Namood-e-Saher نمود سحر

Noor-ul-Ain and Zayn-al-Aabeedeen

" Baba, do you think birds get sad because they don't have arms?" A voice rang over the dining table and it's only other occupant sighed.

" I don't know Zayn, do you get sad because you don't have any wings?" Zohaib bit into his paratha as he answered yet another query of his younger son.

" Everyday Baba, everyday!" Zayn looked crestfallen and Zohaib raised an amused eyebrow at his second born.

" I hate how we are born out of nowhere and forced to go to school!" Zayn continued.

" What?" Zohaib didn't know that his stupidity could ever be matched and here is his son, surpassing him.

" Like what if I wanted to be an eagle? Or a dolphin!" Zayn shook his head at the injustice of nature.

As if!

" Kaha se laate ho tum ye sab baatein?" Zohaib choked on his breakfast and his wife rushed out to pat his back.

" Aaraam se Zaib" Afnaan put a glass of water to his lips and help him gulp it down.

" Zayn, don't startle your Baba during meals" she reprimanded her son who had a naughty glint in his eyes.

" Affi I'm sorry for all that you have had to go through because of my jokes. If I was even half as silly as this kanjar here then I really admire you for putting up with me" Zohaib held his wife's hand and apologized much to her amusement.

" Aww, that's so romantic!" Zayn sniffed and wiped his tears with his serviette.

" And if you want to be something else then aspire to be an ant" and Afnaan shook her head at her husband's love for cheentiya!

" Why do I even bother with you two. I miss my Zaman so much but all I have is his evil twin" she twisted her son's ears and he couldn't help but double over in laughter.

" Utho, university ke liye late nahi ho raha hain tumhe?" Afnaan pulled him by his ears which she still had in a death grip and pushed him out of the door.

One would think with all this banter that Zayn was a school going child but no! He was in final year MBA and despite all the pranks and jokes he was a sterling student. He had aced his Engineering Finals and he was sure of topping his MBA too. Today was his first day in the last year at University and all the new day jitters were catching upto him.

Like who even wants to go back to school after a long vacation!

Zayn-al-Aabeedeen Zohaib Hamdaani is about to get his whole life upturned today and the poor boy hadn't an inkling of it!

" Mr Hamdaani, if you deem that the books and this humble man here are inept at imparting knowledge at par with your excellence and intelligence then I suggest you seek it elsewhere. By the longing gaze you have been giving the cafeteria you should grace it with your presence, no?" The professor gave Zayn a pointed look who looked away sheepishly.

" I'm alright Sir, waise bhi cafeteria khula nahi hain ab tak" Zayn knew the timings of his favorite place by heart.

" So you mean to say that if it was open you would have taken me up on my offer and left the class!" The professor wasn't even surprised at the youngest Hamdaani boy's audacity.

All his elder brothers were students of this institute but the young man here is the naughtiest amongst them!

" Obviously" Zayn couldn't have bit his tongue sooner for answering the mean man back.

" Don't stop on my account then. You must go and wait while your best friend opens up the food counter" the man was very sarcastic this morning.

" Koi baat nahi hain Sir..." Zayn was trying very hard to stifle his laugh but the class wasn't holding back and burst into guffaws.