Starlit Promises (ON HOLD)

1. Whispers Of Fate

Nine years ago

Munching on a Dairy Milk chocolate bar, she glanced at him sitting on the stairs of the guest house for the past hour. She wanted to approach him, but Ifra stopped her, warning that he wasn't a good boy and that Grandpa would be angry if she spoke to him. However, she found it hard to resist; he looked so lonely, just like her.

From what she had heard and understood, his father was an evil person. Her maternal uncle, who lived in the same neighborhood, was aware of the evilness of his father. She didn't know all the details, but something had happened that forced them to seek safety in Altaf Khan's house. When he saw that they couldn't be protected there, he flew with them to India two weeks ago. Initially, Sher Khan, her maternal grandfather, didn't want them to stay with them, but Altaf somehow convinced him, and since then they had been living in the guest house.

She had noticed that her other two uncles and their families didn't like them one bit and didn't hesitate to express their disdain. However, this home belonged to Altaf as well, and no matter how much they despised them, they couldn't throw them out.

Taking another big bite of chocolate, she narrowed her eyes toward the path leading inside the mansion. Ifra had left the lawn a few minutes ago, claiming she needed to nap since she didn't like sleeping in the afternoon, so she stayed behind. Rising to her feet, she cautiously walked toward him.

As she reached him, he looked up, curious. She pulled a chocolate bar from the pocket of her jumpsuit and extended her hand toward him with a toothy grin. His gaze shifted between the chocolate in her hand and her face. She noticed his expression gradually hardening. The forlorn look he had worn a while ago was now replaced by disdain and fury.

"I don't want it," he muttered, looking away with clenched jaws.

"It's tasty," she urged, thrusting her hand closer to encourage him to take it.

He stood up abruptly, swatting her hand away. "I don't want it."

Her gaze followed the trajectory of the fallen chocolate on the ground. Her eyes welled up with tears, and her chin quivered. She looked at him through bleary eyes. "Ifra was right, you are a bad boy," she hissed before storming away.

He stood there, biting his lip when his mother called him. He turned to his right and saw his mother standing at the threshold of the guest house. "Ammar," she sounded disappointed, and he knew she had witnessed the scene. "Come inside."

He dragged himself and followed his mother. She bolted the door and faced him. "Why did you do it, Ammar?"

He remained silent.

"I'm asking you something," she said sternly.

He looked up, and his eyes, which had been hard just moments ago, filled with tears. "Mama, she reminded me of U-Ujala." A sob escaped his throat.

Khadija pulled him into her embrace, tears streaming down her cheeks. "But she is not Ujala."

This made him cry even more. "Mama, I miss her."

"Ammar, because of her uncle, we have a roof over our heads." She pulled back and wiped his tears. "Promise me you'll behave and not give them any reason to take away the only place we have."

"Mama, I'm sorry. I'll behave," he said, determined not to make his mother worry.

"She was being nice to you. You should apologize for being so rude."

He nodded.

It was true that she had been kind to him; otherwise, all the other kids of Khan Mansion avoided him like a plague. He wished to grow up quickly, provide for his mother, and become someone like Altaf Khan. If not for him, he would have lost his mother as well, like Ujala. While the mother and son spoke, a figure silently grabbed the chocolate from the ground, stuffed in her jumpsuit pocket and ran away.