Blooming Love

Serendipity (1)

(Trigger Warning: The following text mentions child sexual abuse, cutting, self-harm)

Hira Noor spent her childhood as a shy and timid child, constantly by her mother's side, following her mother like a duckling, She sought refuge behind her mother's veil as if it could shield her from the harsh reality of life, the raging storms, and the injustices that existed in the world.
However, there came a day when she realized that her mother couldn't protect her from the prying eyes, the invasive gazes that crawled down her scrawny, undeveloped body with an emotion emanating off of them that she couldn't decipher at that exact scant of moment but she didn't like it.
She knew deep down that she despised them.

Kabeer Khan, the origin of all her turmoil.
It was on that disastrous day when she caught a glimpse of the darkness that lurked beneath his outwardly handsome face.
As a child, she always admired the color green, especially the green shimmering leaves in their flowerbed that glinted like emeralds in the Golden Sunlight.
However, the color that was once so full of life got tainted by the shadows behind his green murky eyes. Now the color green was associated with the pain that Kabeer Khan brought into her life.

It was a chilly day, the air was getting crisp with a hint of winter's arrival. Little hira noor was rummaging through the cabinets, and hopped on a creaking wooden stool, to find her favorite butterscotch cookies that her mother had carefully stashed away, just so her brothers Taha and Fahad couldn't find them.
As she delved deeper, she found the prized container of the cookies, with a delighted smile, she gingerly retrieved the cookies.
In that moment, perched on that wooden stool, with a glint of innocence in her eyes, with the taste of butterscotch lingering on her tongue. The world, with all its complexities and uncertainties, faded into the background as she cherished the cookies.
Little did she know that from that day onwards, the tapestry of her life would change forever.

"Doll face what are you doing?"
The ringing voice frightened her out of her wits and she staggered on the unsteady stool.

"Baba save me"
She had cried out instinctively for the man who was her father. She held a concrete belief that the man before her was her true father, the notion of stepfather or stepbrother was inconsequential to her since the love she felt for her baba ran deeper than societal labels, it was unwavering.

"My Doll! Baba will always save you"
His sweet voice, laden with a hint of affection and love made her smile as she stared into his murky green eyes but her smile wilted away like a dead flower when his calloused hands rested on her delicate shoulders traveling down the front of her bosom till the end of her woolen dress.
The hands that were meant to protect her, ventured down, traversing the expanse of her bosom.

"I didn't notice till now my sweetheart. You have grown up so well"
The hands were now caressing the fabric that ended on her dainty forelegs. A sense of discomfort and unease washed over her as she blinked in confusion.