Chaos in the Canvas √

15 | truths

"Why?" Ali asked, making Ibrahim shake his head with more ferocity.

"Because I met her on Monday night." Ibrahim had no intention of revealing his secrets but the shockwaves that kept passing through him made it difficult to function properly.

Hemayal knew Humna - this had proved to be enough of a jolt for him, enough to make his world tilt just a little but this new revelation of Ali had literally made his world come crashing down. If Humna was not in the city on Monday evening, then who the hell was kidnapped?

"Abi, I don't think that is possible. The odds of her being in the city are quite thin. In fact, I have solid proof of her being outside the city." Ali shook his head, confused as he thought profoundly, "I think you met someone else and thought of her as Humna."

Ali voiced Ibrahim's thoughts, making his insides clench furiously as he struggled for dear breath. What was happening around him was something that made no sense to him at all. The revelations of Ali had had him stunned to such a degree that no part of his brain functioned to devise a logical conclusion to all the mess - no part was saved from the waves of shock.

The woman he had accident with was the same woman who was kidnapped - that much he was sure of. Besides that, nothing was clear - everything a haze of memories and emotions. If the car belonged to Humna, she must have been the one he had an accident with, and she also must be the person who was kidnapped. Why the hell was Ali stating otherwise then?

"I think you are mistaken, Ali." Ibrahim took in a deep breath before replying, gathering his senses on time, "The woman I met on Monday night was Humna, I'm sure of that. She was the one I had an accident with, she was the one who owned the car and she was the one I..."

Ibrahim stopped on time, hardly believing that in this state of emotions, he had accidentally let slip of his darkest secret, his ultimate regret. Ali was a police officer, an honest one despite going out of the way to help his friends - and Ibrahim knew for a fact that it won't be easy for him if Ali even got a hint of his doings. The police officer would never let his friend get away with kidnapping.

"You what, Abi?" Ali raised an eyebrow, making Ibrahim's heart drop in his abdomen before he coughed slightly.

"She was the one I asked information of." Ibrahim was quick to recover, coming up with a statement he knew Ali would buy.

And he did.

"Oh." Ali only managed a small nod and a smile before continuing, "Ibrahim, I do not know what you are so worried about or what is the reason behind these questions , but I hope you did nothing wrong?"

Ibrahim smiled, despite the tearing in his insides at Ali's words, knowing that he was exploiting his friend and his status, knowing that what he did was utterly, terribly wrong.

"No, Ali, nothing." Ibrahim replied with a smile, one that Ali bought without a second thought.

"Well, in that case, everything can be solved. You don't worry, okay?" Ali's words hinted at farewell and in one way or another, it made Ibrahim glad.

Loneliness is the only solution to troubled mind and disorganized thoughts - life had taught him this lesson more than once. A man who does not enjoy his time in solitude can never face life like a man who looks forward to it. Loneliness has healing powers and not every man was blessed with it.

Fortunately, Ibrahim was.

"Yes, yes. I know." Ibrahim nodded, ending the conversation which had given him nothing but worry and heartaches.

"Abi, I have some pending work. I need to go now." Ali said, an apologetic smile covering his face as he collected his belongings from the table, placing the money on the table after insistence.