Aliyah's pov:

This is the first time I've ever slept this long. 2 pm? Seriously?

I open my phone to see some texts from Noor. 

'Aariz's dadi prepared a special tour for me and Aariz. I had to go sorry!'

'Nafu said she would go around for a walk as would be good for her.'

'I think Karya is available. But maybe not. Nafu said she was arguing with Aryan. I ship those two! Maybe don't disturb them... You should rather go with Nafu.

I freshen up and wear my normal clothes. I was so tired yesterday that I didn't even bother taking off my dress. Thankfully, it didn't get ruined.

Now, what do I do? I don't think I should disturb Karya as well. The way she kept yapping about how annoying it is when he calls her curry, she should know how it feels when they call me Aloo. 

Nafisa probably wanted to go on a walk alone or else she would've taken Karya with her. 

I guess I have to find something to do myself. 

Normally, I'd lay on my bed and read a book or watch a movie. 

But I'm in Paris! I need to go out and see everything after all.

I close the hotel door behind me and take the stairs down. I always avoided lifts whenever I could. I wasn't terrified of them anymore like I was before. But I still didn't go in unless I was with someone else.

My claustrophobia kicks in at surprising moments when I'm alone.

I was leaving the hotel when I heard the annoying voice. 

"I was wondering why it was so dark at 3 pm. Turns out it's just the Nightmare."

"I don't think it's me birdie. It's your poor soul. Darker than a nightmare."

"You're not too wrong about that. That's surprising."

"Of course. I'm always right. Stupid Angry Birds just don't realise it."

"Where are you going?"

"None of your business." It was none of his business, why is he asking?

"Okay." He walks off towards the direction I wanted to go to! Now he'll think I'm following him!

Just go Aliyah. It's fine. You were going to go there first anyway.

"Are you following me?" He asks just like I thought he would.

"Nope." I walk in front of him. "I'm not." I walk a bit and then turn around. "Are you following me?"

"No. I'm walking with you." he comes beside me. 

"Gosh! You're so annoying!"

"And you're a Nightmare."

"And you're an Angry bird!"

"I told you not to call me that."

"I told you not to call me Nightmare."

"And I won't listen."

"Then so won't I."

"Gosh you're such a Nightmare!"

"And you're an angry bird! Now let me enjoy the Eiffel Tower. Stop bothering me." I say when we were on the opposite side of the Eiffel Tower. It looked very pretty in the photos from far away. So I wanted to see it from far away before close up.

"Why did you come all the way here? Our hotel was so to the Eiffel Tower!"

"I didn't ask you to follow me. I wanted to see it from far first as it looks prettier." I say while admiring the Eiffel Tower.

"Yeah, it does." surprisingly, he agreed.

.

After, I walked back the way I came. Well, we walked back the way we came and went a bit further in that direction to get to the Eiffel Tower.

It was huge and majestic. I couldn't believe I was here. I've always only been dreaming of coming here. Never in my life, I would've thought I'd come here.

That too with this Angry bird who has been following me for some reason.

I take a few pictures while he just stands.

"Why have you been following me the whole day? Don't you have anything better to do?"

"Honestly, no. I'm bored as shit. And I thought I could follow you in case something embarrassing happens to you so I can make fun of you and win all the arguments with it." he admits.

"You're impossible!"

We walk back to the hotel. Thankfully so far, nothing happened that can be made fun of. Just a little more! His floor is one floor below mine.

Oh. I have to take the lift now. It'll be fine. He is there and I'll only be alone for one floor. 

Come on Aliyah. You can do this. He will make fun of you otherwise.

He presses the button and the lift opens. I get in after him and he closes the door.

It's fine. You're fine. Just breathe. 

I check my phone to see that Karya asked me to meet her in her room. I'll get off on my floor and walk the two rest floors. It's fine.

Suddenly, the lift stops and the lights turn off. 

Oh fuck.

"What the hell happened?" I hear Ahaan's voice before my mind turns into a different scenario.

