Shadow of Past

Chapter 1 — Present

The room was dim except for the soft glow of a mobile screen. Hani lay on her bed, scrolling absentmindedly through her phone as the minutes slipped past. Eventually, fatigue pulled at her eyes. With a slow exhale, she placed the phone on the side table and turned onto her pillow, letting herself drift into sleep.

Morning arrived long before the sun. At exactly 5:00 a.m., the shrill ring of her alarm shattered the quiet. Hani woke instantly; she had trained herself to rise early. She offered her morning prayer, allowing the calm rhythm of recitation to settle her thoughts. Afterward, she spent a few minutes doing tilawat, her voice barely above a whisper in the stillness of dawn.

Today was not an ordinary morning.

Today was Hani’s first day at university.

Instead of letting her nervousness show, she buried herself in routine. She moved to the kitchen and began preparing breakfast—tea boiling on the stove, bread warming, plates arranged neatly. Her parents joined soon after, then her younger sisters, still sleepy but cheerful. Once everyone had eaten and the dishes were washed, Hani finally returned to her room to get dressed.

Ten minutes later, she walked out into the dining room fully ready. She wore a black abaya and matching hijab, simple yet elegant. Her father looked up, a proud smile crossing his face.

“Papa, let’s go,” she said gently. “We’re getting late. You know, today is my first day.”

They stepped out of the house together. The morning air was crisp, carrying the quiet energy of the new day. After an hour-long drive, the university came into view—wide gates, tall buildings, and a campus alive with students hurrying to their classes.

Hani’s heart tightened as she stepped out of the car.

“Allah Hafiz, Papa,” she whispered.

“Allah Hafiz, Beta,” he replied, giving her a reassuring nod before driving away.

She turned toward the campus. It was beautiful, far more modern than she expected. But beauty was not what caught her attention. Everywhere she looked, she saw boys and girls sitting together, chatting freely, laughing loudly. The scene overwhelmed her. Her upbringing, her values, her sense of dignity—everything felt suddenly fragile in this unfamiliar environment.

Ya Allah, she prayed silently, protect me and guide me. Help me remain strong here.

She entered the corridor, pulling her bag slightly closer to her side. A few steps in, she froze. Ahead of her, a group of seniors had gathered around some first-year students—laughing, teasing, intimidating them. The new students looked embarrassed, even frightened.

Hani stepped back instinctively, her breath catching in her throat. She hurried behind a staircase, hoping they wouldn’t notice her.

Just then, she saw a boy

“Hey!” Hani whispered urgently. “You—come here. If you stay out in the open, they’ll start troubling you too. Hide here.”

He blinked in surprise and said they can't . Hani said “Why? Are you a senior?”

Hani answer herself , “No, no. if you were like them, you had be busy ragging juniors, not listening me .”

The boy hesitated. “Miss, excuse me, but you stay here. Don’t go outside. I’m not a senior… I’m actually one of the owners of this university.”

For a moment, Hani forgot how to breathe.

Her expression shifted instantly, the color draining from her face.

But before she could respond, he stepped away, disappearing around the corner.

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After a Long Day

By the time Hani reached home that evening, exhaustion clung to her like a shadow. She prayed her afternoon prayer, then lay down to rest. But sleep did not bring peace.

She found herself trapped in a dream—dark, heavy, suffocating. She screamed, begging for help.

“Please… don’t make my life difficult—Papa, I didn’t do anything—” Her voice trembled in the dream as though she were reliving a moment from long ago.

Her mother rushed into the room when she heard the cry. “Hani!” she called, gently shaking her. “Wake up, beta. Nothing is happening. You’re safe.”

Hani jolted awake, breathless, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her mother held her close, stroking her hair until her trembling eased.

“It’s okay,” her mother whispered. “You’re alright now.”

But Hani continued crying, the remnants of fear refusing to fade.

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Three Days Later

Three days passed at the university, each as overwhelming as the last. Something about the atmosphere unsettled her—not the campus, not the students, but the feeling within herself. A heaviness she couldn’t name. A memory she couldn’t fully face.

On the fourth day, she made a sudden decision.

She walked into the administrative office and submitted an application to become part of the Dubai student exchange program. She didn’t tell her parents the full reason. Instead, she told them she had earned a scholarship.

“I want to go,” she said softly. “I need some distance… to clear my mind.”

Her parents were shocked. Her mother cried. Her father refused at first. Hani felt torn, but she remained firm. After two days of emotional struggle, her parents reluctantly agreed.

And now, she stood at Islamabad Airport, suitcase beside her, passport in hand, her heart beating fast.

This was her chance to breathe.

Her chance to understand herself.

Her chance to escape something from her past that refused to let her go.

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