Like Chalk And Cheese [Completed]

Down in the mouth

"And what consolation would that have been to you?" Aisha demanded as she rose to her feet and came to sit down on the floor in front of me. I thought she sounded stern.

I shrugged.

"This is real life, Warda," Bringing her hands to rest on my legs, she said, "not a fairytale. In real life people don't fight for you. You have to fight for yourself."

"The occurrences have sapped me, Aisha."

Nimra pressed the hand she held in hers. "I wish there was something we could do for you."

I gave her a forlorn smile. "You know how they say that the truth never stays hidden - I'm waiting for that."

Aisha and Nimra exchanged glances. "But what if it takes years."

"I'll be keeping myself occupied." I informed them, deciding to let them know of Agha Hasan.

Nimra frowned, her perfectly made eyebrows bunched up. "How?"

"He's not that bad, you know." I glanced at our hands before flicking my gaze between the three of them. "Infact, not bad at all."

"Who?" Bisma's eyes went wide. "Agha Hasan?"

I nodded and then told them everything - how I had spent my last few days in this house, about Agha Hasan and his mind boggling generosity and the truth about his past marital affairs, how Aunt Maida had spread such false news around the family and how nobody even corrected her.

I never understand why people jeopardize other people's characters, how do they forget that it most definitely comes back. How do people carry out wrong acts believing there's a God above who is seeing everything. It's not that easy to forget.

It was Aisha who raised the question. She asked if that wasn't true, then why would Agha Jaan cut the ties from behalf of his entire family. He must have done something to tick them off, she said, and I made a mental note that I had to personally ask Agha Hasan about the matter.

I then carried on to tell them about my study plans, the iPhone he'd got me. They just stared at me like I was blabbering gibberish that they couldn't understand. Their reactions were expected, I wouldn't have easily come to terms with this shift of perspectives either.

Putting a hand on my arm, Aisha peered into my eyes and asked in a low voice. "Warda, did he, um, you know, did that to you?"

I shook my head, heat crawling up to my neck.

"Well, he sure does seem like a true gentleman." Nimra commented with a click of her tongue.

I chuckled glumly.

Rohan jumped at us from nowhere then, and leaning over the couch he gave me a toothy grin. "Can I take a swim in the pool?"

"What, no, Rohan! Besides, you don't have the clothes."

"Pretty please." He screeched.

Amir saved me from the easily avoidable utterance of persistent refusal as he came to the living area, carrying a huge tray in his hand. Carefully placing it on the centre table, he asked if we required anything else.

"No." I said with a faint grateful smile and with a slight bow of his head he left, walking back to the kitchen.

Nuggets, chunks, chicken burgers, kebabs, orange juice - all of that adorned the tray, staring invitingly at us - even though I'd just had breakfast only an hour ago.

Rohan obviously forgot all about the swimming pool and rushed to the table to take a mouthful of chicken chunks. An involuntary soft laugh escaped my mouth and we began to help ourselves.

---

Aunt Maida and Aunt Naseema had gone to attend someone's funeral. Mama Jaan and Aunt Maheen were the only one's at home, and since they weren't that big of a threat, the girls had decided to sneak out to meet me.

As they were leaving almost by twelve o'clock, a profound sense of abandonment seized my heart, a wave of sadness washed over me, for a moment taking my breath away. My eyes began to water. I wanted to go with them, wanted to go back home, back to my family, back to Mama Jaan. I wanted to sleep in my own room, eat with my own people. I wanted familiarity and warmth to embrace me back in its cocoon.

I started crying again, telling them to not leave me alone. They had to though. Hugging me one by one, they pushed open the mutual wooden door and stepped through.

"Would you come back, Warda Api?" Rohan was asking as the door closed at our face.

Gasping out a sob, I wildly wiped the tears with the heels of my hands and ran to the room. Slamming the door shut with force, I dropped face front on the bed as the bang of the door resonated around the empty house.

---

A/n: Yay, promise fulfilled. I wrote 2000 words! Mission accomplished ;p