Dedicated to PrincessOfSoftness

Happy Birthday Princess❣️

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"Bhai jaan..."There was a pause as the little girl controlled her tears from the other side, Murtasim heard her sniffling.

He felt his entire body freeze as he asked, "Kya hua? Neha bacche awaaz nahi aarahi". The metro went through a tunnel, and he couldn't hear a word. Just her voice, "Baba.. Mama... hospital... aaj subha".

He tried to connect the dots, his anxiousness skyrocketing as he started panicking. Neha was a strong girl. Although she was twelve, she rarely cried. Her calling him, the words everything was scaring him and the worst thing was he couldn't even calm her down. Because he was in Germany. Far far away from Pakistan.

The signal was bad. He got off the tramp to a random station and dialled the number. It was busy. He called Anwar Khan, his uncle, but the line disconnected. He had no control over his fingers as he sent messages one after the mother. But there was no reply. His messages were sent but not read yet. Every second, he could feel his heart bursting out. There was an ache in his heart.

So many possiblities, "were they alright?" guilt hit him for leaving his sister to deal with all of this.

He had his finals in an hour, but Murtasim was heading towards the airport. He didn't care about anything. Exams could go to hell. Nobody was picking up his call. What was actually wrong?

Murtasim rushed through the airport, his mind clouded with worry and fear. He managed to book the first available flight to Pakistan, and he boarded the plane, desperately trying to get updates from his family.

Before the plane took off, Murtasim's phone buzzed with a message notification. His hands trembled as he unlocked the screen, revealing a message from Anwar Khan.

"Murtasim, beta, I am sorry to inform you that your father passed away this morning. Stay strong. We need you here."

A lump formed in his throat. Tears welled up in his eyes. The turbulence of the flight seemed to mirror the turbulence in his heart.

He didn't realize when it took off.

A few minutes passed as he sat still unmoving, trying to process the words.

Tumhe mera janazah bhi nahi dekhne milega...

That was the last word his father had said when he went against their wishes to pursue his dreams.

Unable to hold back his emotions, he let out a deep breath and wiped away the tears that streamed down his face.

The aeroplane cabin felt constricting, and the hum of the engines seemed to amplify the silence that enveloped him. With a lump in his throat and tears welling in his eyes, he rose from his seat, navigating through the narrow aisle towards the flight washroom. The aeroplane's dim lighting cast a sombre atmosphere, mirroring the darkness that had just entered his life. The occasional turbulence rattled the plane, echoing the turbulence within his soul.

Entering the small washroom, Murtasim locked the door behind him. The harsh fluorescent light above flickered, casting a stark illumination on his tear-stained face. His reflection in the mirror betrayed the pain and sorrow etched across his features.

The sound of muffled sobs filled the confined space as he leaned against the cold metallic wall. The reality of his father's sudden demise hit him like a tidal wave, and the dam holding back his emotions began to crumble. Uncontrollable tears streamed down his face, dripping onto the sterile countertop below.

Murtasim's shoulders heaved with each silent sob, and the washroom seemed to shrink around him. The echo of his grief reverberated off the confined walls, mingling with the steady hum of the aeroplane engines. He pressed his trembling hands against the sink, trying to steady himself, yet the pain in his chest only intensified.

In that confined space, thousands of miles above the ground, Murtasim allowed himself to grieve.

Loss, regret, and helplessness washed over him.

After what felt like an eternity, Murtasim took a deep breath, attempting to compose himself. He splashed cold water on his face, hoping it would wash away some of the anguish.

Drying his face with a paper towel, he unlocked the washroom door, concealing his swollen eyes and pained expression from the world outside. The flight continued its course, but the trajectory of his life had taken an unexpected turn, and the path ahead seemed daunting and unknown.

___

Gul Khan didn't meet his eyes. She didn't talk to him, and she didn't shed a single tear in front of him. His mother wasn't talking to him. She was upset. And he was aware of the reason behind it. He picked up his father's janazah and bid him a final goodbye, letting him rest in his grave.

Anwar Khan patted his back, offering him a shoulder to cry on, as his cousin Usama whispered comforting words. Before Murtasim had left for Germany, he had fought with his parents. Shanawaz Khan had wanted him to be a feudal lord, but he wanted to pursue wildlife photography, so he left. He took a major in physics and switched subjects when he realised his hobby had zero scope. Harsh reality had hit him, and he had managed to handle his living expenses.

The twenty two year old man felt as if he had lost everything as he stood there motionless on the grave of his dead father reading the name Shahanawaz Khan. The name that he carried, the name he failed to carry, the legacy he had rejected.

The tears were gone. But the guilt and regret remained.

___

Gul Khan sat in her room as her daughter laid on her lap, her stubborn eyes, the ones her son inherited stern. There were photos on the wall of Shahanawaz Khan, Neha, and her. The fourth member, Murtasim Khan, cut off from every picture. Both son and father had the same fiery attitude.

She had given him permission to leave for Germany, but she had wished he had not done so.

