I went straight towards him and tapped his right shoulder.

"ZAIN?????"

"Why are you so shocked to see me?"

I still couldn't believe my eyes. 

"You are the Shadow?"

"What Shadow?" He looked confused

"You were the one who was behind everything?"

"What are you saying Hoori?"

"Zain" I didn't knew what to say or think. It was as if my mind was totally blocked, neither I could think anything nor react. Only one thing was occupying my mind and that was Zain.

No no he can't be the shadow. He has been with me through thick and thin, he would rather prefer dying than to haunt me. But why was he here? He was suppose to be in the house.

Was that guy playing a trick with me? He made me believe that he was here. He made me come out of the house. He wasn't there but Zain is. This is a puzzle. Something is surely behind this. But what is it? C'mon, C'mon, think, think, think Hoori think, there should be something.

Yes!!

Oh No!!!

"Zain, we should go inside like right now" I held his hand and almost dragged him with me.

"Hoori, what are you doing? You were the one who called me out and now you're saying we had to go in?" He stopped walking.

"Wait...I called you out?" I was confused

"Yes, you did"

"No, I didn't and why would I call you out, when I can talk to you in the house?"

"I don't know" he shrugged

"What about the jacket?" I asked

"What?"

"You weren't wearing a jacket when you came to my house" I said folding my arms.

"Junaid gave me and yeah, he was the one who texted me that you're waiting for me outside" he said.

"Why would Junaid give you a jacket? And you both were under the same roof then why would he text you?"

"That I don't know. Might be I came out for a while and he couldn't find me so he texted me but the strange thing is he texted me from a new number." Now, this caught my attention.

"New Number? But Junaid has only one cell and that too it's not a dual sim cell! You should have asked me in person before coming out like that"

"Listen Hoori, first of all it doesn't matter at all that whether he has only one cell or not. I got a message that you were waiting for me here so I came." He made it look so simple.

"This is the thing Zain, that it's not so simple what it looks like. You were tricked Zain and God forbid if someone would have harmed you?" My voice slowed down.

"Hoori, if something bad was on my way it will happen. This was already written in my destiny. Nothing could've stopped it. And why are you worrying so much? I'm fine, we're fine." He said holding my upper arm.

"Allahamdulilah" I whispered.

"Hoorain, now will you tell me what is actually going on?" He asked.

Should I tell him? Should I not? Should I tell him? Should I not? Should I tell him? Should I not? Should I tell him? Should I not?

"Okay, stop debating with your own self. I'm not gonna eat you up if you won't say it to me. We'll talk some other day on this topic. We should go back now. Everyone might be worried for you." He smiled.

Hush...I was so relaxed now. He didn't forced me to say. I mentally wiped my sweat off from my forehead before walking with him.

After we went inside everyone bombarded us with questions. After calming down everyone we finally sat down for the dinner. Throughout the dinner I kept on thinking that why would Junaid text him? Why would he give his jacket? What is actually going on with him? Is he working under that person or Is he himself that person?

Aahhh...I'll go mad soon.

After we finished eating dinner I was helping Aunty in cleaning up everything while all of them were sitting outside and have ice creams. They have pampered me alot today. After finishing everything, I went out of the kitchen and saw Junaid going upstairs, I went behind him.

"Junaid?" I called him.

"Hoori?"

"Why do you seem so shocked?"

"Umm..No, what are you doing here?"

"I should be asking this to you" I said firmly.

"Ohh..there wasn't tower down, so I went up" he said.

"Well, I've been living here from the last ten years and there hadn't been a day where there's a tower issue in this house" I said crossing my arms.

"What do you mean Hoori? Are you doubting on me?" He seemed to be offended.

"Why don't you come clean Junaid? Enough of playing Hide & Seek" I was tired now.

"What do you exactly want to say?"

"Why did you text Zain that I was waiting for him outside?" I asked.

"I never texted him" he said.

"Why are you lying?"

"No, I'm not Hoori"

"Junaid we have the proof that you've texted Zain, your name was written."

"Hoorain, why would I text Zain when I could talk to him directly?"

"That's what I want to know!! You texted him saying that I was waiting for him outside while I was not. And on top of that you texted him from a new number?"

"What??? Now you're saying that I texted him from a new number? Hoorain are you in your senses? Why would I even do that? Trust me, I'm not lying!!" He argued back.

"So you meant to say is I'm lying?"

"No Hoorain, that's not what I meant to say...here, I'm not the bad guy and first of all how can I even text him, forget about texting him, I can't even call someone"

"You have a freaking cell phone, a sim and then also you can't call or text someone? Strange!!" I commented sarcastically.

"Yes, I can't because my sim is blocked. As much as this sound strange to you but in reality my sim has been blocked. That's why from the last two hours I'm trying to contact the customer service desk but I can't." He was pissed off now.

