Junoon..Tere Ishq Ka FF Chapter 3&4 Page 8

Junoon Tere Ishq Ka

Chapter One - New Beginnings

The morning sun shone its rays gently upon the three, as they entered the city of Bhopal. For Haya, it was a new adventure, a whiff of fresh air, though she knew she would miss the familiarity of Punjab. For Dilshad, it was as if the city mocked her, and all she had lost. She never wanted to revisit this place, where her life was snatched from her but maybe destiny had other plans. She none the less welcomed the cruel city as she had no choice. It was all for Sanam, anyway, for whom she could do anything for. One of the two things keeping her heart beating to this date, Haya being the other.

Sanam smiled and inhaled deeply. This city was one which, despite was unfair to her, showed her hope. Her mother, Zoya Ahmed Khan had found her love here, Asad Ahmed Khan. Her Badi Ammi had told her all the stories about Asad and Zoya and how their hatred turned into undying love for each other. She knew how lucky Bhopal was for her parents, well at least until it took them away from her. She hoped to find hope and love and luck. She had heard that Bhopal was a place for opportunity. After her Dhaba, which was very close to her heart, the only thing that kept her going, was broken down by some idiotic business man, the option of going to Bhopal seemed appealing. Her Dhaba was her sole source of income. Haya could not speak or hear, hence she couldn't find a job. And Dilshad, her health was so unstable that Sanam forbade her to over work. Dilshad sewed, and taught Haya as well. They would fix or make clothes for the small people in Punjab but that couldn't be near enough money. Sanam took responsibilities on her shoulder. She was very much like her father; strong, very religious, independent, responsible. She also inherited traits from Zoya. She knew how to turn someone's smile upside down even when she herself was on the verge of tears, she was boldface, no one, and no man could ever stand up to Sanam. She was almost feared by some, but those closer to her knew her heart was full of gold. She was helpful to her own, and to strangers in any and every way. She knew what was sacrifice and selflessness. Her traumatic past never succeeded in showing on her face, which was always decorated with her radiant smile and her dimples. Yet another thing she got from her Ammi.

She was that pillar to Haya and Dilshad, and they were hers. Their family may be small and mismatched, missing persons but to them, they were each other's world. They cherished each other because that was all they had.

"Badi Ammi, mujhe dargah jaana hai" Sanam said.

"Sanam, we should get to the haveli first, then we can all go to the dargah"

Haya shook her head in agreement to what Dilshad responded. Yes, she could understand. Allah may take with one hand, but gives with the other. Haya could read lips and over the years, her twenty two innocent years, she became even better at it.

"Please Badi Ammi. I have a good feeling about this. It's the first time I'm here. Before I go anywhere, I need to take Allah's blessings. Aur waise bhi, main chate thi ki jab main Bhopal aayi, ki main us dargah... jahan Ammi aur Abbu..." she started and Dilshad smiled and placed her hand on her head affectionately.

"Theek hai. You go, and then meet us okay? We'll go to the house first, aur haan , this is the address" she said, handing her a piece of paper with some writing scribbled on it.

She bade them goodbye as they hailed a rickshaw and then proceeded to hail one herself.

At Khan Mansion:

"Asalaam walikum" Dilshad beamed at the young man before her. He was roughly Haya's age, maybe a few years older. He was tall, taller than Dilshad and Haya both, and his hair was black, his beard overgrown; he looked unkempt.

He greeted them politely. "You must be Dilshad Khala?"

"Ji bete. Tumhara naam... Rahat haina?"

"Ji. Come inside" he said ushering them in.

"This is Haya, my grand-daughter" she said, pointing toward Haya, who paid Salaams to Rahat.

"Khala, there's your room upstairs, and Haya can stay in the guestroom downstairs here, or upstairs if she likes. Yeh abhi bhi aapki ghar jaise hai"

"Shukriya beta"

"I'll carry your bags for you?"

"No, it's okay. We will manage."

"Well, I'll be in my room" he said abruptly, and left. It seemed he only spoke when necessary.

Dilshad looked around the house. It was so familiar yet so foreign. She saw faded images of Najma, Asad and Zoya.

She could clearly remember the day Zoya came into their lives. The days of Asad and Zoya's endless fights, their make-ups. Her mind dared to venture into their most pained moments but quickly shrug them off. She remembered the four singing and dancing together, celebrating Asad and Zoya's union. Before she knew it her eyes were full of tears.

Haya gestured towards her, asking what was the matter. Dilshad explained that this was Najma's home before as well as Asad and Zoya's. Haya hugged her and Dilshad kissed her forehead, before they both went to their rooms.

