Chapter Three

At half-past eleven the next day, sunlight slipped into Zharif's window. His right hand covered the eyes. Despite of the heat, Zharif was still sleeping on his left side in his room. He seemed comfortless, he still had his yesterday’s attire on.

Zarina, Zharif’s younger sister had to knock the door repeatedly to wake him up. She had something to say to Zharif. After a few minutes of knocking; he opened his eyes and got up from the bed. He walked swaying across his room; he unlocked the door. "Wait up." Informed Zharif and let Zarina in.

“Ah, what is it, Ina? What time is it now? Is it already twelve?” Asked Zharif; rubbing his eyes.

“Oh, it’s already eleven-thirty, Zharif. What time did you sleep yesterday? Did you sleep that late?” The girl asked Zharif; she was looking up and down. “You look so wrong, Zharif. You still have your t-shirt and jeans on. Where have you been yesterday? And you smell. Please, wash up, change your clothes and let me serve you breakfast.” Said the young girl; folding Zharif’s blanket. "What do you want to eat?"

“Thanks, Ina. Just bring me tea and a couple slices of bread. Well, last night was too much for me, I was too tired; I must have fallen asleep yesterday." Sighed Zharif. "I was really tired, I don't remember a thing." He laughed as he walked toward Zarina. "Oh, and Ina, leave that, I can clean my room by myself. You don't have to do all these. Thanks again.” He smiled. "No, let me clean this room first. It's a mess." Said Zarina. "It's fine, let me clean the room by myself. Thank you." Said Zharif. "Well if you said so, let me do you breakfast." Said Zarina; He pulled  the blanket off from Zarina’s hands. He looked on his bed and saw his hand phone.

Zharif ran and put his hand on his sister's shoulder; stopping her from leaving the room. “Wait, Ina, did anyone call you or sent you a message? My hand phone’s battery is dead; too tired to even charge the hand phone, yesterday.” He laughed and shook his head.

“Well, yes, thanks for reminding me that. The messages, that's why came knocking on your door. There are a lot of messages, Zharif!” Answered Zarina.

Zharif asked. “Really, Ina?” She put her hand on her forehead and said, “It says... Wait, I forgot what it says.” Zharif looked unbelievable. “Come on, Ina. What does it says? Who is it from?” Insisted Zharif.

“I don’t know. I am not sure. It’s from one of your friends of course.” Said Zarina; shrugging her shoulder. “My goodness, Ina. Go get your hand phone!” Cried Zharif; pointing outside of his room.

Zarina frowned. “Relax. Hold on. Give me a second; just let me get my hand phone in the kitchen, first.” She said to Zharif.

Zarina walked fast to the kitchen to reach the hand phone. It was a strange reaction from Zharif. But she didn’t think much, she knew that her brother, Zharif, was in pressure, he had just lost one of his best friends.

“Here you go.” Said Zarina; handing her phone to Zharif.

Zharif took the phone and read. “Oh, they were from Hafiz...”

“Yes, it was from Hafiz! But why do you sound disappointed. What's up with Hafiz, are you guys fighting?" Asked Zarina; elevating her eyebrows.

“No, no way." He laughed "I was expecting they were from Ilya instead.” Explained Zharif.

“Oh, Ilya? Is it the girl with long hair and always wear red dresses?” Asked Zarina.

He handed the hand phone back to Zarina and said, “Yes, Ina. why? Do you have something to say to me?" "Tell me!” He pleaded - curiously.

“Well yes, I think I saw her this morning. Does she drive a Myvi, Zharif?”

 “Yes, she drives a Myvi, is it black?” He asked, remained calm. "Yes, it was a black Myvi.” Answered the girl; drawing a smile on her face.

He didn't remain calm any longer, he was in shock, it was really Ilya Imani. Many thoughts were playing on his mind, but nothing seemed to be relevant. He was confused; Ilya still didn’t reply his call and messages.