'Why is it so dark Fahad?'

'Don't worry Aliyah. You trust me right? Just wait a little more.'

'Okay'... 'Oh my god Fahad. I can't see anything now that you closed the door. What are you doing?'

'Just something I know you will love. Now don't shout or else I'll kill you.'

'What? OH MY GOD! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? STOP! 

'I said don't shout Aliyah. I don't want to kill you. Everything will go to a waste if I do.'

"STOP!'

"Aliyah? Are you there? My phone's battery is-" I couldn't hear the rest.

My body starts shaking as I drop down onto the floor. Everything was slowly getting blurry.

Ahaan's pov:

Nothing would've ever prepared me for this. 

"Aliyah? Are you okay? Stay with me." I grab her shoulders gently to make sure she is still awake.

"I-" Her voice was enough for me to know she was having a panic attack.

"You're fine. I'm here. Don't worry." I help her sit alongside the wall so she can balance better.

"Aliyah. Look at me. I'm here with you. You are going to be okay." I say again. She was still in her senses, but I don't know for how long. Her body was still shaking with fear.

I needed to bring her back.

"Breathe. Slowly. You can do it. I'm here. Don't worry. It's okay. Breathe." Never in my entire life would I've thought that I'd have to help Aliyah Rahsin with panic attacks.

I take out her phone from her purse as mine is out of battery and then turn on the flashlight.

"Aliyah. Relax. It'll be fine. Now look around. Tell me 5 things you can see." she turned her head a little.

"You, my phone, your phone, my purse and your jacket," she says barely loud enough.

There was barely anything in the lift so I took my jacket off despite it being cold so it could be one of the things she saw.

"Okay. Good. What about 4 things you can touch?"

"your jacket" she says while pulling the jacket a bit towards her, then she touches her purse. "this purse," then she take her phone, "my phone and," she looks around for a bit. 

My phone was a bit far away. I should've brought it closer!

I feel her hands on my hands. "your hands?" she says in a quiet and questioning voice. Okay, good. She is using her mind more.

"Anything you can hear?" normally, it's 3 things you can here but it's not possible in this scenario.

"Your voice and my voice." her voice got clearer, but she was still a bit shaky.

"Good. And anything you can smell?" 

"Your cologne and my perfume." her body relaxed a bit.

The lights turned on and there was an announcement.

"Sorry for the inconvenience. There was a tiny problem with the power-"

She came back to normal after the announcement finished but was still in a little shock.

The lift stops on my floor but I don't get off. I need to make sure she goes back in first.

We both get off on her floor and I see her friend Karya waiting in front of her room. 

"Aliyah. Oh my god, are you okay?" she runs over to Aliyah and gives her a side hug.

"I'm- I'm fine. Don't worry." 

Karya leads her inside her room so I take the lift back to my floor and go inside my room.

Why did she have a panic attack? Was this normal for her? Did she have Nyctophobia (fear of darkness)? Or Claustrophobia (fear of tight spaces)? Or both?

Why was she so scared of it that she almost fainted?

If she had Claustrophobia, then why did she get in the lift?

I thought I could follow you in case something embarrassing happens to you so I can make fun of you and win all the arguments with it.

Great job Ahaan! She almost fainted because of you.

I hate her, yes. But that doesn't mean I'd leave her to die. I'm a doctor! She is one as well. But a doctor is just as helpless as a normal patient when they are the patient.

The words I said to her come back to my mind.

Aliyah. Look at me. I'm here with you. You are going to be okay.

The scene of her slowly getting quiet after the lift stopped. And then her collapsing onto the ground.

Never did I think she would've been scared by the dark or a closed space. She was always a fearless person to me. 

Why did I help her? Cause I would obviously help anyone in danger unless they are a serial killer or someone from the Rashid family.

But why was I so worried when she was having a panic attack? It was like I was panicking myself. It's not like me to panic.

Something is definitely wrong with me.

Thank you for reading<3