"khamma khani Papa" Karuna was greeting her father on video call and Aamna tried hard to not to  pay attention to their conversation for her own good.

"Khamma khani,How are you my princess?" the affection can't be missed from his voice.

"I am good papa,How are you ?Are you taking you medicine on time? Don't do brisk walking and don't you dare lifting weight and climbing stairs."

"Easy,easy my princess,dont act like my mother,I am still your father and I can take care of myself."he assured her

" Okay"she scoffs

"Don't be upset my princess,Tell me are you eating well."

"I do papa"

"Are you liking the taste of food? Should I arrange an alternative?"

"Don't worry Papa ,Food is good and if I don't like I go to cafeteria .If you don't believe me than ask Aamna "she said and tilted her phone towards Aamna. Aamna isn't ready for so many reasons but the top most is sweet father daughter talk .

"Hello uncle"she greet him . Her father has dark circle under eyes, skin lost it's firmness and brightness. Facial wrinkles makes him look like a man in seventies than his actual age which is fifty.Overall he  doesn't look like a healthy man.

"Hello Aamna ,are you two doing well?

"Yes ,we are doing fine uncle."

"You can say me if you need something,I can send things if you need it.Dont think I am stranger you are just like my Karuna"

"No uncle I am good ,I don't need anything "she said and handover the phone to Karuna.Aamna's heart feel heavy .She can handle rough language,taunt or abusive language but she can't handle sweet words .It reminds her a very affectionate person.The person who can upside whole world for her.The one who doesn't want to see her face today. Her presence upset his mood.She fails to stop her tears from falling her eyes.She locks herself in toilet and pour her heart out.

"Abba ,I miss you so much. I miss the old you the one who loved me."

"Abba ,hum iss bari cycle lenge (Abba, I'll buy cycle this time)" eight year old Aamna demanded in her soft voice.

"Aamu ,stop troubling your father,this year...

"No Shabnam"

"Aamu ,if you will behave good throughout the year , don't trouble your mother and perform well in school than I'll buy you cycle."her father present the deal infront of her.

"Okay,Ammu , your cycle is at stake"her father tried to lure her.

"Okay"

Year passed away and Aamna  performed really well in academics. She was not a brilliant student but hard work of whole year paid off and she scored second highest marks in whole school. Her father distributed sweets in whole colony. He proudly said it to everyone. He stopped everyone passing near their house and feed him sweets.

Her favourite Hero cycle came the one with extension which prevents kids from falling down. It has safety measures still her father used to came early from shop to teach her riding bicycle.

"Ooch"she collided with a pole and fall down on the concrete road. Small pabbles penetrated her skin around her knees and elbows. She started crying loudly and her father picked up her in his arms. He keep relaxing her during dressing of her wounds. Her father cracked so many jokes and told stories of his childhood when he fell down from a tree. It happened with everyone. Its a symbol of growing up.
She learnt riding bicycle. She often took Iqra ,her sister, to their shop in market. Then Husain born ,the tiny monster who used to pee in her lap.

Few more years passed away just like that with lots of laughter with Iqra and Husain. Cycle was replaced by scooter. She was the first girl in entire community who used to ride on  black scooter.

"I wish Abba,you didn't fell ill on that day,I wish Husain didn't went to meet Nanu (grandfather) that day. I wish that day hadn't came in our life."she mumbled to herself.

"Abba what happened?"Aamna was worried when she saw her father was struggling to breathe.His mouth was opened to gain some oxygen. He was in extreme pain.

"Iqra ,hurry up, Abba is suffering from Asthma attack, bring his inhaler."

"Aapi, we ....

"You forget to buy his refill bottle."Aamna narrowed her eyes."give me keys of scooter."

Aamna left her home in hope of buying relief material to her father but something else is waiting for her. Its 9 in the evening ,not too late but in small cities its not okay to roam on the road after 7. People think if a girl is roaming on the road after 7,she is asking for a rape.

She purchased medicine for her father.She felt somehow comfortable because she covered herself fully. She was a proud Niqabi.She felt nobody will touch her if she covered herself but she was wrong. After few metres two bikes start following her.

