and he did too while their families just stand there looking at them tired of their every day arguing.

Aayan and Mahira are neighbours from childhood and their families had been friend for ages but these two have taken on themselves to never ever have a peaceful gathering or live peacefully. Their families had witnessed countless fight from stealing candy to adding something in the shampoo.

"Ask him to stop disturbing me when I am in university". Mahira yelled angrily

"Oh, yeah, it wasn't me who took my notes before class and hide them in girl desk". Aayan said smirking

Mahira rolled her eyes, "That doesn't mean you have to come at me when I am eating".

Aayan shrugged, "Well, I know you love food and I have to do something. What's better than putting a fly in your food?. God, I wish you hadn't seen it beforehand and ate it instead. Wouldn't that be fun?".

Aayan turned to his parents laughing who were not even there.

"Tell him it wasn't funny, Ammi (mother)". Mahira said turning to her mother who wasn't there either

"Ammi (mother), Abbu (father)?". Aayan called

"This is all your fault". They said at the same time glaring at one another

"I am done". Aayan said walking back to his room

"One day you will be sorry for all this". Mahira yelled angrily walking back to her own house

Their day went on with one change that now Aayan older brother (Shafiq) was going to be married soon. Their parents informed they will all be going to live in their mansion beside the mountains and to prepare for it. It was 45-minute drives back to where they live. For their university, they decided they cannot skip classes since this is their last semester so they took an extra car in order to come to their classes.

"Would you stop that?". Mahira yelled pushing her luggage inside while Aayan kept tickling her, "I swear I will kill you, Aayan".

Aayan sticks his tongue out when she removed her shoe-throwing at him and it hit his forehead.

"Ouch, violence woman is not the answer to your problem". Aayan said rubbing his forehead then he looked down at the shoe smirking at Mahira

"With you, violence is the only solution. And don't you dare Aayan that is my favourite shoe". Mahria yelled as he throws the shoe out of the video down the hill

"What is wrong with you, idiot?. That was my favourite shoe". Mahira yelled walking away

Aayan shrugged turning around to find his family looking at him clearly telling him what he did was not right.

"It was her fault". He said and his family just shake their head disappointed walking away, "It was just a shoe she can get another one. She has thousands of them anyway".

"No beta (son), those shoes were given by her father (Zulfikar) and you know how much she holds her father gifts dear to herself". Mahira mother- Fatima said sadly, "You know her father is never truly home".

It was true. Mahira's father was few days in and mostly out. He works in army which had taken him away from his daughter. Mahira never had a fatherly figure in her life he would send her gifts and somehow that had turned her to turn to materialistic things to comfort her. She had become strong and had been independent since she was young because she never had a man who will protect her.

She learned young that man beside her father will never be kind without a reason even if they are family.

Aayan felt his heart pinch a little hearing her mother words and he looked down where he throws her shoe at. He had always seen her struggle without her father as much as she doesn't show he can still see. When it was father day and she sat on her chair alone without drawing or celebrating. When she had to had a sign of her father and she had to say he was no more and only her mother is her guardian or when she was bullied about not having a father. Each and every step hurts her more than last.

The man who finds free entry to provide their useless services to her and try to touch her and have a night with her in exchange for those favours. It was one time he had allowed it to happen because he wasn't himself aware that men could turn worst he had never allowed it after that.

Never ever.

Somehow, their families started associating more and more. And then Mahira would have his father (Galib) signature in her father place, make cards for him and her father which were mail to him and also revolve around Aayan and his family. He doesn't mind it one bit she was like family if anything he would ask her mother and her to shift to his house for more protection.

He sighs.

He literally had no idea about the shoe and now the guilt was coming at full force. He walked away knowing it might go away.

Mahira laid in her bed which was assigned by her Choti Ammi (Aayan Mother, Ruksana) to her and she looked at the ceiling in her thoughts. She never likes disturbing other people for her serious issues she likes keeping to herself and she was grateful no one came to meet her for now. She allowed sleep to take over since she has to wake early tomorrow for her class and unfortunately share a ride with Aayan.

The next morning the house was filling with Aayan's family cousins. He had only two families and four cousins who were coming. His mother side will not live here but will come directly to the function.

