Can't Let Go

four

Zayn was startled when a stranger suddenly came up to him and asked him to have a conversation, he agreed anyway as the stranger didn't look that creepy and more than anything he was genuinely curious as to what that person has got to say. 

"Do you know any Inaya Baig?" Arsalaan asked bluntly without beating around the bushes. Zayn looked taken aback at that. Of all the questions, he surely did not expect him to ask that one. 

"I do, she's my best friend," Zayn replied, half confused and half surprised. 

"I'm her brother." 

"Okay." 

"And I'm here to ask your hand for her marriage. My sister is in love with you and she wants to marry you." Arsalaan said with no expression face, in a cold voice making Zayn stare at him wide-eyed. 

"Excuse me?", "Are you high or something?" he couldn't help but ask, seriously? Who comes out just like that and asks a random man to marry his sister? 

"Am I looking one?" Arsalaan snapped rudely making Zayn angry if anything. 

"You sure sound like one. I've known her for four years only and she's just my best friend. Nothing else. My wedding is fixed with someone else, I'm very content, thank you very much." Zayn stood up with rage but had to sit back as two guys behind him forced him to. He noticed them only just now. 

"Sit still, Mr Abbasi. We still haven't finished our talk." Arsalaan smirked as he saw a confused Zayn glare at him for no use. 

"This is crazy," Zayn exclaimed in disbelief as the two guys blocked him in such a way that he couldn't even move let alone walk. He was forced to sit there. 

"My sister has attempted to commit suicide yesterday evening. While you were happily exchanging rings, she was fighting for her life there." Arsalaan muttered with rage as he banged at the table, which got a lot of attention and there was a pin drop silence before everyone went back to mind their own business. 

"I-I" Zayn had no answer to that. He was seriously too shocked to react to anything. He can't believe his best friend has taken such a drastic step for his sake. He felt numb.

"I know it wasn't your fault, but she's in love with you and is ready to die for you... I cannot lose my sister, for anything and I want you to marry her..." Arsalaan was stern and adamant on his demand. 

Zayn gaped at this absurd and stupid conversation, forgetting about Inaya's suicide attempt for a while even though he was worried beyond words, "you can't force me to marry someone, moreover my family will never agree to this, not when Malaika is alive at least. They want me to marry my cousin and I will marry only her. Do whatever you want." by saying so he left the place angrily, the guards tried to go behind him but Arsalaan signed them not to. 

His mind was just stuck on the point, 'not when Malaika is alive at least.' 

It was a good thing that Zayn happens to be his sister's stupid lover boy, if not he'd have to face the consequences of disrespecting Arsalaan Baig like that. Lucky guy. He couldn't hurt him because Inaya has asked, more like begged him not to hurt him. That tied Arsalaan from not doing anything to him. 

So this has left him with only one choice, which is to stop Malaika Abbasi; the girl who has invaded his mind for the past two days. He has never seen someone as kind and as beautiful as her before. She just blew his mind away in just two days. And knowing that she is in some way responsible for his sister's current state made him a little upset, he wouldn't lie. 

He can do anything for Inaya's happiness and the next thing which he's going to do will surely change his whole damn life. But he will do it if that's what will make Inaya happy. 

***

Malaika was smiling shyly as she exited the college, her whole day has been filled with teasing and jokes. She was sick of smiling like a fool and was done for the day already. All she needed was to get out of here and crash on her bed. She studied bachelors of commerce and has just entered her fifth semester. None of her cousins studied in her college as they all preferred medical and engineering while she the business and commerce. They were all odd. The Abbasi's itself are odd. 

Everything was going on just fine as she entered her car, like usual. Nothing was odd but only it wasn't. She boringly gazed out of the window and her eyes widened when the driver didn't take the usual road. 

"BHAIYA? Where are you taking me? This is not the way to the home." Malaika panicked as she tried to process everything. The driver didn't reply anything as he continued to drive only then she realized he wasn't her driver in the first place. 

She tried to call her home, but her phone was snatched away from her as he pointed a gun at her, it was all took for her to freeze. She didn't know what to do anymore. 

Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks as she began to recite duas in fear. She had no one but her Almighty to turn to when in times of need and she was sure that this was just a test and He will not let her down. She couldn't help the panicking though. 

Suddenly the car was halted, and she looked around her surroundings to see that it was a deserted area and no one alive was visible to her eyes. Her lips were mumbling duas and suras non-stop and then her eyes widened as the door on the left side opened and an oddly familiar man entered the car. 

 "Here we go again, Ms Abbasi," Arsalaan smirked at her crying face. She was taken aback at his appearance. Of all people, she didn't expect him to be responsible for this. 

Malaika never thought that she'd see him again. But here she was...

"Who are you?" was the first thing she asked, her voice full of worry and panic. 

Arsalaan felt bad, scratch that he felt worse for having to do this to her. She was way too kind and innocent to be involved in this drama but he masked away all of that feeling when the picture of his sister lying unconscious in a pool of blood came back to his mind. 

Whatever it was, Inaya is and will be always important to him. No one else. And he will do anything for her happiness, literally anything.