As Asad disconnected the call while standing in the middle of the road, a criminal appeared before him on his bike showing him a pistol.

“Oh, my God!” Asad said out loud.

The criminal used a very rough accent and said,

“Don’t waste my time, and hand me over whatever you have.”

Asad handed over his cell phone and his wallet. Asad was losing his temper but he was feeling very helpless. He couldn’t do anything about it. The criminal even said some offensive words to him which made him really angry.

The criminal grabbing Asad’s belongings left in his bike.

Several hours later while Asad was with Aaraiz at some fun club, Aaraiz shockingly said after listening to him,

“Oh, my God! That’s terrible…”

“I’m really furious. I just want that goon to be in front of me again and I will literally rip him apart.”

“Look Asad, calm down. I’m really sorry for your loss. Your anger is justifiable. But it won’t help you. Tell me what was in that phone, I mean how much exactly your loss is?”

“Oh, don’t ask me that. That will only fuel my anger right now.”

“Alright, alright, relax. I’ll get you a drink.”

Asad rested his arms on the table in front and tried to think of something else.

Aaraiz called the waiter and asked for the menu.

How am I going to get over this? Asad wondered in his thoughts.

Aaraiz waited for the waiter and Asad just could not get the image of that criminal out of his mind.

“Relax, we’ll have a good time here,” Aaraiz said to him.

“If only…”

“Don’t you worry.”

Aaraiz got the menu from the waiter and kept it right in front of Asad.

“Here, tell me what do you want?” Aaraiz asked.

“I don’t know…something that can lower my stress.”

“Okay, I’ll buy you an ice cream shake. It has always been a stress reliever for me.”

“Sure, whatever!”

As the two of them were waiting for the waiters, four boys of their age came and one of them said,

“Excuse me, this seat was already reserved.”

Aaraiz looked up at them and said,

“Excuse me! We weren’t told of any such thing.”

“Okay…But this place was reserved. You can ask the manager.”

“Just get the hell out of here!” Asad said angrily.

“I beg your pardon,” another one of the boys politely said.

Asad stood up turned and said looking at them straight in the eyes,

“I said the four of you just get the hell out of here!”

“You know what? Make us…”

Asad lost his temper and finally exploded. He pushed one of them and said,

“Come on! I’ll show you who’s the boss here.”

Aaraiz stopped him but the other boys attacked them hitting both of them really hard.

A scene of fight was created. But it was more of a one sided attack. The four boys really hit Aariaz and Asad, and eventually the team of the club came over to stop them.

An hour later, Asad and Aaraiz were seated outside at some distance. Aaraiz said to Asad,

“Well, I hope you are now relieved of your anger.”

“I’m sorry. I am a mad person. I lost my senses for a moment. The only thing I could see was that criminal. So, I burst open just to relieve my anger.”

“That’s what I said.”

“Aaraiz, I’m really sorry about it.”

“Well, you are bleeding.”

“Yes, and so are you.”

The two of them chuckled for a moment and then Aaraiz said,

“It was fun though.”

“Yeah, it seems that we are cursed by Kiran.”

“Not us, only you.”

They had a little friendly talk and then went on to a pharmacy to buy some bandages.

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

Next evening, Kiran was with Mahnoor at some gathering of their friends. Mahnoor was seeing that her friend was really depressed as usual, so she broke the silence by asking her,

“Kiran, how long are you going to be like this only?”

Kiran took out a necklace with a locket on it from her bag and said,

“Asad gave this to me.”

“Kiran, you are only hurting yourself by thinking about all of this stuff.”

“I don’t want him back. I just want my revenge.”

“Why can’t you just forgive him and move on with your life? Trust me, you will feel much better.”

“Don’t, please just don’t go there.”

“I’m telling you, you will feel much better once you…”

“…Once I teach him a lesson,” Kiran completed the sentence interfering her.

“Oh God, Kiran! This fire inside you will burn you alive.”

Kiran stood up that moment. She said as if she was declaring something,

“I haven’t told you yet but I have met a person who can help me.”

“What are you talking about?”

“There’s a thief that I know. I asked him to follow Asad and snatch his phone. He did it but I’m not satisfied with that. Right now, I am planning to plant a crime on him.”

“Oh, my God, Kiran! What on earth are you doing?”

“Whatever, I have to…..”

“Kiran you will get yourself in a big trouble. You will be behind the bars really soon.”

“What I am planning is a theft. A car theft. Once it will be done, I’ll just have to make it look like Asad’s crime.”

Angry Mahnoor left her alone and walked away.

That instant, Kiran received a phone call from the criminal that she had hired. She looked around to make sure that no one was watching her and answered the call,

“Hello!”

“Ma’am, I am here. I have reached outside your house.”

“Oh, well, actually I’m not at home right now. I will be there after one hour, tell me what you have attained?”

“He had a phone and a wallet. I have them both with me.”

“The phone? Is it locked?”

“Yes, unfortunately.”

“Can you unlock it? Do you know any place where it can be or any software that can do it?”

“No, I have no clue about that.”

“Alright, fine,” Kiran replied with an expression of disappointment, “and what about the wallet?”

“Yes, I have it.”

“What’s inside it?”

“His ATM card.”

