OMG GUYS. I am completely overwhelmed with the response I got for the first chapter! I am so glad that you all like it. Thank you thank you thank you for such amazing comments! Sorry about the lateness for the second part, I was out of town. But it's here nowww! I added the english translation of any hindi dialogues for those of you who have a trouble understanding hindi! Do let me know what you think of this chapter :)
Chapter 2 - The Worker and the Caretaker
November 26, 2013 - 9:00pm: Abdullah Mansion
Aaliya's POV
"6 baar?" My mom gasped as Mami nodded. [Six times?]
"Fahad bahut cliche ideas use kar raha tha, woh bhi sab ek hi article sai, toh obviously Nafisa ko pata chal gaya." Mami laughed as Fahad Bhaijaan blushed. "So usne 6 proposals inkaar kardiye."
[Fahad used the cheesiest proposal idea and all of them were from the same article, Nafeesa obviously caught on and rejected all six proposals.]
"Wah, waise pyaar toh bada gehra lagta hai Fahad miyah." My dad laughed from where he was sitting on the sofa beside Mamu and Zain. [Wow, seems like you're crazy in love Fahad.]
I smiled, their story was cute and it made me wonder what our story would be. Fahad Bhai and Nafisa had always been clear about their equation to everyone, they met about 11 months ago when Mamu and Mami introduced the two of them in hopes they would marry. And it worked because the two were completely smitten. They were both well into their twenties, Fahad Bhai was 27 and Nafisa 25, so marriage was expected of them.
I have no idea what they'd say about Zain and I. He was barely 24 and I was only 22, and we'd been...dating I guess, for two years. It was a relationship of an unusual kind, we talked to each other every day but saw each other occasionally, it wasn't a conventional relationship but we had this unspoken promise between us - we knew that this was it and we were in it for the long haul. He always laughed and groaned why I told him that I wanted a huge wedding. I always blushed like an idiot and yelled at him when he told me he wanted at least ten children.
We were both skeptical about giving this a chance because of our family situation but it got to a point where we realized that we'd always live with a "what if" if we didn't try. We always had a strong equation, even as kids we were close despite fighting all the time. He'd bother me but not let anyone else do so, and I was fiercely overprotective of him. Our parents would always joke that we'd either end up killing each other or marrying each other. We would scoff and laugh at the latter but that one summer changed everything, maybe it was because we weren't kids anymore, he was 21 and I was turning 19, or maybe it was because we hadn't actually seen each other in a few years.
x-x-x-x
Flashback
May 2011: Bhopal - Haider Mansion
It was a warm day, but that was expected in month of May, especially in Bhopal, the city was mostly quiet at this time of the day, the sun was blazing and everyone preferred to be inside. But two girls, actually a third would join them, were exceptionally excited and jumping around the large mansion door awaiting their guests in the heat. Their excitement only grew as they saw the huge iron doors at the end of their driveway open allowing two white cars to enter.
"MAMU! MAMI! BARKAT!" Aaliya and Aayat had yelled and attacked their guests with hugs as soon as they had pulled up in front of the house.
"Aaapi! Aayat!" Barkat had yelled hugging them, the three of them were jumping up and down with excitement. The grown-ups just laughed at the three of them and made their way inside leaving them and their excitement alone.
"AHHH YOU GOT TALLER!" Aaliya said looking at Barkat.
"Yaar, Mamu ki Bhanji, itna zor sai chilaui gi toh pura Bhopal behra hojayega." His voice had come from behind Barkat after a few minutes of watching the three of them talk merrily. [Dude, all of Bhopal is going to go deaf if you yell that loud.]
He would have spoken earlier but he was quite mesmerized by the girl in the plain white suit, her eyes were bright and her smile even more so as she jumped up and down laughing. He laugh was mesmerizing in itself, it sounded like tinkling bells. He had of course shook himself out of it and then mentally slapped himself for thinking that...it was Aaliya.
Aaliya took one look at him and realized that he wasn't a "machis ki teeli" anymore. She hated to admit it to herself but he'd turned into quite an attractive guy. He was built but just the right amount, his hair swept away from his face and the scruff along his jaw made his face look angular and utterly sexy. She definitely couldn't get over that crooked smile of his lit up his face, it was something she always liked about him, he always had a cute smile but cute wasn't the word she'd use right then.
