"Emotions are like seasons, forever evolving, changing hues with the passage of time."

~ Unknown

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Amira sat on the bed, her breakfast only half-finished, as Ali's family, along with Raiyyan and Haya, entered the room. Ali continued working on his laptop, seemingly oblivious to the others. Amira's gaze shifted from Ali to his family, and she couldn't bring herself to look them in the eye, weighed down by embarrassment and the events of the past few days. Without a second thought, Haya approached Amira and embraced her. The sudden hug made Amira close her eyes tightly, a hint of pain visible on her face. Ali observed the scene, his attention divided between the screen and the room. The boys, too, were keenly watching.

"Haya, she will suffocate with your hug!" Ali's stern voice interrupted, prompting Haya to release her hold. Amira opened her eyes, relieved to be free from any more physical discomfort.

"Amira, how are you feeling?" Jasmine inquired softly.

"I am fine," Amira managed, offering a weak smile. Her eyes betrayed the inner turmoil she was experiencing. Ayesha, noticing the spots on Amira's arms, examined her more closely.

"What happened to you? These wounds?" Ayesha asked, concern etched on her face. Amira hesitated, fear flickering in her eyes. She quickly covered her hand with the blanket.

"It's nothing, aunty. Just a few clumsy accidents. They will recover once medicine is applied," Amira replied, surprising the boys.

"Accidents? Are you sure? How would you cut your neck by accident?" Ayesha probed further, intensifying the boys' curiosity. Ali's attention shifted from the laptop to Amira, increasing the pressure.

"It was dark and I tried to go through that fence. It cut my neck," she was rubbing her hands which were sweaty. Raiyyan exchanged glances with Ali, while Samad and Zain shared a silent exchange.

"Amira, you need to be more careful. Are you sure everything is fine?" Aabid added, expressing his concern.

"Yes, uncle. I promise. It's really nothing to worry about," Amira assured, though her nervous demeanor lingered. The family left the room, leaving Amira to grapple with a mix of emotions—gratitude for their care, guilt for concealing the truth, and a lingering fear of her past resurfacing.

"Why did you lie?" Ali asked with gritted teeth.

"I did not!" He simply left for the washroom. Amira sighed in relief. She was left alone with her thoughts. Little did she know that the tranquility would be disrupted once again.

The door swung open abruptly, and in walked Asif and Faisal, Amira's brothers, their expressions cold and uninviting. Amira's heart raced, fear gripping her as memories of past confrontations flooded her mind. They stood in front of her, casting a shadow that seemed to engulf the room.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Asif almost shouted, making her flinch.

"What is this?" Faisal took the card of her, lying freely. Amira hesitated, fear evident in her eyes, but she remained silent.Before Amira could react, Ali returned from the washroom, his protective instincts kicking in. The atmosphere tensed as Ali, with a stern expression, questioned the unexpected intrusion.

"What are you doing?" Ali stepped forward and took the card from his hand, "And who allowed you in?"

"Since when do we need permission to enter your room, Ali?" Asif asked baffled.

Ali's gaze remained unwavering as he asserted, "This is her room, and anyone entering needs her permission." The authority in his voice sent a chill down the spines of Amira's brothers. Amira, caught between her past and an uncertain present, was left speechless and stunned.

"We don't need HER permission for anything," Faisal spat furiously.

Ali kept his voice calm, "You may not need it for this home or your place. But this room is HERS. So, you do need HER permission before entering."

Faisal, realizing the futility of the situation, exchanged uneasy glances with Asif. Reluctantly, they left the room with a silent exit, leaving behind a room filled with unresolved tensions.

Ali turned to Amira, his eyes softening as he reassured her, "Nobody will come in here, without your permission. This room is your safe space." Amira, though still grappling with the recent encounter, felt a glimmer of hope in Ali's words.

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As they sat in the hall with random talks, Ali came there.

"Is everything fine?" Raiyyan asked, seeing him coming all of a sudden.

"Yeah. Haya,Tara bhabhi, Jasmine bhabhi. I need you tomorrow. Clear your schedules please and also those of these 3 humans," Ali pointed at Samad, Zain and Raiyyan-.

"Oyee. I promised Haya to take her out tomorrow," Raiyyan had a frown looking at Ali.

"Do I look like I care? I need Haya and bhabhi, so I do!" He glared at Raiyyan.

"Raiyyan, it's fine. We will go another day. Bhai, don't worry. I will be there!" Ali smiled at her and Jasmine agreed too, followed by Tara. Ali left from there while Haya smiled.

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The next morning, Ali's family, Haya, and Raiyyan gathered at the dining table. Ali and Amira were notably absent, drawing Raiyyan's irritation.

Raiyyan was irritated and scoffed, "This idiot ruined my plans and is himself sleeping."

"Raiyyan, keep calm! See, Amira is also not here. What if they're having breakfast in bed?" Haya suggested with excitement.

"Ali does still not like Amira!" Raiyyan expressed confusion.

"Haya, how do you manage this stupid?" Samad said, slightly irritated.

"Don't ask me bhai. He's a fool!" Haya joked, and they all shared a healthy laugh, except for Raiyyan, who made faces.

"You people are cruel, making fun of poor me! By the way, what do you think Ali needs us for?" Raiyyan commented while pouring himself some juice.

"Something about Amira! He asked us 3 to be there specifically. Has he ever needed us for any of his own work?" Jasmine said while pouring herself food. That time Ali came downstairs with Amira beside him.

