"We should start moving..." I muttered as I saw people passing by us. "They will soon start searching for us," I shrugged my shoulder, glancing at my injured feet.

"Do you think, you can move?" He inquired while I moved my feet and I felt relived as it no longer pain. Maybe it wasn't that big of injury? I pouted at the thought! I surely made a joke of myself in front of him. He was still staring at me with his questioning orbs.

I gave a slight nod, lowering my head in embarrassment as I moved from the stone. "Easy..." he muttered helping me down.

"Stop acting as if I am a kid," I grumbled. "You were making fun of me, right?" I raised my orbs, "I overreacted!" I huffed at the thought of it.

"Finally, you caught me!" He placed a hand on his hand to add a dramatic-effect.

I glared at him, "You!" I whined and stamped my foot only to be rewarded with pain. "Ahh..."

"I had said, go easy on your fragile self." He was teasing, I was fuming in anger as I started moving not waiting or glancing if he was following me. I heard a laugh and him following behind. I hate him so much!

°°°

I thanked the God the minute the rock stopped and open ground came into view. "Finally!" I sighed in relief. I brushed off the sweat forming on my forehead as I turned to glance at Faizal, a proud smile playing on my lips. As much as I was annoyed with his comment yet I was aware that he was as proud of me as I was at the moment. "I made it!" I still couldn't believe it!

There were numerous people accumulated around, a waterfall at the far distance. I know, his orbs were adoring me with pride. The way he supported me, motivated me. I would have given up if he wasn't persistent. "Don't waste more time," he mumbled as he grabbed my hands and pulled me towards the direction the crowd had accumulated.

We somehow pushed through them as we stood beside the railing as the beautiful water-flow came into view. The sun was settling behind, making the sky a mixture of yellow-orange. A huge smile played on my lips as those droplets of water fell on my face. "Wow..." that solid sound of water flowing reached my ears. "This is damn beautiful!"

"It become more beautiful at night," he informed as his orbs were locked on it.

"Thank you..." I mumbled glancing at him. "I really was longing to see this from the moment you had shared the video." I shook my head, "I never thought I would ever travel to North."

"But you did and you're standing here..." I felt as if I was imagining but his grip on my hands tightened. "See there..." he pointed as slowly the sky was getting dark and those lights were sparkling up. "Maybe you getting your legs injured turned into an advantage," he winked at me, a warm smile playing on his lips.

I so wish that the time to stop while we stare into each other orbs with such an adoration. He was so happy, content at the moment as if he was enjoying one of the best days of his life. Moments like such made me believe that he shared the feeling, he too was so desperately in love with me but I shook that thought away. I averted my gaze glancing back at the water-fall.

"Faizal!" That familiar voice, ached my heart. The way she would call him. There was so many emotions filled in that one word. My orbs were set in front as I withdrew my hands from him. I could feel his orbs on me but I ignored it.

Aahana walked towards us, her orbs glancing at Faizal in concern. "You almost disappeared from our sight." She was complaining, I faked a smile as Zara walked towards us followed by the rest.

"Nivi, need some ice-cream?" Zain asked as he approached me with my favorite chocolate-cone. My orbs twinkled in excitement, Zain had succeeded in distracting me from the love-birds in front of me. I offered him a genuine smile as I was on the verge of grabbing that cone. There was a small shop at the corner from which people were having ice-cream.

"No," Faizal was fast to grab it before me. "She is allergic to cold," he addressed as numerous orbs were fixed on him. Some with confusion, while some with amusement.

"But bhai," Siddhi argued. "One ice-cream won't be of any harm."

"Exactly!" I groaned, glaring at his direction.

"We aren't arguing!" He offered his serious orbs as he handed the cone to Zara.

Zara offering me a sorry look started having it. I was fuming in annoyance. How can he decide for me? That's not done! My mood had shifted again, I wasn't ever going to talk to him. I ignored his presence, avoiding the glances he passed at my side.