"Bhai jaan aapse baat karna chah rahey they", Neha broke the silence, Gul Khan sighed, "Usko kaho chaley jaaye wapas, ab koi nahi rukega usse".

Neha gulped, her throat clogged. Her brother was suffering, and her mother was in pain. And she had no idea how to resolve this.

"Magar Maa..", one look from her mother, and she closed her mouth.

Her mother stood at the window, her hands folded to her chest, "Mera koi beta nahi."

Neha glanced through the door to find him standing there his eyes downcast, he had heard everything.

Their eyes met, and Neha shook her head, indicating him now wasn't the time.

"Aur ye bhi boldo ki mujhe apni shakal na dikhaye baap ke saath Maa bhi margayi uski".

Murtasim patted his sister's head as her eyes teared up, her head tiled as she hugged him.

The door slammed shut, leaving the two siblings outside.

"Maa ka dhyan rakhna bacche," he said. The little girl shook her head. She was spoilt rotten by Shahnawaz Khan.

"Bhai jaan mat jaye... "

"Please,"

The lonliness in her voice made him emotional. There was hopelessness. As if she knew he would abandon them.

"Nahi jaunga... Baba ki gaddi ab mai sambhalunga, Maa maney ya na maney hu toh unka beta. Iss gaddi ka rakhwala, ab se tum dono meri zimmedari ho", he said, wiping away the tear, a smile lit on her face.

"Toh abse aap yahi rehenge?"

"Ji," he couldn't help but smile at her excitement. He had left when Neha was six. The little girl would call him and blabber for hours.

"Accha zara mere kamre se chuha bhaga de, chaar din se Ammi ke kamre m sona padh raha".

___

A flowery heaven, with waterfalls and glaciers, a pond with swans and ducks floated. As a young girl wearing grey payal ran around, the chanakh of the anklet, the burbling of waterfalls, and the quacking of ducks was the only sound as she ran around the huge garden Green, blue, pink, and yellow roses everywhere as she ran her red dupatta got stuck somewhere and pulled her towards the ground, she fell on something incredibly soft.

It wasn't the hard floor she expected. Instead, a warm body, her eyes widened, and she quickly started to get up. She saw a sharp chin. A man with beard, but his face was blurred, why couldn't she see his face.

She looked around and saw the contrast. The man was a complete blur. He wore a black sherwani matching well with her maroon lehenga. For some odd reason, she felt as if she knew him, as if they had met before, there was neighing of horse from distance she looked up and saw horses getting closer. It was a white one with a big horn in the middle, his hair was pick, purple and red.

"Bhaijaan ye ghoda aapka hai?" She asked excitedly. The man who was gazing at her pushed her face away. She had forgotten about the handsome man. Right now, she cared about the unicorn.

She slowly walked towards it, her clothes transforming from a wedding attire to a denim jumsuit, her bun into two ponytails. She petted the horse and rubbed her face against its soft fur. It was as soft as her blanket. She closed her eyes, with a delightful smile on her face, her hands petting the animal.

"Bhaijaan ye ghoda mai ghar le jau?"

She asked the faceless man, who started running off. And the horses started running behind its owner. "Mera ghoda..."She started following behind them, the world shaking as she felt the cold air suddenly hit her.

"Uthooo"

"Mahjabeen..."The man called her she opened her eyes and screamed frightened. She wasn't in the dreamland anymore but her house, "Imtehaan hai tumhara uth jau, meri Maa. "

Adam Bakhtiyar Farooqui, her elder brother, stood there, "Mera ghoda..."she cried out. He rolled his eyes, he pulled her out from the sheets, "Ladki aadhey ghantey m tumhara paper hai..."

"Hein? Kal mera aakhri paper tha", she said with a frown fighting for the blanket, Adam must be onto his antics again. His expression changed, he pulled away the blanket, and sat beside her.

The horror on his face, as rubbed his eyebrows, and the seriousness in his voice drove away the drowsiness from her eyes, "Sach batao Mahjabeen tumne physics ki tayyari ki hai kya?", it was as if he was about to cry, there was a look of frustration on his face, murder in his eyes as she shook her head , "Haye Allah mai bhool gayi ki physics bhi mera subject tha".

She started biting her nails as Adam cursed under his breath, "Bewakuf gadhi..."

"Aisa toh mat boliye," but he didn't hear a word.

"Phir fail hogi, phir fail hogi," he muttered, pulling at his hair, as Mahjabeen tilted her head, "Abhi toh maine paper bhi nahi diya hai".

"Aapko kaisa pata ki mai fail hongi," a look of wonder crossed her face, "can you see the future? mujhe bataye na konse questions aayenge".

"Tumharey result jaaney k liye mera pir hona zaroori nahi, woh tumhare shakal par likha hai, anda. Sawal aatey bhi mujhe toh aadhey ghantey tumhe konsa pass hona tha unhe padhkar"

"Aadha ghanta?" she repeated, glancing at the clock. Fifteen minutes were remaining, and in panick, she jumped down the platform, "Uniform pheke mera aur gaadi nikaley. "

He did so and sat there looking at her retreating figure, Adam Farooqui was a topper, but his sister rarely passed. He had taught her day and night in hopes that maybe one day she would pass as a student and he as a teacher. But every year the result was the same.