"Tum waapis jaa sakte ho, tum kaho toh mein tumhari Mumbai ki ticket abhi book kara sakti hoon, tumhare kaan bach jayenge." She quipped snapping out of her thoughts, a smirk on her face. [You can go back, if you want I can book your ticket to Mumbai, it'll save your ears.]
"Agar tum chahti ho ki mein yaha sai chala jaaon toh mein jaa kaise sakta hoon?" He had replied, putting his arm around her shoulders. [How can I leave if you want me to leave?]
"Koi baat nahi, tumhe ignore karna mujhe bahut achi tarah aata hai." She retorted trying to shake him off, she felt her stomach tense up when he did that and it freaked her out. [Ah, no worries, I am good at ignoring you anyways.]
"Sadly mein itni moti ladki ko ignore nahi kar paaonga." He teased, she used to be quite a chubby kid and he was taken aback by how she had lost all traces of baby fat and turned into a beautiful young woman. [Sadly I can't ignore you fatty.]
"Shut up maachis ki teeli." She said rolling her eyes and walking away with Aayat and Barkat.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
"Tumhare kamre mein light thodi kam nahi?" He said sarcastically looking around the room and taking in the many lights that hung off every surface. It was pretty but a bit too girly for his taste. [Wow, isn't your room lacking lights?]
"Kaash yeh sari lights baand hojati aur mujhe tumhara chehra naa dekhna padta." She said looking up from her bed. She was on her laptop, her hair in a high bun and wearing pajamas. She should have looked horrible to him but she looked absolutely amazing. [Alas, I wish all these lights would turn off so I wouldn't have to look at your face.]
"Tum chasmish kab se bangaye?" He asked sitting on her bed and then laid down sideways, his elbow on the bed and his hand under his head. [When did you get glasses?]
Aaliya felt her heart speed up for reasons unknown to her, she concluded that she just wanted him to leave. Every time he came close to her she felt weird, her stomach would fill with butterflies and she didn't know what to make of it.
"Tumhe aur koi kaam nahi hai?" She asked trying to pretend like she was invested in her work. [Don't you have something else to do?]
"Nahi. Kisse baat kar rahi ho?" He asked looking at the screen of her MacBook. "Zeeshan, boyfriend hai tumhara?" He laughed neither understanding the weird feeling he got when he said the word boyfriend nor his instant dislike of this Zeeshan. [Nope! Who are you talking to? ... Zeeshan, your boyfriend?]
"Nahi. Ab tum jao gai please?" She asked pointing towards the door. [No, will you leave please?]
"Ab mujhe tum par shaak ho raha hai, mujhe yaha sai bhagane ke liye itni betaab kyun ho?" He smirked. She wanted to tell him that he made her feel weird but she didn't know why so she couldn't exactly tell him. [You are acting really suspicious, why are you so impatient to see me leave?]
"Kyunki tum bahut annoying ho. Ab jao." She said throwing the first thing that she got her hands on at him. [Because you are annoying. Now leave.]
"How rude! Let's go Mr. Bear." He said picking up the stuffed animal she had thrown at him before walking out of the room.
"ZAIN! MERA BEAR MUJHE WAAPIS DEKAR JAO!" She yelled behind him. [Zain! Give me the bear back!]
"Ab yeh mera hai Mamu ki Bhanji." He said laughing. [It's mine now, MKB.]
"Idiot." She screamed.
X-X-X-X
"Okay, toh yeh act last hoga aur isse pehle magician wala theek rahega?" Aaliya said reviewing the list in front of her as Zeeshan nodded. [Okay, so we can make this the last performance, and move this one before the magic act.]
"Yeh singing act yaha par move kar dete hai, set up karne mein aasani hogi." Zeeshan said leaning into her side to point out what he was talking about. Aaliya nodded and scribbled something down.[We can move this singing act here, it'll be easier to set up.]