I didn't have anything else to say. He is my friend and I know he'll never lie to me.

"What about the jacket?" I asked.

"Hoorain, Zain is my friend too. He was going out and the weather is so chilly so I offered my Jacket. That's it!!" He said.

"Okayy...Look, I'm sorry. I should've trusted you. It's not that, that I don't trust you, I trust you, I do. But everything that happened today pointed finger at you." I was so ashamed.

"It's okay. I can understand. Now let's go, it's already late." He said.

"Junaid, I had to go somewhere, can you drop me?" I asked.

"Are you crazy? It's almost ten and where do you want to go?"

"It's not ten yet, let's go...." I said rushing down the stairs ignoring his calls.

"What? No, you aren't going anywhere" Aunty said

"Aunty please, if it wouldn't have been  important, I wouldn't have said" I requested.

"Jaani, but why aren't you telling us that where do you exactly want to go?" Uncle said

"This is the thing Uncle that I can't say. All I can say is I'll be seeing someone for the last time and whatever have happened to him, it's all because of me." I said

"But why can't you say everything clearly?" Aunty again said.

"Hoorain it's already ten ten and you have to leave tomorrow at five in the morning. You should take rest" Ambreen said. Great timing my friend!!!

"Now where is she going in the morning?" Uncle stood up.

"Umm...Sir called me and said that I'll be going somewhere with him for work purpose. He didn't gave me much details as usual. Yeah, that's it!!" I blabbered.

"And when were you planning to tell us?" Aunty raised her eyebrows.

"Tonight, yeah tonight!!"

"You're not going anywhere" Aunty said and I ran to Uncle.

"Uncle please please, I swear I had to go there for once. Please please understand, when the correct time comes, I myself will tell you everything. But for now, please let me go. And Junaid will be with me. He'll even drop me back home again. Right Junaid?" And I gave him a I'll kill you myself look if he says No.

"Ofcourse Uncle." He smiled

"Okay fine go, but come back soon"
Uncle said and I hugged him tight. "Thank you, thank you sooo much. I'll be back soon."I said and kissed Aunty's cheek who was fuming in anger and ran out of the house.

After giving the address to Junaid he started driving and I started getting all sorts of emotions inside me.

Soon enough we reached. I got out of the car and my ears was hit with the wailing sound of a child. The loud cry of a woman who has lost his husband because of me. I wish I could change the time and bring him back home safe and sound.

I shouldn't have involved him in my messy life. He was suppose to live, he would have been living today. It was my fault.

"Do you want to go in?" Junaid asked

I nodded.

The sight inside the house frozed me. Chill ran down behind my back. His wife was holding him from the chest and was crying while his daughter Zara, was holding his mom's back, crying. I couldn't control myself as tears burst out of my eyes.

"Hey, shhhh...calm down, it's okay, it's okay..!!" Junaid whispered.

"Please take me back home." I said sobbing.

The ride back home was extremely quiet.

"Thank you, Junaid." I said as I got out of the car.

He just nodded. "You okay, Na?." Now I nodded. I quietly went inside the room, I guess everyone has already slept. I went to my room, changed into my pjs, buried my face in the pillow, cried to sleep.

It must have been the buzzing sound of my cell, which pulled me out of the deep slumber.

"Hello?" I croaked.

"Miss.Ahmed" Yup, I was up.

"Yes Sir"

"We have a flight to catch and uptil now you're sleeping? I'm waiting for you downstairs." He said and I ran down wrapping my hijab. I opened the door of the house and yes he was standing or should I say leaning against his car, dressed in freshly washed jeans and a simple white tshirt.

"God, why are you so punctual?" I hissed rubbing my eyes.

"Will you hurry up?"

"First say please" I demanded.

"What?"

"Yes"

"Get out of the child phase and grow up" he scolded.

"Fine, you can go alone" I said looking at my nails.

He cursed under his breath before he said please. I gave him my dazzling smile and rushed upwards to get ready. Since we'll be travelling so I just wore my most comfortable pair of jeans, a white hoodie and a black hijab with my matching sneakers.

Last night Tashu had already packed my luggage. I said my goodbye to Aunty, Uncle and Tashu and went out. He was already sitting in his car. It's not that I didn't invited him in, I did but he refused to come in. Good for him.

"I don't believe it that I'm actually going with you, it would be a pain for me to be with you." I groaned.

"Feelings mutual babe" he winked.

*****

What do you guys think about Junaid?

Is he the one behind all of this?

****

Assalamualaikum my beautiful readers. How are you all? The blessed month is here.. Ramadan Kareem to all of you. Make lots of dua, ask for lots of forgiveness and do remember me in you prayers.

I hope you all like this chapter.

Keep voting and commenting guys.

Love you all...