As we were getting down, with the help of our mobile torch. Though they have arranged lights around those trees yet we needed extra light because the darkness was scary followed by tricky rocks.

"From how long do you know Faizal?" Aahana inquired out of the blue.

"Huh?" I was taken aback with her sudden question.

"He behaves different around you," Aahana sighed. "Very different..." it seemed as if she was lost in some thoughts.

"From as long as Zoya knows me," I attempted to not completely lie to her. I felt sorry for her. She was in love with him and maybe he was too, so those seeds of insecurity or jealousy was natural.

"You both have turned into a very good friend," Aahana continued. "He remembers about you being allergic to cold."

"Yep he does..." I shrugged it off but Aahana interrupted.

"He doesn't..." she argued. "He is not that good with memories." She paused for a second, "he has hard time remembering birthdays or important days of even his loved ones."

"I know," I laughed at one of such memory.

"You know?" She sounded curious almost suspicious.

"Once he had mentioned that often people get mad him for not remembering..." I had a smile playing on my lips, "so I often try to remind him."

"Yes!" Zoya jumped in the conversation. "She doesn't only remind him of our birthday but also things important to us. She was the one who reminded him about the promise he had made to Muskan of buying her Barbie on her fifth birthday."

"Hey, isn't Muskan coming with us?" I inquired, "I hadn't seen her in any of the pre-wedding events."

"She had gone to Ammi's place, some family issue." Zoya tired to shove off that discussion.

"She knows Muskan," Aahana was taken aback with the revelation.

"She knows half of our family," Zoya shook her head. "Do you remember all those times bhai was busy using his phone during those functions or get-together, what do you think he was doing?"

"He was recording?" Aahana was stunned. "To sent it to them..."

I wanted to correct it wasn't them but me. Yet I slide it off, it wasn't necessary!

"And yet I wasn't aware about their existence." Aahana was really displeased with the revelation.

"Because you can't be trusted with secrets," Zain muttered from behind. "You shouldn't have revealed it to her." Zain sounded displeased, "at least not until the wedding. What if her sweet mouth open in front of Fufa?"

"Abu knows it," Zoya sighed. "I learned the consequence of hiding things from him. I wanted him to trust his children." Her voice turned serious and then silence prevailed around us.

I wasn't sure what she meant by 'Abu knows it.' What does he know? Which part of the story? The part which she uttered to Aahana or the part which Zain was aware of? And if he knew, how was he going to react.

But much to my surprise when I entered into the bus I was met with silence. None of the elder passed a judgmental glance at me. Mumtaz, Faizal's mother passed me a smile. "Are you fine?" Her voice was filled with concern and I was taken aback with her sudden change in behavior.

I passed her a hesitating smile as I offered her a small nod, walking at the back of the bus. As if reading my expression Siddhi mumbled. "It's due to Zoya," she informed. I raised my brows in curiousness. None of Faizal cousin had followed us inside so we could have conversation without their presence.

"Zoya was mad on discovering you wasn't present. Uncle and Bhai had an argument outside the bus and people inside wasn't aware of it until bus moved after uncle's instruction. Zoya notice your absence and screamed for the bus to stop, I was trying to explain her that bhai was with you but she was so overtaken by fear that she wasn't listening." She shook her head, "later..." she continued.

"Uncle was already in a very bad mood and he shouted back at her not to make such a fuss about a small thing. Zoya lost her calm and she inquired how would they feel if her would-be family treated her in the manner, they were treating you." Siddhi paused as if glancing if they could hear us but she was almost whispering so it was impossible. "She went to an extent to claim that Allah was seeing their deeds and he won't forgive them. She might be treated in the same manner in her would-be family. Like a stranger, unwanted!"

"She only stopped when uncle informed her that bhai had stayed behind for you. And he had nothing to do with a man who chose a stranger over his family. There was lot drama after it, argument between couple broke up and they're still not in talking terms."

