calling her to his office and she makes her way to his office.

"Zariah, please come in". He said

She nodded entering inside, "What is it?".

"Look, Zariah you cannot continue like this". He said

"What do you mean?". She asked confused

"You haven't paid your last instalment and if you don't in this week you cannot sit in your final exams". He said

Her eyes widen, "I have always paid all my instalments how can you do this?. You know I am little tight on cash but I will pay".

"It's our policy I can't do anything. Pack your things and leave. When you pay then you can come back". He said with finality in his words

"No. Sir, please I promise to pay-". She pleaded

"No, leave". He said pointing to the door

She holds her bag walking outside of his office then the school. It's been a month since she is overworking herself to pay the tuition and this is what it came to.

Just as she exits the school her feet start to run on their own accord and soon she is just running through the roads mindlessly. She runs even when her feet protested, her body heated and her breath came out in pants.

She ran for hours.

Until she stops panting hard feeling her head hurting and her eyes losing focus.

"What are you doing here?". She heard the familiar sound

She blinks her eyes looking at the rude man in front of her but before she can speak she lost her consciousness.

Yahya watches her eyes rolling back and almost falling to the ground and he immediately holds her towards him. His eyes widen looking at her in his arms and the shot of tingle on the simple touch.

He immediately opens the gate walking inside with her. He places her on the bed asking the housekeeper to call the doctor as soon as possible.

He paces around when the doctor examines her for a few minutes impatiently.

Once the doctor is done he asked immediately and came to know that she is overworked - no surprises and she hasn't had a proper meal in a while. She is dehydrated and drained.

He looks at the medicine slip in his hand asking his guard to buy them and his housekeeper to make some soup.

He heard the door ringing and soon the small steps coming towards his room. The door opens with his two daughters standing there looking at him.

Noor and Hooria enter inside watching the woman on the bed until they realise something.

"Baba, she is the one". Noor said happily jumping on the bed, "Why is she sleeping?".

"She is the one?". He asked confused

"The one who helps Hooria that day". Noor explained patting Zariah cheeks to wake her

"Beta (daughter), don't do that". He said pulling Noor back, "She is not well so she needs rest".

"Is she very sick?". Hooria finally spoke at the verge of tears

He holds her in his arms to walking out of the room.

"No. She just needs to sleep for some time then she will be fine. Will you two be good?". He asked softly and they nodded

*****

Zariah opens her eyes looking at the unfamiliar surroundings groaning.

"Is she awake?". She heard a child's voice

"Are you ok?". He heard someone ask

She moves sitting on the bed holding her head in pain. She closes her eyes when the pain hit waiting for it to subside.

"You should rest more". She heard him say

She opens her eyes to find three of them looking at her. She frowns looking at the time and it's past her working time.

"Oh no". She mumbles quickly lifting the comforter wearing her shoes back on

Yahya watches her hurriedly wearing her shoes and brushing her hair.

"How did I get here?". She asked holding her bag

"You fainted so I brought you in". He explained watching her eyes moving from him to his daughter

"You two here?". She asked confused

"They are my daughters". He said shortly

Her eyes widen momentarily then she nodded walking through the door of his room, "It's nice to meet you two again. How come I keep coming back here?".

He shrugged following her along with his daughter towards the front door.

She turns around, "Thank you for helping me".

"It's nothing. I have your medicine and you should eat before you leave you are not well". He suggested

"I don't want to exceed my stay. How much is the medicine for?". She asked hurriedly opening her bag to give him money

"You don't have to pay-". He started

"And why shouldn't I?. You are not my anything that I would allow to pay for my expenses. Here". She said placing as much as she thinks they have cost, "In case they cost more let me know".

He watches her shocked and that his reaction each time he sees her. He looks at the crumble money she left shaking his head.

"I wanted her to stay". Noor said sadly

"Sorry, girls maybe next time". He said holding them

*****

She finds herself drifting more and more into darkness.

It is easy when life throws a dozen of things at you without a solution to it. She heard the sound of the prayer calling her towards it.

She isn't the one to pray.

Why?. Because she isn't sure why she needs to do that. What's the use?. Everything is already taken from her and nothing is granted to her. Why should she pray?.

She sees people hurrying towards the mosque and most people she finds are the people who come out of the same mosque and in a few minutes, they start their usual activities (backbiting, betraying and more).

If these are the kind of people that goes in and come back. She is better of without going in.

She is complicated.

In her heart, she wishes to enter that safe haven she had heard of from people and talk to her Lord to help her. But, where was he when she was naive and needed him?.

Why didn't he protected her?.

Questions with no answers.

She turns around to go back to delivering her orders engaging herself in the world to forget about the world after.

