“you're a living disaster in the form of a midget”

Micheal couldn't help but feel proud after a large number of girls stepped out to support them. Girls and boys stood United and ready for any step that they had to take. Many students had recorded and gathered evidence against this man and now they only wished to have the police on their side.

They had tried. They tried calling the police and have them take this man out but shehryar had an influence bigger than they thought.

The man had blackmailed them or more precisely Laila to back down. His advances had enraged and scared her to no end. That day when she didn't show up at the cafe after university Micheal couldn't help but feel threatened. He called, he texted but received no reply in return and when he went to her house after receiving her mother's call, to ask about her, he was only met with her mother's worried gaze.

"Is everything okay aunty? Where's Laila?" He asked softly. His gaze running around in the house for sign of her bright existence but the house stood still almost lifeless.

"I don't know beta ever sje came home crying and has now been locked up in her room. You go and see what's wrong she's not allowing anyone in. I was thinking you both had a fight or something?" her mother, Ruqaiya begum said looking in tht direction of the stairs. He nodded and got up once again taking her permission by gesture.

She nodded her head walking along with him. She lead him into her room and stood there while he went towards the window that lead to the roof. She stood at distance letting  the friends have their talk.

He stepped into her room for the first time in two years. It was an average sized room with a twin sized bed on the left, a desk to the right, multiple Polaroids of them and fairy lights and littered her walls along with different bean bags on the floor.

He walked towards the window that lead to the roof. She sat on the roof staring into space.

"Hey. Jian. What's wrong?" He said sitting beside her startling her. She turned her head to her side facing him.

"Hey" she said in a small voice making him furrow his eyebrows in stress.

"Laila?" He said putting his hand on her shoulder.

"Hm?" She hummed not meeting his eyes. Blinking too much. More than normal.

"Did something happen? Did.. did shehryar say something?" He said pulling her head towards him. Tears pooled in her pale blue eyes making them look like the endless oceans of the world.

"Laila. What did he do? Tell me" he said cupping her face making her breakdown in sobs hugging him. Her sobs made his heart clench in distress. He placed his hand on the back of her head and her back placing his chin on her head.

"What did he do Laila? Tell me." He said barely holding his anger.

"M... micheal h.. he. Y.. you'll hate me" she hiccuped not being able to put into words what had taken place in that office.

"Laila" he gritted pulling her back and shaking her holding her arms.

"Look at me. What happened?" He whisper yelled making her pull her hand up and move her hair away from her neck. She pulled at the collar of her sweater making his hand drop from her arms. His breath stilled as he stared at the bruises, finger prints and bite marks that littered her skin.

She sobbed pulling herself away from him. She pulled her legs up to her chest and cradled herself crying helplessly.

"I.. I don't want to fight him anymore. I'm scared Micheal. I can't do this" she cried shaking her head.

He couldn't move. He could hear her, he wanted to hold her and stop her from falling prey to his intentions but his muscles had numbed.

"D... Did he do a... anything else?" His voice came out choked. He felt ashamed of not being able to be there for her.

"N.. no. I ran away, if ma'am Rifhat hadn't entered the office I.. I... Don't... Know what...."

"Enough..." He said not wanting to even think what could've happened if that teacher hadn't entered the office.

"I... I just left the university. I.. I don't want to do anything. Micheal." Snapping back in reality he couldn't help but feel rage at her for backing out.

"No. You won't back down like this. Laila doesn't bow to no one" he said cupping her face making her cheeks to squish in his palm.

"I'm scared"

"No. If you back down now Laila. He's going to keep this going. Things will turn more ugly if you give into his evil plan now. You're Laila Chaudhary. My brave fatty jian. My warrior midget. You're not backing down now nor ever." He said. The determination in his eyes made her lost confidence to return in her, she took a deep breath and nodded. A snicker left her lips alongside a hiccup.

"Midget?" She chuckled wiping her tears making him sigh in relief.

"Well you are a boni" he nodded making her narrow her eyes at him.

"Tumhe mene bola tha itna lamba hone keliye. Zindagi me ugne ke ilawa koi kaam nahi tha?" She said in a loud voice making him smile at her returning spirit.
(Did I tell you to grow this tall? Didn't you have anything else to do in life rather than growing?)

"Mene kaha ke tum barhna hi chor do?" He retorted back making her slap his arm hard.
(Did I tell you to stop growing?)

"Dafa ho" she said pushing and laughing at him at once.
(Get lost)

"Roti Hui bht badsorat lagti ho, waise tu haste hue bhi achi nahi lagti lekin phir bhi guzara tu hojata hai at least" he said tickling her side making her laugh and bend over.

