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Within The Confines Of Your Gaze By JRK

Translated by INKY WHISPER

Author Note

Many people surround us with their own energies and ways of thinking, so the story I have written could belong to anyone. I have drawn its essence from reality, which is why so many people may find it relatable.

I have tried to keep it as close to real life as possible. These characters, and the way they love, are not very different from us. In this fast-moving world, emotions have become desensitized to the point where we no longer feel the same attachment to others as we once did. Perhaps that is why it has become easier to deceive people emotionally, and betraying loved ones no longer feels like a betrayal of ourselves or our principles. For some, it has even begun to feel acceptable….perhaps even admirable.

This is the feeling I have tried to explore in this story… a shallow kind of love that can compel one friend to betray another.

In today’s world, the honor and dignity of women often feel unsafe. Yet this story also reminds us that not every gaze is the same. Not every man is defined by ill intent…some presences bring comfort and safety.

Similarly, the people are not always as corrupt as we might believe.Without the existence of both right and wrong, how would we ever learn to distinguish between them?

This is a story of ordinary people, told as realistically as possible. As you read, I would sincerely appreciate your thoughts and feedback.

JRK

Chapter one

“Maheen, you’re sitting here while I’ve been searching the entire department for you?” Sidra said, slightly breathless. She had been looking for her for quite some time, while Maheen calmly enjoyed her tea, sipping it slowly.

“If you knew I usually come here at this time, you could have just come straight here or at least sent me a message,” Maheen replied, not even bothering to look up, her gaze still fixed on her tea.

“A message? I’ve been calling you for ages. You might have noticed if you weren’t so focused on eating,” Sidra said, dropping into the seat across from her, clearly intending to scold her further.

“Uh… no. When you’re eating, your focus should be on your food and your tea. You should eat too, so your concentration gets divided,” Maheen said, taking another sip of her tea, clearly satisfied with what she considered excellent advice.

“No, you’re quite enough for that,” Sidra replied dryly, her eyes fixed on Maheen’s cup of tea.

“Hmm… alright,” Maheen said, not bothering to argue further.

“Ugh, if you stop eating for a minute, the world won’t end. Leave this and tell me did you note down Sir Mohsin’s lecture? I missed a point, and I want to write it down now. Give me your notes. After this, we have to go to the seminar.” She pulled out her register as she spoke.

“Come on, be quick,” Sidra urged. But Maheen didn’t respond. She remained completely unbothered, as if she hadn’t heard a word. When Sidra got no reply, she sighed and pulled out Maheen’s notes herself.

“Alright, listen, have some tea. It’s actually good,” Maheen said, a teasing smile playing on her lips. She knew very well that Sidra disliked tea, which made it all the more amusing.

“You drink it,” Sidra snapped. Before she could say anything else, someone stepped up to their table.

“Hello, ladies. How are you?” Both of them looked up.

“Why do you always sit here?” he continued casually. “You should go out more…the world’s quite colorful. Don’t you ever get bored sitting here all the time?” He spoke enthusiastically, completely ignoring their unimpressed expressions.

“Excuse me?” Maheen said sharply. “Who are you? What are you doing here? And who asked for your suggestions?” Sidra remained silent, though his presence clearly irritated her.

“Me? I’m Zaman Sheikh. Everyone in the university knows me,” he said proudly.

“Well, that’s unfortunate,” Maheen replied without hesitation. “Because I don’t know you. Whoever you are, get lost and keep your useless advice to yourself.” Zaman’s smile faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered.

“Well, now you do know me. If you’d like to know more, you can always ask,” he added, trying to regain his composure.

“I have no interest,” Maheen cut in calmly. “Sidra, let’s go.” They picked up their books and turned to leave. Suddenly, Zaman grabbed Sidra’s wrist.

“I have a lot to talk to you about, dear. Where are you going?” he said, locking his gaze onto hers. Sidra froze.

