I inhaled the freshness of that air maybe last time.

Why my love was so weak that Adnaan forgets it so easily?

Why are all those things happening to me?

I never did anything wrong to anyone, at least not intentionally... But still, I was facing what was worse for me to handle.

"Sara" I turned to go to start my new journey when his voice falls in my ears from behind, my tears of sorrow suddenly converted into tears of joy. With a smile, I turned and found him standing at the entrance of the building. "Adnaan" I sobbed and run towards him with a smile on my lips. I just hugged him tightly without bothering to notice that I was in the middle of society and the watchman could saw us...

I didn't care...

I just needed my husband and his love at that time

But...

"Adnaan I only love you" I muttered on his chest and felt his hand on my shoulder, I thought he would hug me back or might caress my back but...

"Your bag" Whispering that he slightly pushed me back and I was stunned my already broken heart break down in smaller chunks when he passed me a bag. My tears which were ready to come out from my eyes suddenly stopped at their place and I sobbed one more time.

"At least listen to me" I demanded... Not demanded but begged one more time, he silently places the backpack on the floor and turned to go but stooped due to a string of my dupatta, which was tangled with his button. "Please stop me" my heart was demanding and my eyes were flowing tears some less than the sky but sorrow was equal in both tears.

I keep watching my husband who was also gazing at me, I was expecting love but he frees himself from the last string presenting between us. I closed my eyes to let the fresh tears flow down. Showing his back Adnaan disappeared from my eyes. Picking up the bag from the ground I stepped towards the gate of society. My hot tears drops were mingling with the cold droplets of rain giving a mixture of emotions to my heart.

I hate Adnaan, but more I regret to love him.

After thinking for more than ten minutes I decided to go to my colleague's home. I don't even know many people in Hyderabad so I was left with that option only. When I reached her home the fresh rays of the sun were struggling to tear the chest of the sky to register themselves in front of this world. With hesitation shoved in me, I rang the doorbell of that small home. It was Sunday when people like to take rest and sleep more than usual but I was disturbing someone's slumber. But unexpectedly she opens the door within a few seconds. "Sara" she was shocked to witness me moreover my condition, I was completely drenched and shivering due to cold weather.

"Umm... Ma'am sorry to bother you... But..." I was unable to ask for help, my self-respect wasn't allowing me to do so. But being a nice, kind-hearted lady she understood that I need urgent care. "Come in, is everything fine?" She welcomes me with those words and I felt hesitant to step in. "Feel like home"

"Ma'am, can I stay with you for one day? I'll go back tomorrow morning only" I asked trying not to sob and she nodded. "Yes, but tell me what happened?" she asked and I was silent, I didn't have the guts to tell her about the incident.

She showed me a guest room, and I change my drenched clothes. I was feeling awkward as an unwanted guest of that home, I searched for my mobile to contact the warden of girls hostel of our school to get space but my mobile phone was not in the bag which Adnaan had handed over to me. Few hours passed in the same way, My helplessness was increasing with every passing minute as so my temperature. I listened to a knock on the door of my room and I open the door.

"Sara are you alright?"

"Yeah, ma'am... I'm" I told an untruth. "Come and join us for lunch" she offered me and I fake a smile. "Ma'am I'm not hungry, thanks for everything you are doing for me" I again lied, I was dying with hunger. Since yesterday I was feeling empty but I couldn't help myself to have food in someone else home, that too in the situation when I was an unwanted guest. She smiled sadly and nodded.

"Whenever you feel hungry tell me." I nodded at her polite order

"Ma'am, can I use your phone?" I asked, my eyes fixed on the landline telephone present on the table just in front of the room in which I was present. And she left me alone after giving me a nod.

With shivering hands, I dialled Adnaan's number

My hands were shivering due to fever and chill

After calling him for some time thankfully the call was received but I was quite surprised it was not Adnaan's voice.

"Hello, Adnaan..." I knew he wasn't but still, I mumbled

"It's Avinash, Adnaan forget his mobi..." I cut the call without listening to what he was saying and dialled my number, after two rings my heart skipped a beat when I listened to "Hello" he was Adnaan I could recognise him easily.

"Adnaan... Please come and take me back. I'll explain to you everything, please... Please do mercy on me" I mumbled but didn't get any reply 

"Adnaan I have a fever... And it's increasing" I informed him, I was expecting some tenderness, from his side but...

"So what?"

"Adnaan, please... Try to understand... Where will I go? My fever is increasing, please help me"

"Call Qaleel and go to him"

"Qaleel is not my husband damned, but you're," I said out of anger and frustration. "Yeah he is not your husband but not less than a husband too" my heart skipped two beats after hearing his harsh and bitter words...

"Fine, sorry to bother you. I won't bother you again" Saying that I cut the call, a sob begged to come out of my lips but I stopped it.

"Sara" I turned around on that call, not before wiping my tears.

"Ma'am I... I have to visit the doctor, I'll come back soon" I informed her. "are you alright?" I nodded at her question and she also nodded.

==============

My BP was unstable, I had a high fever, I hadn't eaten anything since yesterday so the Doctor practically scolded me and hospitalise me. Laying in the hospital I was helplessly witnessing my hand attached with IV solution because at that time I was in the need of energy as well as some medicines. 

Now I was not crying... My eyes were still dropping tears, but I was not crying anymore. It was my anger and frustration that was trying to come out through my tears.

Or maybe that was not my anger but something else.

I don't know what was that feeling.

I use to wait for Sundays to spend time with Adnaan that too in our lazy form... But that Sunday I was trying to forget every moment we spent together. With each passing minute, the bottle of IV solution was becoming empty and my heart was filling with hatred towards Adnaan.

