CHAPTER 20- CHILL DAY AT THE MALL~Ayesha💕

[Edit- I've added a bit more on the last chapter so you can read that too, I didn't changed anything significantly, plot wise. Just added the part where Farhan meets Ayesha]

A Y E S H A : -

"AHHHHH!!" A bunch of shrieks erupted as we all ducked down.

We all jump to different places and I hold my blanket infront of my face.

After few moments when I don't sense anything I peek out from my blanket to see my mom standing with her hand on the door handle and watching me and my friends with an amused expression.

I glanced around me and saw that sakina's face was sinked into the pillow, safa was seated near foot my bed, her face buried in her knees and sania was still busy watching the horror movie intently unaware of her surroundings.

Awkwardly I cleared my throat and leaned forward and paused the movie playing on Murat's laptop.

"Hey! Why did you pause? it was an intense scene going on! the girl was crawling on the ceiling, John was about to notice her, let me see." Sania whined trying to open the laptop,

The thought of the girl crawling on the ceiling gave me weird chills.

"Look around you." I whisper holding my laugh.

Sania scrunched her nose in confusion but when she glanced around to see Sakina sinking her face deep down the pillow and safa hunched up near my bed, she couldn't stop the laugh tumbling out of her.

Safa slowly peek from her hunched position hearing sania's laughter and awkwardly ran her hand in her hairs, acting casual.

"That part was scary okay." Safa says defending herself.

Sakina slowly opened one eye, her face still muffled in the pillow,

"Sakina the coast is clear don't need to worry." I chime feigning joy.

"If you can't handle watching horror without being scared then why even you girls watch it?" mom asked still standing at the door frame.

"Oh Aunty it's so much fun." sania laughs pointing at our still scared faces.

"Only for you." Sakina mocked sitting up from her pillow.

"Whatever, let's close this boring movie." Safa cleared her throat, shivering.

"Definitely."

"Oh yeah."

Me and sakina agreed simultaneously.

"No the intense part is going on." Sania all but whined, it was her idea to watch a horror film in the middle of afternoon on a random Saturday.

"Let's go downstairs and chill there okay," I suggested trying to truce.

Safa and sakina agreed immediately whereas sania was still sulking.

My mom shook her head and walked inside my room and opened the curtains which was previously drawed because sania wanted a horror feel while watching, I highly doubt she got the feel. it was we who got it.

Immediately my room was now lightened by the broad daylight. There were still grey clouds in sky, indicating it will rain soon. But nonetheless it looked like a good weather to hang out.

Ah how I love rains.

"The Weather is becoming beautiful you all can 'chill' outside in the lawn." mom suggested mocking saying 'Chill'

"Or can we go out? To a mall or something? And aunty join us please," sakina immediately jumped off the bed, shaking excitedly.

"No my dear, What will I do with all? If you all want to, then enjoy." Mom suggests and safa claps her hands.

"Great, there is a new mall I heard near the lake, Sonaraki mall, it's small but it's good to hangout whatsay?" Safa suggests and my mood instantly lifts, it's been a long time since I went out somewhere.

"Great we can go there." I agree immediately.

"Near the lake? I heard that area is not good, seems it's some sort of base for the underground people you know, like the mafias and dealers and all." Sania shuddered.

"Oh hush up there is no such thing as mafia and all, who knows it might be rumours." Sakina assures Sania sitting next to her.

"I think beta you all should not take the risk huh, better go to another mall or something?" My mom says in an unsure voice.

Great now she will be paranoid.

"Mum it's all rumours and we will be safe, I promise. We are just going for an hour or two." I got up from my bed and hugged her from behind.

"Ayesha, my life, I don't know I am having a gut feeling of something is going to happen-"

"Mom mom relax! Stop being so paranoid okay we will be back by six-"

"No five." she cut me off.

"Okay fine. Now stop worrying alright?" I agree throwing my hands up.

She seemed perplexed for a moment but gave a nod and kissed my head before going downstairs.

