Going to college is such a tough job when you are as lazy as a sloth, wanting to do nothing but sleep all day. Same goes with me, but at the same time I want to study hard and make my dead parents proud of me. They worked hard for our hospital heartbeat to reach heights and as their daughter I want to continue their legacy. Currently hero is taking care of my hospital which would be handed over to me when I am ready to handle it. I don't know how he manages to be the best gynaecologist of the country and at the same time handles heartbeat. He is best at what he does and I aspire to be like him.

My train of thoughts were disturbed by screeching sound of our car being stopped. Looking up at hero I found him staring at front.

"Aage mat dekhna, Maria."

(Don't look at front, Maria.)

But it was already too late. Following his gaze I looked forward, to the sight in front of me. It pulled back the memories which took me years to bury them. The memories which consumed me fully, bringing back the horrors I faced in my past. The horrors which I was able to bury from the help of my family. Today, they resurfaced, making me helpless. No matter how much I try to bury my past, it always comes back, haunting me.

I was scared after mama and baba left. There is no one who can save me now, I am alone. I am scared that Sara will beat me again, that she'll harm me.

Ya Allah please protect me, save me.

From the corner of my eyes I see her coming towards me and my legs have started shaking due to fear.

"Tsk.. tsk... Baby girl is alone. You are at my mercy now. No one can save you from me. I told you not to do anything to make them feel suspicious but you didn't heard me. Did you ? Now I'll punish you so hard that you won't ever dare to open your mouth again."

Her words chilled me to the core. Her voice held sinister vibe making me gulp in fear. I am so sacred. Not able to control my tears I started crying, tears of desperation leaking out of my eyes. Desperate to be saved from the evil women standing in front of me.

She started dragged me towards my room, holding my hair tightly making me wince in pain, pushing me on the bed with force.

I was ready for the strong blows on my back but they never came instead I saw a small silver blade in her hand. Smiling sinisterly she walked towards me, I tried running but she held me tightly and pressed the blade on my thigh making a huge cut there.

" Ahhhh....Sa-saraa n-noo.....I-i am sor-sorry.... Leave m-me pl-please... I won't d-do it a-again... Pl-please, I a-am so s-sorry...."

I sobbed, begging her to stop but she didn't. She didn't stopped untill there was nothing left in me. She made various cuts on my thighs laughing evilly hearing cries. I cried till I couldn't cry anymore. I cried till I slept of exhaustion. From that day I developed hemophobia, the fear of blood.

Flashback ends

The sight in front of me makes me shiver upto the core. There's a man who got hit by a truck and now he is lying in his own pool of blood. It is horrifying to see him struggling for breath, making me feel nauseous seeing him.

"Aap theek hai ?"

(Are you okay ?)

He held my hand to assure if I am okay or not but I am not able to pay attention to him. My whole focus is on the man lying in front of us.

He is dying. I can see it. He needs medical aid right now otherwise he is surely going to die. No matter how much dizzy I am feeling seeing blood, I am unable to take my eyes off that man. My baba always said that there's nothing big than a person's life. I need to save that man. I can't let him die. I don't want his family to go through the same pain I went through.

Ignoring hero's question, I stepped out of the car, my wobbly legs automatically moving towards the injured man.

You can do it Maria, stay strong.

His head and hand were bleeding but the area which was more effected was his head. Ignoring my thumping heart and the wave of dizziness which was hitting me again and again seeing blood, I pulled out my dupatta, wrapping his head with it, my fingers shaking due to the sight before me.

"We need to take him to the hospital else he is going to die."

My voice held desperation to which henodded and carried the injured man to the car.

" Don't worry, he will be fine."

Hero tried assuring me but I am not sure if the man will survive or not. He lost so much of his blood. The sight of his bloodied face is making me horrified and sick to my stomach.

We reached hospital after few minutes. The man was immediately taken to the ICU and his family was informed about his accident.

Seeing that man bathe in blood brought back my own memories of pain. I was helpless when Sara hurt me. I wasn't able to fight back. I was weak and I still am. The mere sight of blood makes me loose my senses but today I controlled them. I was able to put aside my feelings because I wanted to save that man but now I am not able to make it go away. Those pictures, those memories of mine are flashing before me causing a huge wave of dizziness hitting me, faltering my steps, before everything blacks out.

Mustafa's heart stopped seeing her unconscious. He knew she had hemophobia but she never shared the reason behind her fear. But whatever she did today was commendable. She forgot her own fear, saving a life. Yes, the man survived only because she tied her dupatta around his head preventing him from more blood loss. He was going to inform her about the news when he saw her fainting.

Picking her up in his arms he took her to the doctor who gave her an injection and advised him

"Don't worry Sir, she'll be alright. Stress caused her to faint. Few hours of rest and she will be normal."

