Chapter 1
"You aren't being hard on them Aliya..." Aiza, her friend, said as they made it to the principal's office.
"I don't know... I'll see you in the caf. Let me end this thing here." Aiza left as Aliya made it inside the Principal's office. She sighed before entering and looked up at the sky.
She observed the creases on the old man's face and then the paper's he was going to sign.
"Sir..." She said in the lowest pitch she could manage.
"Come in Miss Aliya."
She sat opposite him.
"Sir, don't black list them."
He was visibly surprised.
"Why not? They tried to abuse you."
"I know. But I don't want their educational career to go down the drain because of me. I forgive them for whatever they did."
"Your forgiving them is not going to stop them from being racist. They will do it with someone else; I'll have to black list them eventually. My college doesn't promote ethnic groups and their politics. They have no right to object your background or your get up, for that matter anyone's."
"I think they have learnt their lesson and even if they haven't I don't have the courage to do this to them. Moreover I don't want to be the one. These bunch of people will curse me their entire life"
"Are you sure Aliya?"
"Yes sir, spare them this time.. I wont object more. The decision rests with you."
"Okay... I wont. Only because you are saying so."
She left and met them as she walked out of principal's office. They didn't dare look up at her; was it shame or regret she didn't want to infer.
A week back during the college's parliamentary debates Aliya faced severe criticism from the opposing party regarding her background and her practices. These people believed they lived in a secular state and couldn't accept another persons beliefs? This went against colleges policy and she was given the right to exterminate them from college.
***
"We are sorry for what we did Aliya." One of the boys said.
"I did not do it for you people...I did it for my conscience," She said and left. Aiza followed behind her.
"Why did you do that Aliya?" She asked surprised beyond words at what she said to them.
"The same reason don't bother me.. I already have enough on my mind."
"Like what?"
"Lik Shazia's marriage..."
"Your cousin Shazia?"
"Yeah... the same one."
"Aint she too young and then what about those century old clashes?"
"I am surprised they don't exist anymore... some people have finally learned they were futile."
"funny.."
***
"Really is she coming?" Shazia jumped with excitement. Her sister gave her a stern look; she was spoiling her face mask due to all the excitement.
"Yes she is...now dare say another word." Ayesha scowled even when she was herself super excited to see Aliya and Aayat again. They were coming for Shazia's wedding ceremony and if her calculations weren't wrong she was going to see them after almost five years. Family clashes hindered the poor lot of cousins to see each other but Shazia's nikah proved to be a good omen; the family finally decided to reunite over the eve.
"I wonder how she looks..." Shazia wondered.
"You see her everyday on skype..." Ayesha reminded her.
"But that's a different thing..."
"Really?"
***
"I have my finals coming next month... you think it's a good idea to leave for Shazia's nikah now." Aliya asked Shabana, Aayat gawked at her as it struck hard on her head.
"It's her nikah and all you care about is your finals...which are next month... next month..you want me to count the days Zoe?"
Aliya rolled her eyes. She was a keen student and anything in the way of her and her studies was objectionable in her point of view. Shabana threw a dupatta, the chunri, one in her direction.
"Aliya I know about your finals... but they have requested so ardently. I couldn't say no. You can leave after the nikah when ever you want."
"Oh that's fine... one week wont do much damage..."
"One week...? Miss? I am gonna stay there for a month." Aayat took the chunri from her hand and clamped it on her head admiring herself in the mirror.
***
And Aliya made it to Shazia's house at the exact day of her mayun. The house was shimmering with golden curtains and yellow flowers. Everyone ran around with so-much-to-be-done expressions on their faces.. Aliya was almost immediately caught up with the same face too.
"Grab me the hina bowls Aliy..." Someone asked.
"I just gave it to Ayesha..." She replied.
"Oh look she forgot it here..." Aayat ran with the hina in her hand.
"Aliya will you go order the gajras and her flower jewelry from the phool wala." And she rushed out. Shoving past her cousin Zubair who was talking to some guy rather frankly. She rushed past them excusing herself; catching only a glimpse of the man in front of Zubair.
***
Zain came to Shazia's house well before his family. His elder brother Fahad had got his marriage fixed with Shazia. He was happy for him; even though the family did not please him much for that matter it did not please his sister Barkat too. But the elders had decided and they couldn't go against their wishes. He was busy chatting with Zubair regarding the prep when someone came shoving past them. He looked back startled first by her sudden appearance and then wondering who she was. Extracting information from Zubair wasn't difficult.
***
Aliya came back with all the gajras and flower jewelry for the girls. The larke walas were already there, she rushed towards their room and got engaged in getting everything ready.
"Aliya... look at you still not ready... we will be starting in a while..."
For her getting ready was a matter of few minutes. She was there before anyone else was. Preparing the setting where Shazia would sit.
"You look a little bothered." Ayesha asked. Aliya was surprised she could see that she wasn't much approachable; even when she had tried to engage herself in all the work she could.
"Really? Must be the finals..."
"Yeah I know how you take all that stuff on your wits..."
Something felt awkward. She looked around to see what. There around the corner of the room, through the door she saw him sitting chatting around with Zubair again.
"Who is he Ayesha?" She asked.
"Oh him? He is Shazia's dewar... very talented. Has been the board topper and..." She went on telling her about his educational and co-curricular activities... more achievements. Aliya felt uneasy hearing all that like every competent student does. She was a hardworking student but never the topper. She just could never make it there; but then that were never her aims. She believed in learning not being the topper only. But it did make her uneasy when people who didn't even looked so civilized would turn out to be more prolific.
Yes, surprisingly she did not find him any more civilized than her other relatives who were mere small town people. She saw her dad talking to him now.
"What's his name?"
"Zain..."
Ayesha left her wondering about Zain. She realized he was an year junior but what was there that looked familiar? She had to look at him more closely. He reminded her of something. But what?
***
The function started and something made her feel oddly out of her depth. Sadly she failed to realize it. Her aunt had sent her to go grab some oil from the kitchen. On her way back she saw him coming towards her. Something pulled her back, she gasped in astonishment.
"Hi..." He said smiling. She nodded trying to look absorbed in work.
"I am Zain... Fahad's younger brother..." He introduced himself before she even wanted an introduction. And before he went any further she had to excuse herself.
"Yeah Ayesha told me about you... a little busy.. if you will excuse me please."
***
Aliya drove past the Trust school and silently waited for the signal to open. She heard someone cry out there in the dark. A boy who was being beaten up. She spotted him being forced in a corner. The road was silent and the traffic thin. They took something from him and left after a few more punches. He fell on the ground mere seconds after they went. Aliya rushed to him. He was bleeding and terribly out of his senses.
"Are you okay?" She asked.
He did not reply, the only thing she could hear was his moans and cries. His face was hardly visible in the dark. And she thought of helping him to her car before he blacked out.
"A young drug user... and I think this was his first time." The doctor said. She had brought him to the hospital.
"Oh my God... is he okay.. I mean the bruises and all..."
"Yes... I am going to discharge him tomorrow.. till then we can try to track out his parents. You should leave it's getting late." He was her friends father and so was worried about her getting involved in a police case. Aliya nodded politely and made out. On her way she peeped inside the ward to see how he looked.
***
"Zain..." She whispered his name which drowned in the crowd. And now she knew what felt so familiar. Uneasiness crept on her again. She observed him looking her way but she dared not look up.
***
I hope you can make out the relations.😃
Edited by AshesToDust - 11 years ago
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