Chapter 3 Inferiority Complex

''Then you shouldn't be putting this much makeup on!" she stopped in shock at the last stair. She was an old woman in a long cloth wrapped around her, climbing stairs while looking at her in disdain.

"People try to teach ethics in the middle of their way" she commented. She would've said more but Zara brought her holding her elbow, from there. At that very moment, Iram was seen coming from the front. Her scarf was now on her neck. She didn't do much shopping. Probably she came for an outing with them.

Afterward, they went to "Scoop'' to eat something light. Dinner was from Uncle Furqan, who was arranging it for the guests gathering at his son's wedding.

"Order Pineapple Slush for me, I've to buy something from the bakery." Iram instantly got out of the car. Haya downed the mirror of the car taking a deep breath. A cool breeze of air came straight at her face but the joy of having slush in the cold was unmatchable.

She was in the parking lot and a cold wind was blowing. It was deep in the evening and it was becoming darker.

"Iram looks so complex, no," Zara commented as Iram went far. "And you were increasing her those complexes," Haya became angry at her instead.

"Uncle Furqan is only strict about wearing a scarf. She is becoming self conscious at this very thing and you were increasing her pain"

I thought that helpless Iram...

"She isn't helpless at all, you should make her understand to come out of this self-consciousness"

The waiter came with a card in his hand outside the mirror at Haya's side.

"Remember Zara! Last year, our university gave us hopes of visiting Turkey and they canceled the plan at the end," she was remembering while pulling the mirror upwards.

"I was so hopeless at the time that I didn't think I'd make it to Turkey ever," hope was returning in her voice.

She and Zara were in their final year of LLB Honors( Shariah and Law). They were in the midst of their seventh semester when the sponsored scholarship of the European Union was announced, according to which exchange of students was gonna take place between the universities of Europe and Asia. In this way, some students will travel to Europe for one semester and will come back after completion. When she applied to European universities, it felt easy for her to submit the form to Sabanci University, but then she also applied to a Spanish University and finally, Sabanci accepted her.

She had to go to Turkey for 5 months after completion of her seventh semester in February, where her subjects of Sharia and Law weren't taught as the law of Turkey is different from Pakistan, so she was able to choose any subject to study in those 5 months. Then she had to start her 8th semester after coming back.

"How fun it will be Haya! If you find some romantic and handsome partner then your journey will become more beautiful."

"We won't find any partner as only two girls are going to Sabanci from Pakistan and we are from an all-girls university."

"Have you ever talked to Khadija Rana who is going with you?"

Waited and knocked at the mirror. Haya was surprised, then she started downing the mirror.

"No. I don't know Khadija Rana." She took the glasses of slush, gave one to Zara, and placed Iram's on the dashboard. Then sipped from her glass. She forgot to close the mirror.

Suddenly, Zara's phone rang. Zara attended while sipping from her glass.

"Hello, Mom! What! There is noise, one minute..."

Probably signals weren't good on Zara's phone.

She opened the car's door and went out holding the glass in her hand.

Haya was looking at Zara while taking small sips from her glass. She was talking on the phone standing near a distant tree.

"Hello! My lady!" Someone spoke from very close. She jumped in fear. A little juice spilled on her clothes.

A woman was smiling at the open window. Her face was fully immersed in make-up, sparkling eye shadow, bright lipstick, hair bun, shiny clothes... She wasn't a woman, not a man even.

How are you, Madam? He was fulling leaning at the window. The glass shivered in her hands, she wanted to close the mirror, but his hands were in between.

"Don't fear Madam! I'm your friend, people call me Dolly"

"Go, go, stay away," she was scared. A strong perfume smell was coming from him, and she felt bad.

"Listen to me a bit," he further leaned on her and before he further progressed, Haya threw the glass of slush on his face. He got back suddenly due to the cold ice on his face. She closed the mirror hastily.

"Listen, listen please..." He was knocking at the mirror smiling while cleaning his face. His voice wasn't clear due to the closed mirror and now he was mumbling some song.

She put the key in the ignition with her trembling hands and drove her car away from there. She parked her car at the entrance of the bakery and looked back. That transgender named Dolly was still standing near the trees. He didn't come after her and wasn't singing either. He was just glaring at her in silence. She shivered a bit.

"Where are they both?" She horned while becoming angry. He was still glaring at her.