Chapter 18- I wish I could tend to his wounds

"He accepted the challenge," I said, jumping onto Zayd, "Your plan worked!"

"I never lie," He retorted, brushing his shoulder,

"Shut up," Yumna said, slapping his shoulder, "He accepted your challenge, but his idiocy over here forgot that he'll be in the same race."

"Who's to say that I`ll make it easy for the both of them?" Zayd replied

"It's okay. I'll go solo now. You don't need to train me as well. Focus on your own training," I said, smiling, "Thank you for everything thus far."

"Your profile as Zaniul is blowing up.

"People are inquisitive about your identity. They calling you very brave for challenging a lifetime champion," Devin said

I smiled, high-fiving him. Zayd looked proud but said nothing more. He merely watched and stole a few of Yumna's drinks.

Erica barged into our classroom, forcing us into a group hug, "Keep up the good work."

She yelled, squeezing us.

The day went well, and we celebrated with burgers after-school before our routine motor-bike practice. I left the motorbike with Erica and Zayd, taking the afternoon bus. Zain was on the bus, and I got stuck beside him because the afternoon buses were always full. It was funny. I thought he never took it.

He looked shaken, it must have been the entire Zanul thing. I tried my very best to avoid him but constantly bumped into him.

"I'm sorry," I apologised…trying to move away. But his head was on my shoulder, and our stop was approaching.

I tried shaking and moving him, but he wouldn't budge so I got off the bus with him laying him on the ground. I called an ambulance and informed his mother as soon as he was taken away. The last thing I wanted was for him to fall.

I didn't go to the hospital with her or my mother, because of the promise I had made to him, to never associate myself with him. However, my mother asked me to bring over the broth she was preparing for tonight's dinner. I had to adhere to the orders so I packed up the soup and rushed over to where they were. I arrived still in my school uniform. Zain was placed onto a drip, pale with his eyes closed.

My mother took the food from me asking for me to take a seat.

"He's been going through a lot. The doctor said he isn't eating or sleeping enough."

"How I always!" I said before realizing I had stopped having lunch with him or pushing him to take his vitamins. "I see…hopefully his schedule is lessened a little."

"It's not that; it's the workload at your school. We can't take him out. However, the media is always looking for something to report about him. They are literally outside right now asking for his picture…." His mother said, holding onto my hands, " He's never been able to be a normal teen. Thank you for staying beside him and keeping him sane."

Guilt hit me. I should've known better, Zain …well, hasn't always had it easy. I always mistook him for everything other than a human being, but he was human too. He had feelings and needs, and he needed company and friendliness.

" Why did you save his reputation over mine?" I asked, looking at my mother

"That's because a normal teen can always rebuild themselves, but Zain, one bad rumour could ruin his present and future …so I understand you might hate him, but he really had no choice."

"I do hate him, I really do …" I said, moving my hands away, "And I hate you guys as well. Why do I have to work for someone else's errors, why do I have to suffer because of his actions."

"Shut up and sit down, or you'll wake him!" My mother scolded

"She has a point," Zain said, sitting up, "You don't have to fake it anymore, I understand."

"Zain…"My mother said, grabbing onto his hand

" I wish I could take it back but what's done is done I just hope you forgive me one day…because I do miss you, I always will."

I watched him hold onto my mother's hand and felt a tinge of enviousness hit me. Why were they always kissing up to him, listening to him and taking care of him? Why did they not care about my achievements or pain? Why was I always seen as a black seed as long as this idol grew beside me and why…why was it so hard to hate him because I had spent my entire life loving him…why did he have to be Zain. My biggest competitor.

I left the ward. My mother called out to me, but Zain's mother held her back, telling her to let me of for once. I didn't know what I was feeling, but I wanted to punch something or someone. I left the hospital and took an Uber to the school's race track.

Zayd had been there so I spent some time watching him. He noticed me after a few laps and as he walked up to me I quickly wiped away the tear streaks that had painted my cheeks. He sat beside me, a little out of breath, I turned towards him looking into his face for a while, searching for reassurance within his eyes, dimples and if the world allowed his arms.

" You know what's funny, I wish I had stayed and taken care of him," I said, biting my nails, trying to suppress my tears. Zayd pulled me into his chest and said, "I don't know what you're going through, but I hope it gets better."

So I cried at that moment. The ugliest sobbing ever, yes I the glorious Qadira who looked like she had everything together was in tears and battling her love-hate relationship with Zain, the Model, the smartest female around was crying on the shoulder of her ex-best friends rival, searching for something to help chase away the voices that constantly made her miss him. Zain, I miss you too, but I don't know if I'll ever be able to forgive you.

After a while Zayd sat silently beside me, watching the sky before saying, " I wish I were beside him as well…"

"If I am allowed to ask…why?"

"He was the one who encouraged me when I was a nobody, but some misunderstanding led to us splitting. To think that fight is what made us so famous ."

"How does it feel to be an idol…do you struggle with normal teen things."

"I don't have as much prestige as Zain does but I do have to admit that sometimes it is difficult. Someone may even photograph us now and start some kind of gossip or even worse, try to make mistakes. You make a mistake and everyone wants you cancelled. "

" Would the kiss …be the end for Zain?"

"Maybe…but if I were him I would have valued your friendship more. He is the talk of the town now, but once Zainul which is you beat him and me…we'll be past tense. And he shall be alone."

"Now I'm just confused…"

"Follow your heart…in a way, I feel like this is his karma. At that time he didn't want to listen to my side of the story or believe me, In fact, he even went as far as publically announcing that we were no longer friends.

"I was a complete mess at the time and to think we were only 14, kids should stay kids sometimes."

"So if it's karma because now I'm doing the same thing to him. Doesn't that mean someone will do it to me?"

"That's the circle of life…" he replied, standing, sticking his hand out to me, "Shall we go for a ride?"

With a heavy heart, I raised my hand and placed it into his, allowing him to help me up. Karma. ..karma…WHAT goes around, comes around.