"So let's get ready?" I turn around excitedly, it's a been a long time since I went somewhere out with my friends, when they all barged in my house this morning, my mood uplifted instantly and all the stress and tension from the past three days seemed much lighter.

Sakina scoffs taking out a bag of Dorito's from her bag, her bag is doraemon's pocket I swear.

"Girl it's you who look homeless right now, we all were dressed from our homes." She points at my pink and black polka dots Night-suit.

"Such inspirational words." I coo mockingly ruffling her curly hair as I pass by her.

"Not the hair." She mutters biting her anger and shaking her head to bring back her hair to place.

"Relax Sakina, you could always brush it back." I hear Sania say as I sieve through my wardrobe to find a dress. Seeing I had very less clothes here yesterday I called Julia and asked her to pack few of my clothes and send here. She and meryem aunty were confused about how I suddenly came here, I told them I would explain once I am back.

"You wish I brush em, I don't even remember the last time I brushed my hair." Sakina murmurs.

Settling on an ankle length pleated Maron skirt and a beige sleeved blouse, I quickly wrapped a matching hijab on my head and wore my beige pointy ankle boots.

Grabbing my sling back, I open the door to the changing room and walk out of my wardrobe.

"Of course Aslanım." I chuckle, Sakina raises an eyebrow throwing away the empty packet in the bin. [my lion]

"Isn't someone learning a lot new turkish words?" Sakina coos.

"ben mi? hayır." I scoff mocking her, [Me? No.]

"Evet arkadaşım."  Sania chuckles wearing her hijab. [Yes, my friend.]

Safa and Sakina share a look before Safa chuckles getting up from my bed,

"şimdi kendilerini üstün mü sanıyorlar?"

[They think they are superior now?]

Sakina laughs giving her a high five, "Evet? ben mi? Safa, bir şeyler konuşmaya devam edelim ve onları kandıralım" Safa merely starts laugh more and Sakina joins her pointing at us.

[yeah? Me? Safa, let's just keep speaking something and fool them.]

"Dediğin gibi, abisine aşık olduğumu söylemiyor, değil mi?" Safa says wiping her fake tears when Sakina abruptly looks at her with a weird face. [As you say, I mean it's not saying something that I have a crush on her brother, right?]

"kızım, dikkatli olalım, olur mu?" Sakina grits out forcing a laugh looking at me. I look at Sania to see her squinting her eyes, what was that?

[girl, let's be careful, shall we?]

Me and Sania look at each other confusedly, we both were not born here, nor did we completed the whole schooling over here, but still for the life of me I cannot learn the language.

"Will you both stop bullying us immigrants kids?" I ask in a bored tone.

"Yes, it's not good." Sania whined.

"Evet?" Sakina mocks.

"Evet. Evet." I nod.

"Fine we spare you peasants." Safa throws her hair over her shoulder.

I look at her as she quite hastily opens the door runs out of my room.

"What's with her?" I ask no one in particular.

"Um..nothing? How about we go?" Sakina says ushering is out of my room.

Stepping down on the stairs I suddenly remember, "Why did Safa said lover? I know what asik means."

"Oh..we were just saying random words to confuse you both." Sakina chuckles.

"Real friends you are." Sania replies feign saddened.

I raise an eyebrow as we descend the stairs and saw Safa with my brother at the foyer talking.

Suppressing my smile I made my way towards them, "Anything wrong Safa?"

Safa snapped out of her trance and her face turned comically white, "Er...no?

Murat casually shoves his hands in his pants pockets and gives me a nod. "Anything wrong brother?" I ask.

He snaps his head up at me and chuckles nervously, "The..um the coat closet wasn't opening so I offered help."

"Help." I heard Sakina snicker lowly.

"So did you...help?" I ask my brother glancing at Safa who was standing glued to the coat closet.

"Who?" Murat asks absentmindedly.

Oh god. I was so bad at controlling my laugh.

"Safa, of course Murat bhai." Sania states innocently.

