•| FAIZAL'S POV |•

"What's wrong?" I inquired as I walked out of the terrace into the room.

I wouldn't lie, I did found Nivi's house beautiful. It had the touch of kindness and softness that Nivi had in her presence. I found her house much different from mine. I had felt the difference between us during each phases of our friendship.

Three of them glanced in my direction, their expression yelled that they had forgotten about my existence.

Nivi's elder sister, Shruti attempted to hide her worry behind a sweet smile. I felt as if she was the only person who wanted me here, who appreciated my presence at her house while both the male was tolerating my presence due to their love for Nivi.

I hadn't expected a warm-welcome from Khurana's. I was aware that Nivi's family was as against the friendship as mine. I did wish for it to change!

"I can't wait another hour for them to contact us..." Uncle voice dipping in concern, "I need to know they are fine..." He was sounding restless.

"But it's not safe to walk out at this hour," Shruti was attempting to convince him.

"You stay back, I...." Shruti husband, I didn't kind of remember his name, attempted to take charge of the moment as much as I wanted to provide them with privacy, I was forced to stand at the place.

They had asked me to stay for the night and though I wanted to deny but the situation happening around the city forced me to not argue.

"You need to be here with Shruti," Uncle glanced at me for a second. "We can't walk out of the house when rebels are rolling outside our house." Though he attempted to frame those words smartly yet it wasn't hidden that he had hard time trusting my intention.

At times, I doubted how come Nivi trusted me? It always amazed me, the belief she had on me. My family had never showed that confidence in me.

"Can I joint you?" I inquired as uncle spared me a glance. "It won't be safe of you walking out, alone." I mumbled on finding his hard gaze fixed on me.

"The problem is none of you should walk out of the house." Shruti sighed, "it isn't like Premma Chechi is ever going to allow mom to get out at such an hour," she shook her head in disbelief. "You're going to end up harming yourself by walking out from here."

"They are burning houses!" Uncle yelled, his orbs fuming in rage. Those black orbs were dangerous so was his loud voice. Nivi had never adored her father in anger and I could understand, why!

"There had being news that houses of Hindus are burn, in the same locality. Or why would I have being so desperate?" His voice was a fixture of sadness plus frustration. I could hear helpless in his voice.

"In the same locality?" Shruti orbs had widen in horror, she was staring at his father for confirmation.

"I need to reach there before it's late," uncle ignored his elder daughter.

"If situation is turning worse in Chinnaswamy street," Shruti's husband sighed. "It will be better that you stay behind, dad."

"I won't be able to stay behind..." Uncle was going to argue but we heard a feminine voice, a voice that had often calmed my restless heart. She was like a ray of hope in my dark world.

Her voice was shaking, her orbs were brimming in tears as she took a caution step inside. Her state indicated that she had heard it. "I am not aware if mom is fine or not, I am not allowing you to take a step outside the house." She was crying as she inched closer to her father.

Her parents had a dear place in her heart. She was much closer to her family. They were foundation of her life and she had proudly claimed that she couldn't imagine her life without them.

"Nivi is correct," Shruti hissed as she wrapped an arm around her father. "We aren't allowing you to take a step out," she sobbed in his arms while Nivi was trying to hold herself together, attempting to act strong for her father.

"Don't worry, dad." Shruti husband attempted to assure him. "I will return with mom and Chechi by my side, I won't let a harm touch them."

"I will come with you," I muttered and Nivi's orbs glanced in my direction as if she just realised my presence. Her black round orbs widening in horror.

"You aren't..." She warned, her orbs glaring at me.

"I have to ..." I muttered and followed behind her brother-in-law. I wasn't expecting her to follow me or grab my wrist to stop me.

"You aren't..." There was a plead underlying in her words as I felt her soft-cold, small hand wrapping around my palms in an urge to stop me from walking out of the house. "I have no clue..." She choke at her words and turned I to face her in concern.

"Nivi," my voice was soft as I took a step forward. "Your mom will be fine," I wasn't able to see those tears in those orbs. It did something to my heart. Everytime she mentioned about crying in those texts, I had the urge to wipe it off, to flash that beautiful smile on her lips.

