Chapter 7
"Aur na hi Bhopal" Mum said looking at me directly. Damn it, she is so mad, Zain Beta, think of something and something good verna, I thought to myself.
"Suraiya Begum, itna ghussa theek nahi, aur waise bhi Zain tau mere saath tha"Dad said and looked at me. "Hum iska future decide kar rahe the, main ise hotel le kar gaya tha au rise management ke baray main bata aha tha, kab waqt guzar gaya pata nahi chala" Dad said and smiled at me.
"Woh tau acha huwa, Zain ne Rizwan ko Bhej diya tha, verna Imani tau khud akele hoti wahan" Dad said. Dad have I told you that you rock? Well you do, I told myseld.
"Likin Usman Saheb, yeh mujhe tau bata sakta tha" Mum said. "I'm sorry mum, ainda aisa nahi hoga" I said looking at her and holding my ears. "Acha jao, fresh hojao" Mum said and smiled at me.
"Zain" I heard Dadu call for me. "Yes Dadu" I said and walked into the library.
"How did it go beta" He asked as he put down the book he was reading.
"Fantastic Dadu, it was amazing" I said and sat on the table. "Dad was there and It was the best flight of my life, I could feel the adrenaline rushing in my body" I said and stood up. "Aap mujhe dekhte na, tau khush hojate, that's it, next time you will see me too, promise" I said and sat back down on the table. "Promise" Dadu said and smiled at me.
"Kya bataain ho rahi hai, Dada potay main" Dad said as he arrived in the library. "Aray Dad, aye na" I said and stood up.
"Usman beta, lagta hai Zain pe ek naya junoon sawar hogaya hai, kyun Zain" Dadu said looking at me.
"I have wanted to fly since I was a kid, since you would tell me about your time in the sky, and how you would feel, how it was an miraculous familiarity for you, I want to do the same" I said looking at dad.
"What do you mean" Dad said looking at me.
"I want to become a pilot, just like Dadu was" I said looking at dad.
"It's always been a dream of mine to be able to fly, so high in the sky, speed and space, latitude and liberty, I would be great" I said describing exactly how I felt today.
"Zain Beta, flying is different than actually joining the Indian Air Force (IAF), you need to undergo vigorous training and preparation" Dad explained to me.
"Haan tau Dad, I am willing to do anything" I said.
"Usman, Jab bacha keh raha hai, tau ek mauka dete hai isko, if you are not successful then you will work with your father, right Zain" Dadu said looking at me.
"Of course Dadu" I said smiling.
"Theek hai Zain" Dad said standin up. "I hope all your dreams and aspirations come true. May ALLAH help you reach your ambitions and and goals" Dad prayed for me.
"Ameen" Dadu said and also stood up. "Shab Bakhair" Dadu said and left the Library.
I lay on the recliner by the pool and looked up at the sky. It was clear, the stars were shining and the moon was close to full. I felt as if I had everything. I smiled and signed with wholeness. "Ya ALLAH shukriya" I said and closed my eyes.
"Kis baat ke liye" Hadi bhai said. I opened my eyes to see him sitting on the recliner opposite me. "Baas aise hi" I said and sat up. "Wow, Zain what has gotten into you these days, you're acting different" Bhai said to me.
"Different, How" I asked curiously.
"Mum ko jawab dena, acting mature, becoming religious, ALLAH ka bilawajah shukriya ada kerna, kaheen kisi jamat ko join to nahi kar liya" Bhai said looking at me suspiciously.
"Bhai aisa kuch nahi hai" I said.
"Zain, kaheen tum phir se tau who nahi karne lage ho" Bhai said in a stronger tone.
"Hadi bhai aisa kuch nhai hai, you know that was a mistake and I have learnt off it." I said
"I know, I believe you too" Bhai said and lay down on the recliner.
"You ready for Bhopal then" I asked him. "Yes, I spoke to Adil and him and Phuphu want us to live with them, pata nahi mum kya karingi" Bhai said looking at the stars.
"Bhai, are you okay, you are really busy with work I hardly see you" I asked him. "Yea Zain I'm fine, just keep myself busy, I come home late so I don't have to listen to mum. She is really being a little harsh on Nafeesa" Bhai said sighing. "A little? I think that is an understatement" I huffed.
"When are you leaving for Bangkok" Bhai asked changing the subject.
"Tomorrow night" I answered back.