"Oh yeah, yeah. I did." Murat chuckles moving away from the foyer.

Sakina laughs moving forward and opening the coat closet taking out her coat.

"Thank you for helping out your sisters." She calls out.

I couldn't help it, A snort left my mouth as I grabbed my coat.

"Sisters..?" Murat's face turns pale as he glance at Safa.

"Why not?" I ask passing Sania her coat.

"Yeah why not?" Sania asks genuinely confused.

Ah, poor girl.

"Yeah I mean why not?" Murat scratches the back of his neck awkwardly shuffling on his feet.

"Safa." I call out and she snaps her head at me, with wide eyes, "What are you waiting for?"

Her mouth parts as she struggles for words.

"We were leaving..? Remember?" I gestured towards the door which Sakina already opened and was out.

Relief paints her face as she hastily grabs her coat and wear her shoes following Sakina and Sania out.

"Mama, I will be back by five." I call out to mom and yells back an 'Be safe'

I turn my head to look at my brother who was looking out of the door from where just Safa left.

"Murat." His eyes snaps to mine and he straighten up. Shaking my head I grabbed the door handle, "Atleast make it less obvious idiot."

Before I could see his priceless reaction I closed the door behind and walked towards Sakina car parked in front our gate and take the short gun seat. Sakina only tolerates me beside her, well...because I don't blast her speakers with some lame songs unlike Safa and Sania being the kind soul she is, doesn't put up a fight.

I wave my hand at my brother who was watching us leave from the porch window before he draws the curtain.

***

"Right there, on the left it's empty let's park over there." I suggested Sakina as we were having hard time finding a parking space in the basement of the mall.

"Ah finally." Sakina muttered as she parked the car on the parking space before another car could. it was on the corner space of basement near the fire exit.

We all got out of the car went towards the lift in the basement which will take us the mall entrance on the first floor.

As we were waiting for the lift sakina safa and sania were indulged in some conversation and I was just listening to them from the corner of my eye I felt a movement, on instinct I turned my head towards that direction and saw a figure going through a door at a lightning speed as if they were afraid to get caught.

I glanced at the door which stated  'Staff only' I assume it was maybe one of the workers but somewhere at the corner of my delusional mind I felt something was out of place.

"Ayesha?" I snapped my head straight as I heard sania's voice,  they all were already inside the lift and sakina was holding the button to not let the elevator door get closed.

Leaving all the delusional thoughts at bay I entered the lift and Safa pressed first floor button.

"What were you thinking?" Sakina asked plopping a gum in her mouth.

"Irrelevant." I answered I couldn't let their moods sour just because of my paranoid thoughts.

She shrugged and the elevator dinged and we all stepped out.

***

"Let's go to that shop I need to get a nice perfume for my mom's birthday." Safa urged jumping on her heels. A pure shopping baby.

"No let's go to the food court first I'm hungry." Sakina whined.

"Okay fine lets take the perfume first I am sure safa will take it quickly and the-" Sania the mom of our group try to make adjustment but she was cut off by sakina,

"Aah uh hell no, we all are just shopping for two hours almost three and now I am hungry, I don't care, lets get something to eat." Sakina whined tugging my arm.

"Okay fine! Safa and sania you go to the shop me and Sakina will be in the food court you guys join us there?" I suggested and they all agreed.

Safa and sania went down for the perfume shop and me and sakina went towards the food court.

"I know I wasn't making a mistake when I first allowed you to take a seat next to me in tenth grade." Sakina loops her arm to mine.

I chuckled, "Truly honoured." I said in her tone and made our way towards food court.

We decided to wait for them before we order food so we decided to settle on milkshakes for meanwhile,

"It's a new mall but there's so much public." I said looking around us.

"People seek new interest everyday Canim." Sakina says taking a snap of our milkshakes.

[my dear]

"What should we do for killing time?" Sakina asks after pocketing her phone and twirls the straw of her milkshake in her finger.

"Let's go to random shops and.. just do nothing?" I suggested and rested my elbow at the railing and looked down at the shops on the first floor below us.

