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'There is something about someone that attracts you at the first sight -- intrigues you, and I wonder what tempted me towards her." -Aayan Aslam, SD

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Chapter Eighteen

Messing Up With Reality

~~Aayan Aslam~~

I remember the first time I met her. I'm not sure it will be considered as 'meeting' because she didn't know I existed until the senior year. But, well, I do recall each and everything.

It was around the time when I was twelve year old and she ten. How can I forget her even though I didn't even know her name at that time, and yet, in senior year I recognized her through her features.

I remember her luscious brunette hair in a high ponytail. Her fair skin glowing in the bright sun. And, the thing that helped me in remembering her, were her eyes.  Her turquoise big eyes. They were beautiful at such a young age that I was captivated by them.

The memory is will intact in my head like it just happened few days ago. The reason I might remember this is may be because my childhood doesn’t bring up much memories since I was pushed into the celebrity life at the age of thirteen.

Anyways, it was a bright beautiful Sunday spring afternoon. And, I was going through one of my moods because Mum didn't allow me to bring my PSP.

My older brother is busy goofing around with our twin brothers and Mum and Dad are busy paying attention to our youngest sister.

Me, I’m sitting isolated from my family. As far as possible. My fingernails have dirt in them since I’m digging my fingers in five inches grass and pulling out a handful of them. Staring at the dangling roots, I toss them back. I continue this for few minute, but, I stop when I see a girl running towards the play area.

The whole place is empty so seeing her all alone sitting on the swing when there is no other family around except ours.

I get up, and dust off the grass over my jeans. I walk slowly towards her. She's swinging carefully almost as if she's thinking with her mind elsewhere. Her back faces me so when I'm right behind her I didn't expect what happened next.

"Hi," I say.

She screams, startled at the same time, jumping off the swing."You scared me!" She states the obvious fact.

Before answering her, I turn to look at my family to find them busy in their works."I'm so sorry," And for the first time, I actually felt sorry.

She smiles."It's okay! I'm generally not that jumpy but," She sighs. "Today I feel like the world should end!"

I'm surprised by her wish, thinking how ungrateful she's. She should be thankful that she's living and breathing. But I keep this thought to myself.

"Oh, why?" I prompt her to continue.

She sits on the swings and starts swinging, gently. I follow her.

"My Gramps is going Pakistan forever!" Her voice drops a little.

I press my lips in a tight line. The thing is that I'm American-British and I've no idea what it feels like to watch your loved ones move to another country since all of my kith and kin practically live here, in the same city. So, instead I ask her the dumbest question ever.

"Are you Paki?"

This makes her scowl."I'm Pakistani-American and I'm proud of it."

Honestly, I didn't mean it in an insulting way. I mean she is pretty, too pretty. This means Asians are good-looking, too or South-Asians or whatever.

"Well, you're close to your Gramps?" I mentally face-palm myself. How stupid this question sounds. But, in my defense it sounded much better in my head.

"Of course, I'm. He listens to whatever I say.  He never says no to what I want. And, he never sides with Mom and Dad." She sniffs.

Not knowing what to do or what to say, I fumble in my jeans pockets and protrude out a clean tissue paper and hand it to her.

"Thanks!"

"You know, you can always visit your Gramps anytime you want." I've no idea what I'm saying but I just go on. "It's not like you can't see him again. After all, he's just moving to another continent. You can always rely on airplane. Book your flight. Get the tickets. And BAAM you can see him." I clap my hands just to make my rant meaningful. And I don't stop. "Or when you really, really want to talk to him. Simply log into Skype, and start a video chat with your Gramps!!!"

She stops swinging, and looks at me for good few seconds, and then slowly her lips her twitch into a smile."Oh, my God, this is the bestest solution ever."  She then whacks her forehead with her knuckles, and whispers."Why didn't I think of this?"

I grin while jumping off the swing. She does the same.

"I've to go. My parents will be worried. It was lovely talking to you. Thanks a lot."

"The pleasure is all mine!"

She smiles and takes a step towards me and then, she's hugging me."I really hope to see you around"

"Hopefully, and, um,"

She nudges for me to continue.

"Um, smile more often you look cute!"

