9 Chapter 7: Unraveling Turmoil

As the days passed, the repercussions of Aayat's sadness were becoming increasingly evident. Her health took a sharp decline, and she started vomiting everything she consumed. Her body was rejecting food once again, and it was clear that her emotional turmoil was taking a toll on her physical well-being. Dafne, who had been observing Aayat's condition closely, couldn't bear to see her friend suffer any longer.

One evening, after witnessing Aayat struggle with yet another bout of vomiting, Dafne decided that she couldn't stand by idly any longer. She knew that Aayat needed help, and she couldn't do it alone. Without wasting any more time, she reached out to the only family Aayat had left in Malaysia - Zinat and Aditya.

"Dafne, what's going on with Aayat? She looks worse every day," Zinat exclaimed, worry etched on her face as she saw Aayat laying lifelessly on the bed when Dafne called her.

"I'm really concerned about her, Zinat. She's not eating properly, and she's avoiding dealing with her emotions. It's affecting her health drastically," Dafne explained.

Aditya, who cared deeply for Aayat as well, joined the conversation. "We can't let her suffer like this. We need to do something to help her," he said with determination.

"I agree. We should talk to her, try to get her to open up about what she's going through," Zinat suggested.

"I agree," Dafne chimed in. "She needs some space, but we can't just sit back and watch her suffer.”

With their decision made, Aditya quickly booked the next available flight to Malaysia. They knew they had to be there for Aayat, even if she wasn't ready to see them yet. They packed their bags and set off on a journey to help their friend heal from the pain she had been carrying for too long.

*Flashback*

Zinat sighed as she heard about what happened to Aayat from some of their common friends. She wished she could rush back to her and shake some sense into her, but she knew she had to find another way to help her. Approaching Abyad after Dafne walked away, she greeted him with a polite smile.

”Assalamualaikum" and took a seat next to him. She could see the pain and confusion in his eyes as he listened to her.

"I know she's the last person you want to hear about, but don't you want to know why she broke up with you?" Zinat asked gently, hoping he would be willing to hear the truth. Abyad remained silent but nodded, signaling her to continue. Without wasting any more time, Zinat revealed the entire truth to him.

"When we were 12, her neighbour named Raina started bullying her for no reason. You must have heard the story of a fresher getting a senior expelled two years back, right? It was Aayat, and I helped her with that because Raina made her life a living hell ever since she stepped foot in this college," Zinat explained. "It took us two whole years to gather enough proof against her, but she didn't stop. She even brought that harassment back home, and her family began to receive threats. Then last year, when she was with you, Raina received court orders to stay away from her, and Raina vowed revenge by attacking the ones she loved the most.”

Zinat continued, "Thankfully, Raina didn't know about you and her, so she attacked me, and I ended up in critical condition in the hospital. This really broke Aayat, and that's when she decided to part ways with the two of us to protect us."

Abyad listened intently, his emotions conflicting within him. "You knew the truth from the beginning, why did you leave her side?" he asked calmly, though Zinat could sense the underlying fury he was trying to control.

"Because I wanted her to fight and win this on her own this time. I wanted her to be independent. I thought you would see through her act, but clearly, you never believed in her love, and you just let her go," Zinat replied firmly.

"Well, she could have told me all this then. I can't bring myself to forgive her for what she did, I'm sorry," Abyad replied stubbornly. Zinat felt her frustration rise, realising that he still couldn't see the truth.

"I just told you why she did that! Can't you see it? She loves you," Zinat reasoned, trying to break through his walls.

Ignoring her words, Abyad turned away, refusing to go to Aayat. Zinat stood up, ready to walk away, but she couldn't hold back her anger any longer. "You know what? You are way too full of yourself. She is too good for you. I'm glad she broke up with an immature brat like you; otherwise, she would have suffered more in the future," she stated harshly before leaving him to his thoughts. She hoped that someday he would understand the depth of Aayat's love and realise the mistake he was making.

After spending days trying to regain his composure and push away all memories with her, Abyad found himself facing a difficult situation. He wished he could take back the hurtful words he said to Aayat on New Year's Eve, but he knew that the damage was already done. He couldn't be with her, as it would only bring more pain to both of them. However, he decided to tell her the truth and be there for her as a friend.

He made his way to her class, but when he entered, he saw her hugging Adarsh, which hurt him deeply. Unable to bear the sight, he walked away and called her, asking her to meet him in the backyard garden. He brought along some food and chocolate bars, hoping to get her to eat and take care of herself.

Aayat was sitting silently under a tree in the garden, looking weak and lost. Abyad couldn't help but feel his heart ache for her, but he knew he had to keep his distance. Sitting next to her, he asked her about the situation, and she confessed that she didn't like eating anymore because it reminded her of him and Zinat, whom she pushed out of her life.

Despite his inner struggle, Abyad pulled her into a comforting hug when she broke down in tears. He knew she had brought this pain upon herself, but he couldn't bear to see her suffer. After consoling her, he gently fed her some food, making sure she ate. He knew she relied on chocolates when she was sad, so he gave her some to comfort her.

Before leaving, he kissed her forehead and assured her that he would keep in touch and text her whenever he had dinner. He couldn't deny the love he still had for her, but he needed time to heal and figure out what was best for both of them.

*Flashback ends*