Khawab-Gah

Episode-6

Akram’s father was not a very famous person but because of good business he had a beautiful house and that was his whole life’s income. Today if that house is more beautiful, it is because of Akram’s elder brother Javed, who made his father’s name famous after entering in the business. There was respect for women in their house, but the thought was a little bit narrow.
His father believed that the duty of women to stay at home and focus only on household chores, although no such pain was inflicted. His brother also had the same words as his father. But Akram’s thinking was a little different, due to which he used to get beaten up by his father many times.
This series started from his childhood when one of his uncles pulled his second sister-in-law Akram’s aunt’s dupatta from her head in funny way, when Akram was only six years old. This scene was happening on the stairs of the roof and Akram was standing with his aunt. His uncle was standing at the beginning of the stairs step of the roof. On seeing this incident, Akram tried to push his uncle back because he was standing on the very first edge. Therefore, even his uncle’s feet did not get support, he slipped and fell from the stairs of the roof. His auntie’s senses were blown away.
Akram’s father had four brothers and three sisters out of which he was the third among the brothers and he was the second uncle who was joking with his eldest sister-in-law.
Akram was a child and his testimony was not equal to yes or no, while his aunt did not support him and uncle continued lies even when he knew the truth. His father had beaten him a lot that day. After that incident, Akram used to beaten up by his father on every little things, his mother can’t even do anything and his elder brother couldn’t say anything.
As he grew older, his anger at this ignorance increased. But now the matter was very different, now the word had spread in the whole family that Akram did not like injustice, so all the other cousins lived perfectly in front of him, even though they were not as afraid of Javed as they were of Akram. His aunt (a sister of his father) had arranged the marriage of her only daughter Zoya with Akram. Seeing her brother’s growing wealth and Akram’s honour in the family, she did all this so that her daughter would have the highest position in the family. Regardless of whether someone said or not, everyone never avoided Akram’s words, his words or justice is equal to everyone it doesn’t matter who is younger or elder. Look wise he was healthy but a bit thin  have a light beard. Even if he had not been famous for his righteous status, he must be famous because of his photographic memory and smartness.
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There’s a boy who’s name is Atif, is senior and a good leader of his perspective class. Saleha had a good conversation with Atif. They used to go to the canteen and the library together, he also helped her a lot in her studies. Their meeting started from the library, she was looking for a book and he helped her. He liked Saleha’s conversation, her style and movements, although Saleha never thought about it, she would only like to talk to him occasionally in college.
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At that time, Professor Jalal had just left the class when Atif entered. Saleha stopped speaking and so did the rest of the class. He was the first senior who had never spoken to a junior except for work and specially to girls. Akram was sitting on his seat watching the spectacle when Atif came and invited Saleha for lunch with her friends. As soon as she accepted the invitation, she got up and went with him. It was the first time that Akram felt the burning sensation.
Wahid: What happened, bro! Why are you upset?
Akram: Nothing, just s a little tension for the preparation of the next semester and the notes were not ready yet, that’s it. Wahid: Here you will continue to prepare for the semester and there someone else will take your result.
Akram: What do you mean? Wahid: The meaning is clear, now no one can lie in front of Wahid.
Akram: So, what are you talking about?
Wahid: You are upset because today Atif invites Bhabhi (sister-in-law) and she accept that. Right!
Akram: Hmm. Who is the Bhabhi?
Wahid: Saleha.
Akram: Hey, nothing like that..
Wahid: My brother’s choice Saleha so that’s how she is my Bhabhi.
Akram smiled authoritatively at this sentence of Wahid. The glow of his face and the smile from his lips didn’t left.
Akram: Look, nothing like that.
Wahid: Hey, if it hasn’t happened, then it will happen, so give it some time.
Now Akram was smiling shyly hiding his eyes with his hands.
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At that time, Rabia was holding the phone in her hand, she looked nervous. She had a watch in one hand and a phone in the other.
Nida: What happened?
Rabia: No, just the tension of the semester was happening and there is also a little problem at home.
Nada: Oh. Don’t take much tension, it all goes on.
