Embracing the other

CHAPTER 2

A/N: Happy Mental Illness Awareness week to everyone! , I know I am late but I still wanted to post something about it. Mental health is just as important as your physical health if not more and I just want y'all to know that you are not alone in this battle. Always remember that nothing is more important that your mental health and that you can still love yourself and be a work in progress.

 Also this chapter gave me similar vibes as 'Lag jah gale', so I just wanted to add that.

HAPPY READING!

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- "it's funny how complete strangers have familiar souls" -

Asfandyar's POV

My mind is reeling with all the things I could be doing rather than sitting in this plane. If it weren't for the weather I could be in Pakistan right now, possibly performing a surgery, but no instead I'm stuck in a flight with a very annoying air hostess. My original flight had been canceled yesterday due to bad weather and now I was a day late. The old Asfandyar wouldn't have cared and just chilled, well too bad that Asfandyar doesn't exist anymore. My mind could be really frustrating sometimes, it wouldn't stop yapping. Sometimes all I wanted was a little peace and quiet. But instead I found the loudest noises in the most secluded of places, so I delved myself into work and among the chaos and buzz of the hospital I found the most peace. But now because of the schedule change I had nothing to do I was bored and annoyed out of my mind and on top of that this irritating air hostess wouldn't leave me alone, I don't want any peanuts get a hint woman.

This situation was really killing me so I tried to calm myself down and started taking deep breaths so I could stop acting like a brat from one of those rom-com high-school movies, but no how could the universe pity me even for one second. The minute I felt better there she was beside me again creeping from god knows where, asking if I wanted something to eat. Calm down Asfandyar, no need to overreact,  just take a deep breath and say no. So I did exactly that letting the not-so hidden threat ooze in the calmness of my words. Well I guess that worked because she skittered away and didn't bother me again.

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Sitting in my car as I make my way back home I couldn't help but sigh, that air hostess was really clingy and it brought back a memory I rather not remember. I loosen my hold on the wheel as I try to relax and enjoy the scenic drive. But my peace is cut short as another car almost crashes into me.

God! Why did the citizens of this country have an intense tendency to break rules. I guess after all that I had suffered in the past 24 hours I was bound to snap, unfortunately for whoever was behind that wheel they were going to be on the receiving end of my anger.

I relentlessly rapped my knuckles against the driver's window, my patience was running thin, what kind of person almost causes an accident and doesn't apologize after. To my surprise, when the window rolled down I found a dazed woman looking at me. Don't be such a sexist pig Asfandyar, I thought to myself.

Well female or male, this person almost caused an accident and instead of apologizing for their mistake they seemed indifferent to it! I couldn't help but give a piece of my mind to this woman.

"What's wrong with you?, you almost caused an accident and you don't even look guilty for doing it", I yelled but my screaming seemed to have no effect on this woman so I tried again.

"Hello! Can you hear me?, unlike you might think madam this road does not belong to you and I would appreciate it if would take responsibility for your actions instead of acting like a privileged person, I know you might think differently but no one is above the law!", I said, this time more calmly.

Whatever I said this time appeared to make her royal highness break out from her trance because she looked at me straight in the eyes and smiled, almost sadly and said, "I apologize sir if I caused any damage and even if I didn't I'm still sorry for being irresponsible with my driving and both for not taking responsibility for it immediately, I'll try my best not to run in someone next time, I'm usually very careful about my driving", she said and I could sense the genuine apology in her tone but I still didn't understand why she was ignoring me so I asked her.

"I guess my mind was just processing the fact that I had almost caused an accident and it didn't register what you were saying, I'm really sorry I genuinely didn't mean to ignore you", she explained as I shook my head in understanding, I was about to let her go when I took a swift peek inside and found a man sleeping in the backseat.

" Are you kidnapping someone?", I asked pointing at the man.

"Oh that's my driver, we'd been traveling for a while and I could tell he was tired so I offered to drive instead" she said, surprising me.

"That's..."

"Weird, I know" she said cutting me off, "I just didn't wanna get in an accident", she clarified.

"And how's that working out for you so far?" I teased. Wow, Asfandyar aren't you getting too frank with a person you just met?, A voice inside me said but I weirdly ignored that voice, she felt familiar for some reason.  

She laughed lightly and something inside of me melted. "Not good, as you can see", she replied.

I was just about to speak again, when her driver woke up.

"Kya hua bibi ji?, hum ruhk kyun gaye hain?", he asked confused and dazed.

"Kuch nhi Abdul, bus woh ek choti si problem thi who theek hogayi hai", she said trying to calm her driver. I watched as she argued with her driver who was insisting to drive and frankly I didn't want her to drive again, God forbid she put another live danger again.

So I convinced her to listen to her driver and thankfully the driver didn't ask much questions about my presence. We said goodbye on a sweet note, but as she drove away I couldn't help but feel sorry that I didn't catch her name. Even if we never met again it would be nice to remember her with a name, rather than just the girl who almost killed me.

I started to drive away with images of her smile still lingering in my head and it felt nice to have  something nice to look back to, for once. 

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Translations: (What happened Madam, why did we stop), (Nothing Abdul, just a problem that's been taken care of)

Hey guys! sorry it took so long for me to update. I couldn't for the love of books decide how to start Asfandyar's POV. Also who is this mystery girl? Find out all about it in the next update.Until then show some love.                                                                                                              Vote, comment and share!

Also this chapter reminded me of the motorway incident and I just want to say that this is how safe traveling for women should be. Being careful isn't a bad thing but traveling alone shouldn't scare women, we should be able to feel safe enough on our own roads. But our government instead of giving justice to the victims is too busy blaming them. How can we go out in the world when women are being raped in their own homes?#justicewillbeserved