“Leave her hand,” Maheen said, her voice firm. She didn’t like his tone or the way he was touching Sidra. Sidra tried to pull her hand free, her eyes filling with tears, but his grip only tightened.

“I won’t,” he said coolly. “What are you going to do about it?” The next moment, Maheen slapped him hard. The sharp sound echoed, drawing the attention of nearby students. Everyone watched, but no one stepped in.

Zaman released Sidra’s hand. Fury flashed across his face as he stepped toward Maheen. Before he could do anything, Sidra grabbed Maheen and pulled her away. As they hurried off, his voice followed them…. “You’ll remember that slap. I won’t forget it… and I won’t let you forget it either.”

Zaman stood there, seething. But they didn’t look back.

***************

Since Zaman Sheikh’s admission to the university, the atmosphere had changed. A strange unease lingered in the air.

He made life difficult for many girls, yet no one stopped him. No action was ever taken against him. In a society like this, those with money could get away with anything….even the authorities bent under their influence.

Zaman Sheikh was the son of Sheikh Farzand and Asma. Asma had been married off to Sheikh Farzand like a transaction, her consent never truly considered. Their marriage had not been born out of love, but out of the need to end a long-standing family enmity. To save their sons, their families had sacrificed a daughter.

It was always easier that way. Even in the twenty-first century, some minds remained trapped in the past, where sons could do no wrong, and daughters were treated as burdens… as if their existence held no value.

Asma had been one of those daughters. After her marriage, she never found happiness. The grief she carried had no witness but God. To her parents, wealth had mattered more than her life, and she had been handed over without hesitation.

When she gave birth to Zaman, whatever remained of her spirit faded. She died soon after.

There are people who live only for money. To them, relationships mean nothing. Right and wrong lose their meaning. Over time, they grow numb, untouched by emotion, unmoved by consequence.

And with enough power, they believe they can take anything. Even someone’s peace. Even someone’s life.

***************

“Come on, Maheen, stop crying. Who told you to slap him? Did you hear what he said? He was threatening us openly. I’m honestly scared. This is all because of your anger, now deal with it,” Sidra said, blaming her without realizing that Maheen had only acted for her sake.

“What do you mean, Sidra?” Maheen looked at her, hurt. “Should I have just stood there like everyone else, out of fear? He was clearly harassing you and now you’re saying I should’ve done nothing? That I should’ve stayed silent?”

“He only held my hand,” Sidra replied lightly, as if it were nothing serious. “You know he does that with every girl in the university. No one stops him but you… you slapped him.” Maheen stared at her in disbelief.

“What do you mean by that? First of all, you should have stopped him yourself or at least pulled your hand away. What are you so afraid of? A woman should be strong… firm, not like a frightened bird. And you’re my friend of course I was going to defend you. How could I just stand there and watch?” She paused, her voice tightening.

“And just because no one else stops him doesn’t mean we should be afraid too. I’m not afraid of him. I don’t think I did anything wrong. It’s because of this fear that men like him think they can get away with anything. They believe we’ll stay silent.”

Sidra said nothing for a moment, then replied quietly, “But Maheen… you should have thought before doing something like that. And now you’re crying….what does that even mean?”

“I’m crying because it hurt me to see what happened to you,” Maheen said, her voice trembling. “That doesn’t mean I’m afraid of him. You matter to me… like a sister.” Her anger flickered again.

“I swear, I was so angry I felt like I could have shot him. I know that sounds extreme but things like this don’t stay small. It starts with something as simple as holding a hand… and when they realize we won’t fight back, they go further.” Sidra softened a little.

“Alright… don’t worry now. Just relax. And stop crying. But you should be careful, Maheen. I think you should tell your family about this.” Maheen only looked at her, saying nothing.

“Anyway, let’s go. It’s time we’ve already missed the seminar because of this whole Zaman mess. I hope we don’t miss the bus too. Bye.”

Without waiting for a response, Sidra left. Maheen stood there for a moment, then slowly got up….her exhaustion evident in every step.

To Be Continued….