Chapter 21: What's In It.?
Chapter 21: What's In It.?
They reached home and saw their friends were sitting in the room. They joined them as they all sat
there talking for a while and then everyone moved to the kitchen cooking together while joking around..
Later they all had dinner and left to their rooms.. Aliza, Ryan and Kiara decided to go back to their
hostel since they couldn't stay out for long.. Ayaan, Nick and Sofia also returned to their room.. Sofia
collapsed on her bed as soon as she went to her room and fell a sleep..
Next morning was also busy until after breakfast when they all left for work and Sofia was left alone in
the house.. She went to her room looking for her phone.. She hadn't seen it since last night.. She saw
her purse on the sofa and remembered putting it in at her home.. She grabbed her purse and opened it
as her eyes fell on the glass bottle.. Her face fell as she remembered about it.. She read the name
carefully and observed the bottle trying to Remember if she had seen it ever before.. It didn't have
much information written on it.. Just some chemical names.. She tried to figure how to find about the
bottle as the thought of her phone came in her mind.. She took It out of her purse and opened the
internet searching the name.. She read about it for a while and then kept the phone aside covering her
face trying to comprehend what she found out.. She turned her face as her eyes fell on a photo frame
kept on the side table... of her and her dad.. She walked upto it as tears sprung in her eyes.. She
picked the frame up sitting on the bed with tears flowing from her eyes.. She clutched the frame to her
chest and began crying frantically.. After a while she layed on the bed with her eyes fixed on the
picture.. Her dad had his hand around her shoulder with a proud smile as she smiled at the camera
with a medal around her neck and a certificate in her hand.. She hugged the photo again and didn't
realise when she fell a sleep..
After a few hours Ayaan had rushed home when Sofia hadn't picked up his call since the last hour.. He
ran to her room opening the door.
He breathed in relief as he saw her sleeping peacefully on the bed.. He walked upto her as he saw her
holding a frame to her chest he glanced at the table stand and understood it was the frame they had
bought for her.. He sat on his knees beside the bed slowly holding the photo but saw her hold tighten
so let it go.. He grabbed the blanket covering her with it.. He heard a slight clank sound and saw a little
bottle fall from the bed.. He picked it up and looked at it questioningly.. Deciding to ask her when she
got up he left the room putting it in his pocket and went to his room..
After an hour Sofia woke up feeling her head ache.. She sat up and kept the frame on the side table
gently and left to the washroom to freshen up.. She came out as she remembered about the bottle and
started looking for it.. She dusted the blanket folding it while looking around.. She looked under the bed
and around the room but she still didn't find it anywhere.. She couldn't figure out what to do.. She was
thinking when the door opened and Ayaan entered..
A: You're awake..?
S: Yeah.. Just woke up.. You're home early..?
A: Yeah I called you but You didn't answer so I decided to come and check up on you.!
S:ooh.. I'm OK.!
A: I was just going for lunch.. You coming.?
S:Yeah.. I.. I'll come in a moment..!
A:Alright..
He said as he turned to leave but stopped as he remembered something..
A:sofia.. I had to ask something to you..
S: Yes..?
He takes out the bottle from his pocket and keeps in his palm..
A: I found this in your room.. But it's not yours so.. Whose is it.?
She grabs the bottle from his hand and breaths out..
S: It was with you..?
A: Yeah.. It was lying on the ground..
S: ooh..
A: Whose bottle is it.??
S: Actually...
She paused trying to figure if she should tell Ayaan about the bottle.. She did trust him so hiding it from
him didn't really make sense but she was still reluctant to tell anyone else.. Finally after a bit of thinking
she decided to tell him everything and also that she wouldn't be telling anyone else about it.. She
couldn't really hide it from him even if she wanted to.. Because she didn't know how but there was
something.. Someway he always knew when she lied.. And she didn't like lying to him either.. There
was this strange guilt she felt.. So finally deciding to go with her conscious she prepared to tell him the
truth..
S:Yeah it's not mine.. I actually found it at home..
A: Home.??
S: Yeah.. when we went there yesterday.?
A: So is it uncle's..?
S: That's.. the problem.. its not dad's either..
A: Then.?.. Its not your or his.. then what was it doing over there..?
S:I don't know..
She said as Ayaan glanced at the bottle furrowing his brows as Sofia hesitated to speak the rest of
what was in her head.. she finaly took a deep breath and continued..
S: There's something else..
A:What..?
S: You see the name on the bottle.. I did a bit of.. research.. on that name.. and....
A: And.?
S: It read that... it can cause heart attacks.!
A: What.?? But uncle already has a heart condition.. Why would he have a medicine that causes it and
not cure it..?
S: It's not dad's.. I know all his medications.. I'm the one who brings them and I know he didn't bring Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.
any other recently.. So if it's in the house and Dad and I didn't bring it.. it has to be someone else.. And
if it is.. Then it means....
She pauses in her sentence as he looks at her puzzled as her words sink in.. he realises what she's
trying to say..
A: Are you trying to say uncle was murdered..??
S: I don't know but.... Maybe.. Yes.
A: That's insane.. Why would anybody try to kill him..??
S: What if someone did...?? It clearly says heart attack or sudden death.. and his was pretty sudden to
me... I mean He was perfectly fine the previous day..
A: I understand what you're trying to say but..
S: No buts.. I don't know who did this but if they did.. I need to find them..
A: Ok wait wait wait.. Let's take this slowly.. It's a medicine bottle..
She tries to protest again but he stops her by putting a hand on her shoulder..
A: maybe.. maybe someone has brought it.. like you say.. but maybe it was just there.. maybe uncle did
bring it and forgot to tell you..
S:But..
A:Look.. There are many drugs or medications that can cause the disease they're supposed to cure
when taken continously or in large quantity... And maybe whatever you read about today meant the
same thing.. You know how internet is...
S: Then what do you wanna do.. just let it go..
A: No.. ofcourse not... Look I have an old friend who works at a pharmaceutical company.. He knows a
lot about drugs and medications.. So I'll just contact him and see what he has to say about this..
He says looking expectantly at Sofia as she quietly considers the idea in her head..
S: Alright if you think soo..
A: Great... I promise.. I'll handle it perfectly.. You don't have to worry.. You trust me right..?
S: Of course.. it's not about trust but.. I just.. All this seems too much.. I don't know what to do.. How to
react..
A: I know..
He keeps a comforting hand on her shoulder..
A:How about.. You get this off your head.. Leave it on me.. and I promise you.. as soon as I find
anything about it.. I'll tell you..
S: Ok.. and Ayaan.. please don't let anyone else know about it..
A: I know.. I'll take care of it.. They won't know anything..
S: Ok..
A: Let's go out for lunch..
S: Lunch.?
A: Yeah.. your favourite restaurant.. wherever you say.. whatever you say..
S: Really..?
A: Yeah.. a treat from me..
S: Treat for what..?
A: Nothing special.. just you and me on lunch...
He says in a flirty manner staring directly into her eyes while fluttering his eyelashes.. She looks back
at him feeling her breath hitch with a small smile on her lips.. She tried to reply but couldn't form any
words.. He gave a big smile making her blush further as she glances away.. He chuckles at her red
face..
A: Get changed.. I'll wait for you in the car..
He says walking backwards towards the door while still having his eyes struck on her.. She smiles in
reply.. He turns exiting the room leaving her smiling to herself..
*End*
-Zareen.