A thin trail of smoke curled into the cold evening air. Talha stood beneath the towering oak tree, his shalwar kameez fluttering gently in the winter breeze. His pale face, emotionless and weary, bore the weight of years gone by. He took a slow drag of his cigarette, his greying hair catching the faint glow of distant stars. His thoughts swirled like the smoke escaping his lips—memories buried deep, yet never forgotten.
20 Years Ago
Ishmeeza laughed as she twirled a strand of her dark hair between her fingers. Her green sirkai shalwar and shirt swayed as she excitedly recounted a dream she’d been having for weeks.
“Talha, it’s the same dream again. A tall, handsome man with piercing blue eyes, smiling at me… but it’s a frantic smile. And in his hand, he holds a dagger, stained with old blood.”
Talha exhaled deeply, contemplating. “Blue eyes… they symbolize comfort, but the dagger… it feels like a warning. I don’t understand the omen. But hey, did you submit Miss Darakshan’s assignment? Today’s the deadline.”
Ishmeeza gasped, eyes widening. “Oh God, I forgot! Talha, can you share yours? I promise I’ll change it before submission.”
Talha smirked. “Only if you do me a favor in return. Deal?”
She nodded without hesitation, trusting him implicitly.
Later that day, in the campus cafeteria, Ishmeeza sat quietly, listening to the chatter of her friends. Muskan was passionately discussing the latest scandal that had shaken the university—a girl’s private video had been leaked, and the shame had driven her to attempt suicide.
“These boys are snakes,” Muskan scoffed. “They act sweet, but they’re all the same. They use you, break you, and then move on like nothing happened.”
Another friend nodded. “It’s terrifying how often this happens. That poor girl must have trusted him.”
Ishmeeza shifted uncomfortably. Muskan noticed and, without hesitation, turned to her. “Ishmeeza, be careful around Talha. He’s not as righteous as you think.”
Ishmeeza frowned. “Stop it, Muskan. He prays five times a day. He’s different. He promised to marry me after graduation.”
Muskan sighed, but the conversation was left unfinished.
Red flags emerged, but love blinded Ishmeeza. The subtle possessiveness, the occasional control over her choices—she ignored them all. Then one night, her world shattered. Talha, the man she trusted, violated her trust in the most horrific way. He recorded her vulnerability, shared it with his friends, and soon, the blackmail began.
Ishmeeza’s world shrank. The whispers, the messages, the fear—it consumed her. She confronted Talha, her voice trembling, her eyes filled with betrayal.
“Why?” she whispered. “I trusted you.”
Talha chuckled, his smile eerily similar to the one in her dream. “Because I could.”
That night, she stood before her mirror, tears streaming down her face. She cursed Talha with every fiber of her being before taking the one step that would end her pain forever.
Present Day
Talha’s cigarette burned close to the filter. He let it drop, crushing it beneath his shoe. The past had come full circle. His own daughter—his light, his redemption—had suffered the same fate. Trapped, abused, blackmailed. And just like her old friend Ishmeeza, she had chosen death over disgrace.
He turned, his face lined with deep regret, staring at the freshly dug grave. The funeral was over. The mourners had left.
Talha pulled another cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and took a deep drag. Under the same oak tree, beneath the same distant stars, he exhaled smoke and sorrow, lost in the weight of his sins.
I WOULD HAVE LOVED THE STORY IF THE BOY REMAINS HONEST TO GIRL, DESPITE GIRL FRIENDS ALWAYS MAKING HER FEEL THAT THE BOY IS NOT SO GOOD, BUT SHE WOULD BELIEVE YES HE IS AND THEY HAPPILY MARRIED AND PROVED WRONG TO HER FRIENDS AND
PROVED THIS WRONG “They act sweet, but they’re all the same. They use you, break you, and then move on like nothing happened.”.