"Please... Don't walk out," her orbs were pleading. "They are turning into monsters," she cried, "they won't spare you..." She was crying, holding on to my wrist as if her life depended on it.

"Have you lost your senses, Nivi?" There was disbelief underlying in her brother-in-law voice. "Your mom is out there unsafe and your care is for.." He glanced at me, disgust visible in those orbs. "Him?"

"That doesn't mean I risk another important life," she yelled in helplessness. "Faiz... I won't afford to forgive myself if they..."

I cupped her face, ignoring the death glare passed by the person present with us. "They won't be able to harm me," I blinked my orbs in assurance as I passed a smile at her. "Didn't you always claim about the protection I had due to the Dua of Ammi," my orbs soften as I stared at her in pride. "And yours..." I brushed off those tears from her cheek.

"Nothing is ever going to harm me..." I was trying to assure her anxious heart but she shook her head in anxiety as she grabbed my wrist in fear.

"No! They are horrible," she had grabbed on to my shirt sleeves "try to understand..." She was shivering,  fear was so evident in her orbs, "they have turn into monsters, they are hungry for blood just to boost their pride. Please ..." She was folding her hand before me, "for me..."

I wasn't able to stare at her as I pulled her in my arms. She was pleading with me because she was concerned about my safety if I walked out of the house.

"Shh!" I could feel her shivering figure in my arms, she was crying, pleading, urging me to listen to her. "My intuition is yelling to stop you from walking out, Faizal. Please do listen to me for once..."

"I have always listened to you, Gudiya." I caressed her hair as I was attempting to calm her down. I heard the footsteps fading away, her brother-in-law was disappointed with her behaviour. "Nivi..." I attempted to pull from her but she grabbed my shirt tightly in her fist.

"Please," she requested.

"I am not leaving," I assured as I dragged her towards the direction of her room. I could feel the asthma attack kicking in, I needed to offer her the device before her breathing got heavy. Though I had known her through those texts and video calls yet I had much idea of her life.

She was an asthma patient but it only kicked in, when she was exposed to a cold weather or had to face a stressful event. That was the reason, I was against the idea of her eating that ice-cream during our trip to Manali.

I walked into her open room as I successfully managed to make her seat on the bed, those orbs were swollen due to the continuous cry. "You need to stop with it," I pointed out as she grabbed hold of my wrist.

"Don't..." The fear holding in the black orbs was scaring me. She had never behaved in such a manner. As if she was afraid of the unknown.

"What's wrong?" I inquired as I knelt before her, grabbing her both cold hands into mine. "You have turn into ice..." I was rubbing my warm palms on to hers to provide her with warmth.

"They killed you..." She mumbled, she was attempting hard to manage her breathing.

"No one, killed me." I cupped her face, forcing her to stare into my orbs. "I am before... Your eyes..." I passed a smile at him, "maybe it was a nightmare?" I suggested as I brushed off those tears and pressed a kiss on her forehead. "Now..." I leaned my forehead with hers, "close your eyes ..." I instructed and she obeyed, "take in a huge amount of breathe and exhale," I mumbled doing the same along with her. "Repeat it, inhale... exhale..." I mumbled as I saw those anxiousness fading away as peace surrounding her feature.

We both sat there, not a word exchange among us. Yet I was folding her hands tight, her orbs were closed and the only sound in room was of our breathing. She opened her orbs, "thank you..."

"How do you know about her asthma attack?" Shruti curious voice forced me to withdraw my hands from her. She was staring at the direction with a frown playing on her face.

"She had shared about it," I muttered as I stood on my foot and turned to face the interrupter. "In those texts messages..." I was going to take a step back from Nivi but she was holding my index finger.

"She had a nightmare..." I informed as Shruti stared at me in confusion.

"Nightmare?" Her brow raised in concern. "Maybe it was a bad one," she mumbled as she walked into the room. I nodded thinking it was my clue to walk out of the room. I was on the verge of withdrawing her hold from me when her orbs glanced at me.

"You need to sleep," I mumbled as I passed a smile at her.

"Wait!" Shruti mumbled, "Jay is waiting for you outside," she whispered. Nivi was engrossed in her thoughts as Shruti glance if she had heard us as she rushed out of the room to inform me about it. "He needs your help but he won't voice it out," she passed a smile. "His pride comes inbetween." She paused for a minute, "I don't want to trouble you and I wouldn't have asked if it wasn't important," she hesitated.

