Jai had been noticing a change in Sonara for quite sometime now.

Since when, he tried to recollect.

Mostly from the night of Eid, almost fifteen days back.

That night, Jai was completely lost in the flying lanterns in the sky above, with a gurgling and cooing baby girl in his arms who equally enjoyed the situation.

All of a sudden, like a blow, Jai felt Humaira being forcefully snatched from him by an unusually stern Sonara. Someone who was bright as a pearl just few minutes back.

" The hostel has some rules. Like getting in early. I cannot break them everyday. "

As much was Jai taken aback by this, more was by the fact that Sonara didn't even look back once before getting into an auto, while Humaira stared with wide eyes at a speeded up Jai behind the auto.

Jai stood horrified, as the auto disappeared at a turn.

What exactly did go wrong with this woman's head at times!

Jai had returned home that night with a slight cringe at heart.

And then had slammed himself for over thinking.

He might have been intruding into Sonara's life a bit more than needed.
Neither was it his duty, nor suited him much.

He had dropped off the thought and had gone to sleep that night.

---

The night of Eid ended on a very different note for Sonara.

The last year's Eid had been a struggling one. Sonara was pregnant then, her life was still turbulent.
Yet, she had people like Reddy Chacha,  Brinda Tai above her head.

Not that she frighteningly missed their utmost presence around now, but something felt awkward, absent, not too well even.

Sonara stood at the window.
The first thing she'd do the next morning was, pay her rents to the warden.

One debt returned.

Sonara looked at the aesthetic sleeping baby on the bed.

The sight of Humaira, cooing and giggling in Jai's arms disturbed her beyond recovery.

Why was she letting her into this mess?

Hadn't she promised herself more than a year back, that she'd do anything but depend on humans?
How could she allow, not only herself, but her baby to do exactly the same? 

She had trusted humans once upon a time. Who had all deceived her big time.

Reddy chacha, chachi, tai, did help her to stand up once again, but this time she had literally kept the strings of her life in her fingers. Then too, did Reddy Chacha do exactly what was expected of him? No, right?

Then what made Sonara Parvez trust, depend on, and even secretively expect things from a stranger on a rainy night, this much ?

This much....that she even momentarily believed, that he had acquired the right....to hurt her through ....the world's purest yet  darkest emotion?

Sonara ran to the bed and sat on its edge, almost choking.

Whatever she was even trying to think, was Gunaah in all forms.

Gunaah was the fact that she even made friends with a man who hated her religion, which was almost her breath.

Gunaah was the fact that from day one she had only taken from him, given him nothing in return.

Gunaah was the fact that she was trying to reach a branch high up in the tree, while herself being tied to the root.

And Allah Pak would never let go every of her gunaah, without punishing her in any possible way.

Sonara instantly looked at Humaira.

No, she couldn't endure any punishment that could snatch her only belonging.......

She choked.

Throwing open the mat on the floor, she prayed,

" Ya Allah, I promise to keep in mind everything I'm born for, everything I'm born of. I won't run behind shooting stars, I won't indebt myself to such an extent that I fail to pay back.
I won't leave this place, neither the job, but from today onwards, will live only on my capabilities. Once they extinguish, I too will, I swear. "

----

Jai collected packets of chips from here and there, and threw glances at Sonara in the process.

She stood unperturbed, staring somewhere else.

A sudden rage grew inside his head. Again.

Did this woman forget what he had been doing for her for all this time?
The hostel she stayed in, he arranged for. The job she's recruited to, he pleaded for.

All of a sudden, she behaved as if she didn't know him even, leave alone need him in days to come.
Height of ungratefulness!! 

Rightly said, Muslims are the worst species on earth! 

Shaking in anger within, he walked towards her and almost threw the packets to her. Completely startling her.

" Bill them. " , he hissed at her, who had instantly come over the momentary startle.
Without even glancing at him, she walked over to the billing counter.

Enraging him more.

What exactly did she think of herself? 

This is the fourth time in the last fifteen days that Jai visited the shop.
And she had behaved abnormal.

Two of the times she had disappeared to the washrooms, and the third time she had stood looking at the floor all the time.

Neither had she called him even once.
Jai did, twice, on the night of Eid itself and two days later. She had answered neither.

But the terrible thing happened last night, when he decided to pay her rents at the hostel. He didn't call because she wouldn't answer. Moreover he felt it was his job and he didn't have to announce everytime before doing it.

The warden however, declared on his face, that Sonara had paid for three months of her rent, a total of fifteen thousand.

Jai's jaw dropped ten feet down.
She had in store, fifteen thousand? 
Or maybe she........she sold the earrings he had given to her for a gift, without even letting her know it was pure gold.

But maybe she knew, and did this to his gift....
Sold it away!!! 

Jai had returned home swearing throughout the way.

It hurt, way too much.

Yes, he did call her. And as usual, she didn't pick up.

Unable to sleep throughout the night, Jai though had been able to contain his rage to minimum.

And had decided, he would visit the shop next day, and talk to Sonara properly.

Damn! That went to drain at the sight of the unusually cold and unnecessarily indifferent Sonara Parvez!

Making Jai thump out of the shop without even looking back at the packets of chips he had sent for billing.

---

" Jai Prakash Raichand!
I said Stop!!!!  "

Jai was unusually gasping. Sonara came and stood before him.

" What was that?
You firstly threw the packets at me, as if I'm your servant.
Next, the packets contained chips that were already damaged at the throw game you played.
And now you walk out of the shop even without having them for you and pay the bill!

The shop might be your friend's, and you might make it clear that you can pick up anything and leave. Why involve the workers and harrass them? "
Sonara spoke in a low, sharp tone.

Jai stared at her.
Truly horrified.

He nodded his head in disbelief. And hissed,
" Have you lost it?
Are you out of your mind?
What went wrong between us that you're behaving like a retard?

You paid fifteen thousand for the room, a room I ARRANGED FOR YOU!

And I have all rights to know where the money came from. "

" No. You don't. I have paid my rents. It's completely my business now. Thank you for all the help. But from now onwards, I'll decide my own fate, once again. "

" Own fate, oh fish! Like literally?
What if I say you sold away the gold earrings and paid for everything?
What do you think, you are smart enough to double cross me? "

Sonara now slowly smiled.

" Oh...
Double crossed and all.

Seeing what hill you are digging out of a mole, I'm confused who's the actual retard here.

Anyways, as for the earrings, they're here. "

Sonara brought out the exact pair from her purse.

" You might like to double check if they're real. Or a dummy version.

Anyways, Mr Jai Prakash Raichand!
I have decided, I don't need friends in my life who don't match me in any possible way.
In the long run, we're bound to have differences, and I cannot afford to hurt myself anymore. I don't do that to myself these days.

Hence, you might abandon me from your life, coz I've already done that.

Yes, I promise to someday pay back for the things you've done for me in any way possible. I really do. With all my heart. "

Sonara's receding sillhoutte didn't really evoke any emotion out of Jai's heart.

Because, he was too numb to react.

And a huge moment later, he could hear his brain take the first call,

Bloody ungrateful low class Muslim woman.

----

Let me see who all wanna thrash Jai, and who all think his anger has base.

Kaushi