Stairway to Heaven

16. Ward-Week #3

DAY-3

"Hajra! I am so, so, so—sorry! Thankyou! Thankyou so much!! You're a lifesaver!"

Hajra let Bisma hug the life out of her with a small smile caressing her lips. Bisma had brought her some confectionery as an apology, which Hajra had shared with the rest of her friends.

"God, still Hajra—! You shouldn't become a pushover. As much as I oppose Mateen, I stand with him on this. Maybe, he has turned over a new leaf, after all—" Aymen continued thoughtfully, while Hajra sitting beside her only sighed in response. They were sitting in the demonstration room, waiting for their supervisor to come and start the lecture.

"Anyways, did you manage to get some sleep? You look like the walking dead. You two do realise that you guys are still students and there are house-officers and residents available, who are far more answerable than you guys—" Aymen interrupted her yawning and Hajra rested her head on top of the desk.

"A few hours—" She exclaimed tired, but the truth was that she couldn't even get a proper shut eye in those hours. The female on-call room remained abuzz with residents, who kept going in and out for their calls. Hajra had decided to ask Bisma to take over for a few hours later, while she napped in the on-call room. Or else, she feared she would actually collapse, like that jerk Mateen had foreseen—

She was unable to finish the thought, because her gaze accidentally met his, from across the room. Hajra was slumped with her face directed in his direction, when Mateen who was sitting in the next row, caught her gaze and froze in his place, not daring to blink and break the trance.

Hajra unconsciously kept on holding his gaze. Her mind reeling with flashbacks of yesterday and his display of faux concern. She didn't wish to spare him a second thought, despite the outbursts he'd exhibited yesterday. But—it was those eyes. Something about the look in his eyes had changed. She knew better than to assume otherwise of Mateen Abbasi, but she could almost—almost mistake him for being sincere last night.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, an old memory crept over her and she sucked in a sharp breath, before turning her face away from him.

"—oh please! Mateen has standards, okay? He wouldn't go after charity cases like Hajra Sajjad—She is just some poor, lower-class girl, who came here with hopes in her eyes to get into upper class. Mateen has made a bet with me, that he could show her true colours before the year was over—There's no way, he could fall for a cheap, low-bred girl like Hajra—who only goes after money—"

The eye contact had barely lasted for a few moments, but in that one moment Hajra was given a reminder of everything she needed to not lose sight of.

———————————

"IT'S YOU! YOU WERE THERE! I AM GOING TO KILL YOU IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO MY MOM!!"

They had just entered the ward, a while ago; when a hysterical patient jumped on Mateen and started screaming while holding him by his collar. Everyone had turned around to watch the commotion, while a few residents and staff members came in to hold back the patient's attendant; who had managed to deliver a punch across Mateen's jaw.

While his friends jumped in to protect him from the berserk attendant and threw slurs at him; Mateen kept standing in his place silently with a coldblooded look on his face; rubbing off the blood dripping from the corner of his lips with the back of his cuff.