Azmaish-e-Ishq

Ch. 35: Kiss of Death

🎶"Teri judaai ke mausaam tanhaai ke, leke main jaoon kahan? Yeh khwaab kaanton se din raat aankhon mein chubhte hai har pal yahan. Dard jaata nahin, maut aati nahin. Kabhi aise na kisi ka dil tootein. Kisi se koi pyaar na karein.

With this season of loneliness caused by your separation, where do I go? My dream pricks my eyes day and night like a thorn every moment here. The pain doesn't go, death doesn't come. May no one's heart ever break like this. No one should fall in love."🎶

- Dhoke Pyaar Ke | Rashmi Virag | B Praak

Kamran's P.O.V.

She was as I had remembered her. Slightly aged, indicated by the strands of grey in her medium-length black hair, fine lines on her face, and thinner frame, but still beautiful.

Her maternal, kind aura illuminated around her, making me regret each and every passing moment that I had spent with her out of my life, that I had spent painting an evil picture of her.

She pushed herself off the sofa slowly and made her way towards me. Her hands lifted to my cheeks, cradling them as her fingers shook with emotion, "Kamran."

"Assalamwalaikum, Ami," my eyes watered simultaneously as tears streamed down her face.

"Walaikumsalam, beta." She hugged me before touching my face again, "How you have grown!" She caressed my head, "You look so much like your father." A watery chuckle left her lips, "Just as tall too."

"Kaisi hai aap?"
(How are you?)

"Zabardast. Aur tum? Aao, baitho. Dekho, tumhare liye yeh sab banaya hai maine. Tumhe pasand tha, na?" she gestured towards the paneer chutney sandwiches and flaky chicken patties, "Aur bachpan mein yeh lychee juice peete the. Yaad hai? Bazaar se mangwayi hai maine. Aur jab main tumse milne jaati thi tumhare boarding school mein, yeh mithai le jaati thi. Pata nahin tumhe aaj bhi pasand hai ya nahin, lekin maine-"
(Amazing. And you? Come, sit. Look, I have made all this for you. You used to like it, right? And you used to drink this lychee juice during your childhood. Do you remember? I ordered it from the market. And when I used to go visit you at your boarding school, I used to take this sweet. I don't know if you still like it or not, but I-)

I took her hand, asking quietly, "Itne saal baad... Nafrat nahin karti hain aap mujhse?"
(After all these years... Don't you hate me?)

Her expression faltered. She sat down on the sofa, and I kneeled in front of her as my tears fell.

I placed my other hand on top of hers, mustering the courage to look into her eyes. "Bohat bura hoon na main, Ami?"
(I'm very bad. Right, Ami?)

"Nahin," she shook her head, wiping my cheeks, "Nahin, beta. Mera ek lauta bachcha ho. Nafrat kaise karoon main tumhe? Aur kyun?"
(No. No, dear. You are my only child. How can I hate you? And why?)

"Itne saal se koi raabta nahin-"
(I haven't contacted you all these years-)

She offered tenderly, "Ami ne kuch kaha hoga, iss liye naraz-"
(Ami must have said something, that's why you were upset-)

"Nahin," I shook my head. "Galti maine ki. Auron ke baaton mein aa ke, maine aap ke saath bohat na-insaafi ki."
(No. I made the mistake. Falling for others' words, I was very unjust towards you.)

A knowing look came on her face. She knew who I was referring to.

"I shouldn't have listened to them blindly, Ami. But I didn't know better. I was angry. And in that anger, I broke many hearts."