Vantage Point

Ghazal saw as her white handkerchief slowly drenched in the blood of Haaris. She quickly pressed her hand around his wrist to stop the blood flow and somewhat succeeded. Her tongue was continuously reciting her learned verses to keep herself calm. The tears were slowly dripping from her eyes because she was afraid, scared to say the least looking at Haaris who was slowly slipping into unconsciousness and the images of the blood which was spilled on the floor as a stream.

"G-Ghaz.."

Haaris mumbled in a low voice and resultantly her grip tightened on his hand. He was lying on the stretcher and doctors were quickly taking him to the private ward to tend him. She had come with him, advising Batool Khala to take care of  Adam. Ghazal had also informed Mr.Yousuf, Nanna had gone out of town and there was no need to make her tensed about the situation.

"I am here."

She reluctantly let go of his hand when they were about to enter the operation theatre only to be stopped by Haaris with a plea, his hand brushing on her fingertips.

"Don-t s-av-e m-e "

"Don't say like that." She said with pain, her eyes proving her helplessness. "Everything will be alright, In Shaa Allah."

Those words were just whispered as Haaris had vanished behind the door but she felt like he heard it. Tiredly Ghazal fell on the corner bench, her face flushed with hot tears. Her mind was not ready to accept the point that Haaris Yousuf had attempted suicide, he was trying to kill himself. Why would he do that? What would happen if she didn't reach there on time? What would be the reason?

You.

Ghazal's eyes widened at her inner voice which was putting herself guilty for Haaris's condition. She shook her head and covered her mouth to kill her sobs, no that couldn't be true. Did she push him so much that he lost his battle with life?

Don't save me.

Haaris's broken voice of some minutes ago echoed in her ears. The tears again started to flow with full pace.

Please Allah, save him.

You know me, my intentions. I never tried to hurt him. Please save him and forgive me if I ever hurt him.

Ghazal wholeheartedly pleaded to her Lord, closing her wet eyes. Sound of hurried footsteps broke her trance and looking up she found Mr. Yousuf with red, questioning eyes.

"They have taken him in the operation theatre, it is still unknown how severe is the cut."

Mr. Yousuf nodded and took a seat beside her. She was feeling like a criminal in front of his father, Ghazal was his guilty.

"I don't know, what happened so suddenly?"

Mr. Yousuf's voice broke the chilling silence of the hospital corridor. She looked at him and found a defeated father who was looking beyond tired of the hardships life had thrown his way.

"He never tried to give up on his life. When his mother left us, Haaris became addicted to that foul thing but never tried to end his life. He will be alright, won't he?"

Ghazal nodded and fixed her gaze on the theatre door. He never tried to give up on his life, but someone had pushed him so much that Haaris felt death better than his life. That, someone, was Ghazal and only Ghazal. Thinking that the tears again made her vision more blurry than before.

***

Haaris's lips tilted up in a crestfallen smile. He had forgotten he could smile and the reason behind his smile was Azkiya, who was dancing on the dance floor. Haaris was just a few feet away from her, her face somewhat blurry due to the smoke but she was looking way beautiful.

She is beautiful!

His heart admitted gleefully. Azkiya caught his gaze and threw a bright smile of hers in his way, jittering Harris's heart. She gestured him to come on the dance floor and he politely refused, shaking his head.

"You should enjoy, at least with me. Harry. "

Now she was standing right in front of him, her hand pressed on his shoulder for support. Haaris didn't know what had attracted him towards Azkiya with such force. Whole two years had gone in a blur and they were happy being with each other.

It didn't matter to him, it was all forbidden, the alcohol, the drugs, the way of their living. But they were two lost fellows trying to find solace in every single thing, still unable to feel at ease. Azkiya took his hand and pulled him on the dance floor with her.

Music was blaring at its peak, they were surrounded by thousands yet for Haaris it was only Azkiya and it was only Haaris for her too. She jumped up and down holding his hands, her eyes shining due to the bright smile which was somewhat contagious as Haaris too smiled seeing her.

Wounding his arms around her waist, Haaris pulled her closer to him. He just wanted to feel her and only her around him. Azkiya pressed a kiss on his stubbled jaw.

"I aime être avec vous, Harry."

A chuckle left his lips hearing her, unable to understand her indecipherable words. She smiled and translated her feelings.

" I like being with you, Harry. "

"Me too."

Haaris agreed with short words, he was always short of words it was Azkiya who liked to talk and every time had something to speak of. He traced his finger on faint freckles on her nose and placed a kiss on each one of them.

"Will you come to my home tonight?"

Haaris heard her slurry question, the drink of a few minutes ago was showing its effect on them. They both were like a drug to each other, they needed each other. He was addicted to her, craved her company to take off his mind away from everything, his past, his dreadful past. Thinking of his past brought the images of his mother going with another man, leaving him all alone in the midst.

Haaris pulled her more closer and buried his face in her neck. She was moving her delicate fingers in his tangled hair.

" We are enough for each other. Our love is enough, Harry."

He nodded looking in her emerald green orbs in which he could see tenderness, love, and adoration, despite being drunk. Haaris softly held her hand and left the club with Azkiya.

***

Her eyes opened suddenly and her heartbeats were erratic as her heart was drumming at extreme pace. Ghazal looked around her and found Mr. Yousuf coming towards her with two cups.

"Doc, have it."

Mr. Yousuf said and she carefully grabbed the cup of coffee unable to trust her clumsy hands due to sleepy eyes and tiredness. She had fallen asleep on the bench, maybe her mind had become too tired to cooperate with her and her surroundings. They had been informed that Haaris's condition was now somewhat stable and he was sleeping under the effects of meds.