The two of them were unaware of a pair of eyes watching them, actually glaring at Zeeshan. "Mamu ki Bhanji, dekho kaise chipke bethi hai uske saath, yaha koi fevicol ka commercial ban raha hai kya." Zain mumbled to himself. He'd been sending glares Zeeshan's way since he had shown up a few hours ago. Zain had planned to bother Aaliya this morning but Zeeshan foiled his plans. Idiot. Zain didn't like the way he followed Aaliya around with a smitten look on his face, and he definitely didn't like the fact that his cousins thought Zeeshan was cute and looked really good with Aaliya. He really hated that last bit. [MKB, look how close they are sitting. We aren't shooting a commercial for some glue here.]
"Hi." Zain finally interrupted them after much speculation. Aaliya looked up at him once before she looked back to the papers in front of her, completely ignoring him. "Mamu ki Bhanji ki tehzeeb ko pata nahi kya hua." Zain quipped before turning to Zeeshan. "I am Zain." He said holding out his hand. Zeeshan smiled and introduced himself, shaking Zain's hand. Zain may have squeezed his hand a little too hard, he would have done so for longer if Zeeshan's phone hadn't rung. [I don't know what happened to Aaliya's manners...]
"Oh toh yeh Zeeshan hai." Zain whispered in Aaliya's ear as he sat down right by her as Zeeshan walked to the side of the terrace to take his phone call. Aaliya felt her stomach flip at Zain's proximity, there was literally no room between the two of them and she couldn't exactly move since the swing was so small. Aaliya turned and glared at him. [Oh, so this is Zeeshan.]
"Tum yaha sai jaoge please?" Aaliya whispered trying to sound annoyed. [Can you leave?]
"Phir tumhari neeyat par shak ho raha hai MKB, tumhara boyfriend hai?" Zain whispered again, he didn't comprehend the reason behind his desire to know the relationship between the two of them but he just had to know. [You are acting suspicious again, is he your boyfriend?]
"Agar ho bhi toh tumhe kya?" Aaliya whispered. [What's it to you?]
"Iska matlab hai." Zain concluded, he felt his chest constrict and was surprised by it. [That means he is.]
"Nahi hai." Aaliya said causing a small smile to adorn Zain's face. [He's not!]
"Toh itna saath chipak kar kyun betha hai?" Zain whispered. [Then why are you sitting so close to him?]
"Tumhe kya problem hai?" She asked confused. [What's your problem?]
"Problem? Mujhe? Koi nahi. Bas aise hi." Zain covered. [Problem? Me? Nothing. Just asking.]
"Tumhari interrogation khatam hogayi ho toh hum kaam karle." Aaliya said to him. [If you are done your interrogation...can we work now?]
"Uh, tum dono theek ho?" Zeeshan's voice came from behind Aaliya. Zain and Aaliya broke apart from their heated debate, they hadn't even realized that they were leaning into each other and arguing. [Are you guys okay?]
"Haan. Zain kahin jaa raha hai, bye bolne kai liye ruka tha." Aaliya said to Zeeshan. Zain glared at her before walking away from Aaliya and Zeeshan. [Yeah. Zain was just going to leave, he was waiting to say bye.]
X-X-X-X
Present: November 26, 2013 - Abdullah Mansion Living Room - 10:20pm
I was brought out of my thoughts when the room burst out into laughter, I looked around to see that they were all laughing about something, apart from Zain who was looking at me questioningly. I shook my head at him as the family calmed down and decided to call it quits for the night with promises of meeting at breakfast.
I walked up the stairs with Aayat and Barkat giving Zain a longing stare before disappearing out of sight. I missed talking to him, if this were any other day I would have been on the phone with him or on FaceTime from at least 8-10pm. I hadn't actually seen him since two months ago and now that he was right in front of me I was forced to act like I didn't just want to curl up beside him. We hardly ever got any time together and I realized that despite being in the same house as him we were farther apart than we were before.
"Aapko kya hua Aapi? Badi sad-types lag rahi ho?" Aayat asked as she got ready to go to sleep. Barkat giggled from her dressing table where she was combing her hair causing me to look at her, she waggled her eyebrows before trying to hide her smile. [What's wrong with you Aaliya? You look quite sad.]
"Kuch nahi." I said to Aayat before glaring at Barkat. Aayat just shrugged before rolling over on the bed and going to sleep. She was out within minutes. [Nothing.]
