Koh-e-Noor

//• aatth •//

[Chal chal ke pooraani raahein,
Abbh toh sab thak gaye yaar,]

I got a leg cramp after just a few hours of sleep, and yelled for help.

I don't know how long I screamed for, but I know one thing for sure, and that is that you can get killed in this house and no one would even get a hint of it.

Allah, it pained so much. The pain vibrated all around my right calf, I could not move it an inch.

I wiped my tears away.

Abbh yeh koyi chhotti motti baat nahin hai, koyi tukk nahin banta tha mera kambal churaane ka.

I shouted for help from Maya, her room is the closest, she could've heard me the best.

I heard a knock on the door and wiped all my tears away.

"Aao please, jaldi."

And Ekta Kapoor, roll the drums.

It had to be him.

I decided in my head to curse him.

I just need his help right now, then he shall wait for my curses.

"Kyaa hai? Kyun cheekh rahi ho?" He walked in with his protein shake bottle and a sweaty body.

He watched me holding my leg and approached it.

"Kyaa? Cramps?"

"Haan," kaash mujhe zyaada gaaliyaan aati, variety toh hoti. Roz iss kamzarf aadmi ko aik gaali de de ke main bhi thak gayi hoon.

Balke kaash yeh meri zindagi mein hota hi naa. Maangna hi hai toh kuchh baraa maango, Zaira.

He touched it,

"No no no no no, kasam khuda ki I'm going to kill you—" my head fell back on the pillow and I covered my mouth to stop any screams.

The pain intensified so much before slowly disappearing. He massaged it very gently.

I sat down and finally took a breath of relief.

"Better?" He asked and I was halfway through the nod when he stretched it.

"Fuck,"

He let go of it very unkindly, "you're welcome," got up and left.

How dare he?

I tripped and fell on his blanket before being able to get on my feet properly, then violently walked to his room but saw everyone downstairs on the breakfast table, looking up at me.

He's late? Again? It's 7:30AM and he's always back from gym before 6:30AM. What's—

Taaya abbu got up and left, I ran downstairs, "Taaya abbu—"

"Zaira," mama called me out.

Taaya abbu turned around and waited for me to talk but mama interrupted me.

"Nahin kuchh nahin bhai, koyi fazool baat kar ke aap ka waqt hi zaaya kare gi," mama told him and gave me a glare, "jaao nahaa dho ke aao, naashta tayyaar hai."

I watched taaya abbu leave and looked at taayi ammi with a lot of fury, "Taayi ammi uss ko samjhaa dein mera koyi mazaaq nahin hai uss ke saath. Mujh se munh naa lagaa kare! Poori raat meri kharaab ho gayi hai, kambal chori kiya hai uss ne mera sirf mujhe tang karne ke liye, jab se aayi hoon zindagi kharaab karne ki koshish kar rahaa hai uss se kahein main abbh woh bachpan waali Zaira nahin hoon ke woh parosiyon ki ghantti bajaa ke bhaag jaae ga aur mujhe waheen khara rehne ko kahe ga aur main maasoom maan jaaun gi aur har baar beizzati sunn ke aaun gi, abbh aisa kuchh kare ga toh agli gali ke qasaai se gosht kaattne waali chhuri laa ke uss ka galaa kaatt doon gi, mujh se panga naa le."