Be Mine

Chapter#2

It was the time when Moosa along with a few members of Black Eagles moved into their new house in Shareefabad. Amma-Bi asked Moosa and Natasha to move Shahina from the house for a while. Therefore, taking advantage of the situation, Natasha dragged Shahina to her apartment. She was intending to teach Shahina some antiques of moving into high-class society, just like she did with Yawar. Also, she wanted to convince Shahina to go through cosmetic surgery while being aware of the fact that it wouldn't be easy.

The person Shaina turned out to be in the past few years, was silent but extremely caring. All the care and affection she has for others screamed from her actions but no one hears a single word from her mouth about her feelings. Especially when it came to Moosa, she would stay awake the whole night waiting for him to come back home so she could serve him dinner still she would never talk to him much nor get close to him. Perhaps that was the reason for the attention she gained from him and the reason of Yawar's jealousy as well.

Natasha always pitied Shahina for the struggle she has to face daily before going to school. It was a must for her to wear a scarf and full sleeves uniform even on hot summer days because of the burn marks she had on her neck and arms and going to an all-girls school hadn't changed anything for her. She was also aware of the fears still lingering in her heart, stopping her from opening up to anyone, not even to herself and Moosa. The only person whom she allowed herself to be closed to and to be touched was Amma-Bi.

Still, Natasha was willing to take a chance before the scars of her body permanently wounded her soul. Shahina would never allow doctors to come near her, therefore, Natasha did something that should never be done to an average fifteen-year-old girl. But she wasn't an average girl, this world didn't allow her to be one. So, Natasha took the risk, one day when the two of them were alone in Natasha's boutique, she told Shahina about her dreadful past. From the moment she was deceived by the love of her life until the moment she allowed herself to be rescued by Moosa.

Shocked at the truth, it took her hours to digest the fact that her cheerful Nats Api were no different from her. They are both passengers of the same boat. Natasha told her that she was lucky, although Shahina never considered herself one. When Natasha explained to her how she wandered around in the darkness for decades and how long it took her to get out of that swamp, Shahina was left with no other choice but to question herself.

"I want you to live my life, my youth, which I lost because of the unfairness of the world. I want you to live without any guilt or shame. I want you to allow yourself to be rescued."

Natasha's words sounded more like a plea to Shahina and after struggling with fears, she was finally able to agree for the surgery.

During the days of recovery, Shahina saw a new face of Natasha, which Moosa named 'a madwoman'. She was overly excited for some reason, she took early appoint from her beautician and order her designers to make special outfits for Shahina.

Shahina had her makeover a week before coming back home. Her long black hairs, which touched her hips were now finely trimmed and the small bangs covering her face make her look more innocent than before. Natasha made her promise that she will not tie her hair in two braids unless she is working in the kitchen, on which Shahina reluctantly agreed. Finally, after a long period of two months, she went home with three loaded bags of dresses and different accessories.

~*~

Standing before the mirror of her new bathroom, Shahina looked at her scarless body in a daze. Those scars tortured her for years, it made her cringe whenever she glanced at herself but they are no more. A few weeks with Natasha changed her life considerably. She looked like a normal teenage girl now, just like her classmates. Her Nats Api freed her from this curse of the past, though the process was very difficult for her, still she was glad it happened.

Shahina was liking her new self, a bit happier and a bit confident. A small smile appeared on her face as she dressed up in a brown and light pink colour dress Natasha chose for her and went out of the room to find Amma-Bi but to her luck, she was founded by her biggest enemy first.

"Who are you? And what business do you have here?" With a threatening tone, he took a step towards Shaina and she quickly stepped back staring at the boy before him in fear.

She didn't remember him being this tall and she wasn't looking forward to meeting him at all but, he was here now and his tone was making him more intimidating. The courage had in her a few minutes ago vanished into thin air. She was the same Shahina as before, slave of the person named Yawar.

"Are you dumb? I am asking you a question." He frowned, but instead of answering him, Shahina turned on her heels and dashed into her room.

~*~

Yawar stood at the spot staring at the place where Shahina was standing. He saw her after two months and now he was realizing how hard it was for him to spend those two months without her. The exhaustion he was feeling after shifting into this new house disappeared instantly and he was unable to understand the reason.