At the Airport:

"Rehaan bhai!" Shazia and Nazia exclaimed as he hugged them. Shazia was clad in a jeans and a white jersey, and a black jacket completed her outfit. Nazia, a red anarkali suit, her squared shaped glasses made her face look even tinier.

"Tum dono kaise hai?" he asked, ruffling their hair.

"You won't ask about me?"

Rehaan looked up and he broke the embrace with his sisters and went forward to give his older brother a bear hug.

"Ahil bhai!" he smiled and Ahil hugged him back.

Ahil was the opposite of Rehaan. Ahil was super tall, while Rehaan was shorter. Ahil was muscular and bulky, his arms were twice the size of Rehaan's, while Rehaan was small and slim. Ahil's hair was long and choppy, a lock always fell to the front of his hair, Rehaan's was shaved down neatly and was short. Rehaan was far more religious than Ahil. Rehaan was warm hearted, anyone could tell. Ahil on the other hand, reserved such warm emotions to his family, and only when necessary. Rehaan also took the blame for anything wrong Ahil did, he loved his brother dearly. Ahil too, returned this love for his Bhaijaan.

"Bhai, before we go home let's visit the dargah. You know everytime I return from a business trip or leave for one, I must give thanks to Allah."

"Haan Ahil Bhai" his sisters agreed.

"Rehaan you don't even need to say it" Ahil muttered as he drove off with Rehaan in the passenger's seat and his two sisters in the back. He was so accustomed to Rehaan's habit.

At the dargah, Rehaan, Nazia and Shazia came out, while Ahil remained in the car.

"Ahil bhai, won't you come?" Nazia asked.

"No, you guys carry on"

Rehaan shook his head and continued on with his sisters.

The three prayed. For their family, their happiness, their health. Rehaan decided he would convince Ahil to come into the dargah. He knew Ahil wasn't really religious but he decided to try like he did last time. He got up and left to go to the car.

He knocked on the window and when Ahil wound down the glass he asked, "Ahil bhai main jante hoon ki yeh sab... today is the first day I'm home after two weeks. Please come inside na."

"Rehaan, I'll pray at home. It's okay"

"Just once...I know you feel as if you have nothing to thank Allah for. But don't you love me? I'm back, safe and sound. Please? For me?"

Ahil sighed and came out of the car.

"I knew you'd listen to me" Rehaan said proudly.

"Can't refuse my Rehaan Miyan" he said and he followed Rehaan. One might have imagined a smile and teasing expression on Ahil's face as he said those words but his face was still straight and unmoved. Such was Ahil.

Shazia and Nazia were finished and met Ahil as he was about to enter. They smiled at him.

"Bhai, we'll wait for you outside okay?"

"Theek hai" Ahil muttered.

Sanam had now reached the dargah and fixed her dupatta to cover her face, only her eyes showed. She entered the dargah and passed right next to Ahil, whose back was turned, and hence didn't notice her.

She sat, raised her palms in front of her and closing her eyes, she prayed.

"Allah Miyan, aaj meri liye ek bahut important din hai. Mujhe kabhi nahi socha ki main yahan .. Bhopal main.." she sighed. " Everything's happening so fast. I know that when you take with one hand, there's something even better coming. Please bless me. I came here to get a good job so I can take care of Haya aur Badi Ammi. I know we have somewhere to stay but still, it is my responsibility to take care of them. Main jante hoon ki meri Ammi yahan aayi thi, and she got more than anything she would've ever wanted. She found Abbu. She was so lucky. Please Allah miyan, bless me just like you did with her. I know this place is like a stranger to me, but somehow I feel close to Ammi aur Abbu here. Especially in this dargah, jahan Abbu ne Ammi ko pehle baar dekha tha."

She felt her eyes watering as she thought about her past.

" I don't know why this happens to me. I lost my parents. And when I was getting along fine with my Dhaba, everything just fell apart" She was crying now, tears rolling down her cheeks profusely. Her dupatta was now tear stained.

Ahil entered and sat down directly opposite her. He raised his palms, about to pray when he caught glimpse of her. Her face was covered with her green dupatta, but her wet dupatta stuck to her face so he could slightly see some detail of her face. She definitely had a long, straight nose and high cheekbones. Her plait was noticeable as it evolved from under the dupatta down to her waist.

She continued, " I know you will take care of me. Please help me to find a job and work hard and give Haya and Badi Ammi a good life. Shayad Haya ki special treatment bhi... sab aapke marzi hai. You brought me this far with you, just please continue to bless me. I want to make Abbu aur Ammi proud, Badi Ammi bhi."

She stopped crying and thanked Allah Miyan for everything she had and then got up to go tie her thread. Ahil saw her open her eyes and closed his.