"Waise bhabhi-to-be bhaiyoo ko good night kehna ho toh aap jaa sakti hai...ghar ke iss taraf sirf hum teeno kai kamre hi hai, aur Fahad bhai toh ab tak khaarate mar rahe honge." Barkat said grinning like a cheshire cat. [You know...if you want to say good night to Zain you can. Only our rooms are on this side of the house, and Fahad is probably snoring by now...]
"Meine kisi ko goodnight nahi kehni." I said, was I really that obvious? [I don't need to say goodnight to anyone.]
"Acha?" Barkat asked laughing. [Really?]
"Haan...nahi." I finally admitted, there was no point in denying it. "Mein abhi aati hoon." I said getting up and walking out of the room. I honestly hated how the Abdullah house was set up, it was pretty creative but the random straight stairway leading to the other side of the house was a bit over the top, especially when you are trying to get to the other side without being seen. [Yes, no...I'll be right back.]
His door was wide open, the lights dimmed but he was nowhere to be found. "Zain?" I said out loud looking around, his room was actually quite clean apart from the daybed, which was piled with his clothes. I was about to turn around and leave when I heard the bathroom lock open and he walked out...shirtless.
I am pretty sure my eye widened, as my eyes hungrily roamed over his well defined pectorals, and down his washboard abs and to that sexy 'V' leading into those pajamas that were tied way too low. If they slipped just a little bit...NO NO NO STOP IT AALIYA. I knew he noticed that I was blatantly checking him out because he stood there for a minute, just smirking. He knew I loved to see him shirtless, and his ego derived a lot of pleasure from this knowledge.
"See something you like?" He smiled walking across the room towards me. I was going to say something witty and impressive but my mind wasn't exactly working because he kept walking closer and closer and closer until he was pressed up against me and his arms went around my waist to pull me closer. His scent enveloped and I just wanted to bury my face into his chest as I felt the heat emanating from his body. "Hi." He whispered rubbing his nose against mine.
"Hi." I finally got out as my hand decided to move up and around his shoulders, his smooth skin burning under my hands.
"Hmmm, you smell like vanilla." He whispered skimming my cheek with his nose, I still didn't understand how an act so innocent in its nature could make my body tremble, maybe it was the fact that he was shirtless and pressed up against me and my mind was conjuring up images of running my hands all over his muscular torso. "Acha hua ki tum aagaye, nahi toh mujhe Barkat kai kamre sai tumhe kidnap karna parta." He murmured nuzzling my neck. [It's good that you came or I would have had to sneak into Barkat's room to kidnap you.]
"Kyun?" I managed to ask him. [Why?]
"Kuch kehna tha tumse." He said moving away from my neck. [I needed to tell you something.]
"Kya?" [What?]
"I love you." He mumbled kissing my right cheek. "I missed you." He said kissing my left cheek, I felt the smile on my face widen. "You are beautiful." He said kissing the tip of my nose.
"I love you too." I smiled.
"Good." He said pecking my lips lightly.
"I came to say good night." I whispered against his lips.
"Hmmm, this is better than saying goodnight on the phone. Good night Mamu Ki Bhanji." He said kissing my forehead.
"Good night KitKit."
November 27th, 2013 - 8:30am - Abdullah Mansion
Zain's POV
"Good Morning!" I said walking into the dining room as everyone seemed to be finishing breakfast. Why do they get up so early, seriously? I looked around the table and was greeted with smiling faces and nods but one face was missing in action, and it was the one face I really wanted to see. I thought that I would get to spend more time with her since she was in the same city now, but boy was I wrong, as soon as we got home she was whisked away by the women of the house and I didn't even see her until dinner. I may have sulked in my room all night if she hadn't snuck in to say good night.
"Wow, abhi toh 9 bhi nahi baje aur tum jaag gaye." Fahad teased as I tried to conspicuously look around. [Wow, it's not even 9 yet and you're awake!]
"Aap sab kaha jaa rahe hai?" I said looking around the dining room, maybe she was in the kitchen. [Where are you all dressed to go?]
"Office." Dad said along with Fahad and Phupa, ah, so they were off to handle business. So that is three less people fighting for Aaliya's attention! SCORE! But, where is my woman?
