I F W E D I E, W E D I E

W O R D C O U N T:

I wrote my longest chapter today. 😰

"Humza." Ahmed did a curt nod when I strolled to his side along with Malika.

Ahmed and his men were already standing with a drink in their hands but it wasn't alcohol. He never drank alcohol for some unknown and undisclosed reason.

I wag my head in response. "Who is this beautiful young lady beside you?" Ahmed eyed Malika seductively and Malika only accepted it with glee.

"She is my wife Ahmed." I replied nonchalantly. My mind was still on a riot, I wanted to turn back and have a good look at that women, to see what she was doing, wondering who she was with.

"...Humza?" My name suddenly pulled me off my stance. "Sorry what?" I questioned looking in between Ahmed and Rashid, wondering who was saying what.

"I said the party is nice." Ahmed eyed me with inkling. He was a very calculative man. "Thanks." I replied.

"Who is the girl with Huzaifa?" Ahmed probed, his eyes were shinning with mischief as he scanned her behind me. My muscles immediately grew rigid and tense. I shifted uncomfortably.

"She is Huzaifa's cousin, probably married." I almost shrugged. "Oh what a shame? All the beautiful women in the world are already taken, just like the one beside you." Ahmed tried to charm Malika and the stupid women already fell for it.

Thankfully, he didn't ask about Anaabiya again. We talked about business and our old rivalries.

When I could no more take it, my eyes began to forage the foyer for her face. I found her soon. This time she was with Ahad. I heaved a sigh of relief and ease. Ahad was safe for now. For days I had been thinking if I had seen Ahad somewhere but I couldn't quite grasp where? One day when I had received a call, well not exactly me because he called Anaabiya and since her phone was with me, I had received it. He had enlightened me that he knew me from before but he said that I had helped him once, although I couldn't remember it.

The night had passed by swiftly and there was absolutely no one falling for my bait.

I was distracted and distrait the whole evening. I had to keep an eye on Anaabiya and look for the traitor as well.

When the music had started to play and people had asked me to initiate the dancing. I had no choice but to avail. Malika and I were the first one to commence. I was perturbed about Anaabiya because I didn't want anybody to approach her for a dance.

I gestured Huzaifa to come to me and he at once did. "Go stand behind her. Don't let anybody dance with her." I whispered in his ears and that prick had a smug smile dancing upon his lips. I wanted to punch him but I had better things to do.

"As you say lover boy." He winked and disappeared into the crowd. More people joined us on the dance floor which included Ahmed too. I knew he was eyeing me with suspicion the whole time. I almost smudged my body against Malika's, looking at her the way one would look at his wife, this would at least make it look believable. Malika instantly rested her head on my chest and we soon looked like a happy couple in love. I was satisfied only when people around us began to praise us.

I searched for Anaabiya again and found her staring at me already. I tried to devour her eyes and from what I could see, she was jealous. I smirked inwardly; I was kind of happy and decided to provoke her a little more. I let my hands travel at Malika's back. The women almost moaned in my arms. "Umm! Wait till the party is over baby." She whispered in my ears. I was amazed because I didn't feel a thing when she said it. Anaabiya was still looking at us keenly. Her eyes swirled with a pool of emotion; the most prominent one was jealousy though. I couldn't help but snigger this time.

Huzaifa was protectively standing behind her and glared at anybody who even tried to approach her. I saw her talking to him and so I shifted my eyes to Ahmed who was busy taking advantage of the woman in front of him.

I shifted my gaze back to Anaabiya again, only to find her walking towards the dance floor. I glared at her and then to Huzaifa who couldn't even stop her from coming here. She didn't even look at me. I was thankful, she came here with Ahad. To say that she was a horrible dancer would be an understatement, actually both of them were. Other couples around us watched them as they danced horribly, but they were the only ones enjoying themselves.

