28- Important

'Because he is my fiancé!" She yelled, telling him what she was not supposed to. To say he was surprised would be an understatement. His mind perceived countless possibilities except this. 'He threatened you because I told him that I am afraid of you. He did all this for me." She told him out of frustration, the reasoning behind his action. 'What?!" He whisper-yelled, eyes widened in disbelief, mouth gaped. Not believing it in the slightest. 'We can't tell anyone as it was against the rule so we decided to remain silent. That's why please, please don't interfere in my relationship, Azed." The rage in voice faded, replaced with powerlessness. With tears brimming in her eyes, she whispered, she didn't know whether she should trust him or not but she didn't have any option at this point. 'Please don't steal it from me and keep it a secret." 'It was… him?" He blinked, he thought he heard wrong or it was a joke. But, the expression on her face said it all, he didn't need further explanations. 'I should have understood when he warned me." He breathed out, now all of his action began to make sense. He began to realize now why he warned him. Taking a step back, he unexpectedly spoke what he wasn't supposed to in a spur of a moment. 'It was always him, when he stopped us, when he told guys to give you chocolate, that is why he did all this…" And this staggered Hoorain. He was talking about a way before time where she could never fathom him doing anything for her sake. 'Us? Chocolate? What are you talking about?" She asked, making a weird face. This was going over her head. 'He intimidated us in the first semester that if we broke your heart he would break our bones." He said and her jaw dropped in disbelief. She remained motionless, believing he did this on Rayan's words or anything but his free will. 'And on valentines, when you felt sad no one proposed to you he told random guys to give you chocolates to make you happy." And this is not something anyone would do on someone's request. Her heart rates amplified abnormally, worried, flabbergasted. 'We always shrug that he was doing this on your Brother's saying but never once I thought he did this because he loves you." He sighed, after realizing how wrong he was and gave her a reassuring smile. 'Hoorain, I am so sorry, I didn't know about it. Your secret is safe with me. I won't tell anyone." He said sincerely, relaxed at least to know this is not what he thought. But, she remained stunned and he smiled, giving her shoulder a friendly pat and left her. After Azed left, Hoorain's very core was shaken, moving her back and hitting the wall. She swallowed the lump in the throat, holding the hem of her dress. A dolorous expression was coming to her face. It didn't feel good, it didn't feel dreamy, it was too much for her to grasp. It was painful. Leaving one thought in her collection of tension. Why do you do this to me, Zain? But, on the other hand, Zain was done with the recipe he just learned and was minding his own business. But, his mind was affixed on Hoorain, how to talk to her, to convince her. You are so far from me now Hoorain that even if I want, I can't come closer. He thought sadly, looking down but unexpectedly, he received a call from Hoorain and picked it instantly. 'Zain." She whispered his name with difficulty. 'Hoorain?" He called, perturbed about her tone. 'Can I talk to you alone?" She asked, not lifting her head from the ground. 'Right now?" He asked, looking around. 'Anytime. Whenever you are free." She replied, trying to sound fine but failed. 'Is everything okay? Did something happen?" He asked, her resonance was enhancing his stress. 'Can we please talk?" She asked, trying her best to not break her voice, holding her dress, pressing her teeth together, shutting her eyes. 'I don't think we could be alone right now. How about after work?" He hated to say this but they won't let him leave and being seen won't be favorable as well. 'Okay." She hummed, not arguing about it. 'Are-" He tried to ask about her well-being again but she cut the call immediately. He was bewildered and distressed about her state to no extent. He knew she was emotional and he wanted to prevent her from taking a step without realizing its consequences. He would remain in guilt forever if she ended up hurting herself in the process. He will never forgive himself if it ever happens. After their shift ended, Zain rushed to her side but she remained silent but her lack of reaction was killing him. On their way back, he couldn't take it anymore, his heart cannot bear the silence anymore. 'Hoorain, what happened?" He asked, frowning deeply but the fact he was worried was written all over his face. 'That is what I wanted to know." She whispered, biting her lips, eyes fixed on her laps, gathering correct words to pursue. 'Did I say something wrong? Look, let me explain it-" He tried to say desperately. Finally considering it this as his chance to open it up to her but she whispered, 'No, No. It's not about it." 'Then what is it? Look if there is anything I did, I am-" She couldn't bear the tenderness in his voice. She didn't want it to melt her heart, she wanted to store the talks building inside and burst her emotions at once. "Did you threaten the boys in my class?" She managed to breathe out, finally meeting his gaze. 'What?" He asked, astonished to no extent. Stopping his car at the sideway, he turned to her. 'Did you, Zain?" She asked, voice becoming stern. 'Yes. I didn't want anyone to break your heart." He replied in the same tone, not even thinking about those words. 'Why? Who was I to you back then? Who were you to back them off?" She asked, rage was flickering, displeased by his action. 'I don't want you to break your heart over a nobody, over someone who is not serious with you." He reasoned, shrugging his shoulders. He was surprisingly chill about it. 'Exactly. Why!? Who was I?" She asked, her rage augmenting by his lack of reaction. 'Because Rayan asked and I care for you and I believe Rayan took care of Isra so I should do the same with you. That's all." He replied honestly, the thoughts he had at that time. 'Okay.. okay. You didn't want my heart to break because Bhai took care of Bhabi. Understandable. Great friendship." She hummed. It was okay, he was only caring for his best friend's sister like Rayan did but- 'Was giving me chocolates on valentines also a part of your care? Also a show of friendship towards Rayan Bhai? Tell me, what was it?" She spat. His eyes widened, leaving him at a loss of words bringing a momentary silence between them. His grip on the steering tightened, unsure of what to say. 'Why did you do this? Because Bhai asked you? She asked, losing her patience by his demeanor which was inducing unwanted thoughts. His confusing actions were killing her. 'No, It was not. I wanted to make you happy." He replied earnestly with a feeble voice, eyes glistening with eerie emotions. His lips curled to say something unpredictable but he paused, only emitting a strange comforting aura. 'Why!?" She asked, raising her voice, she was obviously impotent to comprehend his twist of emotions. But, so did he. He cannot understand it either. 'I don't know. I wanted to." He replied in the same tone, forcing out a trembling smile. 'You do this and then reject me. Saying you don't want to be with me, I was disdain then why did you care for me in the first place?!" Her posture broke. Pushing the hair falling on her face back, fighting the tears threatening to fall but they won and rolled down her cheek. 'Who was I that you hold dear? What were we before and now… Why are you doing this to me?" She couldn't bring herself to yell anymore. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back, biting her lips. Zain wanted to comfort her but his words cannot provide her equanimity. 'I am sorry. I mixed you in my confusing emotions but believe me, I am dealing with an ordeal of emotions." He said sorrowfully, feeling guilty. 'I am trying to understand but everyone believes it's only a responsibility to me and I don't know myself anymore." He whispered in a broken voice. Everyone's thoughts and talks are affecting his life. And he lost his own mind now. He failed to place faith in his own self. The perfectionist was at a stumbling point. 'I cannot comprehend what I think, what I feel. What is right or wrong but I genuinely care for you." His words held sincerity. 'Then what exactly are we to you? You can't just do things because you want to, who am I to you?" She asked, turning her face weakly to him. She was exhausted from this, she wanted a clear response. 'I don't know who you were to me, what used to exist, what happened. All of it is bygone to me and right now…" He took a deep breath, taking her hand in his. Staring into her eyes with keen emotions, smiling purely as she kissed the back of her palm, enunciating. 'You are the most important person in my life."