"Oh!" I could muster-up only those words at the end.

There was lot to process, so much guilt to handle. They had been arguing with their parents, I was becoming a source of distress for them.

"It's not your fault, Nivi." As if reading me, Siddhi attempted to assure. "Zoya behaved in a manner any mature human would have. Just ask yourself would you have tolerated the injustice if it was happening with someone else?"

"It wasn't an injustice," I was attempting to understand Mr. Qureshi. "He was just acting his usual self, he doesn't appreciate being late."

"Would he have walked away if it wasn't you but Zoya?" Siddhi stared at me with questioning gaze. "Would his punctual self be above his daughter safety?" I shut my mouth. Siddhi was voicing the fact that I was trying to ignore. "I don't hold any grudges towards him but that wasn't the way to act even if he hates your existence." Siddhi grumbled, glancing out of the window as she wasn't in a mood to listen to any of my explanation.

I didn't hold any hard feeling towards Mr. Qureshi because I didn't have any expectation inclined towards him but the revelation that he hated my existence was upsetting enough to distract myself, I scrolled through my phone. There was a missed call from mom and I decided to inform her that we had catch-up with the rest.

The minute I ended the call, Zara walked towards me with a parcel in her hand. I raised a brow in a questioning manner. "Look it for yourself," she smiled. I took the paper box and opened the tin to find a sweet-smell of my favorite dish.

"Gobi Manchurian," I stared at her in disbelief.

"Thanks, Bhai, for it," Zara winked as she walked off. My orbs locked with Faizal who was staring at us but upon seeing me glancing at him, he turned and grabbed his sit on the front.

"Oh! So, it was for you!" Zain exclaimed taking a seat next to me.

"I told you," Zoya muttered as Aahana followed behind her.

"He didn't allow me to take a bite of it." Zain grumbled, "he really took a lot trouble to buy that."

"Yes! Maybe he walked a km or two," Zoya shrugged her shoulder.

"Really?" Aahana exclaimed in disbelief, "just to buy this?" She wasn't able to understand.

"Those are Nivi's favorite," Siddhi explained.

There was silence for a minute, I lowered my head to stop myself from blushing. He did that to lift my mood as I was mad at him for not allowing me to have ice-cream. I took a bite of a piece, it was delicious.

"Move..." Aahana was fighting with Zain for the seat.

"Why should I?" Zain argued.

"What's wrong with you both?" Someone from the elder interrupted their fight. "Can't you behave like elders?" He groaned in displeasure.

"Aahana go and seat in one of the vacant seat in front." Zoya muttered.

"Why should I?" Aahana kept arguing, she was in a very sour mood. "I had being sitting over here from last few hours. I am not moving..." her orbs moved towards me for a second.

"No-worries," I stood from the seat. "I will grab a seat in front," I mumbled as I started walking.

"But..." Siddhi was going to argue but I gestured her not to.

The mood surrounding the bus wasn't good and I wanted to offer the elders with some peace after all of the drama taken place within 24 hours. As I walked in front, there was a seat vacant parallel to Farya and her husband, I grabbed it.

Little Azia glanced at me and I waved at her, a sweet-smile was playing on her lips. "Caandu..." she mumbled and as the bus went silent and Mrs. Qureshi's eyes were fixed on me, she noticed it.

"Did she just?" Her voice was filled with surprise, soon grabbing others attention.

"What happened?" Another feminine voice inquired but before Mrs. Qureshi could answer, Azia spoke herself.

"Caandu..." there was series of surprise gasp. I was taken aback so was Azia. Her orbs widen in fear as tears stared brimming in those innocent orbs. She pouted and my heart felt an urge to console her.

"Calm down," Ahmed said in a soft tone. "You all are scaring her," he laughed at the end as his arms extended towards me, gesturing me to hold Azia in her arms. I hesitated before approaching due to the eyes fixed on me.

"How is it possible?" The stern voice asked, making me more nervous on my seat.