"I wanted to provide any help, I could." I passed her a reassuring smile as I glanced at Nivi who was staring at us with a frown playing on her face. I felt it! The fear of some uncertainty! I sighed! "Please take care of her," I muttered as I walked out of the room.

•••

I had promised her that I would listen to her. I won't walk out of the house but I had to! I walked towards the car waiting for me. It was a old-engine and I doubted if it work yet I had kept those thought to myself. As according to Nivi, that car had sentiment attached and her father was against selling the old vehicle.

"You can go," Jay gritted his teeth in annoyance as I pushed open the passenger door. "I don't need your help."

"But I want to help you," I mumbled as I got on the seat beside him. "Please do it for your wife, she isn't in a condition to be gifted with stress." I urged him, requesting him to start the engine.

He muttered some curses under his breath, clearing not adoring the situation he was in as he put the engine to life.

We kept moving, not exchanging a word among us. I looked out of the window, the chilly-cold air was relieving some of my stress as I searched for my cell, wanting to check if there was any message until I discovered that I forgot it in Nivi's place.

"What is your intention?" Jay's stern voice broked the peaceful silence. "Why have you made friendship with Nivi? You have invested yourself in the friendship for so long, earning her trust. What are you planning?" His stern orbs was fixed on us.

I stared at him in disbelief. "I do consider her as my friend. It isn't a act!" My voice got a pitch higher. I had controlled my temper throughout the night for the sake of Nivi but I couldn't allow someone to question the friendship I shared with Nivi. Not a single moment of it was fake!

"And you want me to believe that you getting a job in the same city as of her was mere a coincidence?" His voice was firm as if he could understand the mystery hidden deep inside me but if he could, he wouldn't had questioned my intention.

"It wasn't a coincidence," I agreed as I passed a smile at him. "I was asked among two places and I chose to come here. Of course at that moment Nivi was in my mind," I confessed.

Silence prevailed around us, it felt as if Jay was folding himself back. I sighed as I concentrated back on the outside-world. The world was sleeping around us, on usual day the silence surrounding us who mean a peaceful one yet the one revolving around us had the danger lingering in it.

Suddenly a figure came into view followed by many. Jay pushed the break in hurry as the car came to stop. Our orbs were locked on the individual who had blocked our path.

"What are you trying to do?" Jay shouted in annoyance. He sounded frustrated, "get out of our path."

"We won't!" One among them screamed in return. As he walked towards driver's window. "Get out of the car," his stern orbs were fixed on Jay. "Just want to show your race what we are capable of," he puffed his chest in pride.

From the tone he was using, I was convinced that he was Muslim. I felt that Jay was on the verge of opening his mouth but I was fast to interrupt.

"Asalamualaikum," I greeted raising a hand towards my face in a salam gesture.

The bulky-figure darted his orbs towards me. His orbs raising in a questioning manner. His tone hesitating before he opened his mouth for a response, "Wa-Aailekum salam."

"What's the problem?" I inquired seeing his orbs softening while his face turning into slight frown. "Ammi is trapped in the revolts happening out there," I pointed at the path before us. "We are heading to rescue her," I passed him a smile.

"Oh!" His backed off from the window, he felt guilty. "I apologise for causing unnecessary trouble. I thought..." He shook his head as he glanced at the front glass of the car. "You can go..." He gestured us to move. He had concluded that it was Hindu's car due to the name printed on the glass, name of their God.

Jay took a minute to register the happening, his orbs glancing at the weapon in their hands as they passed a smile at us. He started the engine as we drove from there. "So you won't mind saving your blood but are after ours?" He muttered in displeasure.

"But if you think logically, I did save your blood as well." I passed him a wink as I glanced at the world around me.

"Why did you lie? Do you think your lie can convince me that you're a good person?" He kept questioning, attempting to infuriate me.

"I am not trying to convince anything," I mumbled not glancing at his direction. "I am here and helping you just because I can't afford to see tears in that beautiful pair of black orbs. I can do anything in this world to avoid it from happening."