The class was in a dull mood. Mr.Gopal, the physics lab attendant was left to teach the kids. Emel didn't get him at all. He was clearly doing this wrong. She had covered the lab's topics herself and somehow her notes didn't match any of his written lectures on the white boards. 

        "Uh sir..."she raised her hand. She still had her fever but felt well enough to attend the class. "Yes?"

        She tried to stand up and ask him if he was right about the breaking point of current in reverse biased region but couldn't keep herself standing, instead she fell down on her seat and nearly fainted. Her whole class went into panic. She was brought to the hospital and her parents were informed.

        "She has severe anemia,"the doctor informed her parents,"her HB just fell from a 7 to 6.7 and that's very dangerous for her." Mrs.Tariq panicked looking over to her husband. Emel was in a ward, she was asleep. She fractured her arm when she fell and was given a cast to help her support it till it recovered. 

        Colonel Tariq took in a deep breath,"How do we fix this?"

        "Sir honestly I am surprised none of you noticed her dullness...she looks like a real live zombie out of a movie,"the doctor, who was in good terms with the family, angrily inquired. "You know she's supposed to have red cheeks and full pink lips but her whole appearance is white and yellow!"

        "It's my fault, I should've been careful,"Mrs.Tariq apologized. "Is there any specific diet we should make her follow or anything?" 

        "I will send you a complete chart of her diet and medicines,"the doc sighed,"bring her back in a month's time. We'll analyze her blood CP and then we'll look at how we should help her improve." She took out a piece of paper and wrote something on it,"Until then get her injected once and you can take her back. Also make sure she gets plenty of rest." 

        "Thank you doctor,"both of the parents thanked her and went over to Emel's room. Colonel Tariq went over to her bed and silently stared at his daughter who was once the happiest person he knew. 

        How did he let it happen? He questioned himself in guilt.

        Mrs.Tariq felt the guilt break her heart into pieces. This wasn't a major catastrophe but they felt their negligence to their parenthood and unfairness to their daughter lead to her current state. 

        They headed back home after her discharge. Emel was silent and lost as usual. The drive to their home was really disturbingly quite. Emel felt something was off. She wanted to ask her parents if everything was alright but the awkwardness made her not to.

        "You'll be taking few days off from college,"Mrs.Tariq told her at dinner. "Off?my exams are coming up,"Emel frowned.

        "The doctors said you need some rest and it's dangerous for you to be all by yourself,"Colonel Tariq stated. "But dad?"

        "Your school work isn't that important, take care of yourself first,"he concluded. Emel felt her heart sink. They didn't even bother to ask her if this is what she wanted. She knew more of her declining health was due to the inner depression of hers'. She felt suffocated and got up from her table.

        "Where are you going?"they asked her worriedly.

        "I feel sleepy...also I don't like pilaf,"she held her tears back,"Good night." She took heavy steps to her room, her heart beat faster with every moment. It was hurting and she was failing to hold it all in. She locked the door of her room and fell on the floor.

        If they understood her, if they let her decide what she wanted to do, things wouldn't be at this point. She bawled her eyes out. This was not her decision and it hurt her knowing her life would be the same forever. She pressed her hands on her mouth and tried to stop the voices coming out of it. 

        Her head felt heavy, her heart was giving up, the agony of not being able to get out of a situation when you're desperately trying to push your way through for so many years, she didn't see any ray of light at this point. A depressed teenager, was what the world saw her as but only she knew there was a lot more to it.

        She hurriedly ran to do her ablution and fell on the praying mat. "I want to be out of this mess, please help me!"she begged, her shawl that was covering her head and body had stain of rolled down tears over it. It was getting cold due to the rain.

        "I want to get out of this torture, I'm not even able to breath without their permission!"she sobbed,"I-I w-want a break...please. Ya Allah!"she called upon her lord. The only existence she showed her true emotions to.

        "This hurts-"she chooked.

        The sky grumbled and a boom of lightning shook the whole city. Her eyes widened, she looked out of her window through her mat. Her throat was getting dry, she kept on looking outside with half lidded eyes. It was hard seeing through the tears but she managed to watch the rain splash. Drops of water came in through the window screen. 

        Her heart started to settle slowly, the pain was going away and somehow she felt tired and sleepy after all the crying. The breakdown was of thirty minutes. It tired her enough to make her feel drowsy.

        She curled herself up on the mat and laid, resting her head on the place of sujud, the soft prayer mat was more comfortable than her own bed. Tomorrow was a Saturday anyway, she wouldn't be bothered by anyone from outside. Her fingers and feet were freezing, she wrapped the shawl around herself and helplessly kept on staring at the rain outside her window.

        "I wish for someone, anyone to get me out of this...please,"she whispered one last time before she fell asleep. Sleep came better than any other night, it was horrifying and sad at the same time. Everyone was doing what they wanted to but she was being forced into something she never wanted. 

        ~

        "Hey, wake up!"Wali woke him up. He jerked his arm in confusion,"What?"

        "It's past 4, wake up before someone comes!"Wali whisper shouted. Ahmed sat up straight, still half confused about what was going on. They had a fall in' by 5 am and he had over slept. Ahmed rushed over to offer Fajr prayer and hurriedly changed into his regular routine clothes, whatever was required for the occasion. 

        They were down in lines, lining up. "Next week we have our saluting test, I hope I get to go home!"Moiz, the guy from 4th Pak Battalion, Sher Khan house whispered to his friends. Ahmed was standing at his right, he glanced at the guy. He was fairly handsome and somehow quite famously known for being a trouble maker. 

        Moiz turned over as he felt someone's stare at his back. His eyes locked in Ahmed's. "Hey,"he greeted him. Ahmed snapped out of his thoughts,"Hey."

        "Moiz,"Moiz introduced himself. "I know,"Ahmed nodded.

        "Oh...nice to finally meet you, Ahmed,"Moiz smirked his way, obviously he knew of the new star. Ahmed Hassan Bakhshi, the guy whom everyone first termer was gossiping about. Ahmed's mood dropped at the smirk being thrown his way. 

        That moment was the start of a rivalry, a weird interaction but not a favorable one on both sides. They eyed each other carefully before parting their ways. Ahmed looked up at the sky and stopped for a moment before he went over to breakfast,"Today's off to a weird start...I hope it gets better somehow." He thought to himself and ran up to his table to join his platoon mates on their breakfast table.

~

♡"I'll wait for you. And I'll keep on waiting for you, even if it takes forever. I'll be here, right here...till you let me be the one."♡