I complete my Magrib Namaz (prayer of sunset time) and smiled while lifting the cup of my hands in the air.

It's like a dream coming true. I'm seeing dreams with open eyes a second time and this time I don't want them to shatter! "Ya Allah after doing many unanswered prayers for Faraz I stopped praying for anything specifically. But now I want to ask Daniyal. Please don't let me stay empty hands this time. I don't want anything big but only happiness and satisfaction in my life, please give that to me along with Daniyal. Allah paak nothing is impossible for you, you know everything mummy already liked Deni, but she is worried about how to explain all these things to papa please help us in this matter. I want to live a simple and easy with Daniyal please help me." I open my eyes and my heart skipped a beat, his face was roaming in my vision. I was smiling like anything but I shook my head. "Astagfirullah!" I kinda scolded myself, sitting in front of Allah I was thinking about only Daniyal, that's not good. "Allah paak forgive me for all my mistakes and make everything easy for me, today I'm going to the party, keep everything fine and easy for me."

"Aameen."

I complete the dua and folded the prayer mat. I only want to fly like a butterfly... Deni is an ideal man, either by looks, by manners or by Wisdom. But sometimes my heart clenched with this thought that he can not love me. It's painful. But at least he'll understand me! That's much more important and required than love!

I wanted to share everything with my pagal besties but she was out of town. That's not fair!! I want to share with her that I am missing Deni and his silly jokes, it's almost 24 hours since we met last time. Today was an off day for us so we haven't seen each other. I just wanna talk to him so badly!! I'm missing him for no good reason!! Does he also miss me?? I questioned myself and unknowingly my hand moved towards my mobile and I don't know how I dialled his number?

"Hello miss RJ Khushi, how are you?" His smile brought a smile to my lips and I thought what should I say in reply.

"I'm fine how are you?"

"I'm good, as usual!" and he stopped after that, I was waiting for him to say something but for almost one minute we both were silent then his hushed voice echoed.

"May I know the reason behind calling?"

Oh no!! My god! I don't know what to say now? I couldn't say that I was missing him...

"Hello, Shifa are you there?"

"Hmm...yes"

"Say something,!" He ordered and I close my eyes for a while.

"Today is my performance, so I'm feeling nervous." I shared a small portion of the truth to hear a murmur from him "Why?"

"I don't know just feeling scared and nervous!" I told him

"Shifa you're not only Shifa, but you're also RJ Khushi too. Thousands of people listen to you daily and they enjoy their time just because of you. How could you feel nervous to sing in front of a few hundred people?" He tried to boost my confidence and I smiled sadly.

"Deni I don't even want to attend this function but..."

"Arey ladki... Cheer up! It's not your first performance. And don't worry usually students don't carry rotten tomatoes and eggs, so you'll be safe!"

(Hey girl)

What the hell?? Rotten Tomatoes and eggs!? Oh God, this man knows how to make me smile. I laughed and smacked my head. "Deni you're..."

"I'm what?"

"Idiot," I muttered

"That's you're not me... I'm wise."

This man doesn't let go of a single chance to praise himself, but not in an arrogant way.

"Aapki tareefo ka silsila khatam ho gya ho to main jaun? I've to get ready for the party."

(If your self praisings are over, then shall I go?)

"Ijazat hai." It was an order for me, as if I need his permission.

(Permission granted)

"Deni am not asking permission..." I kinda huffed.

"Mohatarma, mazirat ke sath aapki ittila ke liye arz hai ki aapne is nacheez se ijazat daryaft ki thi, warna hamari kahan itni majal ki aap ko apna farman suna sake."

(Miss, I beg your pardon while letting you know that only you asked permission from this insignificant person, otherwise, do I have the courage to order you?)

What did he say?? 

"Deni aap Urdu me kya bolte hain mujhe kuch samajh nhi aata." I was kinda crying but he laughed.

(Deni your Urdu words fly above my head!)

"Get ready and go... All the best."

"Thanks. Allah Hafiz." I smiled and listened to a beep which indicated he disconnect the call.

It's a gentle feeling. After talking to him my lips don't leave a smile and my heart swells with happiness. There is something in him.

"Miss Shifa come out of the daydream of Mr Daniyal Kazmi, you have to attend the farewell party tonight only"

It was a bit harsh scolding from my subconscious mind, I smack my forehead and picked the black gown from the bed. After changing myself in that I applied a line of kohl, mascara and eyeliner. Just it... No no. Lip gloss also! And I'm fine with my simple look!

"Mummy, I'm ready to go, please do my hair," I Call her loudly and she came into the room. Regardless of age, I need her every time to do my hair whenever I have to attend any party.

"Looking beautiful." She smiled and kissed my cheek, then started making a high bun of my hair. "Shifa."

"Yeah Mumma?"

"For how long do you know Daniyal?"

"For a few months," I muttered while looking at her through the mirror, "And for how long you both liked each other?" This time my breath was hitched. No matter how free you're with your mother but some matters are always difficult to discuss. I break eye contact and took a deep breath. "Mumma, we don't like each other. It was his mother's choice, not ours."

