Promises
"It is easy to make promises - it is hard work to keep them."
Humaira wanted to cry, he could tell. Her lower lip quivered slightly. He also knew that no matter how much she was hurt, she wouldn't cry. She wouldn't complain.
She nestled the rag doll she adored in her lap, staring it as she sat on the swing. The doll's arm had been tugged apart, and the clothes were tattered. She'd told him it was an accident but he knew better. Someone at school had taken it from her and was responsible for the sorry state the doll was in.
Ayaan would have told her that he'd taken care of the kid that had bullied her, if it would have made her feel better, but knowing Humaira it would make her feel worse, so instead he attempted to cheer her up with his usual attempt at poetry.
For the first minute she just stared at him and he'd thought he'd failed to cheer her up but then her lips turned upwards and a smile lit her face. She shook her head like she always did.
"You're terrible." She told him between smiles.
"I know, but it made you smile." He ran his fingers through his hair. "So I remember I promised you that we'd go get some falooda after school. Still interested?"
Humaira's smile got wider. "Do you even have to ask?"
He knew she wouldn't say no. It was her favorite drink, after all. He stretched out his hand for her to grab. As she placed her hands in his, Ayaan had made a promise to himself. He had decided that he wouldn't let anyone hurt Humaira, he would always protect her.
The memory of that day came unbidden to Ayaan, much like the thunder that had sent her into his arms. Somehow in the ten years that had come to pass he'd forgotten the promise he'd made to protect her. He had failed to protect her from the one person who had hurt her the most. Himself.
She'd clutched to his collar earlier as well when she'd fretted over not remembering the details of Vikram, the man she believed was her husband. He had been frustrated then and had pushed her to try to remember. It had only made matters worse, and she'd pleaded to him for help, between her tears, looking to him for consolation.
He seemed to be breaking his promises all the time. He'd promised that he wouldn't hurt her yet again he'd done just that. Wrapping his arms around didn't feel enough to fix what he'd broken. He'd chased her away from him, and now he was afraid she wouldn't return back at all.
He could feel her tears soak his shirt, and he had to grit his teeth to keep his own tears from spilling over. His heart felt at edge lately. One minute he felt helpless, and frustrated. There were times he felt happy, and amused. Then there were moments when he could swear his heart seemed to flutter in a manner he didn't quite understand.
The one thing he did understand, though, was that he didn't like to see Humaira cry. He tightened his grip around her shoulders. Maybe it was time for him to try harder to keep his promises.