The car slowed to a stop, the city humming softly around them. As the doors opened, Sahil, Adaa, and Zara stepped out into the warm air of Dubai. Almost instantly, all three of them looked up and went still.
In front of them stood the breathtaking Burj Khalifa, rising endlessly into the sky. Its glass exterior caught the sunlight, glowing like it belonged to another world. People moved around them, cameras clicked, voices blended into noise, but for a few seconds, none of that mattered.
It was just them.
“I still can’t believe we’re actually here…” Zara said softly, her eyes wide.
Adaa let out a small laugh, still staring up. “How many times did we say we’d come here one day?”
“Too many,” Sahil replied, smiling. “And we actually did it.”
There was something quiet and meaningful in that moment. Years of planning, late night conversations, and small dreams had finally brought them here.
Sahil clapped his hands once, breaking the stillness. “Okay, you guys wait here. I’ll get the tickets. Meet me near the lift.”
Before they could respond, he had already disappeared into the crowd.
Adaa watched him go, then slowly turned to Zara. The excitement on Zara’s face had faded. Something was wrong.
“Zara, you okay?” Adaa asked, her voice gentle.
Zara nodded quickly, forcing a small smile. “Yeah… I’m fine.”
Adaa tilted her head slightly. “You’re a terrible liar. Tell me.”
Zara looked away, her fingers nervously twisting together. For a moment, she said nothing. Then she let out a quiet breath.
“Things at home are getting worse,” she said, her voice low. “Mom and dad won’t stop fighting. It’s like every day there’s something new.”
Adaa listened, her expression soft.
“And dada…” Zara continued, her voice shaking now, “he’s really sick. But he still won’t talk to them. He just holds on to whatever happened before. He won’t forgive them.”
She swallowed hard.
“I feel stuck in the middle. I don’t know what to do anymore.”
Adaa stepped closer and gently held her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
“Families are messy,” she said quietly. “They fight, they break, they say things they don’t mean. But they don’t stay broken forever.”
Zara looked at her, searching for certainty.
“They’ll find their way back,” Adaa added softly. “Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow. But they will.”
Zara nodded slowly. It did not fix everything, but it made the weight feel a little lighter.
“Hey! Over here!”
Sahil’s voice cut through the moment.
They turned to see him near the entrance, waving both hands excitedly, tickets held up like a victory.
“Come on!” he shouted.
Zara smiled faintly. “Let’s go.”
They walked toward him, their steps lighter now. Sahil handed them the tickets with a grin, his excitement contagious.
“All set,” he said. “Top floor. Best view in the city.”
The three of them stepped into the lift together. The doors closed with a soft sound, sealing them inside.
The lift began its smooth ascent.
Numbers climbed rapidly.
10… 35… 60…
Sahil leaned slightly forward, already talking. “You know this is one of the fastest elevators in the world, right? Just wait till we reach the top.”
Zara nodded, though her mind still wandered.
Neither of them noticed Adaa.
She stood quietly near the side, her hand resting on the railing. At first, it was just a slight uneasiness. Then her breathing changed, becoming shallow. The lights above felt too bright, almost sharp against her eyes. The enclosed space suddenly felt smaller.
85… 92… 97…
A faint ringing filled her ears.
Her vision began to blur, the edges of everything softening and shifting.
She blinked a few times, trying to steady herself, but the ground beneath her felt unsteady.
100.
The numbers stopped, but her world did not.
Everything spun.
Voices became distant, like they were coming from far away.
Then suddenly, a hand reached out in front of her.
Firm. Steady.
As if it had appeared at the exact moment she needed it.
Adaa tried to focus, her vision struggling to clear. Slowly, she saw him.
His eyes.
Olive green.
Sharp. Calm. Completely unfamiliar.
Her thoughts scattered instantly.
“Who… is this…” she whispered, barely forming the words.
Her gaze shifted weakly, searching for something known.
“Sahil…?”
But no.
This was not him.
The realization came just as her strength gave out.
The hand remained in front of her, the last thing holding her attention.
And then everything went dark.
Adaa collapsed.
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