Ghazal had informed Batool Khala about this and had taken Adam's news, who had woken up two to three times but gone back to sleep in no time. Mr. Yousuf had told her many times to return back home but she couldn't make her mind. Her guilt was stopping her, Ghazal felt like staying at the hospital would ease out her tension and would lessen her guilt for herself.

"Has Haaris discussed something with you?"

"Pardon."

"Had Haaris told you what was bothering him or anything else?"

Ghazal shook her head, that man was so stubborn to utter a single thing at their rehab session. What he would like to say outside it? A proposal and a rejection of it could be the reason for Haaris's attempt of suicide. But how could she share this information with his father, her cheeks turned pink just as she thought telling him about it.

"You know, after his discharge from the hospital, I have seen drastic changes in Haaris. He is trying to come back to life, doc."

Ghazal gulped the lump of worry and looked down in her lap not able to make eye contact with Mr.Yousuf.

"I don't know what to say but I think you are the reason behind it." Ghazal's head turned towards his father in surprise. "The way he talks about you, the way in which he takes your name shows me how much respect Haaris has for you."

Her heartbeats raised to an extent, tears build up in her eyes and she pursed her lips to stop her cries. Why she was feeling sad all of a sudden? Why those tears?

"He had told me that he will be going to propose to you for marriage. You know there was a time in our lives when I and Haaris were just like strangers but he changed. I saw him transform into a human he had buried down very long ago. I think it is all because of you, child. I am not forcing you into anything but I am putting in front of you just a request to help my kid, Haaris. He needs a partner, a friend who will be able to understand him and I am assured that you will be a perfect better half for him."

Ghazal was trying to digest this utterly new information, was Haaris so much serious that he discussed it with his father, too. How could they accept her so easily when she was a widow, a mother of a child.

"But sir, I am a mother-"

"I know dear, but also I am not unknown to your other circumstances. Don't you think you need to move on in your life?"

"Moving on doesn't mean sir that I will have to marry again. I am moving on."

Ghazal replied, a slight hurt evident in her voice. She didn't like the way her society always wanted to see the girl married if she is an adult she should be married if she is a divorcee or a widow she should be married.

"I am sorry, I was just saying it as a father. But please try to think about Haaris and my request."

With that, Mr. Yousuf left the corridor and Ghazal was alone with her thoughts. Suddenly the subject of her marriage had become a hot topic. Everybody was discussing it with her and she was getting tired every day.

What I should do, Allah?

***

No, he shouldn't have done it. He couldn't sit in that car when he knew what would happen. He was trying with all his might to open his eyes and slowly his mind began to gain consciousness. Soon he felt a touch under his eyes, opening his tired eyes Haaris saw a blurry image of a kid.

Adam.

A relief danced around his heart seeing the kid but soon it vanished as it was the sign of his aliveness, his life which was still not ended. How cruel the game of fate was! Haaris was fidgeting to get out from that anyhow, but there was no way for his saving.

"You are crying, Haarish?"

Adam's soft voice gave him an indication of his present, he huddled closer to Haaris and again wiped his tears which he too didn't know were flowing. He shook his head with a painful smile, that kid was too small to understand the hardships of life.

"No, you are." Adam was adamant at his claims and put his index finger in front of Haaris's eyes, "Shee, thesh are your tearsh."

Haaris smiled and held him close keeping his arm around his back. If Adam was here, that meant Ghazal must be here. Haaris felt a little tinge of excitement thinking about seeing Ghazal.

I know my priorities, Mr. Haaris.

Ghazal had once told him, she surely knew it. She was upset with him but still, Ghazal took him to the hospital and tend to his wound when he needed it the most. Wait, he should feel remorse if Ghazal had saved him but instead Haaris was feeling gratefulness towards her.

That woman plays with my mind.

"You need chocolate? "

Adam asked fishing out two chocolate bars from his pocket.

"Why?"

"Ma givesh me when I cry. You should eat too."

Adam's innocent mind was stuck at his crying and tears. He extended one bar to him and Haaris took it without any hesitancy. A gasp attracted their attention to the intruder which was no other than, Ghazal Fatima. She was surprised to see him awake or maybe seeing Adam sitting on his bed.

"Adam, what Ma had said to you?"

Ghazal chastised him, coming closer to his bed. Her eyes were somewhat swollen, whispering her secrets of crying and a sleepless night.

"Shit quietly on the bench."

Adam repeated her sentence in his way, forcing a smile on their faces. " Yes, so what are you doing here?" Ghazal asked taking Adam in her arms wiping his mouth which was spotted with chocolate, with her napkin.

"I wash giving Haarish chocolate becaush he wash crying."

Haaris eyes widened at his sudden confession and Ghazal turned her head to look at him. He was now feeling slightly embarrassed under her gaze. No one wants to show a weak side of him to the world, that was also the case with Haaris.

"How are you feeling now, Mr. Haaris?"

"Better."

He answered if Adam wasn't present at that time with them, Haaris would ask Ghazal, why she saved him? That question was absurd he knew but he wanted her answer to that more like he wanted to read her face while he would ask that question.

"Ghazal."

Haaris quickly called her, as she was about to leave the room. Adam had slipped from her grasp and ran outside. Now it was only him and Ghazal. She turned to see him with a questioning gaze, today her eyes were soft. They were not glaring at him like they used to.

"Don't cry from now, you are not the reason for this."

Haaris said gesturing towards his bandaged wrist and Ghazal was just staring at him with shock and surprise.