NOOR

Chapter 32

✷ Abbas ✷

A smile formed on my face looking at my little sister. She was posing with Bhabhi for endless pictures and Ahmad Bhaijaan was responsible for clicking their heart pounding pics.

Noor. With whom I fight every day. Whom I tease every chance I get. Whose sole purpose is to annoy me.

The sister I lost after that awful incident. Her innocent soul was tainted by the worldly expectations.

At times I feel the guilt of not understanding the sadness she hid behind those bright smiles. At times I felt that I failed as her brother.

"You should stop shouldering the guilt."

I heard his voice and then felt the weight of his palm my back. Turning my head a little I saw Ayaan Bhaijaan looking at me.

"How do you always understand what's in our mind?" I ask as this isn't the first time he knows what I feel like. It seems that he can read our mind or something.

"Not always." He said with a tinge of pain in his voice and his eyes now fixed on Noor.

I guess I'm not the only one carrying guilt in my heart.

"We aren't super heroes who could save the world. We aren't the heroes in movies who are capable of protecting their families. We are just normal human beings who could do their best. Noor is strong Abbas. She had to go through all those things to become the independent version of herself. I know she deserves the best but she needed to learn how to take what's best for her. It isn't some fictional world where you get everything desired at your feet. You need to fight for it, for yourself."

I listened to Bhaijaan's words carefully and understood what he meant. What we need to do is trust the author writing the story of our life. They know what's best for us. We should simply do our best because they wanna know who is capable of becoming an unforgettable character. And I know that Noor  will prove herself as one.

"Thank you Bhaijaan, for putting my heart at ease." I thank him with all my heart and he smiles looking at me but what I say next makes him glare at me.

"But whatever you do I'm not letting you near my sister." Well, gotta protect my sister. I go away from there and look around the market trying to find something for my beautiful Ammi.

After strolling through the market I came across a shawl shop with some really beautiful designs.

I was looking through the lots of soft wool running my hands on the delicate designs woven on the fabric. It wasn't just some ordinary

"It's all handwork beta." The old shopkeeper said. I was mesmerized by the detailed work of threads on the piece of cloth.

"It is beautiful." I said in a trance when my ears caught a faint voice.

"Ye le chacha."

My eyes moved in the direction from where the voice came and landed on a short girl adored in a lavender colored suit. The soft colour complementing her petite figure.

"Shukriya beta." The shopkeeper thanked the girl taking the bag she was offering with a warm smile on his face.

"Wo jo shawl aap dekh rhe the, uspe isne hi kaam kiya h." These words of the shopkeeper were directed towards me and I looked at the girl once again who lifted her face towards me for the first time.

Her face was covered by a white colored chadar  leaving her mesmerizing blue-green eyes that carried a storm within them.

She lowered her gaze just after meeting mine and offered a small Salam. Without even waiting for me to reciprocate she ran off from there.

I smiled looking at her running like a little kitten and faced the shopkeeper once again telling him I'll purchase the shawl.

Khuda ne chaha toh dubara zaroor milenge.

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Ek ajnabi haseena se
Yun mulakaat ho gayi
Phir kya hua yeh na poocho
Kuch aisi baat ho gayi

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