Posted:
9 years ago
Very sorry for the late lateef update ! Now I won't say anything just tell me how it is ! And thank you guys for being the amazing friends you are !
CHAPTER 3 : MOHABBAT KA RANG
14th march
The flight would reach his destination in few hours . Mumbai . They were going back from where they came . The occasion you ask , Holi , the colorful festival was being welcomed .His parents had invited them , they had forced Zain to bring her with him . His parents were literally in love with her , something he would probably never understand .
She had enough space to breath , but with him sitting so close to her and being observed by a pair of bewitching eyes , was not making anything better , since the last incidents that had occurred in their life , she could not make a proper eye contact with him without fearing of falling for those eyes which did something to her heart , he was too caring , too gentle , too nice for her , he had changed over the few months and that was something she could not handle .
During the whole journey , she did not talk to him , luckily he did not try too , he seemed in a deep thought , she wanted to ask him but she stopped , she had to keep the distance intact .
She looked out from the oval window of the plane , they were flying thousand of meters above the ground , the landscape looked like a painting , the houses were arranged in column , they looked like blocks of Lego , houses of little puppets , the clouds were so close , they seemed cotton candy to her , she wanted to drown in them , to have a deep slumber , something she did not had since a long time , spending her nights , analyzing his change of character , their relationship , trying to understand the new emotions , which were submerging her , every day , every moment .
Her train of thoughts were abruptly broken by a thud on her shoulder , she looked around to be mesmerized and dumbfounded by the sight she met , he was looking like an angel wrapped in the blue duvet , but what mattered to her , right now was that frown , that wasn't letting him sleep peacefully , and she was getting distracted by the magnetic odor of his hair , she wondered, what shampoo does he use ? Haan ?
She wished , she could get this sight , every morning , during her life , his head on her shoulder , it seems like an old habit , something they always did , she was getting high time on concentrating on anything else than his hair , those soft curls , she was hitching to feel that jungle of curls under her palms , but she stopped in tracks , NO , she has to ignore him , but he wouldn't know right , and she is not doing anything wrong , moreover he was sleeping like a baby and it will not harm anyone .
Thode Badmash Ho Tum
Thode Nadan Ho Tum
And Heaven , it was , she did the mistake to run her fingers in the jungle of curls , because she didn't know how she will be able to remove them , that curls were slipping through her fingers , his hair looked silk to her hands , they were so soft , she looked on when his face's frown started disappearing and his face's muscles started relaxing , she ruffled gently , something she dreamed of doing since the time she saw him , and truly speaking , she was melting , melting like a kulfi exposed to the sunlight .
Thode Badmash Ho Tum
Thode Nadan Ho Tum
Haan Magar Yeh Sach Hai
Hamari Jaana Ho Tum
Never she felt so close , that close , to anyone , and yet she was serene , she just wanted to feel it , she wouldn't get this opportunity again . Being so close to him , was arousing some unsaid emotions , in her heart . She was trying to capture every feature of his face , to keep them as a life time memory , she just wanted to lean in and , and BEHAVE Aaliya .
He was fast asleep , like a baby , he was the epitome of innocence , unknowingly he moved closer to her , his head buried in the crook of her neck , an act so innocent , yet it was getting difficult for her to breathe , she wanted to wake him up , but something was stopping her , she just let him slept there , getting some moments of peace .
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At Night
BARKAT VILLA
They reached their destination at night , Zain's parents had come to receive them at the airport . The couple was surely one of a kind , they complemented each other in every possible way , Mrs Surraiya Abdullah was a little bossy , but yet she loved her son immensely , she engulfed her son in a bear hug , the moment she saw him . Mr Usman Abdullah was an inspiration for both of them , he had a proudness in his eyes , when he saw his son , that it reminded her own father's , the day she got her post . But what she loved about the Abdullah's was their ability to make her feel home , yet being hundred kilometers far away from Bhopal . She met with enthusiasm with all the members , she was particularly fond of his sister, Barkat , she made her remind her little sister .
