The class had just dispersed when Adnan Sami rolled like a roller coaster into the music room with a serious face.

Shaahid greeted him with a smile.

" Azaad's mother doesn't want to send him back. I called, I promise. " , he sounded not very well.

" I see. " , Shaahid scratched his chin.

Adnan sat on a chair.
" Will this lead to some bad omen on me? "

" Like, your uncle talking? "

Adnan stared at him in a way as if he's a police trying to judge the criminal's mindset.

" How can my uncle talking be a bad omen? "

" Ermm... If it isn't, you wouldn't have called Azaad's mom after I said he would talk. " , Shaahid grinned.

Adnan now stared as if he was a cat who had just fallen into a cold water well.

He took sometime and then said.
" You stay in Saajid Ali's place. Maybe that woman Sakina told you something that makes you feel that I'm a bad person. "

" No. Sakina did not say anything. But I have stayed in Fareedpur long enough to know about people and their backgrounds. " , Shaahid said.

Adnan frowned more.
" Look. My uncle does not like me for very baseless reasons. I got the property as my right. And now that he's paralysed is not because of me as well. I could have easily left him to rot in some old-age home after getting all the money. But I have kept him with me and I take care of him. Okay, it's true that I don't want him to heal completely because he might play any game and take the money away from me again. Though there's no way actually because everything's mine now.... "

Adnan Sami as if talked to himself calculating pros and cons. Shaahid knew he could ask about Salman. But he deliberately didn't. He needed time and he would take..

" It's okay sir if Azaad doesn't want to study here anymore. You will get better students. "

Adnan Sami immediately got up and rolled out of the room.

___

" Why are you here again? "

The charcoal stick who looked like a woman stood at the door with cringes on the face.

" I heard Azaad won't return to Allah Meherban Public School?
Why? "
Shaahid asked.

" I already told that day, I won't send my son back. " ,she folded her arms across her chest.

" I understand you are angry with the principal. But he isn't everything.
The school is good. Which other school are you sending him to? "

" That's none of your concern mister!
And the principal isn't the only cause.
You are your likewises are as well. ", the woman shook her head vigorously.

" I didn't get you. " , Shaahid was completely startled.

" Before you came that handsome man Salman Siddiqui.
I don't understand what is the exact cause of interest you people have in my son.
He's not even brilliant. He's dumb like his father. He smells like our dog. He doesn't even have the fighting spirit like my daughter.
When he sleeps he drools and wets the pillows. He eats like I haven't fed him since birth.
He follows his idiot father's ideals.

I don't think he should be the matter of interest to you guys, unless you all are deranged yourself.

Have a terrible day. "

Shaahid fell back with the intensity the door closed.

He then got up, and walked home like a vagabond, trying to judge everything she blabbered.

___

Sakina stared impatiently at the door sitting in the living room.

It was five forty six exactly. And she expected him to return by now, knowing that she was sick.

Though she didn't feel a tinge of sickness, Shaahid supposedly would not know that.

He pushed the door open and got in.

" Arey Sakina ji!
Why are you sitting here like a lion sitting for its prey? "

" Shut up!!
I'm waiting for you. We will have coffee and tea together. " , she said frowning.

" Ouchhh!! But I already had tea while coming back. And I cannot stand more than three tea a day.
Today I've finished my schedule. "
He grinned.

He was having a terrible headache as well.

But Sakina looked severely hurt. She stared at him as if he had just refused her love proposal.

" How's your fever by the way? " , he asked, unable to even stare at her properly owing to the headache.

" How does that matter to you? You have finished your schedule. Now get lost. " , she thumped out of the room.

Tucking in two paracetamols down the throat, Shaahid ran up the stairs to the roof with one cup of fuming coffee.

Sakina stood at one edge with hands folded across her chest, her face frowned, and her lips twisted.

Shaahid put forward the cup of coffee. She stared at him.

" What the hell?
I don't want you to break your schedule for me. " , she screamed.

" Hey loudspeaker. Shut up. I didn't break anything. I just am accompanying you. " , he showed his empty hands.

Sakina snatched the cup of coffee from him and gulped in as if it was cold water.

" Arey!! What are you doing exactly?
'Phew' it. It's hot. "

" No I won't. I'll burn my mouth. How does it concern you or anyone else? I hate you all. All men are disturbing. "

" What even happens to you? I don't understand your mood swings. If you hate me, fine, I won't be around you. And if you want me around, then stop having these fits now and then. " , Shaahid pretended to be angry.
But he was extremely satisfied to see his plan of being the third angle slowly take over...

He just had to behave as composed as he should in these situations. So that she got the reasons to believe he was
a normal yet sorted human being, whom she needed. And who was there when she needed. Different from Salman Siddiqui.

Sakina sipped in the coffee like a good girl after this.

" My fever vanished. All because of your care. Bhai thanked you, I called him and said. "

" Good for me. You have softened upon me a bit post that. Otherwise you cannot stand me mostly. "

" Shut up. I still hate you for driving Salman away. Just that, now I know you are not a very bad human after all.

Now leave. I'll have to miss Salman for an hour now. Alone. Otherwise it'll seem, I have forgotten him. "

Shaahid walked down the stair unmindfully.

_____

The phone was answered after the fifth ring.

" Hell... " , someone said on the other side.

" Are you still so lazy to even finish the word 'Hello!' ? "

"......who's this.... "

" Ohh....so you lost my number as well? "

" ..... I lost you, isn't it sadder? "

" How's Shimla? "

" I thought you were the coldest place on earth. Now I think Shimla beats you. "

" Can you please stop hurting me always? "

" Was that for me, or yourself? "

" Three long months. Didn't you feel you should have called me once? "

" And did you feel that as well, Mr Shaahid Hussain? "

" I did. But didn't find myself worthwhile. Three months back I did nothing except for terrifying people with my weird guesses. "

" And do you think you found a meaning to your life suddenly? "

" Don't know. Yet to be sure.
However, your letter did not let me sleep last night. "

" My letter, or the new reason to your life? "

" Ms Alvira Hassan, you are weird.
You sound like a jealous girlfriend. Though you claim to be my biggest enemy on earth.
You look like a lover, but you claim to hate me the most on earth.

You seem to be missing from my life for a century, but then I realise, I suffer from emptiness. For fifteen long years.

Good night. "

" Go away. It's raining snow. And don't forget to cherish the new meaning to your life, till the last drop. "

She dropped the call.

Shaahid sat like a ghost. After three long months.

____

I know many are losing interest in this story. Doesn't matter. I will write and finish it as I have planned. Those who are still reading, good news, the story will not be prolonged.
Bye.