"Aur hum kitchen mai, party kai liye mithai banani hai." Mom smiled along with Shabana Phoophs. Two more down, bless you all. [And we're going to the kitchen, to make sweets for the party.]
"Chalo bhabhi, Chand Bibi intezaar kar rahi hengi." Phoophs said getting up, followed by Mom. [Let's go, Chand Bi must be waiting.]
"Aaliya! Beta yeh kaam baad mein karlena pehle kuch khalo." Mom said. [Aaliya, finish those later, eat first.]
I am sure my head whipped up as soon as Mom called out to Aaliya, I followed her gaze and found the object of my affections. Aaliya was sitting on the floor in front of the centre table in the living room surrounded by invitations. AHA! So that's where she is, already at work of course. She looked so stunning right then, I am surprised I didn't fall out of my chair with how far I was leaning out of it to get a good look at her. Her hair was wet and fell in perfect waves around her face and the white suit she was wearing made her look sinfully beautiful. Ugh, I think she's onto my fascination of seeing her in white, but she looks so innocently sexy, especially when she wears white and has wet hair.
"Bas yeh khatam karke kha laiti hoon Mami." Aaliya said looking up briefly before going back to work.[I'll just finish this and eat.]
She completely ignored me. Sigh, tis my sad life. I watched as my mother smiled and nodded not realizing that she was being lied to, oh, so naive. I knew that Aaliya would forget all about eating and bounce around the house all day working. She was definitely not going to eat right after she finished the invites, no, she was going to find a new job and completely forget about it. So I waited for everyone to disappear before I decided to be the amazing boyfriend I am, I picked up a bagel and lathered it with butter cutting it into half, just the way she liked it. I picked up a glass of orange juice before walking into the living room and putting the stuff down on the table. She still didn't look up so I sat down next to her and moved the invitations out of my way.
"Eat." I said handing her the plate.
"Mere haath gande ho jayenge aur phir yeh invitations." She pointed out. Seriously. No good morning Zain you sexybeast or thank you Zain the love of my life? [My hands are going to get oily and then the invitations.]
"Kitne baaje uthi thi?" I asked looking at her. [When did you wake up?]
"5." She replied distracted as she copied her list of names on the powder blue envelope.
"Aur obviously kuch khaya bhi nahi hoga. Bimaar hone kaa shaunk hai kya?" I said picking up the bagel and bringing it to her mouth. [And you've had nothing to eat obviously, are you fond of getting sick?]
"Zain, koi dekh laiga." She hissed finally looking at me. Success! [Someone's going to see!]
"Koi nahi aayega. Aur waise bhi main tumhe koi kiss toh kar nahi raha ki koi mind karega..." I said sticking the bagel into her open mouth. "Eat." [No one is going to see. And it's not like I am kissing you or anything...]
"Agar kisi nai dekh liya toh." She said in between bites. [And if someone sees?]
"Toh Fahad Bhaijaan ke saath hum bhi nikaah karlenge, theek hai?" I said sarcastically before offering her another bite. [Then we'll get married right along Fahad, all right?]
"Zain, aur khaane ka mann nahi hai." She said. [I don't feel like eating more.]
"Aaliya, tumne aada bagel bhi nahi khaya." I said. How could you be full from 1/3 a bagel after not having eaten anything for hours? I could eat three bagels after eating a whole pizza and still feel hungry, what is wrong with this woman? [You didn't even eat half the bagel.]
"Bhook nahi hai." She said. [I am not hungry.]
"Jab bhook lagegi toh kuch khalena, okay?" [Eat when you're hungry, okay?]
"Okay."
"Drink this." I said handing her the glass of orange juice knowing there was no point in arguing with her now. She scrunched her nose but took a sip before putting it back down as I ate the rest of the bagel, f'yeah for second helpings! "Help chahiye?" I asked looking at the huge pile of nameless invitations and the long list of names.
"Tumhari writing tumhe bhi nahi samajh aati Zain." She laughed. Wow, how rude. First I don't get a good morning and now she's making fun of me, albeit the statement was true...but it still hurt, not really but hey. [You can't even understand your own writing...]