I wish someday I could live a carefree life just like them. "Let's exchange partners." Rashid proposed and my arms around Malika tightened. "Owww! You're hurting me." Malika began but was cut short by me. "No, let's keep it this way." I spoke hurriedly. No way in hell was I going to let Anaabiya dance with anyone else.

"It'll be fun Humza. Stop being so possessive about your wife." Rashid chortled and I felt my blood boil. I knew I couldn't push this further so instead I looked at Anaabiya trying to scare her away. My eyes were dark and threatening, warning her to leave or face the consequence but the lady knew how to get on my nerves.

She is taking revenge, I scoffed mentally.

My gaze on her only intensified. This time she was terror stricken. Her face was now contorted with fear and panic but she didn't leave.

She would have, if only you had not provoked her. Begrudgingly, I agreed with my subconscious.

People had already gathered in a circle along with their dance partners. I was fast enough to be the second person to her left but beside me was Ahmed and Between us was James, one of Ahmed's workers. I had to think of a way to eliminate him from between. Anaabiya was busy talking to Ahad unaware of the many people around her wanting to have her in their arms. My veins were now protruding as I thought of any other man laying a finger on her. Maybe it was just her prayer that provoked me. She prayed for her respect and she had no idea what she had signed in for.

I knew I just had to have her in my arms and then I'd be able to save her from the wolves. I was growing restless by every passing second. The song must be of 4 minutes max. I looked at my watch and I knew that the song might end just any minute, then we had to exchange partners. I searched for Huzaifa's face in the crowd and soon after finding him, gestured him to approach James.

My eyes then immediately snapped to Anaabiya and she was staring at James. I tried to control my anger and within seconds Huzaifa approached James. He whispered something in his ears and the man just looked at me, nodded his head and left with his partner.

Thankfully, the music changed exactly then and along with it changed the rhythm of my heart beat. I tossed Malika away sooner than I could think of, anticipating Anaabiya to come into my arms. Ahad swirled her around and I gripped her waist just in time, tugging her to myself, flushing her skin to mine. She abruptly placed her hands on my shoulder. "Finally." I muttered so that only she could hear me.

I was reminded of the last time I had her so close to myself, the day I kissed her. Every suppressed emotion again thundered to life. The whole week that I had stayed away from her was now a waste. I was scared because her hands were placed on my shoulder and she could easily feel the effect she had on me.

She matched my dance steps with not much difficulty. "Why don't you ever listen?" A low growl escaped my lips. "Where have you been?" This time I was taken aback by her question. I didn't expect her to be bothered about my whereabouts. Did she care? But she pushed me away when I kissed her. I wanted to kiss her again now. The urge was so intense that I didn't even mind spectators.

All my guards against her prove to be futile. What do I do to stay away from her? I have tried everything. To add to it she has to look beautiful. Can't she look bad or ugly? I was frustrated.

"That's none of your business." I spat and her mood immediately changed. I wouldn't blame her. I stared at her whilst she looked elsewhere. The plan was too take her away the moment she was in my arms but the moment I had her; I kept on assuring myself chanting a mantra of 'just a few more seconds'. I actually waited for a waiter to come closer so that I could push him forward and her dress would be ruined. Hence, she would end up leaving the dance floor.

"You look beautiful." The words left my lips before I could stop them. Her face was immediately flushed and her cheeks were now crimson. Nevertheless, I wasn't lying when I said it. I liked the way her cheeks changed colors. She was really very beautiful.

"Thankyou but then why are you ashamed of me?" Was she going to cry? "Why would I be ashamed of you?" I couldn't understand. Why would she think so? Doesn't she have a mirror in her room?

"I want my phone back." She suddenly blurted out as if she had just remembered where she had kept her lost possession and would forget it again. I gritted my teeth thinking of the reasons why she would want her phone back. A low groan ripped from my lips and I was burning with fury and rage. "So that you can talk to your beloved Zubair? Or wait, do you want to talk to your sister who hasn't stopped cursing you since the day I shot that ape." I snarled, tightening my grip around her slender waist.

