Thank you guys so much for liking that story so I decided to make it a multi-chapter. This one is a lot more lighter and fluffier than the other ones. Well, knowing my sadism I'll find a way to spice it up. But for now...enjoy!
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2. Cousin to Cousin Bias
"Kya? Mamoo aur Mamani kyun arahe hain Baba?" Farah whined and Zarmine huffed as well.
"Uff sakt chir hai mujhe uss Irem ki bachi se," Zarmine was quick to agree with Farah. Ruhi looked like she was about to scold them but Wali spoke in.
"Farah, Zarmine, buri baat," Wali chided his sister and cousin. "Woh tumhare cousins hai Farah aur Tayee-Ammi ke bhai bhaabi, kuch toh haq banta hai unka bhi."
Zarmine reached over, ruffling Wali's hair. "Lala, aap bahut boring hain."
Wali rolled his eyes at his little sister, about to push her away when Farah leaned against his shoulder.
"Waise Wali, Zarmine theekh hi kehti hai," Farah teased and Wali pulled away from the two of them. Honestly, he loved them both but they were a little too alike sometimes. Luckily, he was saved from any more leg-pulling when Tajjamul and his family entered.
"Asalam alaikum Bhaijaan, Bhabhi," Ruhi said, going over to hug them both. "Kaise ho Moeez? Irem tum kaisi ho? Haider nahi aya?"
"Uske exams chal rahein hain phuppo," Irem said going to hug her Phuppo. "Kaisi ho Farah? Hi Wali." She winked at Wali. "How are you?"
"Main..." Wali began but was cut off as Farah grasped his hand rather possessively, forcing a smile on her face.
"Wali aur main bilkul theek hai, Irem," Farah said a little too cheerfully. "Kya abhi tak koi rishta nahi mila apne liye joh Wali ke saath flirt karne ki kaushishoon mein ho?"
Zarmine tried not to snort for Tayee-Ammi's sake and because of the disapproval reigning on her face but had to cover her mouth to avoid it. It was so obvious Farah was feeling a bit jealous.
"Farah, kya hogaya hai tumhe?" Ruhi scolded. Farah frowned, pouting at her mother.
Irem huffed, turning away while Moeez tried to ease the tension.
"Choro na Farah, hum logue itne dinon baad milein hai, I missed you yaar," Moeez said, pulling Farah into a hug.
Farah hugged Moeez back. Honestly, he was the only decent cousin in her mother's side of the family. "I missed you too, Moeez." She pulled away. "Tumhi itne dinon baad aate ho, to isme mera kya kusoor?"
Moeez laughed. "Haan haan, maan li ghalti."
Farah laughed, moving back besides Wali noticing his expression had turned kind of sour. "Kya hua Wali?"
Wali managed a smile. "Nahi, kuch nahi." Moeez had been so close to Farah and for some reason, he didn't like it too much, almost as much as Farah didn't like Irem being close to him. Probably because the two were pretty close as cousins. He tried to be civil though, for Farah and Tayee-Ammi's sake. "Kaise ho Moeez?"
"Theek hoon," Moeez said curtly.
--
Farah was playing a game of Go Fish with Moeez and she was winning too. Ha, and Wali teased her that she wasn't good at card games. "Mein jheet gayi, mein jheet gayi!"
Wali laughed as he watched them from the kitchen when Irem came up to him.
"Hi Wali, kya dekh rahe ho?" Irem said with a soft smile. Wali turned his attention away from Farah onto Irem.
"Kuch nahin," Wali said softly. "Farah aur Moeez ki kaafi achi dosti hai na? Halain ke woh usse ummar mein cheh saal bara hai."
Irem shrugged. "Ummar se kya fark parta hai? After all, tum bhi toh Farah se three years older ho." She leaned close to Wali. "Yeh toh understanding ki baat hoti hai nahi?"
Wali frowned a little at how forward Irem was acting. He pulled back from Irem. "Please, Irem. Apni limits mat cross karo."
Irem reached out a hand, placing it on Wali's arm. "Kyun? Itna darte ho Farah se?"
Wali pulled his arm away. "Dekho Irem, Farah meri cousin bhi hai aur baut achi dhost bhi. Tum uski cousin ho, is lehaaz se main tumhari bhi respect karta hoon. Aur jahaan tak darne ki baat hai, jisse aapki dhosti, jo aapke dil ke baut kareeb ho uski naraazgi se aap zaroor darte hain. Now, if you'll excuse me, mujhe baut kaam karne hain." He walked past her, ignoring any of her other attempts to stop him and was going to his room when he heard his Baba Jaan's unusually angry voice.
"Khabar daar jo meri bhatije ko ghalat nazar se dekha," Suhaib sounded angry and that was a tone Wali really heard from his Baba. Unable to help but be curious, he walked into the living room, seeing Suhaib pull Farah closer to his chest protectively and the girl looking seemingly confused.
"Chachu, aisi koi baat nahi," Farah began but Suhaib shook his head.
"Beti, tum baut saada ho, in batoon ko nahi samaj ti," Suhaib said passing Farah over to Wali who frowned a bit.
"Uncle, aapko koi ghalat fahmi hui hai," Moeez was protesting. "I mean, Wali aur Farah toh harwakt haat pakre rehte hai toh aghar maine Farah ka haat pakar liye toh kya kiyamat agayi?"
"Wali, Farah ko thori dehr riding pe le jao," Suhaib said in that same stern voice.
"Ji Baba Jaan," Wali said immediately, feeling a surge of anger at Moeez even trying to hold Farah's hand and if it made his Baba Jaan so angry then there must be something else that had happened. "Chalo Farah."
"Par Moeez ne kuch nahi kiya Wali," Farah said frowning, clearly looking concerned.
Wali smiled. "Fikhar mat karo, aao hum toh thori riding kar lete hain. Baba Jaan bas Moeez se kuch baat karna chahte hain. Aao na?"
Farah looked between her Chachu and a very irritated Moeez, hesitating a little but finally going with Wali. Once they were out of sight, Suhaib gestured to the sofa.
"Behto," Suhaib said. "Beht ke baat karte hain."
Moeez raised an eyebrow but sat down where he had been sitting before while Suhaib sat opposite him.
"Baat haat pakarne ki nahi thi," Suhaib said. "Theek kehte ho tum, baat us nazar ki hoti hai jis se tum meri Farah ko dekh rahe the. Abhi to tum shukhar karo ke tumhari is gandi nazar ko Behroz ne nahi dekha. Warna shahid tum uske hatoon zaya ho jaate."
"Haan, mujhe Farah achi lagti hai," Moeez said firmly now. "Aur mujhe pura haq hai ke main usko pasand karoon."
"Bilkul haq hai," Suhaib agreed. "Tum jisse chaho passand kar sakte ho. Lekhin pasand aur hawas mein baut farq hota hai." He could tell Moeez wanted to say more but he raised a hand to silence him. "Maine jo kehna tha keh diya. Aainda main tumhari aankhoon meri bhatije ke liye aisi hawas na dekhoon. Warna majbooran mujhe Behroz aur Ruhi ko itala karna ho ga." He stood up. "Main chalta hoon." Without even another glance, he left the living room.
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