𝜗𝜚⋆₊˚RANIA'S POV :

I thought it was time to be set free from the world and everyone, but that motherfucker decided to ruin it.

I've always struggled with self-harm, but never in my life was I so close to death until yesterday, and he ruined it. Like I said, he's a destroyer! He destroyed my happiness.

And the fact that he even carried me to my apartment, made soup for me, gave me medicines, and took care of me.

All these things are managing to disturb my mind. His gestures have taken over me, and I can't help but think about him all the time.

It's only been a day now.

What the hell is wrong with me?

Also, how his malicious eyes peered into my soul, his rough, large hand squeezed my arm, and his ever so controlling words.

They all suck!

They're just repeating in my head like it's some chant or mantra that's for my good. But they're only trouble.

As I walk towards my music class and take a seat by the grand piano, I instruct the students about the keys and notes.

I started playing the piano with emotions and calmness. When I feel numb, playing the piano calms my nerves.

When I don't feel anything, it helps me feel, it's a source of comfort and relaxation for me.

"Miss Syed  you've been called in the principal's chamber" the janitor informed making me wonder what has happened.

I dispersed the class and walked towards the principal's chamber, only to find a lot of professors already present there.

Along with the asshole.

I entered the chamber, and my eyes met his— annoying green ones concealed slightly by his transparent glasses.

I stood beside a male professor as the principal informed, "Since everyone is here, I have news for you all, and it's a bad one!"

Anxiety seeped in through me.

"Three teenagers are found dead separately with two things in common," he spoke, making everyone gasp.

everyone started panicking asking questions but the principal shushed all of them.

"What are those two things?" One of the professors asked.

"First, they were students of our university. Second, they were living in their own apartments," he informed, making our eyes widen up as if soccer balls.

Three students found dead, that too from this university?!

"Is it suicide?" someone asked.

"There are investigations going on, whether it's a suicide or murder, but the thing is, no one is going to spread this news out of the campus. Or better yet, if we don't speak it out to the students." The principal firmly declared.

Panic settled in me and I felt a pang in my chest and uneasiness at the thought of students doing suicide or getting murdered.

soon my phone buzzed with notifications as I checked it's our group chat.

Fahee : Rania! come outside I'm here, kinda late but I'm joining back from today.

Ayaan : No. We can't because we are at the principal chamber right now so do not disturb.

Fahee : Speak when you are spoken to.

Ayaan : Stop being a bitch little feather.

Fahee : Says who? And don't call me that.

I saw Ayaan standing next to Hamdan, boredly typing on his phone without a care in the world, even though we were in the office.

As I glanced at the principal, engrossed in answering questions and providing information, I quietly slipped out of the room to look for Fahee.

She messaged me that she's in the staff room, so I headed in that direction.

There she was, clad in a yellow sundress.

You won't believe her dressing style; it's so weird. She is the literature professor, and she doesn't bother to wear any formal outfits.

You'll wonder if is she for real?

"Darling, I missed you," she jumped on me as soon as I entered and hugged me tightly. I hugged her back and asked her if she was fine.

"Is he okay now?" I asked about her fiancé, who was unwell and because of whom she had to take leave for a week.

"Yes, he is," she smiled at me.

"What's up, sweetheart? Where is everyone?" She grinningly asked about all the other professors, since the place was empty and that's when I told her about the things that had happened.

The next second she is crying on my shoulder like a literal baby. Oh my god, you won't believe how dramatic she is.

Like, I'm holding a box of tissues in my hand and passing a tissue to her every other second.

She's just too soft-hearted at times, and now it's one of these. "It's okay, what happened has happened, calm down, Fahee," I told her, and she sniffed in the tissue for one last time now.

" honey, you know what!!!" She screamed.

" what?" I asked calmly.

" let's go shopping after university at the evening because there's a new mall that just launched a few days before and I'm so excited to go there" she screamed in excitement while jumping like a toddler.

She is just so random for that.

Like infants, she forgets what happens within seconds.

"I too am joining," a voice interrupted us, and as we turned around, we saw a grumpy Ayaan standing whilst stuffing his hands inside his pocket.

" no you're not! you just ruin our company" fahee declared while walking towards him.

