The house was quiet.

Her mother was in the kitchen, her brothers had gone out, and the sky was dimming with clouds heavy from the monsoon.

Zoya sat in the corner of her room, hugging her knees.

Every sound outside the door made her flinch.

Every breath felt like stolen air.

But then—

Her cousin sister, Fariha, crept in. A gentle, soft-hearted girl only a year younger than Zoya.

She closed the door behind her and pulled out a phone wrapped in cloth.

"Use it. Now," she whispered, eyes wide. "I deleted the call logs. They’ll never know."

Zoya didn’t waste a second.

She typed the number with trembling fingers — the only one she still remembered by heart.

Ringing...

Once.

Twice.

Click.

"Hello?"

The sound of his voice shattered her.

“Akif—” her voice cracked.

“Zoya.”

There was silence.

And then chaos.

“Where are you? What happened? Are you okay? Are you—”

“I can’t talk long,” she whispered. “They’re planning to marry me off.”

Silence again.

But this time, it was deadly.

“I’m coming,” he said. “I’m already on my way.”

---

By nightfall, Akif, Ayaan, and Aarfa were in Jharkhand — booked into a cheap motel under fake names, hearts thundering.

“She’s in Phase 4, old city side,” Akif muttered, tapping the map. “Three brothers, one father, a mother. Only one person inside supports her—Fariha.”

“Then she’s our key,” Aarfa said.

“I still say we go with my idea,” Ayaan grinned. “Smoke bombs and a parachute.”

“Shut up,” Akif and Aarfa both said together.

---

The Plan:

Fariha would leave the front door unlocked at 2:45 AM.

Zoya would fake being sick after dinner and go to bed early.

Akif and Ayaan would wait in a rickshaw down the alley.

Aarfa would keep watch on the other end in case anything went wrong.

Risk level: Insane.

Success rate: They didn’t care.

Because love doesn’t calculate. It just runs.

---

2:43 AM

Zoya stood at the door.

Fariha gave her one last hug and whispered, “Fly. Don’t stop.”

Zoya kissed her forehead. “I’ll never forget this.”

She stepped outside — the air was thick, her heart louder than her footsteps.

And then—

A shadow moved from the end of the alley.

Akif.

She didn’t even blink. She ran.

Straight into his arms.

He held her tight, breath ragged, hands clutching her like he was afraid she’d disappear.

“I’m here,” he said, voice raw. “I’ve got you.”

Behind him, Ayaan grinned. “We good to go?”

Aarfa’s voice came through Akif’s earpiece. “Coast is clear. RUN.”

---

They didn’t stop until they were out of Bokaro.

Until they crossed the highway.

Until they could finally breathe.

---

They crashed in the motel at 5 AM.

Zoya sat on the bed, wrapped in a hoodie Akif gave her, sipping water with shaking hands.

No one spoke for a while.

Then Aarfa said, “Let’s never do that again.”

Ayaan added, “Unless we get matching hoodies next time.”

Zoya looked at Akif.

He sat on the floor beside her, exhausted, mud on his jeans, heart in his eyes.

“You came,” she whispered.

He looked up. “You called.”

---

Yaaayyy she is back! I told you 'some' chapters but I gave it on the next chapter only (😉)

Now

MAYBE!

Your patience is oVeR~