•RIYA•
I sat in the lawn, in the swing which was slowly moving to and fro as my feet pushed against the ground. This wasn't a swing worth sitting on for you don't know when it's ropes snap off.
But what was bad in taking a chance?
I enjoyed the morning breeze, my heart missing Kanwal. She left for her home too soon. I didn't understand why her husband was always on her tail, and never keeping her away from him for too long. We were her family not someone who will eat her.
I internally sighed. She only spent a night with me. May be she was right when she advised me to not get married soon.
Last evening walk was so refreshing with her! I was dreamily thinking about the shawarma we had there. Only if someone could take me and buy me one.
Everything was so boring and tasteless as well. I even texted Zain too but he wasn't coming from his hostel either saying he had exams around the corner and he couldn't afford any fun in these days.
I jumped down and went inside the building of our home. My mind constantly bugging me with the thought that i hadn't texted Yawar in ten days, not that he had texted me either. I rolled my eyes.
He was out of sight too. He must have found links again with his previous girl.
I knocked at my father's door who had went inside after breakfast.
He was doing his work online.
He looked at me and patted the place beside him.
I sat, "Baba when are we going back?"
"On Tuesday. Its four days from now on. You have packed everything right?"
I nodded.
"Lemme guess you are bored. Right? Your friends aren't home either."
"I don't know but let's go back. My university will be starting soon."
"Okay! Don't worry I have got the admission form through a friend of mine. I will get the everything done the very next day we reach."
I nodded again.
"Now go! Spend time with your family."
"Alright."
I walked out and glanced through living room window whose curtain was a bit moved from the place. A black car was standing outside. I walked to sofas, leaning over them, I had a nice view of driveway of our home. It wasn't Yawar's car. Damn! Why wasn't this man showing up?
I stood back and opted to go to my room. When I walked to the stairs, my eyes fell on an elderly aged couple who stood a bit clueless. It hit me that my aunt had gone to buy something from the utility store and there was no one particularly at home.
I took them to drawing room and asked them to make themselves comfortable. The woman, who was somewhat in late forties, looked sweet and even asked for my name.
I knocked at my father's door and asked him that he had some old friends to see. Until my father could go and join them, I instructed the maid to make them tea and serve them with delicacies.
I heaved a breath and went to my room to sleep, the only knack I had to kill time with. This crazy habit I have discovered over here in my cousins' absence is to just fall asleep.
Sometimes I really wanted to go to Yawar's place and strangle him for causing this weird undescribale uneasiness in me. I was tired of being left out like this. At least he could have dropped a small visit so that I could see how he was doing.
May be i was the one who misinterpreted everything and may be it was me who pushed him away. I didn't even listen to his side of story.
Silly girl!
At evening, when the maid brought me tea whilst I sat in the porch, I asked her where Yawar lived.
"Not far bibi gee. I think it somewhat takes ten minutes drive."
I nodded.
Dismissing her, I checked people back in home. All were busy in their routine. Grandmother as usual was taking rest. I walked upto driver and asked him if he could take me to Yawar's as he wasn't picking up my calls.
"Ma'am Yawar bhai isn't home from a past few days." Driver informed me.
"Where is he?"
"I don't know Ma'am. You can ask Baigum Sahiba."
I thanked him and went inside, a bit disappointed that he didn't tell me. May be he wanted to tell me but i wasn't picking up his phone calls. I felt so mad at myself that instant.
Why the hell I was worried? What were those feelings? What do you name these tingles? Affection?
In my restlessness, my feet chose the path which led to baigum sahiba's room who was none but my grandmother. I stopped outside, my feet reluctant to take steps. I was not very comfortable around this lady unlike Kanwal, Yawar and Zain, even tho she gave me warm vibes but still there was space between us two. May be because I was the daughter of the woman who had taken away her son from her.
My mind pushed away these groundless thoughts and I tentativeky forwarded my hand to twist the door knob but I stopped again.
Oh you coward!
Sighing, I sat on the nearby wooden chair that was plopped against the wall near the door of grandmother's room and swallowed my tears. I sat mustering up my courage to ask why had she forced her will on Yawar to marry me.
But I couldn't do that. I was too afriad to do it.
I heard voices, rising and dying down, turning into whispers. But I couldn't turn out the meaning from the snippets of words I heard. I strained my ears against the wall but in vain. I facepalmed myself and rose to my height, standing beside the door, I leaned against it to hear clearly.
These voices were manly but I could recognise, my grandmother's voice too in between.
I fiddled with my fingers and scratched my neck, I didn't understand if eavesdropping was a good deed to do but i found myself doing it with no progress of hearing a single word.
Giving up, I stepped back. I was afraid if someone opened the door from other side and found me leaning against the door with one ear out, hell - it would be so shameful.
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I wanted to write a long chapter lekin chalo koi baat nahi.
