Suspicion

"Did auntie urged you to make up with uncle?"

Arbaz did not reply. "It's been so long Arbaz, you should have a good talk with Uncle. Don't be so stubborn everytime."

"I am not being stubborn. I will talk to him after I achieve my goal."

"Isn't it the same?" Samir patted on Arbaz's shoulder. "Brother I have known you since we are children. I know you are also hurting yourself like this. Just talk to uncle this time. He must be missing you too."

"I don't want to talk about this now. And he never called me either." Arbaz muttered to himself.

Samir just shook his head and sighed.

"By the way, is you cold better now?"

"Well it's okay."

"I don't know what you think sometimes. After staying up all night, you went to take a walk instead of sleeping and came back drained in water."

"I didn't think that much, it's just....."

He remembered that rainy day remains etched in his heart and Kifayat's infectious laughter. She stood at the edge of the school building, her face tilted toward the sky, arms outstretched, and danced with abandon. Her laughter echoed through the raindrops, and her friends soon joined her. Together, they twirled, splashed in puddles, and reveled in the sheer joy of being alive. Their laughter blended with the rhythmic patter of rain, creating a symphony of merriment. And Arbaz, watching from the corner, shook her head but couldn't help smiling. The little girl's carefree spirit was both endearing and exasperating.

Maybe at that time, he was too stressed about the results of the competition. Looking at the group of teenagers he suddenly felt young and wanted to participate in their zest for spontaneity.

Samir looked at Arbaz who was laughing like a fool and felt creepy.

"Hey, why are you like that. It is giving me goosebumps."

Arbaz instantly changed his face to become expressionless.

"Stop talking. I am going back to work."

"Tsk..."

After the school ended, Kifayat and Ishan headed to library to borrow some books. Her group of friends were waiting outside at a cafe nearby.

They were discussing about the name of Princess written on the notebook.

Lia asked with doubt, "Do you think this notebook belongs to a girl? Could it be someone was jealous of Kifayat and tried to pull this prank?"

Cyra said, " May be Saba's words were true. Didn't she say before, it may be a girl who likes Kifayat but couldn't say it and trying to get her attention this way?"

"Yeah!!! It could be true." Lia said with a look of enlightenment. "But will Kifayat be disappointed?"

Lia looked at Saba while asking this question and noticed till now Saba did not say a single word. She looked like she was in deep contemplation.

"Hello?!" Lia shaked her hand in front of Saba. "What?"

"What what?"

" What are you thinking?"

"Well Cyra I was thinking about the person who have written these letters."

"We were talking about the same thing."

"No, it's different. I may know the culprit."

Both Cyra and Lia sat upright. "Who?!"

"I think it is.... Saba looked at left and right and then whispered the name of Ishan.

"ISHAN!??"

At the same time Ishan came from behind and asked,"What about me?"

All the three were stiffened. "Can you make a sound while walking? We were scared to death."

"It were you who were talking about me behind my back."

"No, we were not."

"I clearly heard my name. Do not deny it."

Saba stood up and said, "Yes we were talking about you. So what? Don't think I don't know your secret?"

"My secret?" Ishan was puzzled. He doesn't seem to have any secret.

Saba said in her heart. Continue to pretend, But I already caught you.

"Tell the truth, you are the one who has written all these letters, right. You have been secretly in love with Kifayat for a long time. So in order to get her attention you would always fight with her."

"WHAT?! ARE YOU NUTS!!!?"

Kifayat heard Ishan's scolding as soon as she entered. She thought they are having an argument again. She sighed . "What happened this time?"

Kifayat you came already. Listen how your friends are trying to blame me... Before Ishan could finish his sentence Saba went to complain to Kifayat first.

"Kifayat, he was yelling at me." Saba pretended to be pitiful. "Why are you yelling at her?"

"Then ask her what she said."

"What did you say?" Kifayat asked Saba again.

"I just said my doubt. Kifayat don't you think lately he has been behaving very strangely."

"Strange?"

Saba told Kifayat about her suspicion. Ishan has been too good recently. He will behave in a friendly way. He will not taunt her from time to time. He visited Kifayat when she was sick. He joined us I'm group study. He even helped up trying to find the culprit which was quite unimaginable for the previous Ishan. Because before Ishan will not waste any time on others.

"It feels like he has became human."

"What do you mean? I was not human before."

"No before, you were just a study machine."

"...."

"That doesn't mean I have written these letters."