"Hmm... I see." She muttered and I gulped, soon she made a beautiful bun of my hair and ordered me to apply pink lipstick instead of gloss.

"Mumma."

"Hmm?"

"Papa maan Jayenge?" I was feeling scared as well as nervous but Mumma smiled. Sometimes her smile looks like a veil on her sadness.

(Will papa accept?)

"Don't spoil your mood, go now." She kissed my forehead. Does it mean there are chances of Papa's refusal? This thought made my heart shattered one more time. I can't handle my broken self again. I just want happiness and peace in my life why it's so difficult?

"Go, Billu is waiting, he'll drop you at the college." I nod my head at mumma's instruction and stepped out of the room, my heart was not at peace at all, only the thought of refusal made me sad. My small wish list holds a wish that I got someone who supports and understands me. And I found that person in Deni, only Deni! He knows how to make me smile, he knows how to motivate me; he is perfect in every aspect.

Last time Rani phuppo was responsible to create problems in my life, this time I won't forgive papa if he would create any problems. I haven't done anything wrong, so I don't deserve the shattering of dreams and heart one more time.

<><><><><><>

Party is equal to an Awkward environment for me!

Loud music, commotion, dance and crowd... Altogether it's a deadly combination for me.

I was standing at the corner of the hall, waiting for my performance time. Ten more minutes were still left in it. I looked here and there, Kabeer and his friends were standing at a distance. Thankfully they didn't notice me, or maybe they have but thankfully they are not looking towards me.

"Hey Shifa, you're looking beautiful." I followed that masculine voice and found one of my classmates. "Thanks." Just tried to smile but couldn't! I don't like anyone praising me, especially my beauty. But this guy is not cheap like Kabeer, he is a friend of him but far away from him.

"Why are you standing alone, Shifa? Let's enjoy the party." He suggested and I passed a nervous smile. Today, he wasn't giving me good vibes or maybe I was misunderstanding him, but I wasn't feeling good. 

"You enjoy, I'll join soon." I tried to shrug off the matter giving him a hint that I'm not interested in talking to him. I'm not like other girls who have a crush on every handsome guy, or who do like it when boys roam around them. I don't like when my beauty attracts boys. Sometimes, I feel like beauty is a veil that hides all other qualities. Most often, people fall for your outer appearance but forget to judge the purity of your soul: which is the most important part of a human. I wanted someone who understands me and sees my qualities, not my beauty, maybe that's the reason I am falling for Deni. He hasn't had stare hard and long at me, he has to do nothing with my appearance.

"Why are you smiling?" A voice breaks the chain of my thoughts making me realise that I was smiling like a fool.

"Umm... Nothing." I shook my head and he shrugged while turning back to go but stopped in between. "Wanna have some juice?" He offered me the glass he had picked just a few seconds ago, though I was thirsty but shook my head.

"Come on, have it. There are two or three minutes in your performance. You need it."

"Thanks " I muttered and this time took the glass from him. Passing a smile he walked away and I took a tiny sip of it. Umm... It's delicious! I listened an announcement which was for me to come to the stage. It was my performance. I gulped the juice in one go and scooted to the stage.

"Main rahoon ya na rahoon

Tum mujh mein kahin baaki rehna

Mujhe neend aaye jo aakhiri

Tum khwabon mein aate rehna

Bas itna hai tumse kehna

Bas itna hai tumse kehna

Bas itna hai tumse kehna

Main rahoon ya na rahoon

Tum mujhme kahin baaki rehna..."

And at the end of the song, a round of applause and cheering echoes in the hall to fill me with happiness and pride. "Thank you." With a small greeting, I stepped down from the stage.

Wait... What happened suddenly? I felt like the whole floor swayed slightly under my feet.

Maybe nothing...

I stepped ahead toward the bar counter, I was feeling a bit uncomfortable, it's something different feeling... Like... Like I can't understand what's going around me!

"Excuse me, an orange juice," I asked for one glass and started sipping that, this commotion started making my head numb. I looked here and there, everyone was busy in themselves. I started feeling suffocated so I stepped out of the hall. My breath was uneven and my head was spinning.

Somehow I unlocked my mobile phone to call papa or Bilal but I couldn't see anything, words were shavings I wasn't able to read the names properly.

Does that drink contain anything odd?

The vision was blurred, my eyes were heavy and my head was falling backwards. I dialled papa's number and he received the call.

"Hello"

"Papa" I mumbled. "Us... Us drink mein kuch tha."

(Ther... there was something in that drink.)

"Shifa where are you?"

"Coll.." I tried to say something but don't know what happened to me, my mobile phone dropped from my hand and...

<><><><><><>

A few Hours Later:

I tried to turn my side and felt like my head was very heavy, a different kind of stiffness in my neck and back, and the bed was very uncomfortable.

Is this my bed? Why is this feeling so hard unlike my mattress?

Wait... bed??

Umm... But??

I was at the party...

How did I come home?

Somehow I open my eyes and looked at my left side, nothing just a plane wall.

Then I turned my side and I was shocked! Not my bed. It's not my room.

Where am I?

How did I come here?

What place is this?

<><><><><><><><>