"Pehle kuch kha lete hain."
"Nahi, pehle games khelenge."
"Nahi, maine keh diya na ke khayenge. Wo bhi KFC."
"Apka farmaishi program nahi chal raha idher."
"Tumse kisne baat ki? Churail."
"Bhai, jisko zyada votes milenge, wohi karenge."
Noor took a deep breath to calm herself amidst her chaotic cousins. If they kept quiet for even five seconds, it would be a miracle. The cousin party was hanging out today. They just watched a movie after many contemplations and fights. Now, came the other activities for them to argue about. Thankfully, Tariq bhai, Noor's older brother and the oldest among the cousins, was with them this time. He controlled them as much as he could. The last time they went without him, they almost killed each other.
"Can you guys be quiet for a second and listen to me for once?" Finally, the chatter stopped and they looked at him.
"We'll get dinner first as everyone's hungry and see if there's time to play arcade games because it's getting late." He looked apologetically at one of our youngest, Farah, who wanted to play games. She pouted and Rehan bhai made faces at her to tease her. They were the trouble that you didn't want to occur. She squinted her eyes at him and their childish glare battle started.
After the dinner, we had to go back home. Upon reaching, everyone was tired but they were stopped by my Mom, Amna Iqbal.
"To ab jab sab settle hain, hum ap sab se kuch bat karna chahte hain."
"Lag to aesa hi raha hai." Hamza, the older brother of Rehan and Dayaan, mumbled and Dayaan slapped his arm lightly. The older one is the most careless one.
"Kal Khan ki family yahan arahi hai."
"Khan? Matlab Aleem uncle ki family?" Ayesha, my younger sister, exclaimed in excitement.
"Ya allah! Wo kharos bete bhi ayenge unke?" Unke bete? Unka koi beta bhi hai?
"Bohot batameez hain ap, Rehan bhai. Itne ache to hain." Ayesha teased him.
"Arey, choro Rehan bhai ko. Ye bas jealous hain unse kion ke wo zyada handsome hain inse." Farah stuck her tongue out at him and both the girls laughed.
"Or tum? Tum kion itni khush horhi ho?" Dayaan raised his eyebrows at Amara, the older sister of Farah who's the same age as me and Dayaan. She is......blushing. That's weird.
"K-koi nahi. Apni taraf se na bola karo tum." She huffed and looked away. Dayaan stared at her for awhile before looking away.
"Bas, bas. Stop the discussion. Ye abhi isliye bataya hai ke agar aane wale dinon main koi plans hain to unhein cancel kardein. Sab. Especially, Dayaan or Tariq." Ami ordered and informed them and everyone nodded obediently.
"Kiya apna ghar nahi hai unke pas? Yahan kion rukenge?" Surprisingly, these words were uttered by Dayaan who's the most quietest cousin out of all. Even more me. His words startled the elders and his brothers chuckled at him without any reason.
"Aese kehte hain kiya, Dayaan? Humne unhein yahan stay karne ke liye request kiya hai." Laiba Chachi, mother of Amara and Farah, softly scolded Dayaan and he scrunched his eyebrows before departing from the living room.
"Chalo, sab jaldi so jao. Arahe hain kal, khurrat admi." Rehan mumbled and everyone stood up one by one after him. Am I the only one who doesn't remember this khurrat man? As I was trudging upstairs lastly, Ami called me to the kitchen.
"Ji, Ami?" I walked softly to her and drank the warm milk she forwarded to me.
"Ap confused hongi iss waqt."
"Ji, apko kese pata?"
"Main janti hon apni beti ko. Khair. Mujhe pata hai apko Dada Jihan or Dadi to yaad hain, nahi?" I nodded my head at her words. Uncle Aleem and Aunty Asiya were the children of our neighbors, Dada Jihan and dadi Rafia. They visited here frequently but they didn't live here. When they died in a plane accident, their children were in the custody of Dada Jihan and Dadi Rafia. As far as they told me, all of us were good friends with them except that I don't remember anything from my childhood. That's why I don't know their children but I do remember Dada Jihan and Dadi Rafia. It's strange that I don't remember the kids.
"Unke bete Aleem or unki wife Asiya ke bas do hi bache hain. Waleed aur Farheen."
"Mujhe wo yaad nahi arahe, Ami." I frowned once again and took a sip of my milk.
"Uss waqt hum vacation per gaye the. Hum wapis agaye the magar apko shayad unke bache yaad na hon kion ke ap unko zyada pasand nahi karti thi." Ami smiled at me and I blushed in embarrassment. Don't blame me, I was a fussy child.
"Don't worry, you were only four then." Ami chuckled and I shook my head with a smile.
"Iss baat ka maqsad ye hai ke apko uncomfortable hone ki zaroorat nahi hai agar apko kuch batein yaad na ayein. It's completely okay, theek hai?" I nodded and hugged my Ami.
"You're the best, Ami. I love you."
"I love you more, mere sooraj." She kissed my head lovingly.
************************************
"Noor?" I was getting ready for the guests arrival in the morning when I saw Amara near my room's door.
"Han, bolo?" She entered the room hesitantly and stood fidgeting. Both of us stared at each other before she said.
"Can you apply this liner on me?" She showed me the eyeliner in her hand and I nodded with a smile. I was good at doing makeup and my younger cousins often asked me to do things for them regarding makeup. I was happy to do so. I was a little, tiny bit surprised when Amara asked me to put a liner on her. She and I weren't big on wearing makeup. She wore very less makeup, so, imagine my surprise when she asks me put on a liner on her, early in the morning for the unknown guests.
"Do you remember them?" She asked me and I shook my head in negative.
"Mujhe yaad hai ke ap unhein zyada pasand nahi karti thi or apne bohot kam waqt guzara hai unke sath. Wo actually bohot ache hain." She declared while blushing profusely. Okayyyyy.
"Wese ye unke bhai ki baat horahi hai ya behen ki?" I uttered teasingly for the first time and she gasped before hitting me lightly as I chuckled quietly. I'm not one to talk much but I couldn't help saying this. Seems like my favorite cousin has a crush.
We
got down the stairs together and everyone ate a very loud breakfast, thanks to the roaring male cousins. I was eating when I got a sudden notification from my university for a class and I gasped. It was the most important class of this subject. I can't not get absent.
"Ami! Abbo! Mujhe university jana hoga. Achanak meri ek class reschedule karke aj attend hogi." My parents looked at me with displeasure and after convincing them to return back soon, I left with Rehan bhai as he's the most redundant.
Unfortunately, the class was three hours long. I figure that the guests have been arrived already. I'm going to get scolded by Ami as it is taken disrespectful when the host is not present at the time of the arrival of the guests. It includes all the family members and considering that I'm the oldest daughter will bring me more scolding.
God, I hope that the guests are not petty about it. Dada Jihan and Dadi Rafia will be cool but don't know about their grandchildren.
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STAI LEGGENDO
Collection of Short Love Stories
Storie d'amoreThis is a novel containing Muslim love stories and requests are very much appreciated. This is my first time writing a novel and English is not my first language. Positive criticism is allowed. No rude comments and hate is praised for everyone's sak...
