The sun was shining his light upon the Baig Haveli wishing them a good morning. All the Haveli members had already started the day and were busy with their respective chores.
It was a calm morning with all the ladies of the house chit-chatting in the kitchen and the men in the whole reading newspaper or discussing the latest business news.
On this calm morning in a certain room there was a certain someone who was rushing around the whole room trying to get ready on time as she woke up late today, well according to her, 'no one woke me up.
This was Aaleyah Baig the youngest girl of the Baig Haveli, she watches k-dramas till late at night which makes it impossible for her to get up in the morning or for someone else to wake her up.
Looking at the clock hanging on her room wall she gave herself a double take in the mirror and nodded feeling satisfied with her look. Quickly making her way downstairs she saw almost everyone had already taken their seats at the dining table.
Greeting everyone she quickly made her way towards Afia, her partner in crime, her best friend, her secret keeper, her everything.
Afia was just a few months older than Aaleyah thus making their friendship more strong, they have always had each other's back in every situation.
All of them were busy having their breakfast with little chitter-chatter when everyone's gaze went to Asifa Baig who seemed too busy talking on the call but the person on the other side was the one who caught everyone's attention.
"Shah, mere bacche wapis kab aa rahe ho? Meri aankhen taras gai hai tujhe dekhne ke liye, jaldi aa ja"
(Shah, my child, when are you coming back? I am dying to see you, come soon)
The Baig Family listened carefully with a little hope in their eyes, that their brother/son/grandson/nephew will finally come home.
"Nahi! Main kuch nahi janti. Tu wapis aa raha hai isi hafte warna bhul jana ke Teri koi maa bhi thi" saying this angrily Asifa bagum hung up and went from there.
(No! I don't know anything. You are coming back by this week or else forget that you had a mother)
The Baig family seemed a little happy, they were sad because of the mother-son fight but they also knew that now Shahzain had no choice but to come back home. His home, his country, to his family. It was time to return.
***********************
(After 5 days)
The college canteen was filled with students, laughing, talking and having fun. In this chaos on a table, three girls were sitting gossiping with each other. When suddenly one of them asked.
"Yaar, tu keh rahi thi n ke Teri Taayi Ammi ne Shahzain Bhai ko dhamki di hai ke ek hafte ke andar aa jaye warna.. uska kya hua? Ek hafta khatam hone ko abhi sirf do hi din baki hai" Zamin asked Aaleyah while the third girl, Asin also nodded her head in excitement.
(Dude, you were saying n that your aunt has threatened Shahzain Bhai(brother) that he should be back home before this week or else.. so, what happened? Only two days are left for this week to end) (Taayi Ammi = Father's elder brother's wife)
Zamin, Asin, and Aaleyah were childhood friends, they were in the same kindergarten, same school, and now in the same college as well. The three of them knew each other's family well that's why they knew Shahzain and his nature, exactly how much he disliked when someone told him to do something without his consent. They were very eager to see the drama.
"Pata nahi yr! Ab tak to kuch khabar nahi aai hai unki" Aaleyah replied in the most 'I don't care' tone while playing with her fries and circling them in the sauce.
(I don't know, dude! There is no news about him yet)
Seeing her reaction both the friends shared a look and ended the topic and started telling her the latest gossip of their class to divert her attention.
Soon the college ended and all the students started making their way toward the exit of the building talking with each other.
Among the huge crowd of students, a girl was happily chatting with a boy from her class, while laughing at his silly jokes in the middle. The boy was also staring at her laughing face in a daze every time she laughed because of him.
The boy was Hamid while the girl was Aaleyah. Hamid had approached her to get her notes for one of their subjects as he was absent for a week and soon they had to write their final semester's final exams.
"Aaleyah, can you please tutor me on the subject, I am very bad at it. And I always understand everything when you explain it to me" Hamid's smile became bigger after seeing Aaleyah blush a bit at his statement giving him a different amount of satisfaction.
"I'd like to help you, Hamid. But you know n I can't stay out of the house after six. And college only ends at five. But don't worry, if we get any free period you can bring all the doubts you have to me, and I'll try my best to solve it, ok?" Aaleyah said the last bit after seeing Hamid's happy smile change to a sad face.
Hamid smiled and nodded as he knew if he does not grab this opportunity he might not get a second chance to be close to her. He waved as he saw her going toward her car which the driver had brought to pick her up.
Waving back at Hamid, Aaleyah settled inside the car and started her journey toward her home.
As the car moved forward Hamid promised himself to ask her hand in marriage as soon as they complete their college and he takes over his father's business.
Nodding to himself he made his way towards his car and drove home with new enthusiasm and determination shining in his eyes.
Only if he knew the dream that he is seeing already belongs to someone else, someone who could snatch all his dreams and give him pure nightmares.
**********************
Reaching home Aaleyah saw all her cousins in the hall playing games, of course as for some reason they had stayed home today, even her phupho's family had come.
(Father's sister)
She would have also stayed home with them but she had an important assignment submission so she had to go.
Making her way toward them she saw all of them playing Ludo while sitting around the small round table on the floor while all the elders were settled on the couches around them sipping tea.
Greeting everyone she sat beside Afia cheering her on and she and Ahil were the only two players remaining.
Seeing Afia winning Ahil flipped the board and accused her of cheating, 'so typical of him' Aaleyah shook her head at that and got up to rest for a while as her cousins continued bickering in the background.
Going inside her room she quickly changed and lay on her bed tired. She started using her phone not knowing when she fell into a deep slumber.
****************
"Tu humesha esa hi karta hai, agar Hara nahi jata to khelta hi kyu hai?" Afia said angrily and Ahil.