"So thoughtful." she rolls her eyes sipping her milkshake.

I chuckled and opened my mouth to respond when my eye caught attention of something behind her or rather someone.

A man in a with his face covered in a black attire walked outside from the fire exit behind the security guard who was near the lift and shot him on his shoulder.

Frantic screams erupted around the floor as the security man fell on the ground, a pool of blood forming near him.

I was rooted to my spot watching the horrific scene infront of me, my feet felt too heavy to move, the frantic shouting of people ringing in my ears. I felt the milkshake slip from my hand as my surroundings were starting to smudge.

"Ayesha! Ayesha? we need to go." Sakina's frantic voice snapped me from my daze as the sounds of screaming filled my ears.

She clasped my wrist in her hand and started running in a random direction and I followed her, running never seemed so difficult, my feet felt so heavy it became too difficult to run past the mass of people we were engulfed in.

There were too many people around us, I could barely feel the tight grip of Sakina's hand on my wrist and before I know what's happening my foot struck in something and I lost my balance, my hand slipping away from my friend's grasp.

I could barely register what's happening around me when people kept stepping on me and I could hear nothing.

"Sakina!" I called out folding my body in a ball. My breath stopped as I felt someone falling on me.

I struggled to breath as the air around me kept shortening. People kept stumbling on me and kept running, whenever I tried to stand my legs didn't have enough strength. I placed my hands on my face and prayed for all of this to get over.

As soon as the crowd was gathered to rush out of the floor it went silent and empty the same after few minutes, I removed my hands from my face and saw last of the very few people were left on the floor running towards the fire exit.

I got up from the floor and was about to make a run when someone catched my arm from behind, hope engulfed me as thinking it might be Sakina.

I turned around, "Sakina I thought i-" I stopped talking as I realised the person holding my hand was not Sakina or neither any of my friend instead it was a man who was about six inch tall, with dark hair and sinister look on his rugged face.

"Excuse me? Leave my arm." I told him tugging my arm from his grasp. He merely smirks at me.

He ran his tongue along the front row of his teeth and smiled moving his eyes from the top of my head to my toe, his gaze and actions screamed creep and alarming.

"I said leave." I struggled in his grip, frantically looking around as the people around us kept decreasing.

"My my, the siddque's really gets some beauties huh?" He chuckled moving back his dark hair with strands of white back with his hand. All the while tightening his grip around my arm.

At the mention of the surname, I stopped struggling and looked at him in shock.

How does he knows my family name?

He brought his hand near to face and was about to touch my cheek, when I snap out of my thoughts and slapped his hand away with my free hand.

"Don't touch me." I glared at him.

He laughs throwing his head back and I try to calm my panic seeing everyone leave around the floor, "I said leave my arm" I ordered gruffly.

"Fierce also." he muttered and shook his head at me as if talking to a small child, there was only one option I pushed him with all my force that he was caught off guard and stumbled back freeing my arm.

I turned around and made a run to the exit when he grabbed my arm again.

"What's the rush sweetheart? let's have your hubby see how he have been missing on you eh?" He twisted both my arms behind my back and I felt press of a cool metal on my temple.

I froze when I realise what it could be. A gun.

"Leave me." I seethed trying to free my arms from his grasp.

"Where's the fun in that." he chuckles, I snap my head away from him as his spit hit my cheek.

"What do you want from me? leave me." I kept struggling in his grip.

"Now that's where you are wrong, All I want is from is your beloved husband Farhan Siddque." My spine stiffened.

I raked my mind through the ideas I could get out of his hold, remembering that one movie scene, I lifted my feet as I high I could from behind and kicked the heel of my boot on his crotch. For greater measure I turned and kicked him on his crotch again so hard that he will have no kids.

The gun slip from his hand and I kicked it too making it fall from beneath the glass railings on the floor below and made a run towards the exit.

I could hear the man struggling behind me so instead of taking the exit I took the door on extreme left which was a janitor's closet.