" I'm not asking you little feather I'm informing" Ayaan stared at an annoyed fahee.

He tousled her hair and left nonchalantly, with her trailing behind furiously. I didn't even know what to say because sometimes, not always, things get awkward.

Ayaan, Fahee, and I aren't exactly a trio, he's just a mutual friend who also happens to be a professor here.

It's uncomfortable because I'm aware that he has feelings for Fahee, but it's unrequited love since she's already engaged and happy with her fiancé.

It's painful to see Ayaan in this situation, still holding onto his feelings even though he knows they won't be reciprocated. This kind of love must be incredibly painful.

I walked to my desk to grab some water when suddenly, someone grabbed my wrist and pushed me, pinning me against the nearest wall, their large, rough hand wrapping around my throat.

Before I could even process what was happening, my breathing stopped, my heart raced, and my eyes instinctively shut.

Slowly opening my eyes, they met those darkened green eyes.

"I searched for you in the principal's chamber, and not seeing you even for a second freaked me out," he tightened his grip on my throat, causing me to gasp as my breathing became strained.

" so?" I rudely asked while still gasping. My eyes horrified not able to process his actions like why the fuck is this maniac strangling me.

his thumb caressed my pulses and nerves making my stomach turn and twist, my heartbeat accelerate and breathings narrowed.

Is he trying to kill me?

I couldn't breathe.

"Hamdan..." I choked.

"Hmm?" he caressed my pulse again.

"I can't breathe," I gripped his hands and tried jerking them away as tears fell from my eyes.

His eyes softened for a second, and he loosened his grip around my throat allowing me to breathe. A little.

"I couldn't either," he replied as I gasped for breath, my limbs trembling.

"I couldn't breathe either when you were out of my sight, so I just wanted to make you understand how much effect you have on me,"

he confessed while peering into my soul.

I glared at him as my blood boiled.

"By strangling me?" I gritted out as my jaw clenched at his despicable behaviour.

"Don't go out of my sight. I feel like my share of air is snatched away from me. You are my share of air, and I can't breathe in your absence,"

he moved too close towards my face and whispered on my lips, our noses brushed as our skin touched each other's, my heart thudding against my chest.

we were so close that I could feel his rainy masculine scent invading my mind, while his eyes traced every corner of my face.

My eyes watered even more.

This is getting so frustrating, he's such an irritating jerk. At this point, I feel like throwing a mental asylum card at his handsome face.

He's like one of those psychos from the movies, maybe even worse. Sometimes his actions are gentle and warm, but other times they make me want to commit the crime of murder.

With teary eyes, I gathered all my strength and pushed him hard, causing his grip on me to completely loosen. "Fuck you, you bastard," I say as I stormed out of the staff room, grabbing some tissue papers in a hurry.

I couldn't help but let warm tears stream down my face. Why does he have to like me out of all people? Why does he have to barge into my life and make it worse? Why? I can't do this anymore, I just can't.

He needs to stop this, I'm definitely going to do something about it now. He is sick, and his actions are making me sick! I can't let him take over me, my mind, and... my heart.

I walked out of the staff room and wandered around the campus when someone bumped into me, making my tissues fall to the ground.

I bent down to pick them up, and so did the other person. It was a man in a dark leather jacket, black pants, a cap, and a mask concealing his face.

He looks suspicious.

I have never seen him here, before.

My brows furrowed as I stared at him rather than picking up my tissues. I wondered who he might be and what he is doing here?

I grabbed the tissues, and so did he. "Rania Syed, right?" he asked, his voice bold, manly and filled with malice. I wondered how he even knows my name but then I nodded hurriedly.

"Kya tum khush ho?" he asked, gazing— staring deeply into my eyes with his blue ones.

His gaze was scary, chilling my bones as a shiver ran down my spine and I felt like my ribs tightened around my chest constricting my heart to breathe.

[ are you happy ? ]

"Huh?" I asked in a rush, grabbing all the tissues from him whilst still bending on the ground along with him.

"Answer me," he ordered in a somewhat scary way that I felt obligated to reply.

"Yes," I softly spoke more like mumbled feeling shivers all over my blood.

"The scars on your wrists say otherwise," he stood up before handing me the last tissue and gazing at my wrist, which has self-harm scars.

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