"Acha?" I asked as she nodded. "Woh kya hai?" I said pointing to the top of the staircase causing her to turn. Haha, SUCKERRR! I grinned pecking her cheek before whispering. "Good morning beautiful." [Really? ...What's that?]
Aaliya just sat there blushing which caused me to laugh as I got up and walked towards my room.
2:00 pm
Aaliya's POV
"Oh! Yaad aaya! Mere kamre ki almari ke uppar!" Mami said finally recalling where she had kept the white milk chocolate bar that she had bought the other day. "Agar mein kitchen mein rakhti toh ab tak woh disappear hojati aur wrapper Zain ya Barkat ke bed kai neeche milta." [AHA! I remember, it's on top of the cupboard in my room...if I kept it in the kitchen it would have disappeared and I would find the wrapper under Zain or Barkat's bed.]
"Mein dhoond kar laati hoon!" I said walking outside and to Mami's room. I stepped on the bed and tried to reach the top of the cupboard but it didn't work so I decided to try the side table and dragged it across the floor to the front of the cupboard and stepped onto it. [I'll go get it.]
"Tum kya kar rahi ho?" Zain's voice came from the door. [What are you doing?]
"Tum mera peecha kar rahe ho?" I asked turning to face the door, he was leaning against the door frame, his arms crossed across his chest, he looked absolutely delectable in that black t-shirt. [Are you following me?]
"Haan. Mujhe laga tum kitchen se nikaal kar mujhse milne aaogi." He said. [Yep, I thought you were coming to see me.]
"Mein toh chocolate laine aaye hoon." [I came to get the chocolate.]
"Almari ke upaar? Ohhh, so that's where she hides it." Zain laughed. "Help chahiye? [On top of the cupboard...oh...need help?]
"Nahi." I said grabbing the chocolate, stepping down and moving the table back. I bumped into him when I turned around not realizing when he had moved behind me. "Kya?" I asked.
"Tumse kuch kehna bhool gaya." He said. [I forgot to tell you something.]
"Kya?" I asked confused. [What?]
"I love you." He smiled wrapping his hand around my waist. Awww, I was glad that he was holding me or I would have melt into a puddle of goo.
"I love you too." I smiled.
"You know what I also love?" He asked.
"What?"
"Chocolate." He said snatching the chocolate out of my hand and running out the door.
"ZAINNN! I NEED THAT!" I said running after him. "Are you serious?" I yelled as he ran towards the kitchen.
"Zain, yeh tum..." My mom started to ask. [Zain, what are you...]
"STOP HIM. ISKE PAAS CHOCOLATE HAI." I said running into the kitchen. [He has the chocolate!]
"Try to take it from me Mamu Ki Bhanji."
"Zain seriously." I said as he ran out of the kitchen and towards his room.
"Aaliya! Stop." Mami yelled as I started to run after him.
"Kya hua?" I asked. [What happened?]
"Yeh ladka bhi naa." Mami said picking up the chocolate bar he'd left on the counter. Oh, I am going to kill him. [This boy...]
Abdullah Mansion - 4:30pm
Narrator's POV
"Inko mai kis kaam kai paisai deh rahi hoon, yeh phool bilkul galat lagai hai." Sarraya groaned looking around the living room that same evening. "Red-white-red-white pattern banaana tha." [I don't know what I pay them for, these flowers are all wrong...they were supposed to be in a red-white-red pattern.]
"Koi baat nahi Mami, mein theek kardeti hoon naa, aap jaaye kitchen mein." Aaliya said pushing her mami towards the kitchen. [Don't worry about it, I'll fix it, you go.]
"Are you sure beta?"
"Jee Mami! Ab jaayai!" She laughed. [Yes! Now go!]
"Thank you." She smiled walking away thinking about what she would have done if the Haiders hadn't come down to help with Fahad's wedding. As she passed by Zain's room a thought struck her. She knocked on his door and poked her head inside to find him sitting on the bed. "Zain beta! Aaliya ki madad karna bahar jaakar. Subah sai bechari idhar-udhar bhaag rahi hai." She said before making her way to the kitchen. [Zain, can you go out and help Aaliya? The poor thing has been running around all day.]
