"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Sheharzaad screamed as soon as she cut the call, jumping up and down before running towards her friend's room.
She opened the door and barged in, she was smiling brightly, her grey eyes sparkling with happiness.
"What happened shehar?" her friend asked who was laying on the bed.
She was getting paler day by day, the dark circles were getting more and more prominent and her cheek bones were protruding out.
"Amna! Amna! I'm selected for the interview!" she announced wholeheartedly.
"Really?!" Amna's dead eyes twinkled immediately and a small smile adorned her features.
"Yes! Really!" she squealed with joy, jumping up and down with excitement.
Her wild and care free nature was only revealed to her closed ones which only included her closest friend, Amna.
"From where and what will be your job shehar?" Amna asked, trying to sit up when she helped her and sat beside her.
"They have called me for interview, its from Syed enterprises. Remember I applied for the vacant post of assistant to CEO" she excitedly said.
"Syed enterprises?" Amna asked with widened eyes. She couldn't believe it that Sheharzaad was talking about that famous company. It was a multi national company which involved many countries across the globe and many youngsters died to get a job in this company.
"Yes Amna! Yes! Our life is going to change now. I still can't believe it they had called me. Pinch me hard." she forwarded her hand.
"When will you grow up shehar?" Amna said and pinched on her arm, hard.
"Oww...stupid." she squealed making her laugh.
"When is your interview?"
"Tomorrow! Oh Shit! Shit! Shit! I've nothing to wear. And now I want to die!" she briskly said and quickly stood up moving towards her room so she could dive in her cupboard and find something to wear.
While Amna just chuckled behind and prayed for her.
Sheharzaad was an extremely hardworking and a career focused student. She was always dead set on achieving her goals. Her whole life had always revolved around studies and just studies so she could be a successful woman one day and getting a call from a multi national company was her dream which got fulfilled today.
She completed her degree two months ago and meanwhile worked in a cafe to pay the rent of apartment in which they both were living. She was like a a lone soul in this world when she met, Amna. Four years back, her parents died in a car accident. She was devestated, her world crumbled that day and she had no idea what would happen to her. Her parents left her with a small piece of land which she sold out with the help of Asad, his neighbour. He was man in his mid fifties, extremely humble and well acquainted with Sheharzaad's family. Also, he was the one who bore all the expenses of her parents funeral.
Sheharzaad had no aunt neither any uncle, her parents were also the single child to her grandparents. And she didn't has much idea of her other relatives so the funeral included only the neighbourhood. On that upcoming week, she had gotten a call for scholarship in a university where she applied for admission in Lahore. And then she left her city leaving for Lahore, forever, with the small amount of money she got after selling the small property.
When she got the room at her hostel, she met Amna who was her room mate. Amna was two years older than her and she, too like her was a free bird, her grandmother brought her up, who died the last year, due to which Amna couldn't clear the entrance test and had to wait for an year. Slowly and gradually they both became best friends more like sisters. Amna was always like an elder sister to Sheharzaad. Sheharzaad used to blabber and Amna would listen her endless stories, endlessly. Taking her out of troubles, advising her, scolding her for not cleaning her bed and much more. When they both had completed their degree, they rented a small apartment when Amna met love of her life, Ahmed, who worked in a bank and they both got engaged.
Shehrzaad had noticed how Amna's health was detorioating for past few months and when they went for a check up, Amna was diagnosed with cancer and she needed immediate medical assistance. For her treatment a huge amount of money was required, which Sheharzaad's job at the cafe couldn't fufil.
She desperately needed another job when her eyes caught the advertisement that post of assistant to CEO of Syed enterprises was vacant. She immediately applied for it. She had quite vague chances to get to the post as she was a fresh graduate and to assist the CEO requires alot of experience. You're like a right hand to him.
She knew what posistion did that company holds globally, it was like a dream job to her and it would provide her enough money atleast to initiate Amna's treatment now, she can't see her dying. Though, it may require alot of money but she'd break every limit just to get her out of this disease before time runs out.
"Amna, which one should I wear?" Sheharzaad asked holding two dresses in her hands.
"The white one, it'd be simple and elegant"
"Ahaan! You're right. How come you're so intelligent Amna?" She joked.
"Genes" Amna answered.
"You've got good jeans" she said that made her laugh.
"Are you sure, Shehar, you'll make it to their? The company is quite well known and their might be alot of candidates."
"I'll give my hundrent percent Amna. I want this job, we both can't live on mere ten thousand rupees which I'm able to earn from the cafe. Your treatment needs to start now and this job would provide me enough money"
"I don't know where this cancer came inside I-" she stated in a sad tone before she cut in.
"Genes" Sheharzaad answered quickly before she completes her infamous sentence 'I don't want to be a burden on you' followed by dropping of her face, depicting her sadness.
"Aha! Sheharzaad" she chuckled.
"I'll call Ahmed, he'll be so happy after listening the news." Amna said picking up her phone dialing her fiance's number.
"Oh yes do inform him, Ahmed bhai kept bugging me on and on whether I got the call for interview or not"
"Yes yes I'll" she said as Ahmed immediately picked up the call.
"You carry on with your husband to be, I've to dug into my wardrobe to find some shoes which for tomorrow" she said, leaving the room.
"By the way, shehar, who's the CEO? What's his name?" Amna asked as she only knew about the company not the CEO.
"Shehryaar Haider Syed" She replied, without looking back and moving towards her room.
...................
Riders on the storm
Riders on the storm
The music played lowly as he continued his speedy and energetic strides on the treadmill, his naked torso glistening with sweat.
Into this house we're born
Into this world we're thrown
His slow pants reverbrating the air. His well built, indestructible biceps on full display. His eyes forming a deep frown as if he was thinking about something hard. Few strands of his hair, shadowing his forehead
Like a dog without a bone
An actor out alone
Riders on the storm
He pressed a button and with that the speed of treadmill increased and his legs move fast, his jaw clenching with the rush of adrenaline in his blood vessels.
There's a killer on the road
His brain is squrimin' like a toad
His grip on the handle increased so does the intensity in his grey eyes and the speed of his legs.
He smirked.
'Just a few more' he encouraged himself.
Take a long holiday
Let your children play
After carrying on with the same speed for few minute, he increased the speed further. His teeth grinding against each other and his legs moving faster than ever.
The sweat increased.
The speed increased.
The pants increased.
If ya give this man a ride
Sweet memory will die
Killer on the road, yeah
'10' he counted in his brain.
Girl you gotta love ya man
Girl you gotta love ya man
'9'
With every count, his strides went rapid
Take him by the hand
'8' adrenaline rushed in his veins
Make him understand
'7' his breathing accelerated.
The world on you depends
"6" He gritted his teeth.
Our life will never end
"5" he clenched his jaw, his legs were running with an inhumane speed.
Gotta love your man, yeah
"4" he muttered.
Riders on the storm
"3" he panted heavily.
Riders on the storm
"2" his pupils dilated. He was about to make it. Breaking his own record.
Into this house we're born
"1"
Into this world we're thrown
Like a dog without a bone
"0!" he uttered with merriment and slowed down the treadmill after completely stopping it and getting off it.
He panted heavily as he gulped down the glass of water placed nearby before sitting down on one the couch in his personal gym as the music continued to play behind.
Very few things gave him contentment and defeating him, himself was one of them. Just like he did now, by breaking his own treadmill record. It made him feel undefeatable.
When he had caught his breath he got up before drying his sweat from the towel when he felt someone entering into the gym.