Just like the passing sunset
Memories of being immature and innocent
Keeps on flooding my mind.
They make me stop in place
And draw out the days in my memory
With the sound of the raindrops as my companion
I used to fall asleep during those happy times.
But ironically, now I'm thinking about those days
With nothing but tears.
Although the dreams of my first love are far away now,
But my heart is still the same.
~ Imraan.
■■■
"Do I really need to be here?"
Eyeing the corridor of the Malik Mansion which was decorated with long strings of yellow and orange marigolds, Imraan asked nervously.
Today was the Mehendi (henna) function which was held at Malik Mansion. As it was the Mehendi function so the boys weren't allowed. Well, boys except for the bride's father, Mr. Malik.
"Of course! You are the most important person here."
Ayyan replied seriously.
"Because of you, we came in the first place."
"Oh really? I thought you both practically kidnapped me from my home just so you both can use me as an excuse to meet your respective wives."
With a tight smile, Imraan taunted.
"Of course not! Just like it's Ms. Ayana's Mehendi function, similarly it's also your function. But they,"
Fawad explained seriously although whatever Imraan said was true.
"They are only enjoying themselves. And here, you..."
"Poor you have to suffer at home alone."
Dramatically Fawad said whereas Ayyan nodded.
"I wasn't suffering there. In fact, I was happily watching Netflix until you two came and..."
Eyeing his state, Imraan whispered the last part.
"forced me to come here only to suffer like this."
The trio was currently hiding in the bushes.
In the vacant Villa, Imraan was chilling when Fawad and Ayyan came. They wanted to be a part of the function more specifically, they wanted to be with their dear wives.
Being recently reconciled with his wife, Fawad just wanted a chance to spend as much time as possible with Azeen whereas Ayyan wanted an opportunity to apologize to Reeha for lying to her. And this Mehendi function was the best opportunity for them. So they went to Quraish Villa to pick Imraan up to use him as a scapegoat. Because even if they get caught by anyone, if they have Imraan with them, then instead of yelling at them, the elders will tease Imraan.
And for this reason, even after Imraan's constant rejection, they almost forcefully took him with them.
"Look, there's still time. Let's head back, okay?"
Imraan tried to convince others.
"Moreover, what if we get caught? Gosh! It'll be so embarrassing."
"Trust me. It won't be more embarrassing than mine's."
Remember the way he was caught by his mother-in-law while going to meet Reeha in her home, Ayyan said in a small voice.
Fawad knowingly snickered whereas Imraan confusedly looked at him.
"What do you-"
"Let's not waste any time talking. There's no one at the entrance. It's the right time to enter."
Cutting Imraan off, Fawad said.
"Wait!"
Just when they were about to move, Imraan spoke.
"You guys are going to be with your wives but what about me? Where will I go?"
"You already know the plan, Imraan. You'll go to Ayana's room. Stay there for the time being. And then when we call you, you'll come out of the room. Simple."
Annoyedly Ayyan said. He wanted to reconcile with his wife as soon as possible.
"I don't think it'll be simple if your sister caught me."
Imraan retorted back.
"Who knows this time she might actually stab me accusing me of breaking into her room."
He added whispering. After witnessing Ayana's angry avatar in the restaurant, he was terrified of making her angry.
"Why will she be in her room that too in her own mehendi function?"
Ayyan tried to make Imraan relax but it was of no use.
"She'll be in the hall with the other ladies."
"Fine. You go. I'll send a text to her. So that she doesn't freak out. Okay?"
Having no other choice, Ayyan said.
"Okay."
After thinking for a while, at last, Imraan agreed much to Fawad and Ayyan's relief.
♧♧♧
The entire Malik Mansion was decorated with fresh marigolds. Along with it in the ceiling, inverted cane baskets with tassels were hung giving a cool and vibrant vibe. Added with that fairy lights and bulbs were used to create a beautiful illusion.
There were colorful drapes along the walls, to embellish the railings in the stairways. The fitting flowers not only created a very dazzling ambiance but also added freshness to the atmosphere.
Amidst all this, in the middle of the hall, a swing decorated with fresh flower balls and colorful cushions was placed where the bride, Ayana, was sitting. On both sides, two henna artists were applying mehendi. Surrounding her, the youngsters were sitting. Teasing, joking and applying henna on one another.
"I think, love is when you find someone who matches your energy and gets your soul like you don't have to explain yourself anymore to be understood."
With a smile, Deira said.
"It's a kind of connection that automatically takes place when you see the person you love."
"For me love means comfort."
Reeha said next. They were asked by one of the teenagers to explain what love was to them.
"Feeling comfortable and free to be myself, to not look my best all the time, to be goofy around him as if I'm alone."
Concluding, she looked at Myra.
"In my case, love is sacrificing."
Myra spoke in her usual gentle voice.
"Sacrificing a part of what is important to you for your partner without thinking twice."
"What about you, Azeen?"
"Um... love is an emotion which is the opposite of hate. Something that can't be explained and must be experienced."
