Closer to you

Chapter 1

Thank you so much for choosing my story to read! I'm so happy <3 There's just a few points to get across before you can begin reading:

1. This story deals with sensitive topics. I don't want to disclose what those topics are to give away what happens, but if you know that you can't deal with reading sensitive things then please don't read this book.

2. This book does focus on the female and male leads relationship BUT also on the wider characters in the story. So if you're looking for a story which JUST focuses on the main couple and is full of moments between them, then this is not the book for you. The family and friends in this book have a massive role on the character development of the female lead. So female leads relationship with everyone is explored in detail.

3. The characters are Muslim, therefore there will not be things in this book that you may read in other books. Iykyk. Religion is expressed in this story and the characters relationship with their deen.

4. Characters are Pakistani. There may be times in the book the characters will speak some words or phrases in urdu/punjabi but this will be translated so don't worry! Their culture is Pakistani so don't get confused if their behaviour and/or family dynamics are a bit different to yours.

And that's it's for now. Enjoy! ☺️

•••

When my mum left my dad, I was only 16. My 2 elder sisters were in university and my little sister in primary school. Hania and Saba were staying in university accommodation and wouldn't be able to care for us, and Inaya was only 7, so this left me, Zahra Hussain, to care for my little sister and father. At the age of 16 I had to take over my mums responsibilities, make sure the house was clean and liveable, prepare food for Baba and Inaya to eat, make sure Inaya was up to date with her school work, happy, managed, loved...all while being a 16 year old girl.

Of course, no one expected I could actually do it; take care of everyone. And why would they? I was a free, moody, babied teenager who could barely manage her studies, never mind a household. But at that moment, all my wants and needs and desires left my mind, and the only thought that remained was a sense of responsibility. For my dad and my little sister and my home.

Mum may have left, but that didn't mean we'd die without her.

It's been a year now and I'm managing. My sisters come home on weekends, when I can get a break, and I'm in year 13: the hardest academic year of my life.

"Zahra!"

My foot halted mid air. I was just going to enter the shower; it was jumma after all and to clean ourselves on a Friday was a Sunnah.

My head popped out of the bathroom door, "Ji Baba?" (Yes baba)

"Puthar (child) , your sisters are at the train station, I'm going to pick them up so I can't take you to school. I'll drop Inaya on the way, you get the bus." He replied from somewhere downstairs.

I bit my lip anxiously. I hadn't packed dad's lunch because I thought I would have more time to make it before we left home.

"Are you going to come back home after?" I asked. If he's coming back home, I can just leave his lunch in front of the front door so he won't forget to take it with him to work. If he goes without packed lunch, he'll just order takeaway and that's bad for his health.

"Yes, I won't go to work today though since your sisters are back."

"Teekh hai phir, Fi Amanillah" (Ok then, I leave you in the care of Allah) I mentally crossed 'packing dad's lunch' off my to-do list as my sisters would be able to prepare it during the day.