(You look very ugly while crying. Well you don't look beautiful while smiling either but that barrable)

"Meri yeh badsoorat shakal dekhne ka kisne bola hai. Jao jao. Pata nahi Kahan Kahan se aajate Hain"

(Who's told you to look at my ugly face. Leave. Where do these people even come from)

Ruqaiya begum couldn't help but feel happy seeing them smiling and laughing together. She knew it was time to discuss the thought she had been pondering over for a long time with Laila's father. 

⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️

"Shehryar Khanzada, the head professor in the university of Karachi has been arrested for molesting and harassing female students and staff. The protest is being lead on by Laila Chaudhary a final year student in the visual studies department. Well speak to her for further statement stay tuned"

The reporters surrounded the area covering many students standing out in protest against the weak management and harassers. Micheal stood infront Laila for the cause of taking such molesters out.

Laila stood strong all the while holding Micheal's hand. She fed off of the energy he emitted. It gave her the support that he had been craving.

Her stomach churned when shehryar glared at her while being taken away by the police. She clutched to Micheal and he couldn't help but hold her tight.

"What had been happening here miss Laila? How come no one else spoke of this? How did you manage to fight a big name like shehryar Khanzada? What are your points on this?" The reporter asked making her stunned for a second.

"People like shehryar Khanzada stay hidden under the tag of money that's they abuse. No one dares to go against them thinking of tht things they'll lose and honestly I've been in their shoes but with the right support and people willing to have a change in life people like him can be faught easily. Sexual abuse is a taboo in our society. The phrases like izzat kharab hojana etc are reasons why many girls today's are silently murdered alive by their own families. We need to speak up. Staying quiet only make situations worse. It about time everyone stood up for themselves." She said with true passion in her voice. Every eye looked at her with admiration.

The whole fiasco had caused had storms brewing in her family. Family members didn't stop making ugly predictions and pointing fingers at her for being shameless.

But her family stood by her with pride. Most importantly Micheal. If he hadn't given her the hope maybe she had lost to that man's game easily.

  ⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️

Two months later.

"So what now?" Asked Micheal.

Graduation was last week and now they celebrated their success by roaming around in a park.

They walked the hilly path upto the amusement park. He stared ahead while she jogged to keep up with him.

"Doraemon!" She yelled bending over panting.

"What?" He said turning around.

"Walk slowly" she panted crouching down.

"I'm already walking slow" he said making her pull one leg up and gesture towards it.

"What?"

"Well if you have failed to notice I have short legs" she said looking at him then her leg.

"And that's also my problem?" He asked pointing towards himself.

"Walk slowly" she said walking upto him.

They somehow reached the gates and were debating on who'll buy the tickets.

"I'm broke" she said turning around not looking at him.

"Liar. I paid the Uber fare, now you buy the tickets. Kanjoos aurat" he said taking her wallet out while she struggled. She kicked his leg but slipped on the floor.
(Stingy woman)

"Karma" he said going to buy the entry tickets. She glared at him while dusting herself.

"This should be fifty fifty" she whined.

"It is" he pointed out.

"No.. I make the plan you spend on the plan" she said laughing at the end.

"I'm not a billionaire, I also have a budget" she rolled her eyes at his statement.

"I'm going for the Merry go round first" she said making him tilt his head and look at her like she had grown horns.

"How old are you again?" He asked looking down at her.

"I'm 21"

"Why don't you act like one?" She blinked her eyes bored.

"You're joining me" she grinned making him start taking steps back.

"Yes you are now shut up"

She said snatching her wallet out of his hold. She was about to go buy tickets for the Merry go round when she yanked back by her hood being pulled back.

"I'm not going" he said.

"Okay but then just buy me tickets" She smirked sneakily and waited while he returned.

"Isn't this fun Micheal?" She laughed at his sulking expression.

"Very yay" she threw her head back laughing at his fake enthusiasm.

"Smile" she said taking his picture.

"You're actually very annoying. Why am I even with you?" He asked making her roll her eyes.

"I'm never in my life going any where with you" he said running away from the girls that eyed him getting down from the horse.

"Yeah but now that you're here let's go on the Ferris wheel" she jumped enthusiastically.

"Bumping cars first" he said dragging her to the area.

"Micheal" she yelled as he hit her again. He laughed as her car went spinning to a corner.

"I hate you" she swayed as her head spinned. She was never good at this and he always took advantage of that.

"Now to the Ferris wheel we go" he sang dragging her there.

They concluded their day with a beautiful sunset and a bickering ride back home and hot cup of coffee from their neighborhood busy bean cafe.

Word count 1981
Thoughts?