Locking the door behind me I slid down the door and clamped my hand on my mouth as I hear footsteps past the door.

"She wouldn't have gone too far, I saw her running towards the exit." I hear the same man command to someone and a series of footsteps echoed as they moved past the janitor's door to the exit.

I tried to calm my breathing and slump against the door.

What the hell just happened? I didn't imagined this happening when I thought of visiting mall with my friends.

Wait- my friends.

I snap my eyes open as I searched for my phone in my bag which was still on me, because I wore it across my shoulder.

Keeping my phone on low volume I tried calling Sakina who was with me, but her phone was out of coverage area and so was Safa's and Sania's.

Frustration and panic build in me as I tried to call them again and again. My phone kept hanging and tears of frustration rolled down my cheeks as it showed only fifteen percent battery.

Oh Allah who should I call? Who?

A silent sob left me as I kept calling my friends, the dark in this room didn't help either. I could feel my breath shortening.

No-no I have to get out of hear.

I looked around the room and found a ventilation window, carefully tip toeing around the dark room, I raised my phone towards the window in hopes of catching some signals, but it was too high, I tried shove my phone a little up as the window was way past my height but failed.

I felt around the room for anything I could climb on, opening my phone's flashlight, I found few cardboard boxes of supplies and stacked them in front of the ventilation, climbing on it carefully, I raised phone against the ventilation which was now near my face, My arms were growing sore but instant relief washed over me as I felt various vibrations of my phone.

I instantly went to the call logs and saw ten missed calls from Farhan, without any second thoughts, I dialled on his number and waited for him to pick up. I really hope he pick up. Please Farhan.

On the third ring he picked up, "Hello? Ayesha? Where are you?"

I couldn't help it, a sob left my mouth as I heard the voice of someone I knew, "Farhan." I sobbed.

"Ayesha! Why are you crying? Tell me where are you!" He demanded in a frantic voice.

"Please help me Farhan, I am in a janitor closet of this new mall, I don't know what's happening." I cried resting my head on the wall.

"Shit. Trace location Yousuf. Ayesha I am coming to you, don't worry."

"Come fast..this man-" I couldn't complete my sentence as the heel of my boot struck inside the cardboard of the box I was standing and it teared apart making me lose my footing.

I clash down against the mop and broom set and it toppled over me making a loud clash noise. My phone slipped from my hand and I don't know where it is.

Instantly there were footsteps rushing towards the door and the Someone tried to open the door but it was locked, "Who's there? Open it."

It was the same man who I had kicked, fear gripped my throat as I see the door being aggressively banged as he tried to open it.

"Open, I say." He yelled and I covered my mouth as I kept sobbing.

The door handle was moving against it hinges as he kept banging on it, "Okay then." The sound of what I could tell a gun being reloaded was heard and I crawled back bringing my knees to my chest.

I closed my eyes waiting for the door to burst open but a voice said from across the door,

"Sir, Siddque is here."

Siddque? Farhan? He came here so fast?

The man across the door laughed evilly, "Finally the bird has to it's prey."

My heart started beating in my chest as I hear footsteps retreat back, I slump against the wall, my breathing was still not normal, my chest kept tightening and my breaths were just not sufficient. Being claustrophobic does not help

in this situation.

I diverted my mind to think about something else other than thinking that the walls are closing on me. I started counting in my head to distract, I reached till 134  when I flinched when I heard gunshots being fired.

Farhan. Oh Allah not my Farhan. The thought of something happening to him made my chest tighten even more.

No no- not him. Despite our differences, in this moment I wanted nothing but to be with him.

Again footsteps were heard near the door and I held my breath waiting for the worst.

"Ayesha?" I heard Farhan's voice, a sob left me as I tried to get up from my tangled position.

"He's here." I whispered walking towards the door. I tried to pull the rusted lock which was jammed.

"Ayesha? Are you there?" I hear his voice near the door.

"Yes." I call out. "This door isn't opening." I tried to shove it but it didn't budge.

