Yeah..." She said looking at her reflection in the mirror wall in the main hall.

"Then you should wear it. It's what you want that matters" I said smiling softly at her.

"But Shayla I think this white will look better on you. You know red looks good on certain people. It's not your colour" Minahil said standing up beside her and putting the white one on her while taking the red one and placing it in front of her.

Who does she think she is?

"I agree. That's why it looks Marvellous on Shayla. Don't you think Minahil? Just look at Shayla. She'll look so beautiful in it" I said softly taking the dress out of her hand and placing it in shayla's hand.

Minahil frowned nodding hesitantly.

"Which one did you like?" Shayla asked in a cheery tone.

"Yaar I didn't really choose yet. I'll go shopping on my own" I smiled shrugging my shoulders.

"The wedding is literally next week" she said in a matter of fact tone.

"And... It's not my wedding, I dont have to worry-" I was brutally cut off by a Jhanzaib named species.

"We can easily change that" he said smirking. I tilted my head to the side looking at him in amusement.

"How so?" I asked raising my eyebrows.