"It's Uzair." She corrected only to add to my misery and anger. "Tell me, is it one of your fantasies to enrage me?" I scoffed but she seemed like she was in another world. She was probably thinking about her evil sister. She wasn't listening. My anger had now subsided.

"Why isn't the song changing? It's way past 5 minutes." Somebody groaned and it was then that I was reminded about the exchange of partners. The song will end in seconds. Where the fuck is a waiter? I looked here and there.

"Do you love her?" Anaabiya questioned and I looked at her with puzzled eyes wondering who was 'her'. "Who?" I interrogated.

"Malika." She replied. I was amused but I shouldn't be, I brought this upon myself. I can't believe we were talking like civilized people right now. The last thing I wanted was for her to be attached to me. I could see what was coming. she was falling in love with me and she was too pure for a monster like me. I was alarmed and so I decided to scare her away.

"I am capable of many things Joonam but love isn't one of them. You see monsters are incapable of it." I seethed. I was leaning onto her. I didn't want her to see me when I said it. My eyes lingered on Huzaifa who was constantly gesturing me that the song was about to end.

So I switched to plan B. I intertwined my right leg with her left foot, pulling it off the ground. We often used this method to straddle our enemy to the ground. She was taken off guard and lost her balance. She tried to hold onto my tux but I moved back letting her fall. She yelped in pain.

Fuck! I should have done it carefully. She held her foot tightly crying in pain. I immediately kneeled beside her and Ahmed too followed. "Are you fine Miss?" He questioned. I looked at her ankle which was now slightly swollen. She was glaring at me as if she knew I did it intentionally and I was right, she actually did.

"What happened? Are you okay?" I heard Ahad's concerned voice from beside of me. Anaabiya didn't say a word. She just clutched onto her own foot. "I'll take you up." Ahad stated. "No I'll take her, it was my fault." I heckled. From the corner of my eyes I could see Ahmed looking at me with questioning eyes. I chose to ignore him and he was soon standing by his partner again. I was about to carry her up when she started throwing a fit. "I can walk on my own. I don't need your help." She seethed and tried to get up on her own but failed miserably.

"You are one hell of a woman." I gritted my teeth before carrying her in my arms. Once I was standing with her, she didn't struggle. Others were busy eyeing us but now I didn't care. I was too tired pretending. I looked at her and she was biting on her lower lip trying to suppress the pain. I felt guilty.

All of a sudden she was nuzzling her head in the crook of my neck. My muscles immediately stiffened, swirling an unknown pleasure in my core. What was she trying to do? Kill me?

She wasn't very heavy so I carried her quickly into her room. As soon as I placed her on the bed she grimaced. "You did it on purpose." She accused.

"It would not have happened if you would have left the floor on your own." I accused her too even though I knew she was not at fault. I placed a cushion below her injured leg. It would give her comfort. I then examined her injury and indeed it was bruised. I raked my hand over my disheveled hair while groaning in frustration.

"I should have thought of something else." I spoke to no one in particular. This party needs to end. I paced infront of her while she looked at me with questioning eyes.

"Listen, now don't leave your room. Try to sleep. The injury is not severe. It will be fine soon." I spoke but she turned her head away.

I sighed mentally before leaving her room. I bolted her room from outside and began to take long strides towards the spiral staircase, thinking of ways I could end this party sooner. I was going to cascade down when My eyes snapped towards the stairs that lead me to my floor. I thought I saw someone there. I ceased my footsteps and peered upwards. When I took the first step on the stairs to my floor, sound of heavy footsteps echoed throughout the corridor as if someone was running.

I hastened my footstep skipping a step or two, following the footsteps of the person running ahead. I was sure somebody was there, maybe the traitor. When I entered my floor the sound of footsteps halted. I took out my pistol from my waistband, now looking around attentively, looking for any suspicious activity. My floor was filled with silence since there was absolutely no chance anybody could have entered it. It was mine alone.