Mahjabeen came running out and handed him a comb, "Bhaijaan baal toh banadey", he glanced at the clock and hurriedly plaited her hair, now an expert at the task, "Khudke baal banana kab seekhogi?"

Seema came rushing, "Mahjabeen tu abhi bhi yahi hai?" she screamed horrified the panic levels were reaching a new height, "Ladki das minute m tera exam start hoga. "

"Bag kidhar hai?" she said as she shoved a banana in her hand, "upar hai. "

"Ammi shaant hojaye, teacher ko maine message krdiya hai," Seema huffed and pointed at Mahjabeen, "Agar tu firse fail huyi na Mahjabeen toh tera school kardena hai maine".

Adam made her sit and quickly took the bag running with Mahjabeen out the door, as they sat on the bike he started reading all the laws outloud, "First law says an object will not change its motion unless a force acts on it. In the second law.."

He knew it was a hopeless case, but he had a wishful thinking that she could retain all of this. Early morning, he had returned from his night shift. Due to college and his job, he forgot about the last paper.

"Beta pass hojana", he said patting on her cheek as he left her at the gate, she nodded and as he sat on the bike, he heard her shout from the gate, "bhaijaan mere takiye ke nichey saau rupey padey hain, usse aam na kharidiyega".

Mahjabeen hated mangos, watermelon, and oranges were her favourite

"Andar jao," he warned her as the bell rang. She went inside, and he exhaled, finally relaxed.

Inside the exam hall, the papers were distributed somehow she remembered the two laws and wrote them down...

10 marks miljayenge

She remembered her madam's words, "Mahjabeen answer aaye ya na aaye paper blank nahi chodna hai".

Kya likhu...

She rolled the pen around playing with it, as someone called her from behind.

"Mahjabeen," she ignored it, daydreaming about the horse.

"Oye pagal"

She turned to face Shibra, "Kya hai?"

"Iss farre mai saarey answers hain," she said, showing her the chit, Mahjabeen shook her head, "Jhooti hu cheater nahi, rakho apna farra".

As she turned around, Shibra insisted, "Ek answer chaap lo kya hi farak padhega, saathvu jamaat toh pass karogi."

She hit a nerve, her eyes widened, and Mahjabeen remembered her mother's threat. She wanted to continue her schooling. At least be a metric pass.

"Dedo," she said without turning around her eyes, trained on the invigilator who was sleeping.

Shibra passed her the chit and stood up, leaving the classroom, as she was done with her paper. She left the classroom with a smug face as Mahjabeen opened the chit and found it empty.

She turned it over and inspected it closely, Shibra had erased all the answers before passing it over. Mahjabeen was fuming.

Pehle pass honey k sapne dikhaye phir ye sila diya...

Aaj milne do Shibra ko uski Ammi se complain karungi!

Mahjabeen kept the chit, but since she was preoccupied by her own thoughts, she didn't notice the teacher who was standing right beside her.

"Parchi do!"

She was startled, "parchi?"

The teacher crossed her arms across her chest and gave her an initmidating look, Mahjabeen stood up, "Haan wahi parchi, farre , Kagaj jisse tumne chaapa hai!"

She shook her head, "Madam maine kahise chapa nahi..."Her heart was in her throat as she replied, but the teacher had picked up the paper and read the two answers.

"Tumhare paas itna dimaag nahi k ye jawab likh sakho, farra aagey karo warna school se nikal dungi" , she said slamming the paper harshly on the table.

She hadn't cheated. She had tried to but failed.

"Teacher mai soch bol rahi woh answers maine khud likhey they -", a harsh slap landed on her face, and she lost her face.

"Pehle toh bewakuf, upar se jhoot bolti hai," she tore her exam sheet and removed the chit from Mahajabeen's desk.

"Ye kya hai????"

She shouted the class was looking at her and her brown eyes were filled with tears. She was taken to the principal's office, and the old lady sighed.

"Mahjabeen beta cheating? Aapka bhai school topper tha

"Teacher ye toh khaali haina," she argued the tears weren't stopping as she sobbed, wiping away the tears.

"Chit dikhao," the principal asked the teacher, and she passed her chit glaring at Mahjabeen, who avoided eye contact.

"Answers erase kiya hai tumne." The principal lost her temper, and Mahjabeen shook her head.

"Maine nahi woh toh Shibra ne-".

"Phir jhoot, phir jhoot," her madam cut her off, "Madam ye ladki Jhooti hai, do saal se saathvi jamaat me hai..."

"Madam mai sach bol rahi."

"Get out, please," the principal calmly said.

"Magar teacher -"

The principal stood up, "Mahjabeen niklo, abhi..."

Mahjabeen's eyes were on the table but she left out the door, and the principal madam massaged her head.

____