"Come on baby, let me get a taste of you. Don't play hard to get now."

"No, don't go closer to me. Stay where you are. Don't touch me."

"Really, stop the pretence already", he is stepping closer to me with lust clear in his eyes. His eyes are giving me the kind of chills you feel while falling down a cliff. Hell, that would have been better. He grabs my waist forcefully and panic overshoots every nerve within me.

"Noooo", I scream as hard as I can.

"Stop!! No! Please leave me. Stop!!!!", I beg, plead , cry all at once but this monster won't let me go.

Suddenly the world starts shaking, what's happening, I feel water thrown on me.

"Noorie, snap out of it jaan. Come back to me", I hear a desperate voice. I can recognise it. My eyes respond to his command, fluttering open.

The first thing I see is the white ceiling and the fan rotating above me. What was that? I am pulled into his arms the next moment.

"Noor, calm down. You are sweating profusely and your breathing is still irregular. Look at me", he angles my face towards his eyes. I stare at those terrified orbs with worry lining them.

"Everything is fine. You are safe. In my arms." His words bring the desired effect as my breathing goes normal again. But I can't seem to forget what happened yesterday. He touched me. Tht guy from the bar whom Zaan hit. I feel so disgusted with myself.

What have I done? How could I commit a sin like that just to get back at him. I am sinner too now. I push him away, stumbling out of the bed trying to get away from him as far as possible.

"Noorie, jaan what happened? Are you okay? It was just a nightmare. Come back here."

"No, I would never ever go back to you. Stay away from me. I hate you." I begin walking out of this suffocating room. It's killing to be here.

"Noor, I like you! The way a man likes a woman." I freeze in my spot. These words would have been a melody to me few days ago but not anymore. He has corrupted me.

I turn back, look straight into his eyes, "I don't like you back. Infact, I hate you. I hate your existence." I turn around ready to sprint out of this house after spewing a whole load of lies.

"Why? Why can't you like me back? Because you fell for that so called friend of yours? What was his name, Riz"

"Yes, I did. What are you going to do about it?" I don't turn back to see the destruction I have caused. I need to stay away from him right now. I run out of the house as fast as I can with my phone.

Just as I reach the corner of our block, my phone goes off. It's Riz.

"Hey, Noorie! How are you? I hope you are fine.

"Riz, I need your help right now. Please pick me up from the corner of my block."

"Calm down Noorie. I will be right there."

True to his word, ten minutes later his bike was standing beside me. I climb behind him and he takes off. I don't know where. I can't go to his house with him. I know he stays alone. It would be inappropriate so I ask him to drop me at Ashfa's.

Ashfa hugs me the moment she sees my condition. She doesn't know anything and I would like to keep it that way. I just told her I had a fight with Zaan. We settle in her living room and she goes to get us coffee.

"I told you it was way too risky Noorie. And that guy is head over heels for you, it was clear with the way he went all hulk mode on you. Why are you doing this to yourself and him?", Rizwaan's question breaks me out of my reverie.

"I am so ashamed Riz. How could I forget my upbringing, my culture and everything else in my rage? I feel so disgusted with myself. I can't look myself in the eyes anymore. He has made a sinner out of me."

"Stop it Noorie! This is on you. He has nothing to do with you choosing to go out partying or the bold look you pulled out to college. It was solely your decision and if you regret it, the blame goes on you."

Tears begin streaming down my face. How can I be so reckless? How could I commit such grave mistakes?

"Damn! I am sorry Noorie I didn't mean to offend you or make you cry. I was just trying to be an honest friend here which you need at the moment. Please stop crying."

I just nod. I can't seem to stop the self-imposed self-loathing I have been buried in ever since this morning. Ashfa comes back with coffee and settles beside me.

"You need to clean up Noorie. You look like a mess. Whatever happened between you and Izaan, you can think about it only if you have a clear mind. So just freshen up for now in the guest bedroom and I will make some quick breakfast for us." I nod and go into the bathroom.

Izaan's world crashed the moment she said she hates him. He tried convincing her about his feelings but to no avail. Inspite of the hatred in her eyes for him, he followed her when she walked out of the house.

His fists clenched the moment she asked that Riz guy to come pick her up. She said she loves him. Have they already taken the next step in their relationship. She went to some Na-mehram's home without giving second thoughts about it. He hits the wall again creating a dent there. His knuckles burst open, blood gushing out of them but he didn't give a shit about it. All he could think of was her heartbreaking words.

I hate you. I hate your existence.

Her exact words. The three words that will forever haunt him. The three words that fucking turned his world upside down. Even if she lover that bastard, how could she go home with him. She is still married to him for the love of God.

His bedroom is completely destroyed. He has shattered almost every thing in his bedroom. But still, the burning in his heart isn't stopping. The rage he is feeling isn't cooling down. He feels like he can't breathe anymore, wishing death to have descended upon him before hearing her cruel words.

He falls down on the ground, at the only place not filled with broken pieces. He laughs out loud, tears flowing down his bloodshot eyes seconds later as the laughter converts into loud sobs.

"The one time I felt something close to love for someone and she had to brutally drag a dagger through my heart." He mutters to himself, agony washing over every feature on his face.

"That's why I had stuck to fucking around. Because love is painful. More painful than death itself. It was a mistake to have felt for her Izaan. A big mistake."