"Thank you Mommm." Zain whispered to himself smiling before making his way to the living room. He was looking for an excuse to spend time with her without looking suspicious. He had lost count of the amount of weird looks he had received for walking into the kitchen numerous times today only to catch a glimpse of her.
She was standing on the ladder fixing the flowers. What is wrong with this girl? Kabhi bed par chad jaati hai kabhi table par aur ab ladder per, girne kaa bahut shaunk hai isse. He thought. [Sometimes she stands on the bed, then on the table or ladder...she just wants to fall.]
He was about 10 feet from her when he noticed that she was swaying and her head was in her hands. Before he knew what was happening he was across the room and she was in his arms. He wasn't aware that he yelled out Aaliya really loudly along with Barkat who was making her way down the stairs.
"Kya hua?" Shabana and Surraya came running out of the kitchen with Chaand Bibi behind them. Zain didn't even hear them as he made his way across the room with Aaliya in his arms and laid her down on the sofa, and sat in front of it on the ground. [What happened?]
"Ya Allah, yeh kya hua?" Shabana gasped. [Oh my god, what happened?]
"Aapi ladder sai ghir gayi, but Bhaiyoo caught her." Barkat said. [Aaliya fell from the ladder, but Zain caught her.]
"Aaliya." Zain said touching her face. "Aaliya! Mom, doctor ko phone karo! Barkat paani." He said not looking away from Aaliya. "Aaliya, wake up." [Mom! Call the doctor! Barkat, get me water!]
"Bhaiyoo, paani!" Barkat said giving him a glass of water. He took the glass and dipped his fingers in it sprinkling her with water. She twitched a little. "Aaliya, uthjao nahi toh pura paani ka glass tumhare upar dal doonga." He threatened sprinkling her with water again. [Aaliya, wake up or I am going to dump the whole glass on you.]
"Don't you dare Zain Abdullah." She whispered opening her eyes slowly.
"Tum theek ho?" He asked touching her face again, searching her eyes. He knew she was going to make herself sick running around all day. Barkat elbowed Zain and coughed loudly because she noticed Shabana and Surraya looking at Zain weirdly. Luckily, Zain realized what he was doing and withdrew his hand like it was on fire before covering up. "Mamu ki Bhanji, tumhare weight sai floor toot jata. Dekh kar nahi gir sakti thi." [Are you okay?...MKB, the floor could have broken with your weight, look where you fall next time.]
"Shut up Zain." She groaned trying to get up.
"Aaram sai." He said helping her sit upright on the sofa. [Careful!]
"Tu theek toh hai Aaliya?" Shabana asked. [Are you okay Aaliya?]
"Haan woh, achanak sai chakar aagaya." She cringed as Fahad and Usman walked in with her father and the doctor. [Yeah, I just felt a little dizzy all of a sudden.] "Mein theek hoon..." Aaliya started to say as the doctor came to sit right by her. [I am fine, really...]
"Obviously not, doctor ko dekh ke hi pata chal gaya ki mareez kaun hai." Zain said sitting to her left on the couch. The rest of the family seated themselves looking worriedly at Aaliya as the doctor checked her eyes and then her breathing and pulse rate. [Obviously not since the doctor took one look at you and figured out you were the patient.]
"Symptoms kya hai?" The doctor asked. [What are the symptoms?]
"Kuch nahi, baas thoda saa chakar aaya..." [Nothing, I just felt a little dizzy...]
"Thoda saa?" Zain quipped. "Ladder sai niche ghir kar bhayosh hogai." [A little? She fell from the ladder!]
"Hmm, weakness hai. Iron ki deficiency bhi lagti hai, mein blood sample layleti hoon check karne ke liye." [Seems like weakness, perhaps an iron deficiency as well. I'll take a blood sample to check.]
"Weakness toh hogi naa, subah sai aadha bagel khaya hai, aur juice bhi nahi piya. Seriously Aaliya..." Zain said looking at the glass of juice still sitting on the side table, he completely missed all the looks he was receiving from the people around the room. Shabana looked at Surraya and raised her eyebrow as Usman observed his son closely. [Well she's obviously weak...she has had half a bagel since this morning...and she didn't even drink the juice.]
