As soon as I stepped on the last stair of Nawab House, my grandparents' house, I felt my anxiety going to its peak. There was no one present in the main hall so, if I decide to turn around and go back, no one will know. Nawab House is no less than a big mansion. Anyone or anything can easily get lost, and no one can be able to restore it. If my mother hasn't dragged me and my sister, I would have been sitting on my bed, doing something. 

"Dame our nanal is rich, Zaru" Since Risa's very first step in the house, she has been drooling over the big house with beautiful structure. I rolled my eyes and was about to drag Risa with me back home, when a door in the hall opened and Arooba, second oldest child of the Nawab family stepped out of the bathroom.

"Aray yeh dekho kon aaya hai?" Hearing her voice, me and Risa looked at each other knowing very well that we have been catch in our act.

'Dammit Zahra, the luck isn't in your favor these days'

"As-salamu alaykum, kya haal hai?"  In embarrassment I said it in one breath. She nodded her head and yelled, asking for everyone to come in the hall.  

It is one of the hottest long summer afternoons and usually at this time of the day, everyone is making a second meal of the day. As expected, Nawab family had prepared their famous biryani and were about to feast. 

"Baji aapki beti ka garmi se kitchen mein reh reh ke ab damak kharab hone lagha hai" Hearing Arooba's yelling, my youngest khala, Faiza came in the hall, and it seemed like my mami was also with her. As soon as they entered the hall and saw me and Risa, they displayed different emotions. My mami was happy and tightly hugged me, almost crushing my bones. On the other hand, Faiza khala she seemed out of herself. 

It hasn't even been more than a day since we landed in Pakistan, and everyone was already being moody, Risa seemed to understand me, "Kya hua hai auntie? Mile gahi nahi hume?" 

Risa loves to stir up a drama.

Not wanting to show her true thoughts or feelings, Khala made her way towards us and awkwardly hugged Risa, while ignoring me. Having our mami and her daughters present, I decided to ignore the matter. 

Since Arooba was done preparing biryani and was about to arrange the table, she decided to set it in the hall so, we all can eat it comfortably in front of the AC.  We were awkwardly sitting on the sofa, looking around the walls like they were the most interesting things to ever exist in the world. Not much have changed during the last 10 years, everything was same, except for the people. There was also a TV attached on the wall, which was not allowed to be seen in this house before. Progression era!

Alisha, Arooba's youngest sister came in with the dishes, "motu aur patlu, urdu ki samaj aati hai na?"  As soon as these words left her mouth, I become stiffed in my place. Risa, who was sitting beside me gasped and was about to say something, but I held her hand. She was angry and I knew it. She does not like when someone call her skinny or call me fat. She hates when people body shame other people. Risa was born naturally skinny, while because of my sickness it has always been hard for me to lose a single pound. 

I collected right, respectful words, "Janti hu ke hum abhi America se aahi hai par waha par sab aisa hi hai humare liye. Bayshak hum waha ki paidaish hai par mom yaha ki hai" I looked over at khala before continuing, "aur mujha sure hai ke yeh sab aapki bua ne bathaya hoga" nodding my head, I turned towards Alisha, who rolled her eyes.

"Moto toh gussa hogahi hai" and giggled. This is one of the cousins that we are being compared with in USA. Love her etiquettes!

"Kya tum Zahra ko hamesha ki tara tang kar rahi ho, Alisha. Insaanu ki tara se jay ke pani lay ke aayo bas woh hi reh gaya hai" Seeing Alisha just standing there with hands on her hips and staring at me Arooba find an excuse to make her go away.

"Do not mind her, she has lost her brain cells watching weird things on the internet. Tum yeh biryani check karo. Tumhari aaj pehli baar hai meri famous dish try karni ki." Arooba filled a plate with rice for me and Risa and handed it smilingly. 

They were having small talks in between their meal, as we did not know what to say or do, we stayed quiet. Being present physically was more uncomfortable than talking over the phone. 

"Zahra kon si class mein ho tum?" 

I swallowed the rest of the food in my mouth, "main ne iss saal graducate hojana tha par hum yaha aay gaye hai toh school walu ne hold par dal diya hai mujhe" This is one of the saddest things to happen with me this year. I was so excited to be finally a senior and graduate. There were so many things planned and I wanted to go according to them, but those plans were not meant to be accomplished. I remember the whole drama that I caused few hours before our flight and was almost on the edge to get my booking canceled but desi moms are drama queens. 

"toh tum ne kehna tha nah ke online karne dete tumhe. Pehle bhi 3 saal zaya hue hai aur ab yeh...." It was not my fault that 3 precious years were wasted. If it was in my power, I would have skipped over this somewhat unwanted education. But there are set rules and regulations and even if one person doesn't want to, they still have to follow them.

"Recent situation ki wajha se toh sab kuch online hi hai par main ne out of country jana tha toh mera kaam nahi hua" 

Now my mami, Farhana asked me instead of khala, "toh ab kya karna hai?" I laughed and Risa was getting tired of being quiet she replied on my behalf, "kya karna hai, kuch nahi. Bas enjoy aur explore karo" she said in such excitement that everyone laughed. 

Since I am here, instead of being sour I could enjoy a little and try to relive the old memories. Many people were not in between us and most changed. We all are grown up, but we can still have some fun like old days.  What I do now, can be remembered forever. 

Suddenly, there was sound of steps coming up the stairs. Everyone fixed their dupattas over the head and Alisha peeked down the stair fence to see how decided to pay a visit.