Ahil got up shortly after to go tie his thread.

"Zoya?" Baba called as Sanam walked towards his direction.

Sanam stopped in her tracks, astounded to hear her mother's name.

"Baba, you knew my Ammi?"

"You're Zoya's daughter?"

"Ji."

"MashaAllahYou look almost exactly like her. Where is she?"

"Actually... Ammi aur Abbu.. they died many years ago. You knew my Abbu too?"

"Haan. I did their nikaah too. May Allah bless you beti"

"Shukriya Baba"

Sanam then went forward to tie her thread.

Ahil and Sanam were on opposite sides, completely oblivious to each other.

Both begin tying their thread, not noticing that they were tying it together.

Baba came behind Zoya.

"May Allah bless your Jodi"

"Kya?"

"Vo.." he said pointing to the man on the other side of the separation and then, to their joint threads.

Ahil looked up, hearing his voice and caught himself drowning in the same pair of eyes which were just overflowing with tears. Her eyes were so dark and beautiful. Even though her kohl was smudged, and her eyes were her only feature visible, he could tell she was a beauty to behold.

He had seen other girls before. Other pretty girls who wore barely any clothes, who drank, who partied. With him. But they were just pretty'. He suddenly felt they were all inferior to this pure and innocent girl standing opposite him. Through the spaces he could tell this much as he peered at her, so he wondered what it would be like to look at her face to face, without her dupatta. Masha Allah!

Sanam looked through the spaces to find a pair of eyes staring back at her. She couldn't see much because the lighting on his side was dim. She couldn't even see his face. It was almost as if he wore a dupatta on his face too, she thought. She caught short glimpses though, dues to the flickering light of the candles nearby. His stubble was a bit attractive, she had to admit, but his eyes which pierced through her reflected something intense. A certain ferociousness, a certain coldness. But behind she could almost see something warm.

Before she could reach that warmth he turned away, scowling. Sanam furrowed her eyebrows, confused and then looked away too, and began trying to untie her thread.

"Rehne dijiye"

"Lekin Baba yeh... We're not... I don't even know him"

"Nahi beti. Yeh Allah ki marzi hai. It's already tied together, it will be a sin to untie it"

Sanam suddenly felt something surge through her. Was it hope?

"Theek hai Baba"

Baba then extended his hand to give her a taveez.

"Beta, you too, come for a taveez" he said, motioning Ahil to come forward, who had now moved away from where he was previously.

"Nahi, I don't want all that" he said curtly.

"When Baba is giving you something, you shouldn't refuse" Sanam replied sharply, tilting her head sideways to the form standing behind her.

"She is right"

"I don't believe in all this. I said my prayers, that's enough" he said arrogantly. He couldn't believe this same beauty had the voice of a lion. How could she speak to him like that? Maybe her beauty was just on the outside. He huffed.

"What's wrong with you? Aapka tameez aur tehzeeb kahan hai? Is this the way you show respect to God?" She said in a firm and vicious tone.

"Who do you think you are to speak to me like this?" He snapped, appalled by the nerve of this girl

Sanam was about to turn and give him a lecture but Baba stopped her.

"Let it be. Here" he said giving her one.

"May Allah bless you with all happiness" he blessed her.

Ahil saw her accept the taveez, the tiny cylindrical silver thing on a black string and she tied it into the end of her dupatta.

She gave her Salaams to Baba and then turned sideways to leave, not sparing a glance at Ahil.

Ahil lingered for a while, thinking and finally approached Baba and asked for a taveez too.

Babaji was surprised but gave it to him and blessed him.

Somehow Ahil felt the girl with the beautiful eyes slipping away from him, and thought taking her advice would make it all better.

"You really don't know that girl?" Babaji asked Ahil.

"Nahin. Why?"

"Sab Allah ki marzi hai. Nothing happens without a reason. It's good you took her advice, Beta. Remember her, you never know, you might meet her again"

"I really don't think so Baba. She spoke to me so rudely. I'll be glad if I don't see her again" He said, irritatedly, though he wished he could have a chance to look into her eyes again. He hoped her rude behaviour would not repeat if he did see her again.

"Two threads tied together, the possibilities are infinite. Sab Allah ki marzi hai!" Baba preached before leaving him baffled and dumbfounded.

Chapter Two - A Fleet of Hope___________________________________________________

That was chapter one guys. 😲Please leave me lots of love and comments.😉 Tell me about it, what you thought about the first part, criticism too, anything. Leave me chappals too ( size 7 only, maybe i could squeeze into a 6 1/2) LOL

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lots of love,

- Vaish