She walked down to her find his chacha (Ahmed) and chachi (Hamna) with his phupa (Husan) and phupi (Naziya). His two cousin a boy (Latif) and girl (Sumaira) was his chacha's kids while two girls (Sofia) (Kaiynat) were from phupi's side. All of them somewhat same age or older.

"There she is, my beti (my daughter)". Aayan's father said smiling calling her near him

She smiled widely walking closer to him as he hugged her patting her head.

"She is grown now you don't have to put her so close to you". Aayan's chachi said glaring at her

Aayan father just smiled shaking his head," She will always remain my small little girl".

"Still she is not that small kid now she is a woman now she should know her boundaries". Husan said Aayan's phupa

Mahira was about to pull away not wanting her father-like figure to be misjudged because of her. But someone places a hand on her shoulder pushing her back in her place.

"The people who cannot see pure love between a father and his daughter is their problem. My Mahira will stay with her father". Aayan's mother said smiling at her

Mahira looked at her with teared eyes and smiled. She saw Aayan and his brother standing behind her with a little smile.

"Chalo beta (come on, daughter), have your breakfast you are late". She heard her mother say

She nodded kissing his father head walking away while others glare at her and mock her. She had learned to live with their mocking anyway. Aayan walked beside her hating that these people are here and he knows they will torture her with their words.

"She will go alone with Aayan now". His phupi said

"Yes, she will, we trust them enough". His father said

After a round of another argument, they had Sofia and Sumaira come with them. She likes Sumaira as they take the back seat after Sofia pushed Mahira back and sit in the front seat while Aayan took the driver seat groaning to himself but Mahira heard him and giggle.

He turned towards her laughing (which he likes) and glare at her while she sticks her tongue at him

"Aayan, let's go there is no need to waste time on her". Sofia said glaring at her

"Please Sofia, the only person wasting time here is you everyone knows that". Sumaira said grinning to herself as she sees those two glaring at one another busy in their world

They started their 45-minutes ride that was already paining their heads as Sofia started speaking before the car even started about her good deeds.

"Is your father coming in Bhai (brother) marriage?". Sofia asked Mahira

Mahira paled tightening her hand on her shirt.

"Oh, right, he must be busy in important work". Sofia added

The car stopped at the moment and Mahira took off before anyone else did.

"Why did you say that to her?". Aayan said angrily

"Now you are taking an outsider side?. She should know where she belongs Aayan she is acting as your family member". Sofia said

Aayan anger rises, "She is family. I will not listen to this again".

He closed the door hard walking to the same path Mahira had run to he hoped he could once find her, to see her, he knows she had same classes as him. Unfortunately or fortunately, they were both in engineering and to say that Aayan and her class had more boys troubled Aayan a little more than it should.

He had warned quietly a few people or a lot of people to stay far far away from her and had his father assigned them the same classes but Mahira obviously didn't know that.

He entered the class to find her speaking quietly to her friend (Momina) and she didn't even look at him. He was habitual to that anyway he walked to his friend Mohammad and Gafoor who he spoke to about the preparation of marriage.

"If Sofia is living in the house it will never be dull". Gafoor said chuckling at Aayan who was sulking

"But, I don't want her in my home". Aayan whined

Muhammad looked at him curiously, "Why is that?".

Muhammad and Gafoor shared knowing glance between one another and even though Aayan never spoke about Mahira to them their fighting was a secret to anyone.

"I don't know but if I can throw few people out I have few on the list". Aayan said opening his book

"Mahira is in the list then?". Gafoor said smirking

"Why would she be on the list?". Aayan asked confused,"She is our family".

Muhammad shrugged, "So are other people".

Aayan didn't reply to his friend words and focused on his class instead. He saw Mahira laugh in one of the class and his eyes immediately went to her face that was shining while she laughs. Her laugh was unique even if someone had compared her laugh to that of an animal (for real) somehow Aayan's heart flutter and find it the most adorable sound he had heard.

Living in a house filled with three men (Aayan, Shafiq, Galib) and one woman (Ruksana) also means that the house tends to be quiet at most times especially if you add work to that which Aayan's father and brother do so it was only him and his mother. But then he also studies so the house was usually only silent that is until Mahira is unleashed in the house. Aayan will be out of his room as long as she stays and his mother will be having a good time. It also means that both Aayan's father and brother will come home earlier than their usual times and spend time together. Aayan had also remained with Mahira's mother she was a woman with wisdom and few words and he finds her endearing. He found her strength to bring a daughter in this world all alone and still love her husband who had stayed away from her for a long time. Not everyone could do that. He admired her a lot. So they all were always together.