I don't need a so-called husband if he doesn't care for me in this condition

A nurse entered the room and check my vitals one more time. "Don't you have any family members? I mean you're alone in this situation" Before filling a syringe with the yellowish golden solution she asked me and I shook my head slowly

"I am alone in this city" she nodded to my answer and inject that medicine into the cannula attached to my hand.

I tightly pressed my jaws together to bear that pain but still a short weep escaped my dry lips. It was painful... Extremely painful.

After spending the whole day in the hospital and having tasteless food from the hospital I was discharged and back to my colleague's home. Surprisingly she was worried for me.

And I spent a sleepless night in the guestroom of my colleague's home. The next morning when I held up my head, the pillow was wet due to my tears. After getting ready for school I lift my bag which Adnaan handed over to me, to start a new journey. I wasn't in condition to go on my job but what could I do? I couldn't take rest in someone's home.

-----------------

I was in school, but missing My home... Actually my husband's home...it wasn't my home. Amidst the chaos of my heart and mind, I walked to the window. The sky was a calm blue and a few clouds flying by. The sun shone brightly, and birds sang on a crumbling wall of the backyard of the school. The changing shapes of clouds are one of the biggest attractions of nature but that day I wasn't feeling happy. With all the thinking, my mind was running wild and my eyes began to shed tears again. I wanted to discuss everything with someone, I wanted to let it all out. That moment, I heard the door opening and I turned around. 

"Sara, I'm sorry for whatever happened... I have to talk to you" That was Qaleel, I wanted to shout out of anger but I was already weak to do so.

"Get lost fr-" pointing out to the door, I was going to say but before I could complete responding he gasped "What is this?" he asked about the cannula still attached to the back of my wrist, the doctor didn't remove that as I had to take more injections that day too.

"Tum bimaar ho? Agar tabiyat theek nhi thi to ghar par rehti na, school kyu aayi ho?" I chuckled bitterly on his way to show his friendly and helpful nature after doing everything.

(Sara if you're sick then you should stay at home instead of coming to school)

"Ghar? Konsa ghar?" I questioned while glaring at him, but my stubborn tears...

(Home? Which home?)

"Mera ghar to tumne ujaad diya Qaleel, yesterday was our first wedding anniversary and the first day of separation too." This time I cried out with anger, I wanted to murder him.

(You've destroyed my home)

I craved for Adnaan's arms to be wrapped around me and comfort me but he was far away from me... We were no more together. I was hating Adnaan but my love wasn't so weak that I forget him in a day.

"Forgive me, Sara..."

"Go away" I pointed out towards the door again but he didn't move

"Tonight I'm going America... " He took a small pause "for the rest of my life" Mumbling that he took steps towards me.

"I'm just a call away... Never hesitate to contact me when you need." I pressed my lips together to stop my sob.

"Qaleel Will you fulfil my demand?" I asked with a fail attempt to hide my anger and wiped my tears abruptly, "Just order Sara"   

"Please never narrate this story to anyone, people will stop trusting in humanity and friends"

He left after listening to my venom filled words and I also decided to leave Hyderabad, forever.

I sat at the computer and type my resignation letter after that I open an online travel app to book a bus ticket for Nizamabad 

"Sara..." I was startled by that call. It was again Qaleel, who was standing behind me

"What are you doing here?" I grit my teeth trying to control my anger otherwise I could murder him at the same place. He glanced at me then at the computer screen. "I have something for you" He raised his fist towards me but I didn't hold what he had in his fist, he silently place that and my heart skipped a beat.

"You forget this other day in the hotel room," He said and my hand unknowingly and unwillingly grabbed that gold chain.

"Ooo Jangli Billi... Come here"

"Kya musibat hai?" I stepped into the room with anger as he was frustrating me for half an hour.

(What's your problem?)

Holding my hand he made me stood in front of the mirror and shift all my hair to my left shoulder before making me wore that gold chain, before planting a series of kisses from my shoulder to neck and continued to cheek giving butterflies in my stomach and making my legs weak.

"Achhi lagi?" He whispered and kissed my ear before nibbling my earlobe, providing tingling to my heart.

(Liked it?)

"Bohot" I whispered looking at him through the mirror. "I can't tell you how happy I'm that you bring this for me" Adding that I turned to saw him directly but he narrows his eyes.

(Very much)

"Tere liye specially nahi laya wo to mujhe kahi giri Hui mil gayi thi to mene Socha meri giri Hui biwi ke liye ye Giri Hui cheez le chalta hu"

(I haven't brought this specially for you, I found it lying on the floor so I thought to pass it to you)

"Adnaan... Tum nahi sudhroge" I glare at him but he pecked my lips without any warning

(Adnaan... You won't change ever)

"I won't... I promise... I won't change ever"

"You already have break your promise Adnaan" Mumbling that I open my fist to saw that gold chain and a tear fall on that but unable to wash away the memories related to that lifeless material. I was in mixed emotions, my heart was begging me to wear that chain but my soul, my self-respect was stopping me to do so.

"I'm sorry Sara" Saying that Qaleel left and I put that chain in my bag.

Submitting my resignation letter I started my journey to Nizamabad holding the single bag in my hand and a million memories in my heart.

Collection of Memories is like a mix plate... which includes Some sweet, some tangy and some salty flavours of life...

But if we eat something bitter then all these delicious flavours vanish leaving only bitterness on the palate...

And bitterness last the longest...

==============

Sooo...

It's an emotional one...

I know...

Next chapter is containing a leap...

I hope you'll like the twist 😁😁😁

Excited?

😁

_Naaz Jamal