“Where did you see her? Did you talk to her? Did she see you? When? Tell me, Ina! Tell me!” Cried Zharif; asking repeatedly; standing still in front of his sister.

“I didn’t talk to her of course. Why would I? It would be a total weird; I don't really know her. Well, she was in a car and I was just passing by to the market. The car stopped in front of the 7 Eleven across the street, Zharif. Mind if I ask you why?” Asked Zarina; elevating her eyebrows once again,

“Tell me who was she with, was she alone?” Asked Zharif; plugging in the charger’s pin into his hand phone.

"No, she was with someone..." She looked up to the ceiling; shrugging her shoulder “I don’t know; but it was a guy.” Said the girl. 

“Was it Hafiz; the guy who wears glasses?” Asked Zharif listlessly. “Maybe, I’m not sure, but I am pretty sure it was a guy. Wait Zharif, first of all, you still haven’t answered my question; I asked you, why - why are you so worried about this?” Asked Zarina; wondered her brother's curiosity.

“Well, nothing, Ina. There's nothing worth knowing about it. You go and serve me breakfast, I’m hungry.” Said Zharif; had his hand running across his forehead. “Are you sure there is nothing? You look sad.” Asked Zarina. “Yes Ina, nothing. I was just asking.” Said Zharif listlessly. "Alright then, let me get your breakfast ready." Said Zarina; leaving the room - biting her lips; scratching her head - wondering.

“Oh but wait, Ina." Zharif stopped Ina. "I still haven’t read the messages that were sent by Hafiz. Give me back your hand phone for a second, please.” Said Zharif.

Zarina laughed, handed her hand phone to Zharif. “There you go, silly brother. Put it in my room when you are done with it.”

Chapter Two

Zharif fastened his seatbelt and stepped on the gas, his car accelerating as Hafiz watched him go. Hafiz knew that he would be heading to Ilya's house, but he couldn’t do anything to stop him. Zharif was a headstrong kid; Hafiz knew how much Zharif cared for Ilya, he could do nothing.

“Where is she, God please let me know that she’s doing okay.” Said Zharif to himself.

“She is a strong girl, I know that. She has to be! I need to talk to her; I need to know that she’s alright. Why didn’t she reply my messages and my calls?” Zharif questioned himself as he reached his hand phone in his pocket to send another message to Ilya for the sixth time.

“Please, this time, can you please reply my message, Ilya?” Said Zharif as he looked at his hand phone and saw the wallpaper picture; it was the picture of Adam that caught his eyes.

“Why did you go, Adam? We still need you.” He cried; wiping his tears.

In the picture, there were four of them, Zharif, Ilya, Hafiz and Adam; Adam’s big smile across his face in the picture reminded Zharif how much he loved Adam. Zharif eyes fixed on the picture; he sighed.

His phone rang.

“Hafiz.” Said Zharif as he answered the call.

“Zharif, where are you going actually? You’re not going to Ilya’s right?” Asked Hafiz.

“I don’t know, Fiz, I don’t know where I am heading. Sorry to I leave you behind. I had no choice, I had to leave. It was too emotional. I don’t know would it be right to stay there and be with you. You looked very calm. Do you actually really care about Adam and Ilya, Fiz?” Cried Zharif angrily.

“Yes, I do care! Don’t ever question that!” Answered the boy.

“I don’t know, Fiz. I can’t help myself. I just want to be with all of you, all four of us. But without Adam...”

“Don’t say another word Zharif, I know it won’t be the same anymore; but I believe he is in a better place now, you have to trust me.” He explained.

“I hope you steer you car straight home. Ilya doesn’t want to see anyone, she has just sent me a message.”

“Are you sure, Fiz?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Really? Not even me?”

“Yes.”

“But why did she send it to you, not me?”

“I don’t have the answer, Zharif.”

“Ilya..”

“Don’t worry, Zharif. Well maybe she thinks that you are here with me. So she sent this as she sent to the both of us. You good?”

