"Maya you are coming with us and it is final." Areesha was saying to Maya but she shook her head again.

"I told you I don't feel well. You guys go." It had been the thousandth time Areesha had told her today to go with them to her parents house but Maya had refused obstinately. She didn't want to make it more awkward with Zayan than it already was. It had been over a month since Uzair was born and Areesha was better too. Every time Zayan came over she just locked herself in her room to avoid him. Now why would she go to his house voluntarily?

"Even Ammi and Baba are going. Why do you want to stay home alone?" Areesha persisted.

"I told you I am sick." Maya snapped at her and Areesha's hopeful expression faltered.

Here she was trying to freshen her by taking her out and she was being so rude.

"Areesha-" She said holding her hand as she started feeling guilty for beong rude. "I'll go if you really want me to."

Areesha smiled at her. "It's fine if you are really are not feeling well. I just thought that you hardly get out of the house these days so you should come with us. We will have fun."

"Yeah I'll go." She said with a slight smile.

"Ok let me go and check up on Uzair. He isn't eating anything."

 Maya smiled after her. She was really blessed to have such a bhabhi. 

She tried not to think of how she had left the hospital. Even her brother had questioned her about that. She was surprised to say the least when he had asked her that over dinner because he was ignoring her these days. It really hurt her to know that her relationship with her brother was deteriorating. 

The only thing she could do about it was to tell him the truth which she couldn't bear to. So she just let it go and hoped that time would heal everything. But in all honesty she doubted that. 

However, time wasn't always the best healer. She was still stuck in the same stage. She was trying to move on but to handle everything alone was the hardest part. She couldn't forget how he had touched no matter how hard she tried.

Even Areesha knew something was up with her and that's why she kept looking for excuses to take her out. Her family was very shocked when she said that she had left her job. The job she was so passionate about. But she couldn't pick herself up and walk in that cabin now as if nothing had happened. So she just gave up. The best she could do was be a coward about it and not get out of her house now.

***

Maya was fiddling with the food as she tried to eat the food without throwing up. They were currently having dinner at Zayan's house. The food was really good but Maya didn't have the appetite to eat anything and she felt like she was going to throw up.

"Maya beta you aren't eating. Try this pasta." Areesha's mother said to her and she looked up from her plate.

"N-no. I'm fine auntie. Thank you." She said politely. Her brother looked at her concerned from beside her but she ignored his gaze and shoved a spoonful of rice in her mouth and swallowed it down without even taking in the taste.

Since they had come she was avoiding Zayan like plague. She had caught his eye once or twice but she quickly looked away.

She spooned another bite in her mouth and chewed it slowly. She hated staying quiet . She had always been a chatter-box who was the soul of such family get-togethers but now she was scared of speaking. She was scared that she was going to blurt it all out to her family. She was scared that her out-spoken attitude wpuld cost her more than it already had. She had suffered too much already due to her own mistakes.

"Can you pass me the salad?" 

She looked up from her plate and saw Zayan staring directly at her. Why was he looking at her? Had someone said something?

Areesha took a bowl which was in front of Maya and passed it to him. 

Oh. She realized. He wanted the salad. She glanced at him again.

What was he trying to do? Why did he keep glancing at her? He probably wanted to tell everyone about everything. She sighed and went back to her half-finished food.

Fawad glanced at his siter and then at Zayan. There was something going on between them; that he was sure of. Their furtive glances towards each other were boiling him up and what he had witnessed that day came to his mind. It was burned on his retina and he couldn't get it out of his head.

He clenched the fork in his hand, trying to control his emotions. Was he not a good brother to his sister that she couldn't share anything with him?

His hold on the fork loosened and it clattered to the floor making everyone look up at the sudden noise. He could feel Maya staring at him but he pushed his chair back and got up.

"I- I'll be back from the washroom," he muttered and without looking at anyone he rushed out of the dining room. He couldnt take it anymore. He needed to do something about all this.

***

After they were done with the dinner, the parents went to the drawing room to discuss whatever they were discussing and Maya helped Areesha clear up the table.

"Maya put this bowl in the fridge." Areesha said giving her the bowl. Maya took it from her and went to put it in the fridge. 

She turned around and bumped into someone. She rubbed her forehead and looked up to see Zayan standing there.

"S-sorry." she muttered not meeting his gaze and moved away.

"Uh Areesha, Uzair is crying so Fawad's calling you." Zayan told his sister.

"He's probably hungry." Areesha muttered and went outside.

"Zayan come out and Maya please just put the plates in the sink."

Zayan looked at his sister weirdly. Did she know anything?

"I'm coming." he said to her cautiously and Areesha left the kitchen.

Zayan turned to Maya who was piling the plates up.

"Are you okay?" Zayan asked Maya searching her face for any expression.

"It's alright." Maya muttered thinking about how he had bumped into her.

"What?" Zayan said confused. "Oh I am not talking about that." He said as realization dawned upon him. "You were hardly eating anything over dinner so I was just concerned."

Maya tensed. Why was he observing her throughout dinner? She didn't see how her well being was any of his business. What was his problem? Why was he talking to her as if she would break any moment. She didn't need anyone's pity.

"I wasn't hungry." She said trying to be polite not wanting to offend as she was standing in his house. She tried not to look a his his because she felt so scared that she would see the pity in them that she detested.

"How's everything at the hospital?" He asked her cautiously, searching her face for any emotions. He felt weird that they shared such a big secret and he was sure she still hadn't told anyone by the looks of it. It oddly felt that he needed to protect her from that guy, not because he was related to her by his sister but just because she was a respectable girl. Maybe his profession had made him like this that he had somehow convinced himself that he needed to look out for her.

"I have left my job." she replied coldly without meeting his eye. Why the hell was he asking about it? It wasn't like they shared anything between them. They never really interacted before so what was his problem now?

Before either of them could say anything, Fawad came inside the kitchen and his eyes rounded on them standing together and whispering. 

Maya's blood ran cold to see her brother there. He had reacted so badly when he had seen her with Zayan last time. She just hoped that everything would be fine and he wouldn't make any stupid assumptions.

"Oh there you are Zayan." Fawad said smiling. Maya could see all through his fake smile. She noticed how his fists were clenched and he was ignoring her as if she didn't exist.

"I need to talk to you about something important." He said and Maya took that as her cue to leave the kitchen.

***

Sorry for the late update...

Hope you liked the chapter!!

Any idea what our beloved Fawad has to say now? I'd love to hear your assumptions!!!