"Wow, your sun did rise very soon, beta," Zain teased, imitating Aabid. Tara playfully hit his shoulder. They all sat down, and while Ali and Amira took their food, Amira only took a bit of salad as a formality.

"Take more," Aabid suggested after noticing her plate.

"I am fine, uncle." Ali glanced at her plate again, hoping she would take more, but she only ate what she had initially put on her plate. After a while, he placed two sandwich halves on her plate. Amira looked at him with wide eyes, and Raiyyan started giggling. Ali glared at him.

"Amira, I think Ali wants you to eat them with your mouth and not to eat them by staring at them," Tara joined Raiyyan. Amira nodded and started eating them, finishing them quickly. Ali then placed some fruits on her plate. Amira looked at him again, shocked, thinking it was only two tangerines. She ate them up. As soon as she finished, he put a small croissant on her plate. Amira sighed, took it, and put it on his plate, along with double the amount of fruits and another sandwich. Ali looked at her shocked.

"Why did you put it on mine?" Ali asked her with surprise.

"You have been putting it on mine," Amira answered with a slight frown.

"You not so intelligent human, I did it because you need some energy," Ali rolled his eyes. Raiyyan bursted out laughing by seeing their expressions, followed by the others. Aabid and Ayesha were smiling. Amira felt embarrassed. Ali put a bit on her plate from his. They finished up soon and left from there. Ali, Amira, Haya and Raiyyan were in one car and the four in one. Soon they reached the mall.

"Wow, a mall?" Haya exclaimed as soon as they got out.

"Why are we here?" Samad asked, looking at Ali.

"Amira needs some things. I won't be much of a help so these women can go shopping and I need to talk about something with you!" Ali said while closing his car.

"Fair enough," The four women went shopping, while the boys headed to a café.

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As the boys settled into the café, Ali took a moment before broaching the sensitive topic that had been on his mind. He looked at Samad, Zain, and Raiyyan, his expression serious.

"Guys, there's something I need to discuss with you," Ali began, his gaze focused. The atmosphere grew tense, and Samad, Zain, and Raiyyan shifted their attention toward him.

"It's about Amira," Ali continued, choosing his words carefully. "It's about the wounds on her arms and neck. She claimed they were just accidents, but Anaya bhabhi said she was hit."

"She's covering it up, possibly out of fear or to protect them," Samad said, thinking all possibilities through.

"I saw the fear in her eyes when they entered the room yesterday. When Asif and Faisal entered our room, I saw fear in Amira's eyes. Confirming all that bhabhi said."

"Why does she protect them?" Zain wonders.

"Because she never learnt to trust anyone. She thinks we wouldn't believe it if she told us. Which, as a matter of fact, we would have not!" Samad responded to him, "And Ali if you want her to trust you, get into her comfort zone. So that she can share everything about herself. And for god's sake, stop ordering her. Ask her nciely!"

Ali nodded, "We need a plan. Something that ensures her safety and exposes the truth without putting her in more danger. Mom and dad should know the truth. And she shouldn't have to worry about living around us, just because they were cruel to her."

They all were in agreement about this and made a plan to not let her have any confrontation with her family. They all left for the shops.

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Diary Entry - [13.09.23]

Dear Diary,

Today unfolded strangely. I decided to skip university and headed to work, stashing my belongings in the workers' room. The day proceeded in its usual routine, dealing with both pleasant and spoiled customers, the latter category never failing to irk me. One particular encounter, labeled "Customer dump," left a bitter taste in my mouth. How could humanity stoop so low?

However, the day took an unexpected turn when Zain bhai, accompanied by Samad and Raiyyan bhai, entered the scene. Their presence induced a wave of regret, making me reconsider all of my choices. Suddenly, everything faded to black, and I found myself in the hospital once again. My head was in pain.

There were few words exchanged on our way home. Ali, without giving anyone a chance to react, carried me to our room. Despite my protests about being heavy, he remained unconcerned. As bhabhi got food, he made me eat it through his gestures. He kept the plate in front of me and gave me a look which probably asked me to eat up. Once done, the inquiries about my well-being began. They asked about the wounds, skeptical of my explanations. Faced with disbelief, I clung to my decision. Ali, persistent, revisited the topic once they left, but I remained unchanged in my words. Yet it felt weird, that heasked me why I lied. As if he knows the truth. But even if he knew, he wouldn't believe the truth. He trusts Asif bhai, and I doubt he would ever believe my side of the story.

In Ali's absence, Asif bhai and Faisal bhai entered the room, triggering fear within me. What went through yesterday was still fresh in my mind. However, Ali came back from the washroom and handled the situation, granting me a sense of relief. He declared the room as my safe space, and though uncertain, I hope he meant it. I never had a safe space, so I wonder what it actually means. But his protective side gave me a hope that it means being protected within that place.

As the day wore on, I found myself drifting into sleep without realizing it. Upon waking up, I discovered Ali working beside me. He noticed me awake and brought food for both of us. Despite my lack of hunger, I couldn't refuse him. We ate in silence before he cleared away the plates. Ready to sleep, he assured me that he wouldn't play the hero and take the couch. Instead, he insisted that the bed was spacious enough for both of us, emphasizing it wasn't our first time sharing it. I simply nodded, and as he shushed my protests of me sleeping on the bed, we settled into a night's rest on the ample bed. I mean, the bed is big enough.

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