(You always do this, if you can't lose then don't play)
"Aap cheating karke jeetogi to kese jeetne du apko, itna hi hai to muje fair n square harao" Ahil said while crossing his hands on his chest and turning his head the other way not admitting that he flipped the board because Afia was going to beat him fair n square only.
(How can I let you win if you cheat if you have so much problem then beat me fair n square)
Ahim who knew his brother pretty well shook his head at him "Chal Chal nautanki, Mujhe tujhse kaam hai" saying that he dragged his brother away in a headlock.
(Oh come on Drama queen, I have some work with you)
Sighing in anger Afia also left from there towards her room.
Just as she went away Shameer entered the house just to Afia going from there angrily confused he plopped down beside his mother, Afsa Baig "Ye isse kya hua?" He asked while pointing the way Afia just left.
(What happened to her?)
"Are wahi, humesha ka, sab log milke Ludo khel rahe the magar humare Ahil miyaan ko harna bardasht nahi hua aur wo board ulat ke Afia pe cheating karne ka thappa laga ke dono bhai chale gae" his Taayi Ammi, Asifa Baig replied while shaking her head at both her son's behaviour.
(Nothing, just the usual, everyone was playing Ludo but our dear Ahil could not bear seeing as he was going to lose so he flipped the board accusing Afia of cheating, and both the brothers left from there.)
Laughing at that "koi nahi Taayi Ammi, bache hai abhi tak dono" Shameer said while getting up from there ready to go to his room and rest.
(It's ok, aunty, they are still kids)
"Tum dono ke sheh se hi bigad rahe hai dono" Asifa bagum said accusing both Shameer and Shahzain who always spoil the twins and hide their mistakes, but they also scolded them when necessary. Smiling at that Shameer left from there.
(You both are spoiling them)
*******************
Aaleyah got up from her slumber just to see the clock in her room showing 7 p.m. Her room was covered in darkness as the sun had bid goodbye to the world long back.
Setting her foot down on the floor she slowly made her way toward the bathroom while rubbing the remaining sleep from her eyes.
Washing her face and mouth with some water she came out and dried her face, and started correcting her look before going down.
Just as she placed her dupatta (veil) on her shoulder she heard someone knocking on her room door. Opening the door she came face to face with Sahil, her phupho's youngest son, and also the youngest among the cousins.
Smiling at him she asked, "jee Sahil miyaan, aaj yaha kese?"
(Yes Mr. Sahil, how come you are here today?)
"Kuch Nahi aapi, apko batane aaya tha ke Shah bhaijaan apko unke kamre mein bula rahe hai" Hearing this Aaleyah kept staring at him for a few minutes trying to understand what he said.
(Nothing Aapi(elder sister), I just came to tell you that Shah bhai(brother) is calling you in his room)
Sahil got confused upon seeing his Aapi's reaction and tried moving his hand infront of her to regain her attention, to which she just blinked once.
Twice.
Thrice.
"Aapi!"
(Sister)
Sahil shouted a bit successfully bringing Aaleyah back from her dreamland.
"Kon bula rahe hai?" Aaleyah asked again not being able to believe her ears.
(Who is calling?)
"Shahzain Bhai bula rahe hai. Apko. Apne kamre mein" Sahil told again this time slowly so as if he was talking with Abid, Amina Aapi's two-year-old son.
(Shahzain Bhai(brother) is calling. You. To his room)
"Wo kab aae?" Aaleyah asked shocked to discover that he is here.
(When did he come?)
"Subah hi, isiliye to hum sab ne aaj chutti Li thi, unhe welcome karne ke liye" Sahil replied in the most duh tone.
(Morning only, that's why to welcome him we all had stayed back home)
"Kisi ne mujhe bataya kyu nahi?"
(Why did no one tell me?)
"Apko pata nhi tha?" To which Aaleyah just shook her head in a no.
(You did not know?)
"Oh" Sahil just shrugged his shoulders not knowing the answer.
"Acha wo sab chodia aur abhi jae unke room mein warna wo yaha aa jaenge" saying this Sahil turned around and left from there leaving a still-dazed Aaleyah behind.
(Ok, now leave all that, and go to this room, or else he will come here)
Aaleyah kept staring at Sahil's back as he went down. As he went out of view she recalled the conversation they had, the message he gave her, and his last line 'that if she does not go there soon, he will come here'.
Not wanting that to happen slowly Aaleyah made her way toward his room and stopped in front of it, contemplating whether to knock or just leave from here and go sit with the elders down.
But she knew that if she does go down he will come there and take her with him and no one will stop him either. So finally taking a deep breath and mustering all the courage, Aaleyah knocked on the door.
Hearing a powerful 'come in' from inside she kept her shivering hands on the door knob.
With a fast-beating heart, unsteady hands, and shivering orbs she slowly pushed the door open and stepped inside with her head low.
She got inside the room and closed the door behind her slowly but did not move from her place, nor did she lift her eyes to look at him after 10 years of him being away.
Still looking at the carpeted floor she started fiddling with her fingers and biting her lower lip in nervousness.
Even after five minutes when she did not hear anything from him she slowly lifted her head to look at him, just to see the most handsome man she had ever seen sitting in front of her on the couch as a king, starring intently at her with emotions swirling in his gray eyes, emotions which she could not decipher.
But those emotions went as soon as they came. Seeing that he has no mood of speaking today, Aaleyah thought of initiating the conversation herself so that they can get it done soon so that she can leave here soon.
"Wo aapne bulaya tha?"
(That, you called?)
**********************
Hey there guys,
First I would like to thank all of you who read my book till now. I am very happy and grateful.
Second, this is the second story please tell me if I should continue this or if you want some different story after this one in place of this. Your opinions really matter guys.
Please,
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XOXO