This time Azeen said with a small smile.
"In short, it is something that can make you feel pain and happiness at the same time."
"What about you, Api?"
The seventeen-year-old cousin of Ayana, asked.
"Yes. Even I am curious. Tell us, Ayana. What's love to you?"
Azeen teasingly asked.
"For me, love is peace and passion."
From her experience, Ayana spoke.
"Darkness and light."
"Pain and cure."
"It's both a curse and a blessing."
Looking at them, she concluded.
"Woah! That's... deep."
Azeen said whereas others quietly nodded not knowing what to say.
"Guys, let's go and join others at the dance. It feels boring to only chat at a mehendi function."
To avoid the awkwardness, Reeha said. Azeen nodded before getting up and joining others.
"Bhabi?"
Ayana called Myra.
"I'm going to my room."
"What? Why?"
Going towards her, Myra asked.
"It's your function, Ayana. You can't go in the middle-"
"I'll be back soon."
Ayana replied. Her head was aching because of the loud music.
"Moreover, I don't have anything to do here. You guys enjoy the function. I'll come to apply henna on the other side once this one dries.
"Okay. But come back soon."
Reluctantly, Myra agreed.
"I will."
Saying, Ayana stood up before heading to her room.
Someone will take shelter in your room for the time being.
I bet he'll leave before you go in the room, still if you happen to see him, Don't Freak Out!
Walking towards her room, Ayana confusedly read the message that Ayyan sent to her. Entering the room, she called her brother.
"What's that message about?"
Once Ayyan picked up the call, Ayana asked, looking here and there.
"I don't see anyone here."
"Are you in your room?"
Ayyan asked from the other side. If he knew she'd be in her room, then he'd have never suggested Imraan go there.
"I thought you would be in the hall."
"There was too much chaos there so I came upstairs."
Ayana replied before repeating her question.
"Who'll come into my room?"
"That's weird. He should already be there."
Ayyan mumbled.
"What are you talk-"
Ayana stopped as she heard a sound. Frowning, she slowly moved towards the closed window.
"Hello? Ayana?"
Ayyan called from the other side.
"Huh? Yeah, so I'm asking..."
A hand suddenly came into her view.
"Ahhhhhhhhh"
Ayana screamed as she fell to the floor with a loud thud.
And then the person's face was revealed. It was none other than Imraan.
"Ayana? What happened? Are you alright?"
Worriedly Ayyan asked from the other side.
"You! What are you doing here?"
Instead of replying to her brother, she asked Imraan.
"Open the window."
Imraan mouthed.
♧♧♧
Hearing Ayyan's explanation over the phone, Ayana sighed.
"Alright. I get that you and Mr. Fawad wanted to meet your respective wives but he-"
Giving Imraan, who was now looking around the room, a look Ayana whispered over the phone.
"Why did you bring him here? That too in my room?"
"He's our escape route. If we get caught then by giving him an excuse we can easily leave without being scolded."
Proudly Ayyan said as if his plan was the most brilliant.
"You-"
"Sis, please. Just this time. Help me. You know how Reeha's anger is. And this time I messed up pretty bad."
Cutting his sister off, Ayyan said, trying to sound cute knowing how his sister always falls for cute acts.
"Please. Pretty please. With chocolate chips on the top."
"Ugh! Fine!"
At last, Ayana agreed, making Ayyan bump his fist in the air.
"You have 10 minutes. Do whatever you want within 10 minutes. After that, take him away from here or else I'll tell mom about it."
"What? Only 10 minutes? I won't be able to do anything in that little time."
Ayyan frowned.
"Half an hour. Although even thirty minutes is less still I'll manage-"
"Ayyan!"
Ayana warned, making Ayyan roll his eyes.
"Fine then 25 minutes?"
"11 minutes."
"Hey! Not fair! I reduced 5 whole minutes. You are also supposed to increase 5 minutes."
Ayyan whined.
"13 minutes."
"20 minutes."
Ayyan tried to bargain.
"15 minutes."
Before Ayyan could bargain more, Ayana added.
"Either it's 15 minutes or-"
"Fine! 15 minutes it is."
Not wanting to annoy his sister more, Ayyan quickly agreed.
After talking and threatening for a couple of more seconds once Ayana hung up the call, her eyes fell on Imraan who was looking at the pictures and awards displayed.
"Ayyan will come to take you after fifteen minutes."
Ayana announcement.
"Okay."
Imraan nodded before asking.
"Were you a nerd?"
"Excuse me?"
"I mean you got so many awards. Perfect attendance, Academic Star, Stellar Student Award, Academic Excellence Award-"
Ayana stood in front of Imraan, blocking him from reading further.
"Whether I was a nerd or not, that has nothing to do with you. So stop snooping around!"
Narrowing her eyes, Ayana remarked.
"Also don't walk so carelessly in my room. Just sit in a corner quietly."
"Rude!"
Imraan mumbled before asking.
"Can't we for once get along?"
He was someone who can't stay quiet even for a minute.
Instead of replying, Ayana kept quiet, completely ignoring him.
