Pasoori

Chapter 20

WHAT did she have in the name of personal possession? A few pieces of worn clothes, and a fatherless name? No place to go, and no ounce of respect to her name? Serina realised how void her life actually was, but crying over it was useless.

In a haste, she stuffed everything into her small bag, and fixed her state. She knew she had no option but to leave this house, but even if she did, and even for say she did go back to Karachi, how would she go? And where would she go? She didn't even know the address to the house where her mother's sisters lived. She had never been there because her family never allowed her to go there, saying that it was the house of sin. She didn't care though, because at this moment... anything was better than a house where your self respect would be crumpled beneath somebody's feet.

Adjusting her scarf tightly around her face, she cleaned her bedroom as much as she could, and left the room once and for all. Without making any sound. The house was quite... as per usual, everyone was busy doing their own stuff and so this was the perfect opportunity for her to escape. If anybody came looking for her, then she would explain why she left, but that's only if anybody came looking.

Leaving the house premises she found guards left right and centre. Walking away from them, she felt her heart drop slightly. What was it that made her feel so scared? She didn't know- well maybe she did, and the reason was pretty obvious.

Leaving the private road on which the mansion was set, she came face to face with the roads of Peshawar. Alone, and no helper. This was the first time Serina was ever in a situation like this, where she was not sheltered. Her breaths had risen and she felt desolated beyond measure. The air was chilly but she felt extremely hot. Without another thought she turned around to go back to the mansion, but instantly Zarina auntys words came back to her, and she stood firm in her place. Anything was better than humiliation.

She walked idly along the roads, not knowing where to go or what to do. The Peshawar roads were busy as usual, and people were also so muddled in their lives they failed to notice a girl who was astray and had no family. Serina decided to go back to Daudzai Haveli, but remembered her treatment there and sought better in not going.

Wherever she thought she could go, it only reminded her of the pain she suffered when residing there. She didn't want that again. Karachi was an option but how would she go there? She didn't know.

Walking alongside the roads, a car instantaneously parked right in front of her. Serina jerked to a stop, and cursed the driver in her mind.

The car was a silver Audi which she recognised too well. The door to the car opened and emerged someone.

Someone she wasn't expecting to see—
Kamran Bhai. Her cousin.

"Serina tum yahan?", he asked, coming face to face with her. Serina quickly moved a step back. Although she had not ever a complaint against kamran bhai, he was still a part of the Daudzai family and that was enough for Serina to run away. "Jee woh bus..", she didn't want to tell him the truth, because obviously he'd take her back home where she absolutely didn't want to go.

"Bus kya? Akeli sarak pe kya kar rahi Ho? Tum Soltani haveli main nahin reh rahi thi? Unhone tumhen ghar se nikal diya?", he almost mocked. Or maybe he was genuinely curious, Serina couldn't figure out.

"Nahin, main khud unke ghar se aai hun", she blurted alas what was the truth. "Kyun?", he was curious beyond measure. His house was under havoc because of his cousin, where as she was living a life of such freedom, where she was roaming the streets of Peshawar so freely? Kamran felt his blood boil. "Meri Marzi!", courage seeped through her skin as she replied. "Marzi? Kahan jaaney ke iraadey Hain?",

"Karachi", that's what she was telling everyone. Although she didn't want to go there.

"Acha! Aur Karachi kese Jaogi?", he jested. Serina was more naive than he had known. "Kisi bhi tareeqe se. Chali zarur jaungi!",
"Acha. Aur wahan kidher rahogi?", he asked. "Khala Ka ghar Hain wahan", realisation dawned on Kamran's face, and a dark look over took his features. "Hargiz nahin", he grabbed her arm and pushed her inside his car. "Tum wahan hargiz nahin jaogi. Hamari izzat ko mitti main milaaney Ka soch rahi thi?", he roared with rage. "Ye kya kiya aapne? Zara si bhi tameez naam ki cheez hai aap men?", Serina complained in slight shock, as she massaged her arm where Kamran had grabbed her. "Nahin hai tameez mujh men. Alhamdullilah lekin apne ghar ki aurton ki hifazat zaroor karni aati hai!", he sat in the drivers seat, and began to drive. "Main aapke ghar ki aurat nahin hun", she screeched. Her voice amplified ten times within the constrains of the car walls.