"Wait!" Zain said as he noticed that the doctor was about to prick Aaliya with a needle. "Yeh sterilized needle hai naa?" [Wait! Is the needle sterilized?]
"Of course." The doctor said looking at him oddly, along with the rest of the room apart from Barkat who was had the biggest smile on her face, she found the her Bhaiyoo and Aaliya to be the cutest couple ever.
"Itna mota kyun hai? Zyada dard hogaa naa?" He said observing the needle. Usman looked at Surraya and then at Shabana and then back at Zain with a perplexed look on his face. [Why is it so thick? It'll hurt a lot no?]
"Zain." Aaliya hissed noticing everyone looking around. Zain shut up as the doctor pricked Aaliya's left arm. Zain watched as blood gushed from her arm and it made him cringe, he hated the sight of blood.
"I'll have the results sent to you by tomorrow morning with the prescription if anything is needed. Ab aap please kuch khalijiyee, you'll feel completely fine after." The doctor said to Aaliya. [Just eat something.]
"Thank you doctor." Aaliya smiled as the doctor got up and left.
"Mein tumhare liye khana laike aati hoon." Chaand Bi said leaving. [I'll get you something to eat.]
Zain turned back to face everyone and noticed that everyone was staring at them weirdly, and Barkat was trying to point something out with her eyes but he wasn't actually getting what she was trying to say.
"Waise miyah, ab Aaliya ka blood test hochuka hai toh uska haath tum chod sakte ho." Ghulam said. Zain and Aaliya looked between them and realized that they were in fact holding her hand, Zain pulled his hand back like it was on fire as Aaliya blushed not even realizing that her hand was in his.[Zain...the blood test is done, you can let go of Aaliya's hand now.]
Chaand Bi came back with a plate of biryani. "Saara khatam karlena theek hai?" She smiled and Aaliya nodded. [Finish it all okay?]
"Ammi, Phoopi aap dono jaiye tayaar hojayi, mein aapi kai saath beth jaati hoon." Barkat smiled. "Fahad Bhai, aapki engagement ki party hai toh aap bhi jaiye." [Mom, Aunty, you two go get ready, I'll stay with Aaliya. Fahad, it's your engagement party...so you go too!]
"Aayat kaha hai?" Shabana asked looking around. [Where's Aayat?]
"Rizwan ke saath bahar decorate kar rahi hai." Barkat said. [Decorating outside with Rizwan.]
"Aaliya, koi kaam ko haath bhi mat lagana. Aur agar tumhare party mein aane ka mann naa ho toh batadena beta." Surraya said before leaving to her room. [Aaliya, don't do any work okay? And if you don't feel well enough to come to the party then tell us.]
"Bhaiyoo!" Barkat said as soon as the three of them were alone. "Aap toh aise act kar rahe thai ki jaise blood test aapka ho raha tha, Aapi ka nahi." [You were acting as if you were getting a blood test done, not Aaliya.]
"Woh...mein bhool gaya ki sab yaha hai okay? Aaliya, khana khao please, plate ko dekhne sai khana khaya nahi jataa." He said picking up the spoon and feeding her the biryani. [I forgot that everyone was here okay? Aaliya, eat, the food is not going to fly off the plate if you stare at it.]
"You guys are so cute, subhe bagel khilaa rahe thai ab biryani." Barkat swooned. [You guys are so cute, you were feeding her a bagel in the morning...and now biryani.]
"Maine kaha tha naa ki koi dekh-" Aaliya didn't get to finish her sentence as Zain stuffed another spoon into her mouth. [I told you! Someone would-]
"Ab tum aapne aap khana pasand karogi yaa mein khilayon." [Are you going to eat by yourself or should I feed you?]
"Mein khud khaa sakti hoon." She said taking the spoon from him. [I'll eat by myself.]
"Aur please aise dangerous kaam maat karakaro. I swear I am going to die of a premature heart attack." He said. [Please stop doing these dangerous things.]
"Haiii, yeh ishq." Barkat laughed. [Awww, love.]
"Bak Bak, tumhe aur koi kaam nahi hai?" [Don't you have something else to do?]
"Nahiii, you guys are so cute together!" She smiled.
Edited by astonm - 10 years ago
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