Mahira walks to Aayan car to find Sofia there as she was about to turn she heard her calling.

"I was waiting for you what took you so long?". Sofia said standing in front of her, "That doesn't matter my mother asked for few things and Sumaira went to the shop down the road and at the end of it and she is not back yet. I have called her but she isn't answering you have to find her".

Mahira looked at her worried about Sumaira what if some man find her?.

She was about to walk away when Sofia called her again.

"Your bag is too heavy give me that it will be easy to run without much weight". Sofia said taking her bag from her

She didn't even think and ran all the way down the road which was about 10 minutes walk from her University. She looked at the shop and asked around but she didn't find Sumaira. She had a picture on her phone but she forgot her phone in her worry which was in her bag. She moved forward in other market and farther away from University.

Aayan walked towards his car worrying that submitting his assignment he had made the girls wait for him. He should have talked to Mahira and told her. He walked to his car and found Sofia smiling to herself but no one else.

"Where is Mahira?". He asked as he neared Sofia

Sofia looked at him wide eyes then around smiling at him, "Oh, she went home she said you were taking too long and she didn't want to go with you".

Aayan frowned at her words because that doesn't sound anything like Mahira he knows.

"Here is your food". Sumaira said breathing deeply, "Wait, where is Mahira?".

"She said that she went home already". Aayan said dejectedly

"That doesn't sound like her. We should leave now though it will be night soon". Sumaira said

They drive for about one and a half hour because of the blockage in the road and then reached home. Aayan went in quickly wanting to see her but he searched around the house and couldn't find her.

He went back down looking for her mother and find her with everyone as he neared her his heart was already beating anxiously. He didn't like the feelings he was having.

"Ammi (mother), where is Mahira?". He asked worriedly

Everyone looked at his worried expression and moved near him.

"Wasn't she supposed to come with you, beta (son)?". Her mother asked

"Nahi, Ammi (no, mother), she said she will go home on her own and when I reached the car she wasn't there". He explained

Her mother eyes widen and she stumbles back as the painful memories returned.

"No, no, she would never do something like that. You know she can't go on her own she never does that, Aayan. You know that". Her mother said as Aayan's mother hold her hands

"There is something wrong". Aayan's brother said, "She will never do that we all know that. Who told you this?".

Aayan who was silently watching and listening to everyone opinions was just like his had his anger rise as he turned his eyes to Sofia who was hiding behind her mother.

"Sofia". He yelled angrily marching near her as he holds her hand bringing her in front, "What did you do?".

Sofia mother pushed Aayan's hands away, "What is wrong with you?. That girl is troubled and she must have gone to meet her lover why are you accusing my innocent daughter?".

His eyes and temper were growing even more, "She is the one who told me that Mahira said she was going home and even her bag is in the car. It means she met her before any of us does".

Everyone gasped.

"Mahira might have left her bag beside the car my daughter didn't do anything". Sofia mother yelled

Aayan pulled Sofia by her arms in front of him and his red eyes looking at her scared form, "What did you do, Sofia?. And if you lie I swear it will end worst then it already will. Speak".

Sofia shuddered in fear looking at his anger.

"I-I just told her that Sumaira was down the road and she went after her". Sofia said stuttering

"I didn't go to the road shop I would never go there without Aayan Bhai. You told me you were hungry and dying of hunger and I went to the canteen to get you food". Sumaira said standing in front of her

"You are lying". Aayan said, "Now, I want the truth".

"She came to me and I told her that Sumaira went to the shop at the end to buy few things mother requested but she hasn't come back and isn't answering calls so she should go and look for her". Sofia said scared

"What else?. What about her bag, dammit?. She would never go without her bag or phone at least". Aayan said angrily

"I-I took her bag telling her that it will be better to be without weight and she looked worried that she didn't think". Sofia explained

"Oh God". Mahira mother said as she falls on the ground

Mahira looked at the sky and it was already night. Her feet hurt from the constant running she had done. Some people told her they had seen a girl like Mahira a little farther in the village and she had been looking around for her. She was scared a lot and she wished someone finds her.

"Isn't it a pretty little thing from the city". She heard someone speak and her breathing stopped