Aziz, are you alright? Relax, I'll get some water for you," Samir panicked as he saw me continuously choking. He brought a water bottle, and I finished the whole bottle in one go, taking deep breaths to calm myself after almost having a heart attack.
"What happened to you suddenly?" he asked as he started the car.
"Nothing much," I said dryly, closing my eyes.
How on earth was I supposed to tell him that I had fitted a voice transmitter in her bangles because I can't live without hearing her cold voice, and what I heard just now from her?
She asked her mom, "Should I make him my brother, seriously?" This girl will drive me crazy. And now I must say she is indeed crazy. Even though her tone contained some teasingness, how can Uns think of making me her brother?
I would rather die than live through that. I'm putting my heart and soul into winning her, and in return, This is what all I got. Accha sila diya tune mere pyaar ka uns.
After dropping her off, I met Samir, and we both decided to go for racing. On the way there, I was on cloud nine because she smiled at me, making my crazy heart beat uncontrollably.
She held my hand, and I felt a surge of electricity running through my whole body. She ordered me to buy clothes, reminding me of my mother.
She chose clothes for me, making me feel peaceful. She walked in an unknown place with me, making me realize she was starting to trust me. But now I am utterly disheartened.
We reached the racing place. I thought I would just enjoy watching others race, but now all I want to do is race at full speed. Without thinking, I started the race, her voice echoing in my ears. She is still teasing her mom about making me her brother.
This is not done, Uns. So not done. Her voice lingered from my ear pods. I wanted to take them out, but I am so addicted to her voice.
Even though I am upset with her now, I still need to hear that cold voice that is enough to silence me.
After the race, I went home. The mansion was pure silent. Taking slow steps towards the kitchen, I made coffee for myself. I have no idea why I started drinking this poison, but even this poison tastes sweet when I'm with her.
I came into my room only to see her red scarf tied to my bag on the bed. I kept the coffee near the nightstand and removed her scarf from the bag, holding it in my hand.
"Day by day, you're making me crazy, Uns."
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The sun rays illuminated the entire dark room where Aziz was still sleeping on his stomach, covered with his grey blankets. The door kept knocking persistently, but it seemed like Aziz was deeply asleep.
Finally, the knocking stopped, but now his phone started ringing continuously. He began searching for his mobile, his eyes still closed from sleep.
Without seeing the caller ID, he picked up the call, only to widen his eyes with surprise. "What! You both are coming today?" Aziz spoke into his phone.
"Yes bhai, we both are finally coming," the person from the other side replied with a hint of a smile.
Aziz got up and straight went down to inform his parents. But it seemed like they already knew because the Nader mansion was now filled with Zaina's shouting and ordering to the servants, and Khalid was seated on one of the couches admiring his wife's worried yet tense state.
This was all happening for those two particular people coming home after 1 year.
Tamir and Rasha are finally coming today, to celebrate Eid with their parents.
Glancing at her mom for a second, he went and sat beside Khalid, who was busy smiling at his wife's frustrated look.
"Are you enjoying this, seeing Ammi in this state?" Aziz asked Khalid with a smirk playing on his lips.
"Why wouldn't I, your Ammi frustrates me every day, and if she's frustrated today, then should I not enjoy it?" Khalid said to Aziz, now looking at him and then at Zaina.
"If I tell Ammi, then?" Aziz asked, more like blackmailing him.
"Why do you want to get your father into trouble, Aziz?" Khalid asked, sensing his son's intentions were dangerous.
"Okay fine, I won't tell," Aziz said while laughing and expanding himself to sit comfortably on the couch.
The father-son duo were busy talking when frustrated Zaina came towards them holding a knife in her hands.
"If you have nothing to do, then help me, Khalid," Zaina exclaimed with a taunt and took Khalid's phone from him.
"What are you doing, Zaina?" He asked.
"Now you will clean the house, and I have to clean the outside garden," she said.
"Okay baba, I won't use my phone, tell me what to do?" Khalid convinced Zaina, and then both went to clean the outdoor garden.
There was his parents, and then there was her, the one he's still angry with, and today he didn't even go to her cafe.
"Chand raat mubarak ho," was being heard from the Nader mansion as their families and friends were exchanging wishes over the call.
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"Chand raat mubarak ho, bhai," Sahara wished me over the call.
"Same to you," I said dryly.
"Where is your Appi?" I asked.
"Appi is with Ammi!" She said.
I laughed at her response. Could Gusrail be so busy that she can't even wish me or at least text me?
"Okay," I said and hung up the call, turning only to see two figures approaching me, enveloping me in a bone-crushing hug.
"Tamir and Rasha!" I shouted, seeing them stick to me like Fevique.
"Brother!
My brother!
No, my brother!"
Both started arguing suddenly. Both are insane. "My children!" I heard another voice coming towards us.