Laughing, she walks away, saying, “You should smile too,"

I really did ponder over her words, and realized that I never really smile often. But just for her sake, I smiled a lot then whenever I was needed to smile for photo-session or during family gatherings. Well, anyways, I never saw her after that because after two-three days later we moved to LA where I started my career as a singer, a teenage sensation.

That her, folks was Maahirah Furqaan.

I shake my head at the memory. I admit I was a jerk in the beginning when I met her. I had to play this insensitive moron's role, not only for her good but for my betterment, too.

I sigh as I watch the cars whiz by. I'm sitting on the bench that is especially for the people who are waiting for the bus. Right now, there is no bus scheduled to arrive at this stop so I, simply, enjoy the liberty of sitting on this bench.

North winds blow and I look at the sky. There is always something comforting about the skies. Their unlimited ending makes me believe that my innumerable dreams might come true, one day. The sun is hidden behind the clouds and specks of sunlight fall on the ground announcing that sun is about to set.

"Damn!" I hiss as I jump up from the bench.

Aunt Doniya will kill me if I'm late again.  She let me off the hook two times already. And, if I'm late again the third time, I know she won't be too pleased about it.

It's really Mum's fault. She shouldn't really tell her the reason of me being here.

I dig my hands in my pockets, and increase my pace. The disguise is really helping as people don't really recognize me or may be, I'm not famous here or too extra-famous.

I cross the road when the traffic light is red with my gaze lowered. The shortcut to the house I'm currently leaving in is through the alley so I make my way.

As usual the alley is a bit darker than the outside real world. When I'm mid way, a lighter lits and a face illuminates behind the flame.

"Hello Aayan!"

"What are you doing here?" I scowl.

He simply smirks.

I roll my eyes, and start to walk away, and just as I'm about to take the first step away from him. He raises his fist to punch me probably, but, I beat him at this.

Turning around, I grab the collar of his shirt, and he's quick because in return, he points the gun at my forehead.

"Let go. Or I'll shoot you!" He warns.

Unlucky for him, I'm not scared of his threat. "Drop the gun, Sebastian."

He doesn't, but instead, he clicks the bullet in its place. Without thinking twice, I kick him in the guts. He stumbles back and recovers quickly than I thought. He answers me by butting the back part of the gun on my temple.

Ignoring the throbbing pain, I aim another kick at his hand which causes him to drop the gun and I catch it. I press my other hand on his shoulder and shove him into the wall and point the gun at his head.

"Dude, I'm sorry. Let go!" He barks.

"What are you doing here?" I repeat.

"Nothing,"

Wrong answer. "Answer me!" I pull his collar.

"I needed information on that girl ---"

I cut him off with the punch across his face. "Don't. Ever. Go. Near. Her. Again. Do you get me?"

He nods, trembling. The right side of his cheek is swollen and bruised.

I give a final jerk to his collar. I loosen my grip and I make sure that I press the push button on the pistol’s butt so the magazine clatters on the ground and the bullets scatter all over the place.

I salute him with my two fingers and I'm off to the house.

Few minutes later, I'm pressing the bell. The scaredy cat didn't even try to follow me. Just as I raise my hand to touch my temple with my fingertip, the door pulls open.

Damn!! Bad timing.

Aunty Doniya looks at me with her mouth open. Before she can say anything, I start speaking.

"I can explain!" My mistake, I raise my hands in defense which makes her look at my fingertips. I ball my fist as she looks at me, horrified.

"Chill. Chill. Chill. Chill." I try calming her down and get in the house. I shut the door with the back of my  shoes."I'm fine. It's nothing. I'm fine. "

"Where have you been?"

"Um, around. You know, here and there. Around!"

"Aayan Ahmad Aslam! Don't even think of beating around the bush!" She puts her hands on her waist.

"I'm fine. Honestly, I'm!" I sigh.

"I didn’t ask you how are you!? I asked you what happened?!"

I press my lips in a tight line."I got into a fight!"

She gasps and puts her hand over her open mouth.

"It wasn't that big!" I defend myself again.

She blinks."Go to your room!"

When I enter my room, I make sure to slam the door: real loud. I throw off my hoodie in my clean room. Everything is frustrating. Damning.

I rub the balm on my knuckles and just then, my iPhone starts ringing. Fakhir's name flashes across. Great, Aunt must have had called me.

"Hello?" I answer the call.

"What you been upto?" 

"Nothing." Sighing, I add."Got into fight with Sebastian!"