The night was calm , enveloping the sky , with the darkness and the twinkling stars , the breeze was gentle on her face , the moonlight enticing the calmness in her , a smile kissed her lips , as she stared at the beauty of the night .
" Kya huwa Miss Haider , kafee khush lag rahi hai ?"
She swiftly turned her head , to see him , leaning in the door frame of the roof , he came and sat next to her on the swing . It was the most quiet they had been in each other's presence they would usually start their never ending bickering sessions , but they were as calm as the night was .
" Yun baal kholke , kaali raat main kya kar rahi ho , accha sorry Sorry lagta hai Aaliya ji ki chudail party disturb hokai hai . " He said muffling a giggle under his breath , but stopped looking at her murderous look .
" Bad joke ... Okay to main chalta hoon. he said in an apolegetic
" Ruko ! Kaahan jaa rahe ho ? "
He stopped in tracks and looked surprised , he came back to her , she understood his confusion and blurted .
" Wo aaj chudail party cancel hogayi hai , to maine socha aapni chudailgiri kisi aur ke saath karlun , kaal holi hai na ,kuch plan hai kya ?". She said trying to find a good excuse to her outburst .
"Kaisa plan Miss Haider ?" He said waggling his eyebrows at her with that lop-sided smile that she finds adorable .
She frowned , she noticed a particular thing during these months , usually he would call her nakchari chuhiya or some other name , but now it was always Aaliya ji or Miss Haider , he was being respectful and too formal , it was like he was distancing himself from her , bringing an invisible wall , some invisible boundaries between their unnamed relationship , which she did not want to acknowledge .
" Matlab , kaal Holi hai na , i mean special occasion hai to kuch khaas to banta hai naa ? " She said excitement twinkling in her eyes .
" Occasion to hai hi aur tumhare liye to aur bhi exciting hoka , main jo nahi honga . "
"Matlab , tum kahan jaa rahe ho ? Itne dinon baad ghar aaye ho , sab ke saath time spend nahi karna kya ? "
"Excuse me aapko kyon itni figar ho rahi ho ?"
" M-Mujhe kyon figar hoki , wo to main waisa hi pucch rahi thi , nahi bataana to mat batao , mujhe kiya . "
" Dostoon ke saath jaraha hoon , Holi manane . "
She wondered , wasn't she his friend , or he perhaps just considered her as his colleague , his partner, nothing more .
" Kaunse dost ? "
" Wohi Shawn , Kartaar, Rizwaan , gang reunion , you know . "
" Oh , i see , to tum pura din , bahar hi rahoge ? "
" Lagta hai , Aaliya ji bohot miss karne wali hai mujhe , chill ek hi din ki baat , phir tumhain tang karne ke liye wapis aaonga . He said in a teasing manner . "
" Zyada khwab mat dekho , main to bohot khush , finally kuch sukoon ke paal milegen ." She tried to sound happy but her own voice seemed dripping in the flow of disappointment and sadness .
"Achaa mujhe to laga tha ke tum bore hojayagi main jo nahi honga ."
"Itni bhi kya baat hai , ek din jao ya dus mujhe koi fark nahi parta aur waise bhi login ki kaami nahi yahan , Barkat hai Arub hai, Sana aur Saif hai , main bore ho hi nahi sakti . "
She said fidgeting with the end of her dupatta , looking at him from the corner of the eyes .
He turned to look at her , at the same time, she turned her head not wanting to made any eye contact with him , Zain Abdullah was always able to caught her lies .
"Main to bohot thaak gaye hun , main sone jaa rahun ha . "
"Pura safaar ghori bhejke mere khande ko takiha bana ke rarate maar rahete , lekin bhir bhi -. "
Shit . She bit back her tongue , as she remembered the few moments of peace and tranquility, she got with him. People are right some things are eternal and these moments are .