I ambled towards the open door of my room. I entered it pointing my gun in each direction but found no one. My room was empty. I was going to give up when a severe pain shot through my scalp as a club like thing hit my head hard. The world was swirling around. I tried to open my eyes but they felt heavy. My pistol dropped on the cold floor and so did my limp body. The last thing I saw before I shut my eyes was a familiar man dressed in tux, a woman along with him and fire all around me. I then heard the women cursing under her breathe before I heard the loud thud of the door closing shut.

The last thought in my mind before I became completely unconscious was ANAABIYA, the only name that I whispered before falling into oblivion.

When I woke up next, my shoulder and back were a little burnt and I was encircled by fire. Everything was smouldering to ash and I heard voices of people shouting from outside of the house. I tried getting up but my head felt extremely heavy and ponderous. The depletion of exygen making it difficult for me to breathe. I somehow managed to remove my tux which was almost disappearing as it had caught fire too. I took the jar of water kept on my nightstand which wasn't yet burnt and emptied it on my back with difficulty. The soreness had me wincing. The entrance was on fire so I tried pushing it with my foot and it immediately collapsed as it was now not strong enough for the wood was burning too.

I went out of my room to discover fire everywhere on the floor. Ignoring the serrated pain that I felt in my entire body, I scurried as fast as I could. I knew Anaabiya was in danger and she couldn't escape herself as her leg was injured. I hoped somebody saved her. I tried walking straight but I could not. I somehow managed to reach her floor.

Her room was still bolted from outside and it was incinerating too. My heart clenched at the thought of any mishap. I couldn't take it if something happened to her. The thought of losing her was forbidden. I didn't want to think of it.

Soon I forgot my pain as I reached out for her door. I burnt my hand in the process, then I tried hitting it with my foot just the way I had done for my room and it worked. The door broke with a huge thud.

I looked for her in the burning room and found her on the ground covered in sweat but conscious. "Anaabiya." I sighed in relief. Her name sent goosebumps throughout my body but I liked the way it rolled off my tongue.

"Humza." She cried in pain but a look of relief flashed in her eyes too as she saw me. I sprinted towards her and covered her with my embrace. I wiped the tears from her cheeks with the back of my thumb.

"It's okay. I am here. I won't let anything happen to you. I promise." I looked around for a blanket but I found none. I tried to help her stand on her feet but she was facing trouble.

"Humza its paining. I can't. Just go save yourself." She whispered and I only glared at her.

"Are you out of your mind? I am not leaving you. If we die, we die together." I snarled. She looked at me weirdly as if I had grown two heads. She peered at me with a kind of emotion that I couldn't put my finger on.

I tried carrying her in my arms but the pain that I felt at the back of my head and at my back only intensified. I stumbled badly, almost falling with her in my arms.

"Are you fine Humza?" She panicked, her hands now on my cheeks. I nodded my head in agreement. I have to do this for her. Sweat trickled down my forehead. It was too hot over here.

I walked out of her room and almost ran towards the staircase. This time she felt heavy in my arms, maybe due to lack of energy. I was quite sure both the floors were empty as everyone was downstairs. When I somehow cascaded down, I was shocked to see that there was absolutely little or no fire on the ground floor. it was a bit obvious though since the fire was first kindled from my room. I looked around searching for anybody who needed help but it was all empty. The lights were flickering.

All this while Anaabiya didn't move her gaze away from me. Tears were caressing her cheeks. She kept on staring at me and then suddenly she scrunched her nose in confusion as she moved her hand from my neck.

"You are bleeding Humza." She panicked as she looked at her own fingers covered in blood, my blood.

In that exact moment I felt week, I could no more keep my eyes open. It Felt as though someone was constantly hitting me with a hammer. The front door was only centimeters away. I almost dropped Anaabiya but I had to remind myself that I couldn't let her die because of me.