"Oh wah! Dekho aaj din ke waqat kis apna mubarak shehra dekhna ki tofeek ki hai" She looked at me and smirked, "Bua laghta hai yaha abhi se dil ko dil se rah hone laghi hai" Everyone seemed to understand what Alish was saying and started to laugh meanwhile me and Risa were looking at each other like they have gone insane. 

Suddenly, my eyes landed on the stair, where his tall figure in a white shalwar kameez with messy hairs was.

Ali Nawab! our oldest cousin. 

He was about to say something, but his eyes landed on me. As I was already looking at him, our eyes meet, and his cheeks started to get red. Ali seemed to forget that he was standing on the stairs and as tried to take a step forward, he stumbled and was about to fall down.

 Seeing him in such state, everyone started to comment and made fun of him. Risa was smiling ear to ear like she knew what was going on while glances at everyone. She is totally trying to make herself be involved. As I had the talk with my mother while coming to Pakistan from America, I knew why everything was happening. 

His family was teasing me and him just because we are "engaged"

Ignoring them, I continued to stuff my mouth with biryani and let the amazing taste of it explore every corner. While Ali stumbling somehow managed to make his way towards his room. 

 A few minutes of silence, the door suddenly opened, and Ali peeked outside in the hall. Seeing him peeking like a thief, Risa started laughing and I elbowed her, "stop making everything worse girl" I slowly whispered in her ear and did not realize that Ali was standing beside me.

"Ammi, abu ko gun chiye kaha hai?" He folded his arm on his chest and appeared like few minutes ago, he did not freak out like a girl seeing her crush for the first time. Having him so close to me, I could not make myself to look at him. There was a urge in me, screaming 'Zahra look up, call him, do something' but I just was not able to get myself to hold my head up high so how can I talk with him as a sister. 

"Gun baad ka masla hai, pehle apni behno ko toh milo. Itni salu ke baad aayi hai aur tumhe apne bap ki tara gun shun ki pari hui hai" Khala was teasing us but there was something bitter in her tone. Like everyone else, she was not having fun but doing something else. 

Maybe I am overthinking everything. 

Ali patted Risa's head, when Arooba spoke, "Bhai Zahra bhi hai. Iss ke sar pe haat nahi rakho ge bhaiyu ki tara" Alisha smirked and was about to say something but I decided to interupt, knowing well she was going to embarrass me, "Arooba pani dalna glass mein" nodding her head she handed me a glass filled with cold water. 

Ali's mother went with him downstairs to give him what he asked for as she was done eating. She could see my awkwardness and I loved her for helping me out. 

"Risa tumhari Api ki shaadi Ali bhai ke saat honi hai, pata hai?" Alisha tried to feed some information to her, who was confused and hearing that looked at me. I could not say anything as I was much against the idea of marriage as I just have turned 18 two days ago.

Sometimes, my brain tells me that my mother is involved in everything and brought me to Pakistan knowing well that I just turned 18, which is the right age to be married. Again, this does not make sense as Arooba got married when she was 24. There is something fishy going on in between elders.

"Zahra ki age nahi hai shaadi ki aap koi aur dhund lay apne Ali bhai ke liye. Waise bhi iun ka baal white horahe hai acha hai ke iun ki shaadi hojay ab" Risa put her half-eaten biryani plate on the table and gave me side eye, indication her desire to get out of here. She was uncomfortable now. 

Seeing her like that, I put my plate down too and smiled at Arooba, "Aap ki biryani bohat mazay ki thi. Aisi toh main ne sach mein kabhi bhi nahi kahi" Hearing a compliment, Arooba gave me a big smile and Alisha rolled her eyes.

"jhuta compliment tha yeh meri behan. Iss toh koi kuch bhi acha keh de ius ki dewani hojati hai. Behan yeh bhabhi hai zara bach ke" Alisha was being sassy, she thought that saying those things were funny but unknowing to her, they were hurtful. Why is bhabhi seemed like a monster? 

Feeling bad, I tried to reason myself, "nahi aisa kuch nahi hai, main toh....." My words were short lived as Arooba threw angry glares at Alisha. In anger, Arooba started to pick the plates that I have piled on top of each other and went to the kitchen. Soon after, Khala made Alisha take glasses and rest of the dishes to go put them back. When I tried to help out, she held my hand and told me to sit down.

I have never felt this much of awkwardness in one single sitting. 

"Zahra, I want to go home like right now. I cannot stand these people anymore" Risa was pissed and cannot hide her emotions. She has always been bad at controlling her facial expressions and overall body language. 

I did not want to stay here either so, I nodded my head and looked towards khala, "acha auntie, ab hum chalti hai" Auntie Faiza stopped filing her nails and looked up, "Akeli jayo gi" to which I nodded my head.

"Acha theek hai tumari marzi. Bas ainda akeli maat niklna karna gali mein, waise zaroorat hi nahi kahi jane gi" 

What? What does she mean there is no need for us to go anywhere? Are they planning on holding us captive here? 

"Mere drama ki episode aahi hui hai main woh dekhna laghi hu, tum jayo" Without waiting for us to leave, Khala Faiza got up and left towards the room with AC, leaving us alone in the house. 

"Everyone is so spoiled and ignorant here, yet our mother had the audacity to always compare you with these fake bitches" I gasped hearing the bad words coming out of her mouth and lightly slapped Risa on her head. 

With a huff, she got up and without waiting for me, made her way down the stairs to leave the so called nanal. It is going to be the longest 6 months of our life!

...

 Hear me out, this is my first time writing a general fiction so, I seem to not have a good grip on the flow yet. I promise in the future, I will do a better job. Also, pov aren't my thing!

Do you prefer dialogues in italic (like here) or in bold (like in my other book)?

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