4.2:"Hiding"

                                    

                                          
If there was a day that his heart ever had this amount of fear it was today. He had a beautiful family who cares/loves and protects each other. There was never financial issues or any issues in their lives. So, he never truly had much of fears and troubles.
                          
Now, as he speeds his car through the empty street of pure darkness he was filled with intense fear. After her mother falls on the ground she was taken to the room and the doctor was called. Latif was sent to call the doctor and Aayan asked his brother to stay back in case of any emergency while he searches for her.
                          
It's been an hour since he had reached the university and was now walking around the street asking a few people about her but he had no clue until now.
                          
"Uncle, please help me. Did you see her around here?". Aayan pleaded 
                          
The man who was carrying his vegetable cart looked down at the phone for a second thinking. 
                          
"Beta (son), I think I saw her down in the village". The man replied
                          
Aayan thanked him running faster towards the village with all kind of possibilities running through his head. He wanted to reach her and find her safe. He wanted her to be safe than anything else. He prayed to the lord continuously for it. 
                          
He walked to the village which looked too old with people walking around. He walked further inside until his stepped halted as he saw a figure at the corner near a house.
                          
His eyes widen as he ran to the less populated area a little away from the village and stopped in front of her shaking body.
                          
"Mahira". He said breathless hoping it was her 
                          
It was too dark.
                          
She looked at him with her red eyes and relief filled them immediately as she jumped in his arms, "Aayan. Aayaan, I was so scared that man- then I- I was so scared".
                          
She cried harder then she had been for the past few hours hugging him tightly. Aayan holds her tightly making her feel his warmth for comfort and to assure himself she was safe and with him. 
                          
Until, Mahira was pulled from his hold by few village men and he was pulled by a few other. 
                          
"Let me go". They both cried 
                          
Aayan looked at her struggling in men hold and his blood boils.
                          
"Let her go". He shouted angrily pushing against the men hold
                          
"Are you both married?". The elder man asked 
                          
Aayan who was looking at Mahira glare at the man, "No, now let us go".
                          
The things that happened after his words were extreme. Mahira was pushed by men on the ground calling her name and blaming her for spending time with a man who wasn't her mahram and then when Aayan tired breaking he was beaten too. 
                          
Aayan and Mahira were taken in a house while Mahira was in locked down away from Aayan's eyes he couldn't help but grow even more panicked. He stood in front of the village leader with other men beside him knowing he had no power at all now.
                          
"You have two choices. One, we will marry her to one of our men and two, you leave from here leaving the girl to us". The leader said 
                          
Aayan looked at him disgusted and his anger grew as he thought about leaving Mahira to these filthy mens or even having her married to someone else.
                          
"I will choose neither of them". He yelled angrily receiving a punch 
                          
"Then, there is one last option you marry her. We will not have two city people come here and teach our woman the blunt tradition of there". The leader said angrily