" Mujhe bhi neend aarahi hai , main chalti hoon . "
" Ruko , mujhe tumse kuch pooch na hai . "
" Ya Allah ab ye pooche ka tumne mere liye ye sab kyon kiya , chaal Aaliya aaj to tu gaye . "
"Tumne mere liye ye sab kyon kiya ? "
" Maine kya kiya ? " She looked everywhere except at him .
"Tumse kitni bhar kahaa hai tumhe jhoot bolna nahi aata ,so please ."
Maine kab jhooth bola aur waise bhi maine kuch nahi kiya aur tumhare liye to bilkul nahi ."
" Puraa safar mujhe aapne khande pe sone diya , jagaya bhi nahi , kyon ? Tum mujhe utaa bhi sakti thi . "
" T-tumne bhi to m-mujhe aapne bagal main petne diya sur main kya karti , raraate marge so rahe the , maine utaa ne ki koshish bhi ki lekin tumhe hile nahi abb main kya karti ."
She tried to sound convincing ,one mistake and he would started his interrogation all over again .
" Sirf yahi wajaa hai ? "
" Haan bilkul. "
" Wajaa jo bi ho , thank you . "
Again , he was doing something out of his character , but she still smiled at him .
" Chalo to main chalta hoon , subah jaldi jana hai . "
Hearing his words , her smile faded , he would not be here to irritate her with his antics , their would not be any Aaliya ji , that was the first time in 1 year and three months , she was going to celebrate Holi without him , she should be happy but suddenly she felt empty .
" Have a safe journey . "
" Thanks and Good night . "
" Good night. "
He went away like a gust of wind , she was still sitting on the swing , in the chilly night amidst the gentle breeze and the shining stars .
Realization hitted her she was going to miss him . Aaliya Ghulam Haider was going to miss Zain Abdullah .
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What she loved about Barkat Villa apart from Zain's room , where his presence was felt in every corner, was the little pool , that was arranged by Mrs Abdullah , she loved to play with the water , which was lukewarm , it was surrounded by red roses and their fragance , in the crystalline water, she could see her own reflection .
She was wearing a blue anarkali with white embroidery , her hair curly as always , but her smile , which was the cherry on the top of the cake , was not reaching her eyes .
" Aalu , yahan kya kar rahi ho , jaldi karo , rang bhi aagaye hai aur mehmaan bhi , chalo na ! "
" Aarahi hoon Barkat ! "
Suddenly she felt tired and some kind of alone , everyone was there but still something was missing or someone ... Holi was her most cherished festival , she always wanted more of it , more than herself, she would color everyone with bundles of color, that at the end of the day , they could not recognize themselves .
But right now she just wanted the day to come to an end , to wake up and start a new day , she never thought that everything will change in the mere space of one year , she was trying to smile , but her own smile seemed so fake to her that she didn't want to try , that idiot was right , she could not even lie properly ... not to herself and not even to him .
There was everything , every kind of colors , kids running here and there , a big pool mixed with the colors , which was inviting her to drown in it , the sun piping out of his shelter , but it was like the day was on a standby mode , everything went like a slow motion song , slowly , slowly , taking it's own sweet time , torturing her .
But who would admit that ?
She was Aaliya Ghulam Haider , the word mourning didn't even exist in her dictionary , she wondered what was she exactly mourning for ? Or who was she exactly mourning for ?
She got up , her nostrils teased by the alluring aroma piping out from the kitchen's window , let me get one thing straight , Surraiya Abdullah 's food was the only thing on the earth , which could make anyone turn off of his mourning mode and Aliya Ghulam Haider was no exception to the rule .
She was about to get up when she felt a thud on her dupatta , her hand immediately reaching her shoulder .
She turned around to get face to face to the reflection of some known face .
AALIYA'S POINT OF VIEW
Oh God !
Are my eyes playing games with me ?
Is he real ?
Shall I pinch myself ?
Shut up Aalu !
I sat at the edge of the pool , I could see our reflection in the turquoise colored water , oddly we were complementing each other , I must admit , he looked pretty good in indian wear , it gives him an another punch , a different style , his white silvered pocket was matching with the brodery of my own outfit . He looked like a shahzada coming out of a fairytale . A glance of him and she could not stop that an uninvited smile to crept up on her face .
