Koh-e-Noor

//• solaah •//

[tere husn se, zindagi haseen
tere husn ke, aage koyi haseena
kuchh bhi nahin...]

— Z A I R A —

I held my head, "Allah miyaan! Abhi tou soyi thi main, yeh kaun cheekh rahaa hai?"

"Yeh lafz bhi kaise nikaala tum ne zubaan se?" Janaab Waada-e-faramosh? I rushed out of bed when the yelling got loud.

"Hamza!" Taayi ammi shouted while I ran out of the room to a few steps in front of me.

"Kyaa kar rahe ho! Maar do ge usse?" I tried to push him off Uzair yet he remained stiff with his body and loose with his punches.

"Zain!" I screamed, "Zain! Hamza bas!" I looked at Uzair's bloodied face.

It took no seconds for the whole family to gather.

"Hamza yeh kyaa kar rahe ho tum?" Sahil came and held him away.

Uzair did give a hit or two back, but had Sahil been a second late, Uzair would have fallen unconscious.

I don't even remember the words Janaab Waada-e-faramosh was uttering while he hit Uzair.

I felt at a total loss of consciousness after seeing the lake of Uzair's blood.

Ya Allah, heal him. Bechaara! How can anyone beat someone so brutally? A family member?

"Ghattiya baatein kar raha hai yaar? Main sunta rahoon?" I rolled my eyes at Mr. Brawler.

Everyone's looks came on me while he was being taken to the living room and Uzair was being helped up.

I pushed myself back, "Main bataati hoon, main bataati hoon."

Mama ke mood se tou yehi lag rahaa hai abhi meri bhi Uzair waali halat hone waali hai.

Ya Allah, reham.

I ran to Alina and Haroon.

"Tum kab aayi?" Alina asked.

"Kal raat ko." I whispered.

"Tumhain tou main chhoroon ga nahin, tumhaari tou iss se bhi buri pittaayi hone waali hai mere haathon. Aise kaise chali gayi tum baggeir bataae?"

I whined, "Mujh se nahin poochho mujhe abhi waise hi mama ke sawaalon ke jawaab dene hain, oopar se neend aadhi bhi nahin poori huyi."

"Maine kal raat Hamza aur Zaira ko saath mein dekha." Uzair told taaya abbu.

What?

I felt everyone's eyes on me for a second, and mine went to my ring to hide the suddenly crept embarrassment on my face.

"Kyaa kehna chaahte ho tum?" Papa asked strictly.

"Kuch nahin, maine tou kuchh nahin kahaa, Hamza ko pata nahin kyun gussa aa gaya."

"Bare chaachu, iss ne joh baat ki woh aap sunte..."

Janaab Waada-e-faramosh looked in my direction and went silent.

Everyone looked away. I saw a rage in mama's eyes, along with a skeptical look. She believed more in Uzair than her own upbringing.