"Look, we are kind of stuck here together so we might use this chance to be a bit civil with each other."
Imraan expectedly looked at Ayana only to be met with silence. Again.
"Or you could just not reply to me... that'll work for me too."
Awkwardly, he added before sitting by the window.
"The stars are looking so beautiful."
A couple of minutes later, Imraan mumbled to himself, looking at the winking stars in the night sky.
"They look like pearls."
"I can't stand looking at them."
Sitting on the other corner of the window, Ayana sighed.
'Both of them had nothing to do so instead of ignoring it's better to talk.'
She thought.
"Why?"
He stared at her before asking.
"I thought everyone loved looking at the stars."
"I don't."
'Not anymore.'
"I don't like stars because they remind me of my life."
She cast a glance at him before answering truthfully,
"A sea of darkness with flickers of happiness."
"You are afraid of the stars."
Instead of asking, he remarked.
"No."
"The stars are not what I fear, it's what they reveal out of the dark of night."
Lost in her thoughts, she softly said.
"I have seen things that I shouldn't have because of the light they shed on us every night."
Imraan looked over at her. Never had he seen someone look so lost in their own home before. Unknowingly, she makes him curious. Curious to know about her. Her actions, her words... everything forces him to want to know about her.
"Fifteen minutes is up. I better call Ayyan."
Composing herself, Ayana said.
Just when she was about to call her brother, a knock was heard.
"Ayana?!"
Both Ayana and Imraan's eyes widened.
"Ayana?!"
The person from the other side knocked again.
"Hide!"
Looking at him, Ayana ordered.
"Wh-where?"
Imraan stammered thinking of the embarrassment that he was gonna face if they got caught.
'Dang! I shouldn't have come here in the first place. I should have ditched them.'
Imraan thought.
Ayana looked under the bed. Imraan wouldn't fit under it. Next, she opened the cupboard. Because of the clothes, there was no space to hide. And the washroom... Imraan would definitely get caught there.
While thinking of the places to hide Imraan, suddenly her eyes fell there. Noticing her looking there, Imraan shook his head.
"I'm not doing that."
"Yes. You are."
Sweetly Ayana said, making Imraan horrified.
"No way I'm jumping from that window."
"Yes, way."
Pushing him, Ayana spoke.
"It's the only way to avoid getting caught."
"I would rather get caught than get my bones cracked."
Looking at the window, Imraan vigorously shook his head.
"You literally came through it."
Ayana stated.
"Moreover, your bones won't break from falling from this height."
Just then another knock was heard.
"Ayana? Are you alright? I'm coming inside."
"Look, I'm not jumping- Ahhh!"
Having no other choice, Ayana pushed Imraan out of the window. Just when Imraan fell to the ground with a thud, the door opened.
"Ayana- What are you doing there?"
Entering the room, Ayana's cousin, Rita, asked, seeing Ayana standing by the window with a nervous face.
"Dusting?"
Ayana nervously chuckled.
"What?"
Weirdly glancing at her, Rita said.
"Anyways, let's go downstairs. People are talking about your sudden disappearance."
Saying she was about to take Ayana when Ayana spoke.
"Erm, api, I... I need to do some touch-ups. You go. I'm coming."
"Fine. Then I'll wait-"
"NO!"
Ayana yelled, making Rita flinch.
"I mean... others might be searching for you. You go... downstairs. I'm coming within a minute."
"But-"
Without giving her a chance to speak, Ayana almost pushed her cousin out of the room. And then locking the door, she ran towards the window.
"Are you alright?"
Looking out of the window, Ayana semi yelled at Imraan who was lying on the ground.
"YOU CRAZY WOMAN! I'LL SUE YOU FOR ATTEMPTING TO MURDER ME!"
Massaging his injured leg, Imraan cried out.
"Shush!"
Putting her hand on her lips, Ayana softly said.
"Talk softly or else others might hear you."
Ignoring her, Imraan continued to whine.
"Both of you siblings are after my innocent life. One almost kidnap me from my house just to use me as a scapegoat,
Indicating Ayyan, he said.
"And the other, the other throws me out of the freaking window! Ow! My back!"
Massaging his back, he hissed in pain.
Rolling her eyes at his dramatic reaction, Ayana went away from the window.
"Hey! Hey!"
Imraan semi yelled.
"How dare you leave me in this state?! I swear I'll make you arrest for hit and run... no for throwing-out-of-the-window and run case."
A second later, Ayana came back.
"Here, catch it!"
Before Imraan could understand, she threw an ointment and medicine at him which he successfully managed to catch.
"Apply it on the places you got scratched. And take the medicine before sleeping."
Ayana instructed.
"Lastly stop being a cry baby and go back home."
Ayana tried to manage a straight face but one look at Imraan's hilarious state and she couldn't help slightly laugh.
"Bye. I gotta go now."
Slightly waving, she went away leaving Imraan in a trance.
Because it was the first time.
The first time he saw her smile.
A genuine smile.
♧♧♧
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