" Tum kab aaye ? Tum to bahar jaa rahe the na ? Wapis kyon aaye ? "
He didn't even answer one of her question , he just kept staring at her reflection in the water .
" Langoor khi tara kyon ghoor rahe ho ? Kuch to bolo ! "
But he just smiled a bit . He was getting on her nerves , he was intentionally testing her patience .
" Thik hai mat bolo , mujhe kya , mooh main dahi jamaya rakha hai kya ? "
Now he winked at me.
"Tumhain sharam nahi aati , kya ? "
He nodded in negative .
" Tumhari tabyat to theek hai , na? Kuch bhi kar rahe ho ."
He was acting as an innocent little child , trying to hide another mischief .
" You know what main jarahi hoon ! "
She got up mustering courage , but the temptation was too big to be ignored . She turned to have , just one glance of him , but her surprise was such when she saw nobody there .
She again sat the edge of the pool , he was there again , this time smirking at her .
" Tum ho ya nahi ? Main pagal to nahi hogai ? "
"Ya Allah mujhe ho kya kiya ?"
He was trying to muffle his laugh under his breath .
" Tum zyada haso mat aur iss khushfemi main rehna bhi mat ke main tumhain miss kar rahi hoon , kyon ke aisa to hone se raha aur main ye bhi janti hoon ke tum ho hi nahi , patani subah , subah kya ghaliya tha maine , kiski shakal dikh rahi hain mujhe ."
She waggled her hand in the water and he disappeared like a fragment of her own imagination .
She realized her Holi seemed incomplete without him , but she didn't knew what was she missing exactly .
Perharps , it was just not his antics , him being annoying , his innocence , his caring nature , actually it was him .
Everyone was happy , except her and imagining him everywhere was not making anything better .
Sab kuch wahi hai, par kuchh kami hai
Teri aahatein nahin hai
Sab kuch wahi hai, par kuchh kami hai
Teri Aahatein nahin hai.. nahin hai
He was everywhere , mingling with the children , sitting on the counter of the kitchen , eating those delicious ladoos in one go , he would sometimes go behind her , tapping on her shoulder and when she would turn , he would disappear like some dust .
" Oh nakchari chuhiya ! "
She stopped in tracks , again ! What is his problem ? No , I am not going to turn , he can't even let me eat in peace !
" Oh , Miss Haider ! "
Now , i have a serious doubt , i mean nobody calls me like that apart from one person . I was about to turn back , when i sensed a pricking sensation in my arm .
" Ouch ! "
He is real .
I turned to see him , he had pinched me , that idiot pinched me .
" Are you mad or what ? "
" Kab se bularaha hoon tumhain , sun hi nahi rahi ho . "
"Tum kab aaye ? "
" Main gaya hi kab tha . "
" Matlab ? "
" Tumhain sach main lagta hai ke , mom , Holi ke din , mujhe kahi jaane dengi , pehle to tum mujhe thodi pagal lagti thi , lekin ab certified pagal lagti ho , I mean tumhe laga ke main real nahi . Budhi ho tum budhi !"
" Abdullah , Holi ke din , tumhare khoon se holi nahi kheli na to mera naam Aaliya nahi, you are gone now ! "
" Tumhain kya lagta hai main tumse daar-. "
The chasing game had started , they were running like cat and mouse , she had thrown all the existing things getting under her hand and he was doing his best to protect himself , he took a plate full of Gulaal and accidentally thrown it at her face . That was the last straw .
" ABDULLAH !!! "
If he was not the one to color her , he might have taken her for a ghost coming out from an horror film . The color of passion was mirroring her own state of anger .
"BHOOT ! "
" ABDULLAH , I WON'T SPARE YOU ! "
The chasing game continued till the the poolside , she was searching him like a lioness , hunting for her victim .
He had never really seen her bad side , he had never really be acquainted to the sherni of Bhopal.