"Zain, Fahad, abhi tak jag rahe ho" Mum said walking towards us. Bhai stood up and walked in the house.
"Mom, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude to you or to Imani" I said truthfully. "I know beta, main actually aap se kehne ayi thi, why don't you ask Imani if she wants to go with you to Bangkok? They are going to Bhopal in three days' time she will only be bored here" Mum said whilst stroking my head.
"Sure mom, I will" I said and was on my feet.
I knocked on the door and opened it. Imani was sitting on the floor with a sketch pad and a pencil in her hand. She was drawing something. No Zain she is making Rogan Josh, I thought to myself sarcastically.
"Oh hey, what brings you here" she said and smiled at me.
"Just came to see what you were up to" I said and sat down with her.
"Oh BTW, thanks for today" she said, sarcasm dripping from her tone.
"Look erm I'm sorry about"
"Imani Beta yeh aapki ice cream" Chand Jaan come in holding a tub of Ben and jerry's cookie dough.
"Thanks Chand Jaan" She said and took it from her.
"Aray, this is my ice cream, my favorite" I said sadly.
"No way! Mine too" Imani said and smiled.
"What are you drawing anyway" I asked her not that I was interested. How was I going to ask her if she wanted to come to Bangkok with me?
It's something I've been working on since yesterday, I actually have you to thank for" she looked at me.
"Me" I asked curiously.
"Yep, I was rude yesterday, and it wasn't your fault, or anyone elses, but I shouldn't have said anything, truth is I missed India in America and I thought If I said bad things about this place, it would me feel better. But I felt worse. Your words actually inspired me to design something ethnical" she said and turned her sketch pad around.
"Wow, it actually looks good, and here I thought you were a blonde in a brunette's body" I said jokingly.
"Awww how nice, you jerk" she said and slappd me on the arm.
"Listen, I'm going to Bangkok tomorrow you should come with" I asked sheepishly.
"I would love to, but do not want to intrude, ou have fun" she said and started sketching.
"Well, Rizwan things that you should come too" I lied. "erm, okay sure" she said and looked up at me.
4 days later
"Aray Imani Hurry otherwise we will be late and Dad will kill me" I said as I looked back at Imani. "I'm coming as fast as I can" she replied back. Our flight was an hour late and I didn't even inform dad as I had no signal at all. I dial his number and waited for him to pick up.
"Walikumsalam Dad, woh flight was an hour late, we should be getting to phups's house in about half an hour" I informed him.
"Chalo na, lets find a taxi" I said to Rizwan.
"Zain yeh Bus jati hai us mohallay tak" Imani said pointing to a bus. "How do you know" I said to her. "I do remember things" She said and stuck her tongue out at me.
As much as I hated Imani at first, once you get to know her you do realize that she is a nice person, sometimes I feel that she has a barrier around her to protect her from getting hurt, which I get the feeling happens a lot since she trusts people very quickly.
"Zain, are you going to move from that spot now, or what" she shouted from the bus window.
Some of these places were very familiar but as the bus drove on, I started remembering some places clearly. "Remember there was a shop on that corner, the owner was an old man, and you would take chocolate from him telling him your dad would come and pay" Imani said pointing at an old derelict building.
"You remember a lot Imani, I'm impressed" I said smiling at her.
"Do you remember this one time on Eid, we had sparklers and you burnt Aasiya Khala's salwar, poor thing had to drape mums dupatta around her waist" She said and started laughing.
Oh my go, I do remember, "us ke baad jo pitai pari thi who bhi yaad hai" I said squeamishly and started laughing.
"Do you remember anyone called Aaliya?" Rizwan asked Imani. I stopped laughing suddenly. I looked at Imani, she put her finger on her nose as if she was trying to remember. My heart was fluttering in my ribcage. I looked at Rizwan who was looking at me very intently. "Oh yes, Zain she is your cousin right, you and her were friends, close friends remember" Imani said pointing at me. "We used to fight a lot back then" she continued.
"What was she like" Rizwan continued. "I was a brat when I was little, she wasn't, that's why we fought I guess" She said sincely.
"You are still a brat" Zain and laughed.
"Shut up you jerk" Imani said and slapped him on the arm.
"We are here" Imani said and got out of her seat.
Finally Bhopal, here I am. I thought to myself as I looked up at the big blue gate in front of me.
Ye Hai Mohabbatein
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