It was Sunday.
The living room was too clean.
The couch had been straightened thrice. A fresh tablecloth had replaced the usual crayon-stained one. Even Guddu Baba had been told to “behave” today.
Because—Shazia was coming over.
With her Ammi.
Haseena wore her shiniest frock (with visible food stains she refused to remove because they were “battle marks”), and stood near the door like a mini security guard.
The bell rang.
She gasped.
“Woh aa gayi! Meri dosti!”
Ammi opened the door to reveal a slightly shy Shazia, holding a gift-wrapped box, and her elegant, soft-spoken mother, dressed in a crisp dupatta.
“Assalamualaikum.” Shazia’s mom greeted with a gentle smile.
“Wa-alikum assalam. Aaiye, aaiye! Haseena toh subah se ghadi dekh rahi thi.” Ammi said, laughing.
“Auntiiiii yeh aapke liye! Ammi ne banaya hai.” Shazia chirped, handing over a neatly packed box of homemade nankhatai.
“Awww, shukriya beta. Bohot pyaare ho tum dono.”
Meanwhile, Haseena grabbed Shazia’s hand like she’d found her long-lost twin. “Chalo! Tumhe mere khilone dikhana hai… aur meri kitchen set bhi. Usmein barfi bhi banegi!”
Shazia nodded, equally hyped. “Mere paas new spoon hai—use karenge?”
“Wah! Aaj toh asli chef wali vibe aayegi!”
They rushed off to the bedroom like two tornadoes in frocks.
Back in the drawing room, the moms sat down with chai.
“Mashallah, Haseena bohot zindadil bachi hai. Shazia ghar aake sirf uski baatein karti hai.” Shazia’s mom said fondly.
“Aur mujhe toh lagta tha Shazia shaant hai… yahan aake toh dono ek dusre ka volume button ban gaye hain.” Ammi chuckled.
Meanwhile in the bedroom…
A fake fire had broken out in the toy kitchen. Haseena was screaming, “Jaldi Shaziaaaa! Guddu Baba stove ke saamne so gaya hai!”
“Main usko uthati hoon! Spoon leke!” Shazia yelled, diving toward the teddy bear.
Dollu was being used as a customer.
Aloo Baby the eraser was the "restaurant manager."
And somehow… there was glitter in the daal.
After twenty minutes of utter madness, both girls returned to the living room—glitter in their hair, stickers on their cheeks, one sock missing each.
“Ammi! Humne biryani banayi! Plastic waali!” Haseena declared proudly.
Shazia added, “Aur Guddu Baba ko jalne se bacha liya!”
Both moms exchanged amused glances.
“Kya khaayenge dono heroes? Milkshake ya… asli biryani?”
“Dono!” the girls chorused.
And just like that, it wasn’t just a playdate.
It was the start of a legendary duo.
YOU ARE READING
༺ 𒆜Ishq Ka Pehla Saya 𒆜 ༻
Fanfiction✧ Phase One: A childhood full of mischief, secrets, and survival. ✧ Phase Two: A college girl's battle between forbidden love and family duty. Haseena was born into rejection. But she was also born to fight. With two brothers who love her, a grandmo...