"Alright I will try." He says and the door vibrates as he tries to open it, "Shit, I have to break it, Ayesha? You need to stand back I am going to break this door."

I moved back as the door kept pushing against the lock. On two more shoves the door fell of it's hinges, I covered my face with my hands as wood splinters flew around the room.

Removing my hands from my face, I looked down at the broken door at my foot then up at the man who broke it.

There he stood, his chest heaving as he stares at me and for the first time knowing Farhan, I see another emotion on his face other than his cold face. Worry, panic.

And for the first time knowing Farhan siddque, I ran towards him and flung my arms around him and pressed my face on his chest, the familiar scent of his cologne engulfing my frantic senses.

I felt his arms come around me as brings me closer to his body, hiding his head on the crook of my neck.

I sobbed on his chest as the weight of events fell on me, I sobbed remembering the terror of not being able to breath, I sob in relief knowing he came to me. He saved me.

Nothing felt more important in this moment, not the fact that we are standing in front of a broken janitor's door, not the fact that I was injured, not the fact that the person whom I despised the past three days made me feel the safest in his arms, in his presence.

He kissed the top of my head, "Please stop crying. You're safe now." His caress my back in a soothing manner.

"Thank you." I whimper, "Thank you for coming to me."

"I will always come to you." He whispers tightening his arms around me.

After a while as my sobs slow down, Farhan moved away and gently grabbed my face.

"Are you hurt?" He asks carefully caressing his fingers on cheek. I realise My hijab felt loose long ago, but was still covering most of head.

I shook my head looking at his face, the worry, the concern on his face made my insides flutter, the dim lights of the hallway fall on his face, making his hazel eyes twinkle, my favourite kind.

His finger traces my cheekbones as relief washes his features and he presses a kiss on my forehead.

"We need to get out of here, okay?" He says carefully caressing my arms, "Are you able to walk?" I nod my head.

He grabbed my hand and walked out of the hallway, remembering my friends I hauled back his arm, "My friends, Farhan my friends were-"

He cuts off my frantic concern, "Don't worry, they all are safe and sound and out of here, I assure you."

I nod as tears fell down my cheeks, as we walk through main floor out of the food court, I grabbed his hand noticing a large gash on his arm cutting through the fabric of shirt.

"You are hurt!" I exclaim noticing his wound.

"Doesn't matter." He tugged my hand as he guided us to the main staircase of the mall entrance.

"Did that man did that to you?" I ask him.

Farhan pauses making me stumble after him, he turns around to face me his face alert, "What man?"

"The one who was up there..he.." Farhan grabbed me by arms bringing me closer to him,

"Did he touched you?" He asked in low voice.

"Who..? How did he knew you?" I ask him.

"Leave that, answer me. Did. He. Touched. You?" His jaw tightened in anger but not towards me.

"No..I am fine." I nod, the adrenaline was wearing off and my head started spinning, Farhan's face started to fuse in my eyes.

"Ayesha?" I hear him call out, my surroundings kept blurring, "Fuck." I hear him mutter before my feet was lifted off the ground as arms went around me. I struggled to open my eyes to see Farhan who was now carrying me in his arms.

My arms instinctively went around his neck and my head lulled on his shoulder.

"Farhan." I whispered.

"I am hear." Farhan whispers back.

"You found her, is she alright?" I heard an unknown voice ask, my eyes felt to heavy to keep open.

"She better be or people are going to die." Farhan mutters as I felt him walking, a rush of cold air hit me and drops of water hit my face as Farhan kept walking.

The sound of people chattering, sirens and heavy honking fell on my ears as I felt being laid on something.

Every sound on my ear fell deaf as I start falling asleep, but only voice echoed in my dizzy mind,

"I will always come to you."

*********************************

*************************************

A/N:-

OMG! Do I smell.....feelings?

I worked so hard on this chapter, you all better comment on this and appreciate me so I could update early.

How do we feel about this chapter?

Vote. Comment. Share.💕