Both of them entered the class while talking nonsense. For the first time today, here they saw Akram on the first seat of the second row of bench. He was sitting there for the first time today with Wahid and had been on time quite a few times since he became a senior.
Saleha arrived after some time. She sat on the first seat of the first bench, there was not much distance between the two benches, just one by one, if people walked there would be a way. Akram was sitting near forward that he could not even see Saleha. If he turned his head sometimes, his vision would have been blurred. By the way Akram used to have trouble with such a long class, but today’s class was not a class, it become a trip, in which Akram was now tired.
After an hour and a half, Mam finished the lecture with her last sentence and Akram breathed a sigh of relief. After doing the class for so long, almost everyone was tired, so no one dared to get up and go, no one even bothered, everyone sat in their place and started talking to each other.
“Dude, today was the limit, she was not going”
“She seemed like she would have finished the entire syllabus today.”
“These people don’t have to study by themselves, they just keep putting pressure on us.” Everyone had their own suggestions. Like everyone else, Saleha was also busy in complaining about the teachers and Akram.. he was just looking at her at that moment, which Nida was carefully noticing.
After ten to fifteen minutes Atif was seen coming with some of his friends behind him, but they were standing outside; the class get a little silence while he had entered inside. Saleha knew the people standing outside very well. The noise in the class was now a little less but not gone
Saleha: How are you here?
Atif: Come on, you have to see something.
The noise of the class was growing back, no one cared, they were all just lost in their own words.
Saleha: No, I am very tired now. You know, in today’s class..
Before Saleha’s words were finished, Atif picked up her bag, he was smiling when he wrapped her copy and books, she also got up from the seat with a tired face with s smile. Then suddenly she felt something heavy in her hands. Unable to recognize it, it had never happened before, as if someone had held her.
“Saleha will not go.”
Suddenly the entire class was silent. Everyone was looking at him and trying to understand the matter. Saleha turned her eyes to the hands and then to the palm which was holding her. It was Akram’s hand which was holding her strongly in anger. Atif was also able to see this now. The whole class was silent after seeing this.
“Akram leave my hand, what are you doing?” She wanted to free herself
“Didn’t you heard”
“What are you doing? Leave it.” Now she was using the power of her other hand as well. Akram’s hands were much stronger than her, so she failed. When she looked up, the whole class was looking at them.
“Akram leave” At that time, tears came into her eyes. It was the first time in her life, this had never happened and there was no possibility of it happening. Atif: What is this behaviour? Akram: Exactly! What kind of behaviour is this?
The silence of the class was growing now.
Akram: Once she said no. And there is no need to come to this class in the future without any specific reason or work.
Akram’s tone and phrase surprised the entire class. Atif’s friends had also entered now, their faces were angry. After leaving Saleha’s bag on the bench, Atif controlled his anger, by looking at him angrily he left quietly. Akram then leave Saleha’s hand, there was no regret on his face, while Saleha got tears in her eyes and left with the bag, at the same time Rabia and Nida also followed her.
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After sitting in the canteen and crying for an hour, she controlled her tears. When she left for her home, Nida and Rabia were also with her. After halfway, they also took permission to leave and told her not to worry.
On the way, before the house, there was a park where there were swings for children and benches on the edge of the green grass. People come for morning walks and children come to play in the evening, but after noon and seven in the evening, this place is completely empty.
She slowly took a step forward and lowered her eyes. She heard a voice “Saleha” when she turned around and saw that it was Akram. As soon as he got close to her, without even thinking a while, she slapped him.
Saleha: Are you mad or what. What were you doing at that time!
She was screaming in anger and Akram’s tone was soft and sad.
Akram: I am sorry. Whatever happened today will not happen again. But my intention was not to defame or humiliate you.
Saleha: So ...
Akram: I was a little angry at that time. Please forgive me.
Saleha: Akram, I know you helped me, but don’t take it to mean that you can do anything.
Akram: Don’t worry, I won’t do anything like that.
Saleha: Don’t even think about doing anything.
She started walking from there and Akram kept looking at her.
Akram: Saleha, just forgive me.
Now she had gone too far.