Is it easy?. No, the world is temporary and so is everything. The small number of distractions will never be able to make her forget the world after. Deep inside, it stays. The feelings of emptiness and yearning for him (Lord).

Because he is the one who made us and he is the one who can help us.

Without that connection, it's the soul within us that stays begging us to go to him, to him who placed that soul within us and beg him.

Human is delusional.

No matter how much we know we will only believe the things we wish to and work in the way we want to. The world was created to distract and test us and maybe now we all are just failing without caring.

She enters inside the small house of her aunt she lives with if she can call it living because she stays out of this house more then she lives in it.

"You are leaving". She heard her aunt say

She didn't react, as always.

"Where?". She asked nonchalantly

"You are getting married". Her aunt said

Her eyes widen, "What?. Why?. I don't want to".

Those questions were answered by a tight slap causing her already weak body to fall on the ground.

"I have had enough of your tantrums. Isn't it enough for you to live off me for so many years that you want to torture me more?. I don't wish to see you anymore the more I see you the more I hate you. You will be getting married tomorrow and I don't need any drama. Do this last thing to pay for what I have done for you". Her aunt yelled

All she had done is torture her to no end.

Physically and mentally.

Her aunt- from her father side was never happy with her mother who was a rich man daughter. Her mother left her rich life coming to slums but no one allowed her any peace here. They all hated her for not bringing the money they thought she will bring torturing her for it. Her father never had any idea- this is from what she had heard.

They both died in a car accident.

Not them driving and having an accident. They were too poor for that but they died the death of the poor- being hit by a rich man car and dying on the spot with that man running away after destroying her life.

She was barely 5 at the time.

Life was never easy and no one promised it will be.

******

"You shouldn't have married so young". She heard one of his aunts say

"When did you got married?". She asked making everyone look at her shocked

"Ah....15?". The aunt replied

"So, why are you advising me?. By any chance do you regret being married and having kids?". She asked hearing gasps around her

"You should know the manner of speaking to the elder". The aunt said angrily

"You should mind your own business but do you see me complaining?". She asked making her go redder

The aunt walked away angrily and she turns to Yahya raising her eyebrows.

"What are you doing to say I shouldn't be talking that way?". She asked irritated that he had been watching her all night

He shrugged amused, "No,no, don't stop at my expense keep doing it. It's fun".

"Thanks". She said nonchalantly

A little time passes peacefully when another aunt graces her with her presence.

"You should have kids early so you can keep him under your spell. He already have two kids it will be hard to control him". The aunt suggested

She turns to Yahya who is busy talking to one of his friends.

"Yahya". She called and he turns to her immediately, "Are you an animal?".

Yahya frowns, "What?".

"No, just confirming because this woman said I need to control you by having kids". She said shrugging

Yahya bites his lips to not smile at her words.

After that woman tries not to speak to her face but judge everything she did. Like calling her mannerless because she speaks for herself.

"I didn't see your parents?". A woman asked her

"They are dead". She replied blankly

Yahya eyes widen looking at her as the woman speaks, "I didn't know".

"Obviously". She replied

Then the series of questions arises that her being rebellious is because she has no parents to train her.

Pity.

That is something some of these women starts to have for her.

She doesn't care.

She looks around bored and her so-called husband is busy with attending his guests.

"You know he loved his first wife". A woman who has been eyeing Yahya says standing beside her, "A man who loves a woman cannot ever love again".

She didn't speak.

More like she couldn't because this time someone actually manage to say something that made her speechless.

"I don't know what love is and I don't care about it. So, you being an unnecessary scholar can give that knowledge to someone who actually cares". She finally speaks

One, because this woman eyes on Yahya makes her angry. Two, because she didn't want to give her the satisfaction of knowing she hit her spot.

Last but not the least she found that Yahya is actually Hamza brother. Thank the Lord, Hamza avoided her at all cost. She didn't want to deal with him today.

She sits with Hooria and Noor who seems hesitant to approach her. She cannot blame her the amount of makeup she is wearing she wouldn't even look at herself either.

"I think we should leave". Yahya said

"Finally, that's the best line you have said so far". She said jumping from her seat holding the girls hands

"I haven't spoken to you all day". He said confused

"Exactly my point". She said walking to the exit

He shakes his head thinking how he is going to handle this. He looks around to her only family- her aunt who didn't speak a word to her all this time.

He looks back at her leaving without even looking at anyone or saying goodbye. He cannot help but sigh he has no idea what to do but he prays to Lord to help him.

******

She enters inside the house and the girls didn't want her to leave their room not that she wanted to either. She is much better at staying here.

"You are not supposed to be here". She heard his mother yell

His mother is the most annoying woman she has encountered. She had been demanding things of her and she hates being ordered.