It's Ammi now. She was coming towards us, Tamir opened his arms ready to embrace her, but Ammi straight went to Rasha and embraced her tightly, and Tamir is still in the same position, closing his eyes, waiting for Ammi to embrace him.
"Do you still want to embarrass yourself, just standing there," I tapped his shoulder and said to him.
Tamir instantly opened his eyes and saw both mother-daughter duo busy catching up with each other, completely ignoring his presence. I couldn't control myself from laughing at this moment.
"Mera beta!" We heard another voice coming now.
Abbu was coming towards us while shouting "Meta beta" loudly.
Now Tamir was fully ready to embrace himself with Abbu, but Abbu too passed by him and embraced Rasha, keeping his hands on her head while reciting some dua to her.
I looked at Tamir, then Abbu and Ammi pampering Rasha. Obviously, she would get all the pampering being the favorite daughter of them.
"So, that's all I had to see," Tamir exclaimed while taking his bag and walking towards the door.
"Just tell me, that you have adopted me ammi, abbu, I won't come home again!," he began blabbering to himself while still walking.
"I am making shaahi tukda, tomorrow," Ammi said.
He stopped in his tracks and turned towards us. "Really, Ammi?" He asked excitedly.
Ammi nodded in agreement.
That's it, all his anger and upset vanished away just by listening to his favorite sweet name. He is more of a drama queen than Rasha, I thought to myself.
Our dinner went well. After one year, this mansion felt like home seeing all the members present at the moment.
Rasha's and Tamir's voices echoing through the whole mansion, Rasha's clumsiness incidents, and Tamir's shy nature incidents, we listened to them with laughter and mocked them for it.
After having a great time. I went into my room, placed the ear pods, and sat on the couch. She didn't call me to ask why I didn't come to her cafe, nor did she wish me Eid.
It's not like I celebrate Eid, but my stupid heart wants to hear her wish me. Why? Why am I so obsessed with her when she doesn't even care about me and teases to make me her brother?
What on earth is happening to me? Why can't I live in peace hearing her call me Nader, seeing her almond eyes staring at me? What is she? Who is she? What power of hers attracted me towards her? I'll die if I don't think about her, but when I do, I go even more crazy for her.
As I was lost in my thoughts, I heard her voice, a broken voice. She's crying? She started crying even more now.
Yaah Allah, is chaand raat mai tujhse mere chaand ko maangti hoon.
Main tujhse Aziz ko maangti hoon.....
Mein us shaqshs ko maangti hoon, jisne mujhe mohabbat ka asli matlab samjhaya.
Main tere bandon meh seh Aziz ko maangti hoon.
Mujhe uski mohabbat dede allah, mujhe meri mohabbat dede.
Main usse beintehan mohabbat karti hoon.
(Yaah Allah, on this Chaand Raat, I ask you for my moon, I ask you for Aziz. I acknowledge that person who understands the true meaning of love, I ask for Aziz from you. Give me his love, Allah, give me my love," she was crying while praying, asking from her Allah, asking my love from her Allah)
My hands froze at this moment, my face is completely pale now, and uncontrollable tears falling from my eyes. How can someone's prayer make me cry? For the first time, I saw someone crying for me, where I was sitting upset with her, she was asking me from her Allah.
For the first time, I heard her confessing her love for me, and she expressed it to whom? To her Allah, whom I don't even believe in. I am happy that she loves me, but it seems like she has endless faith in Allah.
She was still crying, her prayer has so much power that it made even a stone like me to cry. What are you, Uns?
Today was Eid, so I woke up fresh and went straight down to meet Ammi and Abbu.
"Bhai, are you wearing a jhubba (traditional robe) ?" Tamir asked, completely shocked to see me in this attire.
"Why can't I wear it?" I asked with a serious tone.
"No, no, it's not like that. In fact, I'm very happy to see you in this robe," he said and walked towards the dining table. "Aziz!" Abbu exclaimed, seeing me approaching him. I greeted and sat beside him. Both Abbu's and Ammi's actions came to a halt upon seeing me.
"I know I'm looking weird right now, but if you all keep staring at me, then I'll go and change," I said, looking at them.
"You're looking very good, Aziz," Abbu praised while patting his hands on my head.
"Thank you," I murmured slowly.
"Shall we go for prayers?" Tamir asked while getting up.
"Yes," I said while getting up too. We reached the mosque for Eid prayers. I stood at the doorstep of the mosque after so many years, and I came here today not for myself but for her. Her love brought me to this doorstep.
After reading the prayers, the three of us went to the graveyard to pray for Dadajaan and Dadijaan. After offering prayers, I returned home, solely for one reason - to see a girl standing in front of me.
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Eid Mubarak.
Chapter aesthetics:
Car racing.
Uns asking for her Chaand.
Her prayer has so much power that it made even a stone like me to cry.
Tamir's Shaahi Tukda.
Her love brought me to this doorstep.