"Sebastian?"

"Yeah,"

"What the hell is he doing there?"

"Beats me. I guess nothing. Just lurking as usual with no aim." I shrug my shoulders. Something nags me in the back of my head that Sebastian might have an aim. I just, simply, shake those feelings away. "How's Mum?"

"The same," He replies.

"Meaning?"

"She can't move her hands or legs at all!"

"Tell her I'll visit soon!"

"She's really, really proud of you!"

"I know. Just take care of her, okay?"

"Aaayan, Allah makes everything happen for a reason!" His voice is strained.

"Yeah, I know!"

"See you soon! Salaam!"

"Sure. Waslaikom As'salaam!"

Aaayan, Allah makes everything happen for a reason!

Sure, He does.

**************

I'm still in a peaceful, deep, beautiful slumber when the high pitched ringtone of my iPhone blares in my room. Shaking the four walls, bouncing back, colliding with my eardrum -- and only one thought runs in my mind.

Why the hell didn't I turn the mode on silent?

Blindly, I reach for my iPhone on the left side of my bed. I hiss when only sheet comes in my grasp. I find it on the side table, and swiping it I answer the call."Hello,"

"AAYAN WAKE UP." Fadiya screams on the other side."The sun rose hours ago. The day is wasting. C'mon, wake up!"

"Fadiya, what the hell?" I rub my temple with my fingers. The alarm clock flashes 7:30.

"It's getting late, sleepy head."

"What? It's not late."

"Whatever. We need to talk, like, right now."

"Now?"

"Yes, now!" She screeches."Meet me in twenty minutes at Starbucks."

"Fine," I roll my eyes.

She hangs up.

I toss my phone on the bed, and getting up; I stretch my arms and legs. Across the room is the full-length mirror.

I chuckle at my disheveled condition. My dark brown hair, a messy bin, poking from every end. I massage them further to make them more stylish. The thing that always intrigues me is my eyes. They are mysterious, I've been told, and frankly, I've no idea what mysteries.

Shaking my head, I prepare myself for today's day.

**************

Downstairs, Aunt Doniya and Uncle Suleiman are having breakfast. 

"Salaam!" I simply grab a banana. "I'm meeting a friend,"

She nods." Be careful, okay?' She doesn't looks at me.

"I'm always," I wink.

Aunt Doniya is Mum's best friend and due to Mum's request, she's letting me stay at her home.  Though, I just can't wait to go at home, my own home. Don't get me wrong. I love it here, but this isn't really my home.

Fifteen minutes later, I've parked my Bentley and am entering the Starbucks. It isn't hard spotting Fadiya because she wears a headscarf which makes her standout of the crowd and because that today it's unusually less crowded in here.

"Hey," I take a sit across from her.

She gives me the flat look.

"Assalmu Alaiykum!"

"Walaikom As'salaam! Much better!" 

"Whatever," I lean in my chair. Did I really have to get this scary sister-in-law?

She has already ordered our coffee cups.

"Okay. Let's talk."

"I'm pretty sure, you called me here early morning to talk and not sit!" I say, sarcastically.

"Shut it, dude. Now, listen, according to the High Officials Maahirah might be targeted today evening --"

"Which makes it easier since it's more crowded which gives them the chances of camouflage and mixing in the gathering. And, it would be dark." I say.

"Yes,"

"It's a possibility not assuredly!" I muse.

Then, we're quiet. Just drinking our coffee, and contemplating our thoughts.

Fadiya's mobile phone vibrates (it's on the table!) and while she's reading the text message. I wonder how Maahirah and Fadiya became friends. They are like two worlds apart.

Fadiya is reckless while Maahiraah is afraid of taking chances that don't involve the result of ending good. One is calm and collected, whilst the other has the tendency to lose her temper. Mahiraah stays away from danger or violence, whereas Fadiya is pushed into this crazy things of the world.

It's really weird and strange and queer that I know so much about her after just observing her. 

There is something about someone that attracts you at the first sight -- intrigues you, and I wonder what tempted me towards her.

 "Aayan, I gotta go. Jaffar needs help with the set!"

 I nod."See you later or tonight!

***********************

 In the evening, when I'm getting ready for the play, I receive a text message from Fakhir, saying:

"Meet me now. Hurry up. Fakhir"

 I roll my eyes at my brothers timing. Aunt and Uncle have already left for the play so I make sure that I've locked the door and placed the key under the 'Welcome' mat.