Oh, great! Kiran whispered in her heart. I remember his password. I can really make something out of it.

“Hello?” The criminal said from the other line.

“Yeah, hey why don’t you just stay there? I’ll be on my way.”

“You’re coming over? Now?”

“Yes, I am coming. Just wait for about twenty minutes. I’ll pay you your dues.”

“Okay.”

“And one more thing,” Kiran said realising some point, “you and I will not meet there. We will meet downstairs. No one should see me with you. Do you understand that?”

“Just make it quick. I can’t stay here for too long. Come quickly, please.”

“Alright, have patience. I’m coming.”

Kiran disconnected the call and prepared to leave.

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

Three days later, Asad was at his office. He was very upset and he was wondering in his thoughts,

I lost my ATM card, but I had no idea that I would also lose all my money. It seems that bad luck is following me. Kiran’s curses seem quite strong. But I won’t back out.

That moment, he received a text message from some friend. He read the message,

Coming Saturday, there’s a party. And you are invited.

Oh… He commented on it. Well, I think I must attend this. I am bored already.

He was quite delighted for a moment but then a thought came to his mind and he asked himself,

Oh, my God! What if Kiran’s also coming to the same party? What will I do?

He then answered himself by saying,

What will I do? I won’t go. Of course, I won’t go.

He then texted Aaraiz regarding the party.

That night, Mahnoor and Kiran met at Kiran’s apartment. Kiran asked her,

“What was the big emergency that you wanted to meet me immediately?”

“Kiran, do you know that guy Aaraiz?”

“Aaraiz, yeah, the one who used to like me.”

“Everybody knows that’s not true, but you need to understand that he is very close to Asad these days. The two of them were together few hours back. With the help of Aaraiz, Asad has discovered that you were the one who hired the criminal.”

“That rat…He has got wings now,” Kiran got angry. “I won’t spare him if he has actually done that.”

“He has. I know this for sure. They are even planning to file an FIR against you. Trust me, you can be in serious trouble.”

“Oh, my dear lord! Wait, this can’t be happening. How? How have they found this? How did they discover about all this?”

“What I know for sure is that the rumour is out. Nearly everybody knows that you are a criminal.”

Angry Kiran threw away her phone and said,

“I won’t spare them alive. I will kill them both.”

“Wait, not Asad. You need to think of Aaraiz right now. He is the one who is the actual culprit. He is manipulating Asad’s mind. You need to break their friendship. You have to tear them apart.”

“I can do that.”

“You know what? There’s a party tomorrow.”

“I know, but I can’t go there.”

That moment Kiran got an idea and she said,

“Wait, in fact, I’ll go there. This fits perfectly to my plan.”

“Excuse me?”

“Just wait and see…”

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

Next evening at the party, Kiran was with some guy. She was talking to him all the while looking at Asad and Aaraiz who were standing together. She said to the person standing next to him,

“Alright, now here’s what you’ll do. You see that car?”

“Yes.”

“What you have to do right now is that you have to slowly spread the word. You have to tell others that Asad gifted this car to me.”

“Okay.”

“Now go…”

“What about my money?”

“I’ll give you that once you get the job done.”

The guy walked away from Kiran.

Few minutes later, while Kiran was standing alone, she saw a group of girls coming towards her. She looked at them with surprise. One of them asked her,

“Kiran, did you steal this car?”

“What?”

“Everyone is talking about this.”

“What the hell? Who is spreading all these rumours?”

“That guy Aaraiz.”

Furious Kiran thought of teaching him a lesson but instead she decided to leave the party before matters could get worse.

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

Few days later, Kiran was headed towards some arms shop. She was angry and upset as usual. However, as she finally reached the arms shop, she asked the shopkeeper,

“How much for the hand gun?”

“I will show you everything ma’am, but first I need to see your license.”

“I don’t have one, I’ll be honest with you, I don’t have a license. But we can make an arrangement.”

The shopkeeper chuckled and said,

“Please ma’am, if you are thinking of making such deal then please just leave.”

“Listen to me; no one knows what’s going on here. Nobody will find out. Just tell me how much money you need.”

“Sorry, please leave.”

Kiran took out a huge bundle of cash from her purse and then said,

“Hear me out first.”

The shopkeeper saw that she was holding ten thousand rupees.

“These are just for the bribe,” Kiran said. “The actual payment of the weapon, I will pay completely.”

“Completely?” the shopkeeper asked getting a bit interested.

“Completely. No discount. No bargain.”

“Oh…But wait, what is the guarantee of my safety?”

“You mean you won’t be in trouble, how that will happen?”

“Yes.”

“You won’t be in any trouble. I give you my word. Nothing will happen to you. This gun will disappear.”

“Alright, I can do one thing. I will give you the gun. But you will have to arrange the bullets on your own.”

“No, it’s not enough.”

“Look, it’s not easy for me. My job is at stake here.”

“Just arrange two or three bullets for me.”

“Okay, I can arrange just two.”

“Fine, two’s enough for me.”

They had a deal and Kiran finally purchased the gun.

As she left the shop, she talked to herself,

If the cops will get involved in this, I will simply narrate the entire scene truly, except for changing the real name. I will replace my name with the victim’s name.

to be continued...