"Rahman saheb ki beti ruk" (stop, you daughter of Rahman sir) he shouted from behind. Her heart beat was raised. She knew him ,its Ibrahim, the one who loves to harrass women. She threatened him once to complain to his father if he doesn't stop harrasing women. He stopped after that and didn't came in colony after that.

"Go away Ibrahim."she shouted.

"What you think you will complain to my father and I'll leave you this easily. I'll punish you today."

"I hadn't complaint Ibrahim."she said but he hit his bike to her scooter.She fell on the road and he approached her.Lights were off due to power cut.There is nobody on the road. He approached her and she ran away. She was running for her life .A stone in the road lead her to fall flat on the road.Blood start coming out from her forehead wound. He came like a predator .She covered herself by her hands.

"You are a proud Niqabi , aren't you?"he laughed and Aamna's mind was choked. She was unable to think anything.She through stone on him but he was unfazed." I'll snatched your pride today than you will understand"

"No, please stop for the sake of Allah. Please Ibrahim , please stop." Her pleas were gone to deaf ears. He snatched her headscarf with full force and it gave rashes to her face. He tore her Abaya .Now only her Kurta Salwar is left.

"Allah madad (Allah please help) she cried and he stopped. He looked at her disheveled look and left. She thanked Allah that nothing happened. She wiped her tear , composed herself and ran towards her home. The place which is evidence of many happy memories and about to witness biggest tragedy of its resident's life.

Lights of colony flashed again the moment she entered in her colony.A guy noticed and soon whole colony is on the street.

"Aapi....Iqra was shocked by her look. She gave medicine to her and she helped their father.

"Clean yourself." her mother turned her gaze away from her.

"Amma , you are...."her words became worthless. Expected comfort didn't came from the one who supposed to give it. She failed to understand why her mother treating her indifferently. She went in her room with tears. First time in her life journey from Hall to her room became so long.She felt there is miles of difference created between her family and her. She threw her Abaya and hijab in a corner and fell on the mat on floor. She felt dull,lifeless and hopeless. Memories of that ordeal haunted her whole night and first time she learnt you can cry whole night. The day was same. She heard voice of Iqra from outside which subsided within minutes. She didn't ate or drink anything for whole day and night. She hoped her Abba will be fine till evening,she will tell him everything.

"Ammu "her father knocked on the door and she opened with lots of hope. He examined her small wound and dried blood on forehead.That wound healed within a week but her heart received a permanent scar.

"Abba.."he showed her palm to stay quiet.She gulped  saliva in her mouth. Her dried throat dampened by it. He checked her Abaya which she thrown in corner.

He came towards her and gave a tight slap to her. He hit again and again. She was numb , failed to understand why they are hitting her instead of comforting her.

"I raised to you with so much love and today you forced me to hang my head in shame. You broke my trust"

"Abba, I didn't...

"Whole colony saw what you did?" If Ibrahim wasn't there...."her eyes widened with this discovery.

"You hurt my pride Aamna."he shout and hit her again. The man who never scold her once, didn't left any part of her body unharmed. She didn't feel where he hit? what is happening? She didn't know this person. It can't be true.

"It can't be true.Its a nightmare,yes Aamna ,it's a nightmare"she slapped herself. He didn't disappeared,he still present there,with blood shot eyes, aiming to harm her. She ran to corner to safeguard herself and he hit her head with wall. She felt something wet touch her face and neck. She felt light like she is flying in sky.

"This is peaceful"her mind concluded. That was beginning of pain not peace.

Aamna cried till her pain doesn't lessen. All happy memories with her family leads to painful nightmares. Journey of life with them concluded in a deep scar. She tried really hard but failed to recover.

"I'll never trust a man again. I'll never put my guard down because at the end I am the only one who is there to suffer. I'll protect myself from everyone."she repeated her resolve and flushed all memories. She was left alone for too long that it changed her completely. Fun loving Aamna lost somewhere and the one standing is her clown who refused to feel anything.