 I meet Fakhir at our meeting spot. It's a secluded corner behind an old abandoned house, fifteen minutes away from the house I’m seeking shelter, at the moment.

 "Here," He hands me a note. "Read it!"

 "Oh, I thought that I was given this note to burn it or something!"

 "I don't have time for your I-am-so-smart answers. I've to be somewhere!"

 In the dark, I can see the fidgeting of my brother's silhouette. “What are you up to?” I raise an eyebrow.

 "Spying," He answers.

 I bark out a laugh."Ooo, wow! You’re learning something, big bro!" I place my hand on his shoulder.

 "Shut it, Aayan!" He swats my hand away.

 "Does Mom know about this?"

 "No,"

 I wolf-whistle."Cool!"

 "Whatever, loser!" Despite the bitterness in his tone, I can see him smile.

 We do the man handshake thing before parting our separate ways.

 In my car, I read the coded message:

 'ZXXLIWRMT GL WZIIVM BLF & UZWRBZ ZIV LFTSG GL HGZB XOLHV GL NZZSRIZSQ!'

Translation

'ACCORDNG TO DARREN YOU AND FADIYA ARE OUGHT TO STAY CLOSE TO MAAHIRAH!'

 What a captain obvious, you're Darren!

 I tear the note in pieces. Damn you, I'm fifteen minutes late and Fadiya is going get at my neck. Just when I reverse my car, my mobile starts ringing and Chace's name flashes across.

 Yep, it’s official I'm screwed.

*******************

 The play goes smoothly. Except the fact that Maahirah gets a bit nervous. Who wouldn't when thousands of people are staring and screaming at you? But for the first time, I say, Maahirah did an amazing job. And, as the gentleman I'm, I save Maahiah from the embarrassment she had to face if I continued being the jerk which I usually am.

 Backstage everybody is praising over the success of the play. They are cheering and thumping each other on backs. And, what is worse that I get to only appreciate Maahirah before Chace pulls me away.

 "Dude, you nailed it. No wonder, you got crazy fans!"

 I smirk."Finally, you realize!"

 He winks at me.

 We talk for few minutes about random stuffs, and when Ellie comes up, I politely excuse myself.

 When I turn around, I come face to face with an angry and frustrated Fadiya.

 "Where's Maahirah?"

 I shrug."How am I supposed to know!"

 "You wee supposed to know since you were supposed to keep an eye on her  because I was busy!" She grits her teeth.

My eyes bulge out as I realize that, yet, again, I made a mistake -- a huge mistake. I crane my neck for her familiar sight but she's nowhere within this area.

 Somehow, Sebstain's words find their way back in my head;

 I needed some information on that girl!

 I know that I called him a scaredy cat but I'm hundred percent sure that he's involve in this. I know I should have had told someone about Sebastian's whereabouts and why was he really  lurking here.  And, before I know it, I'm making my way towards the exit as casually as possible, and Fadiya is right behind me.

 This happens when you mess up with reality.

*****************

I know that in previous chapters somewhere Maahirah thought Aayan to be 18. But, in reality he's 19!! Maahirah doesnt know about this!!

 HOW WAS THIS CHAPTER??? I TRIED MY BEST TO WRITE IT IN BOYS PESPECTIVE SINCE IT WAS MY FIRST TIME!!

 PLEASE VOTE, COMMENT AND PROMOTE!!

 AND IF YOU HAVENT VOTED FOR THE PREVIOUS CHAPTERS PLEASE GO BACK AND VOTE, IT WILL MAKE MY FRAGILE HEART HAPPY!:))

 Lastly, this is my last week of Summer Vacation which is pretty exciting!!:) My last year of high school or senior year or grade 12 will officially begin on 31st August which basically means slow updates like once in two weeks! I'm so sorry but this year is important for me in many ways!!:)

I hope you will not give up on this book!!Because I got pretty excited stuffs happening in the next chapter!!:)

 Just that though I’ll try to pull a chapter before the school reopens. Keyowrd – try. I’ll do it when I reach 10, 000 + reads!:) Do you notice the +?? *wink, wink*

Please comment below how was the chapter to make me happy!:)

 Yours,

 MidnightWhisperer