"And why is that?". She said holding Hooria in her hands and she move more into her hold making her smile

"Because you should be in Yahya's room, sitting on the bed and waiting for him". His mother said angrily

"Oh well, ask him to wait for me". She said shrugging placing Hooria in the bed

"Why would he do that?. This is not how it works". His mother said

"Then it can't be helped". She said brushing Hooria hair away

"If you don't listen to me I will ruin your life". His mother screamed

She looks at Noor who hides under the duvet scared. She holds her hand in her own.

She chuckles dryly, "You can't possibly ruin something that's already ruined".

"I will show you". His mother promised shutting the door hard

Then Noor cried.

She holds her in her hands, "What's wrong?".

"I don't like her. She is always mean". Noor said

Her heart clenched.

"You Baba never say anything?". She asked confused

"He doesn't know. She said she will tell Baba about us being naughty. Are we naughty?. She said she will throw us out of this house". Noor cried harder

"Why is she crying?". She heard Yahya speak

She turns to find him in the door looking concerned.

"Nothing. She said she wanted me to sleep here". She said softly wiping Noor tears

"Sleep here then". He said

"Well, your mother said she wants me sitting on your bed waiting for you". She said rolling her eyes making Noor giggle

Yahya almost blushes at her statement but he just clears his throat, "Ah, no stay here I will deal with her".

"Good luck". She said tiredly

******

She walks downstairs holding Hooria and Noor bags entering inside the Kitchen to find Yahya already there.

"Is this the time to wake up?". She heard his mother say

"For me, yes". She replied looking through her journal to find the work she has missed in this fiasco

Yahya looks at his fuming mother knowing this is not going to end well.

"Ammi, please sit and eat". He insisted

His mother sends last glare at Zariah who is preoccupied to serve the kids.

"You should be more responsible". His mother said angrily, "You are not a kid".

She rolls her eyes not actually saying anything in front of the kids.

Once they were done she hold their bags moving outside when she heard his mother speaks again, "Where are you going?".

"School". She replied blankly

"It's your first day after marriage how can you go?". His mother said glaring at her

"Watch me". She said walking outside

She sighs once she is outside looking at the sky inhaling the fresh scents around. She hates the fact that the next life she can see is almost the same she has been living.

Why did he (Lord) put her in this now?. Wasn't the first half of struggles enough?.

"What are you thinking?". Yahya asked looking at the distant look on her face

She turns her head from looking at the sky to him, "Life".

"You actually think about it?". He asked sarcastically

"Well, I didn't use to but now that I am thrown in a marriage I have to". She replied

"What do you mean thrown?". He asked confused

"Why don't you ask your mother?". She said taking steps

But he holds her wrist making her heartbeat frantically as she rips her hand away from his hold.

"Don't touch me". She said gritting her teeth

He frowns, "Are you ok?. Your face looks pale".

She took a deep breath, "Just, don't ever touch me".

"Sorry". He said shortly, "I was going to say I will drop you and pick you all".

"Ok". She said shrugging moving to his car, "But I am not leaving my job".

"I don't want you working". Yahya said

"I want to". She said making the kids sit inside smiling at them

"Why?". He asked

"Because I have my last instalment to pay and I need to work for that". She said shrugging

"I-". He started

"Don't even think about saying you will pay. I want to pay my own as I have been". She said

"Fine". Yahya said sighing knowing he can't win against her, "But I want you home at 8".

"Deal". She said knowing that's the best way

********

The school was a disaster.

How?.

Now the people know she is married and the series of things happening is annoying.

She used to be the quiet and antisocial person who no one ever spoke to for good. Now, everyone expects (want) her to be talking and behaving answering their absurd questions for no reasons.

Not like she answered.

Mostly are, why she is married and her life is ruined.

These people have no idea how ruined her life has been already to consider this a big deal.

The part where they expect her to talk is by far the worse one. It's like they think her whole life she never interacted properly with another person (or they have to her) but now she should know that skill.

We are told to be silent and awarded for it and then we are expected to suddenly speak.

She has no idea why people assume that she should have that skill. What if she can't interact well with people and doesn't want to?.

It's her life.

It was the same at the wedding. Everyone wanted her to be friendly, open and shying all at the same time. She hasn't spent that kind of life to be that person they demand.

And when she didn't she is stuck up, rebellious and wouldn't last in this society.

She sighs.

The principal calls her again and she enters inside.

"I thought since you are married to him your instalment will already be paid". He said

"I am paying my own instalment so there is no him paying". She said

"Then, you have to leave now". He said stern

She grabs her bag shutting the door with force walking outside to leave.

"Did you marry my brother on purpose?". She heard Hamza say

Someone will die from her hands today.