He nodded, asking her to cancel all his appointments for the day and took her home.

All the family members got tensed seeing her. He saw his father, who was a ruthless business man getting emotional seeing her condition. His father loved her more than his own kids after all she was the last memory of his dead brother.

"Baba she will be alright."

He assured his father seeing his condition.

"She has to. She is a fighter."

His father sadly smiled caressing her cheeks. Everyone left meeting her but Mustafa decided to stay back untill she regains her conciousness.

Crashing down on the couch he laid watching her. Her face was shining in the moonlight. He smiled seeing his little birdie. The girl who can make him smile any time. The girl who calls him her hero, making him feel great about himself. The girl who's smile could melt any stone. The girl who lost her parents but didn't lost her smile.

"Ahhhh..... Don't come n-near me. I a-am sorry. Fo-forgive me s-sara... Pl-please don't h-hurt me..."

It took him minutes to realize that she was having a nightmare. She was sobbing, begging the person to leave her. Tears were leaking out of her eyes and she was shivering in fear. Seeing her condition he rushed towards her, engulfing her in his arms, rubbing her back to stop her cries which were paining him.

"Shhhh... Maria, Open your eyes... No one will hurt you, I promise. Your hero is with you and I won't let anyone hurt you."

But she didn't heard him and started throwing punches at him, thinking of him as a threat.

"N-no.... L-leave m-me... I a-am sorry. pl-please... I b-eg you.."

Her hiccups echoed inside the room making him feel helpless. He wanted to end her nightmare, her misery, but was unable to do so. His little birdie was in pain.

"Open your eyes little birdie... please. I am not going to hurt you... Please..."

He started caressing her hair and rubbing her back to soothe her painful sobs and waited for her to open her eyes.

"Hero..."

She opened her eyes after few minutes, making him sigh in relief. Her eyes were red and puffy, stains of tears adorning her cheeks showing her stressed condition.

"You had a nightmare and you were crying , begging someone not to hurt you. Who was that ? Who hurt you ?"

His eyes held seriousness and determination to know the truth. He wanted to know who dared to hurt his little birdie. She gulped looking at him and immediately averted her eyes away from him, freeing herself from his embrace.

Seeing her retreating back from his hold, he pulled her closer invading her personal space, forgetting about their closeness. He was desperate to know the cause of her pain. It was hurting him to see her like that. He loved seeing her carefree and smiling, not like what he was seeing right now, scared and horrified.

"Please tell me what happened. Please, trust me."

His voice sounded so desperate that she looked up at him with her eyes red with tears shaking her head negatively at him.

" I can't. I am sorry I can't tell you anything."

"Please. Trust me."

He again whispered caressing her chubby cheeks while wiping her tears.

"I trust you but I don't want your pity."

Looking down she mumbled fearing he will pity her after hearing what she went through.

"I won't."

He nodded assuring her.

"Promise me."

She held her hand out towards him waiting for him to promise her which he did by holding her hand back, giving her a gentle squeeze to go on.

"I-i was physically abused by my nanny Sara."

She sighed telling him her whole story and cried reliving those painful days.

He held her tightly while rubbing her back, patiently hearing her without any interruption.

"You know why I developed hemophobia ? It's because of her.. She hurt me, wounding my thighs using blade and you know what the worst part was ? I never stood up for myself. I let her hurt hurt me, unable to do anything. I was helpless. I cried, begging her to leave me but she never did. She didn't stopped till I was out of tears, till I wasn't able to shout anymore. She left me in my own pool of blood.

Those marks are still there, they never left me. Whenever I see them my soul mocks me for being pathetic, for being weak. My soul is battered with those horrible memories and today seeing that man bleed, brought back those memories. The memories which destroyed my whole being, my whole existence."

She cried holding him tightly, her tears staining his shirt. He himself was crying with her, crying for what she went through, crying for the girl who lost her childhood, crying that there was no one with her when she was going through so much.

" No, you are not pathetic but the strongest girl I have ever seen. You should be proud of your scars as they tell the tale of your bravery. That you never gave up. Even after going through so much your smile never falters from your face. You know you saved that man's life, he is alive only because of you. Only because you were brave enough to let your fears aside and help him.

I am sorry for I whatever happened with you. I am sorry that you have to go through so much pain at such a small age. But I promise you that I will not let anyone harm you. I will be there with you always, as your shield and protect you from every harm. I promise to be with your side always and forever."

His words made her heart flutter. Her feelings grew strong for him, making a place in her heart. His words made her trust him. He was her hero and she trusted him with all her being.

Only if she knew that the promises are not going to be fulfilled for they are meant to be broken. Only if she knew the pain of being hurt by someone you love is far much worse than the pain caused by an unknown.

Truth, isn't it ? The people who say that they'll never hurt you are the first ones to damage you, your soul.