“Yes, alright then, I guess I must head home by now, thanks for telling me that and for the call, Fiz. Goodbye.”

“Take care, Zharif. Remember, straight home.”

Chapter One

CHAPTER ONE

"Yes, you are right, Fiz. I wish it never happened!" Said Zharif, biting one of his fingernails.

"I don't know what to say more, she has to be strong. I do not want to see any one of you sad, I can't... She doesn't want to listen to me, why don't you try to talk to her instead, Fiz, please?" Said Zharif worriedly; keeping his eyes on his hand phone, waiting for a reply from Ilya.

“She won’t talk to me Hafiz, please” Pleaded Zharif.

"Why, me? Zharif, she trusts you more than she trusts me!" Hafiz explained, walking across back and forth as he spoke.
"I think she needs a little time alone, Zharif." Said Hafiz listlessly. "Yes, I know it is hard for her. It is hard for us. But I guess time heals everything, right? I hope you understand, Zharif."

"Remember what happened to me two years ago, Zharif?" He asked.

"My mother passed away two years ago, and look, though I was a man in agony - I had you and Ilya; I mean you guys kept me going. You kept me alive. I am very happy to have you both. Listen to me Zharif, she will make it somehow. I don't know how long will it takes, but trust me, she will." Said Hafiz, smiling at Zharif.

“You smile, Fiz? I hope you don’t forget about Adam, he was there for you too.” Cried Zharif; coming over and sitting next to Hafiz.

“Yes, it’s all right, Zharif. Everything happens for a reason; it could have been me instead of Adam...”

Zharif and Hafiz were talking about the death of Adam which happened a day before. Ilya, she found it hard to accept. She was too fond of Adam. They had been together for six years since high school. All of them were great friends, including Adam. It wasn't easy for them to believe the news about Adam.

“But it’s terrible, Hafiz, terrible!” Cried Zharif.

“Now Adam is gone… Then who’s next, you, me, Ilya?”

“I cannot take it anymore...” Said Zharif listlessly.

“I am so worried about Ilya, I hope everything is fine. What is she doing now, I have to know. I think I’m going to Ilya’s to pay a visit. I don’t think she’s fine. If you said time heals everything, then I have to be there for her, whatever time it may be, I’m going to make this easier for her.” Said Zharif while helping himself up from the seat.

Hafiz grabbed his hand and said, “But Zharif, she could grow worse. She didn’t answer your call or even reply your SMS.”

Zharif looked into the sky for a couple of seconds.

“Don’t you think she needs the space? Don’t go. Do whatever you want, but don’t bother about her, please, she needs the space, Zharif.” Asked Hafiz after a long pause.

“You go get a rest, today is too much for you.”

After a few seconds, Zharif turned his head down, slowly and said, “I guess I’ll be going home then...”

“Zharif...”

Zharif could not hide his emotion from Hafiz; ripping his hand away from Hafiz’s grasp. Hafiz looked at his face and; His face, really influenced the situation.

“Zharif, please you said you don’t want to see any one of us sad. Put a smile on your face, don’t just leave like that!” Hafiz could not hide his grievance but trying to prove that they should not cry.

“Fiz, I cannot take it anymore...” Said Zharif in a sad tone; wiping his tears.

“I thought you were stronger, Zharif, stronger than anyone else. Stronger than me, Adam and Ilya. Stay here with me, we can talk. About Adam, he is gone, let past be past Zharif, there is nothing much we can do. About Ilya, I am sure that she is fine, she's all right, you just need to give her the space. You cannot go to her house, I won’t allow you to, you have to promise!" Cried Hafiz angrily.

Zharif didn't care to listen more, he walked across the street into his car before he started the engine and drove away. Hafiz put his hand on his forehead, he felt sad that Zharif reacted negatively; he knew it was not Zharif’s personality trait at all. – That brought tears to his eyes.