She turned her head frantically , but there was no sign of the idiotic Abdullah , she turned in a swift movement when her foot slipped and she was about to fall , but was that possible when Zain Abdullah was around ?
" Girne ki adaat kabhi jayegi nahi na ? "
He was teasing her but she was in no mode to respond to his taunt , she was so near to the water , that if he left her , she would fall in it , like a fish in the ocean , the difference was just that Aaliya Ghulam Haider was scared to death of water .
"D- Dekho mujhe wapis up- upaar kardo . "
" Kardon ka lekin , dekho na maine to Holi khel li , lekin tum subah se bore ho rahi ho , tum mere saath holi khelo to main tumhain girne nahi donka . "
" Zain , Holi to main khelne se rahi sur tumhare saath to bilkul nahi , ab upar kardo mujhe ! "
" Dekho maine apni sharth tumhare samne rakh di , ya to tum mere sath Holi khelo ya iss pool main doob jayo . "
" Z-Zain , tum acche se jante ho ke main paani se kitna daar ti hun , please Zain , stop this ."
" Aaliya ji ko paani se daar lagta hai ? Tum sharth janti ho , baaki tumhari marzi ."
" Phir doobna manzoor hai . "
" Tumhari marzi. "
His grip started slackening , her breathing was getting higher , she about to fall .
" ZAIN ! "
She clunched the collar of his sherwani , as dear to life .
" Thik hai , main tumhain rang lagadoon gi , ab to neeche utar do . "
He straightened her in a jerk that her hands landed on his shoulders , they were so close that she could feel his breath fanning on her forehead , that single thing was making her go breathless .
She tried to free herself from his vice like grip , but that seems like an herculean task , he kept looking at her , with that intensity in eyes who could make anyone go weak in the knees .
" Zain chodo mujhe . "
" Shayad tum sharth bhul gaye , jab tak rang nahi lagao gi yahan se tumhari exit ban hai . "
" Lekin mere pas rang nahi hai , main rang leke aati hoon tum ruko . "
"Miss Haider , I am not a fool acche se jaanta hoon tumhain mauka par nikal parogi aur aisa to hona se raha . "
" To main kya karoon , yahan rang nahi hai . "
He looked at her with such eyes that she thought , that time had stopped , his arm snaked around her waist , bringing her closer to him , her feet on his , she was surprised that till now , she didn't die of an heart attack or something like that .
" Lekin yahan to hai na. "
His voice was so husky , like speaking thousand words that her didn't acknowledge but she knew them by heart it was reminiscing life time learnt poem .
He brought her face closer by grabbing the back of her head , there was no going back now . She just closed her eyes in anticipation and let herself flow in the moment of bliss that she was living in .
A little smile found it's way on her face , as his stubble tingled her sensitive cheeks , like spreading some electricity in her , his nose was buried in her long cascade of brown strand , what they were living was something else , something too deep , to express it by words , his cheek left her right cheek to make his way towards the left one and she thought that her heart skipped a beat as he did so . He left her face but they were still in each other's embrace , none of them willing to end the moment of closeness .
" Bhaiyu ! Kahan ho ?"
She pulled back as she heard the voice nearing them . Her eyes fell on him and she was about to say something but closed her mouth , not because of the damask colour smeared on his cheek but because of the fact that he had closed his eyes , feeling it , he was Still in his oWn reverie , when the voice got louder .
"Bhaiyu !"
This Time , he opened in eyes and seemed lost somewhere or let's say lost in someone . Both of them realized the intimacy of their position and took steps back as if they were on fire .
"Main chalta hoon Barkat bhulara hi hai ." His eyes were looking at his shoes as it was the most interesting thing in the world .
As she was about to say something , he went away in hurry .
He stopped in the corridor and touched his right cheek to be sure that it was not a dream or a fragment Of his imagination .
No it was the reality , but something has changed , but What was the question ?
The two of them didn't Knew but they were already drowing in the color of that something called love .
Thoda lamba hogaye criticism is always welcomed and dairy milks too !
From your makhi Saleha 😊