Something has changed within him and he was able to notice it when he found himself worrying for Shahina after hearing about the surgery. He was agitated and wanted it to be stopped, thinking that she wouldn't be comfortable with doctors. Yet after hearing about her after surgery, he was able to relax.

What Natasha said now seems to be right, she wasn't the old Shahina. She was too different from her or perhaps it was his mind playing games with him. The leisure time he has now was really making him mad, he wants nothing more to go college now. So he could start training as Moosa has promised him. But after knowing that Shahina came back he was less worried about it.

Finally, you are here...

With a devilish smile, he went back to his room.

The next night Shahina was in the kitchen, helping Amma-Bi by making the salad from which Yawar was stealing cucumbers, whenever Amma-Bi looked away.

In the past two months, she got habitual of living a peaceful life without Yawar, and right now, his actions were irritating her. When she was unable to bear with it anymore, she took the stuff and stood at the other side of the kitchen, away from Yawar. Their new kitchen was bigger than the old and if Yawar tried to move towards Shahina he would definitely get scolded by Amma-Bi. So, he stood there glaring at her back. Her boldness irked Yawar to the point that the next day he forced Shahina to eat a whole kilo of cucumbers and after an hour she was taken to hospital emergency. Although no words came out of Shahina's mouth yet Yawar still got suspicious glances from everyone but he was too good on wearing a nonchalant face.

~*~

It was the month of September, Yawar only has one week before his college starts and since Shahina got to know about the fact that Yawar will be moving out to a different city because of study she has been praying extra prayers daily to thank Allah. She was happy about being free from Yawar for a few years and her happiness doubled when she got an A-plus in her exams.

Excited she directly went to Moosa's office to inform him, thinking about his reaction and being praised. Her happiness was short-lived and she abruptly stopped by a voice, which he didn't want to hear at all.

"Oye wait." She turned around and saw Yawar approaching.

"Where are you going?" He asked peering at her lower face.

"To Moosa Bhai." She said carefully keeping her voice down as he told her many times that he didn't like it when girls talk loudly. But the thing she didn't realize that her voice sounds like murmuring when she talks to him and he has to lower his face to understand her.

"What is it this time?" He narrowed his eyes at her.

"To show him my examination result." She didn't raise her head.

"Oh! So you are telling him first? Do I have to remind you that you cannot talk to him without my permission?" His voice became lower and arrogant. She shook her head.

"Good. Now show me first." He said, standing straight and reaching out his hand to receive her result.

Trying hard to stop her tears, she reluctantly handed him over her marks sheet. She really wanted to show it to Moosa first because he was the one who continuously cheered her up and stayed awake with her all night when she had to study, so she wouldn't get afraid. But as ever her happiness was crushed down by Yawar aka her 'Boss'.

"Oh wow! So you are not as stupid as I thought. You can get good grades too. Congratulations." He said, looking carefully at her marks.

Shahina's head snapped to him when she heard him congratulating her, which was really unusual.

"I must say I am really impressed." He returned her mark sheet.

"Let's go, I will take you to MB." He said lazily, slipping his hand into his pockets.

"I can go by myself." She didn't want him around when she showed her result to Moosa.

"I know you can go by yourself and don't answer me back again if you want to stay in this house."

"It's my house too." She shouted and ran towards Moosa's study. Opening the door, she looked back and found Yawar coming towards her with clenched jaws.

~*~

Yawar once told Shahina that Moosa and Natasha only pity her, they don't love her and he was the one who was loved and cared for. If she wants to live in the house, she better not go against him because they won't believe her as they love more him and kick her out of the house. His small joke stuck in the deepest layer of her mind and she failed to come out of it. Therefore, even after being harassed by Yawar for several years, Shahina never opened her mouth or complained to Moosa or Natasha about him.

Besides, in all these years, Shahina learns to endure Yawar's t*****e. Sometimes, when she can't control her anger, she take small revenges which Yawar could hardly notice. Like putting his one shoe out of his room, as he has a habit of throwing his shoes after getting into the house and later taking them to his room, which he usually forgets. Sometimes she puts his favourite washed shirts into the laundry again, so he can't wear them. But as she grew up, her endurance grew as well and slowly her revenge also died down. Living a whole year without Yawar's presence near him changed her personality a lot. She learned to smile and she finally managed to make a friend. With the affection of Moosa, Natasha and Amma-Bi, her life was happy and her heart was content. She was living a peaceful life, unaware of the storm coming ahead.