IQRAAR اقرار

five

" Azhar yeh roses yaha kaise rahege?"

Saifaan heard her voice from inside.

" Azhar yeh mirror stage ke peechey rakho"

He groaned again.

" Azhar ladoo kaha hain?"

Saifaan pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation.

" Azhar Ammi pooch rahe hain parathey kab tak aarahe hain?"

Saifaan took deep breaths to calm himself down.

" Azhar..."

" Azhar..."

" Azhar!"

Yaaseen was amused seeing the myriad of expressions passing through his older brother's face as their neighbor continuously called out to her cousin Azhar.

" Saifu Bhai aap theek hain?" Yaaseen asked him as he rubbed his forehead as if in pain.

" Huh?" Saifaan looked up confused at his little brother, not hearing his question.

" Aap theek hain? Sar dard kar raha hain aapka?" Yaaseen stifled a smile as a frown etched on Saifaan's face when they heard Sohai calling out for Azhar yet again.

" Sar dard toh iss Azhar ne diya hain mujhe" Saifaan grumbled under his breath.

" Huh? Bhai Azhar bechaarey ne kya bigaada hain aapka?" Yaaseen purposely took his friend's side to irk his brother.

" Kya nahi bigaada hain yeh pucho tum" Saifaan was way too irritated now to even hide his anger.

" Woh toh bas Sohai ki madad kar raha hain, isme aapko kyu itni taqleef hou rahi hain?" Yaaseen said factually.

" Woh mujhse bhi toh madad maang sakti hain na? Par nahi din bhar bas Azhar Azhar ki ratt lagayi hui hoti hain usne" Saifaan wasn't even trying to suppress his emotions now.

" Par aapko Sohai ki madad kyu karni hain? Achaa hi hain na uss aafat ki bakwaas nahi sunni padegi hume" Yaaseen was confused now.

For as long as he had remembered, Saifu Bhai always hated Sohai, didn't he?

" Tameez se baat karo Yaasu. Main Sohai me baarein mein badtameezi bardaasht nahi karunga" Saifaan scolded him and Yaaseen suddenly had a clear idea about it all.

How long was he gone for this to have happened!

" Aahhh! Aafat ko ab Bhabhi bulaana padega kya Saifu Bhai?" Yaaseen teased him and was ready for the slap on his head.

" Maine kaha na uska naam izzat se lou" Saifaan warned him again and Yaaseen just laughed it off.

" Isliye aap bechaarey Azhar se itna chidh rahe hain. Ghabrayein nahi woh uska cousin hain" Yaaseen ducked just in time as a cushion came flying towards his face.

" Uff Allah! Aafat ke saath reh kar aap bhi aatankwadi hou gaye hain. Kya kar diya hain usne mere masoom se Saifu Bhai ko" Yaaseen laughed at him and ran out from there.

Saifaan grumbled in irritation. He was already distressed since the past few days and now his stupid brother is getting on his nerves!

Sohai has been avoiding him like a plague ever since the day she had smashed his bike and he was agitated about it all. The shift of paradigm in their relationship was confusing him even further. Earlier he wouldn't even have noticed if she ignored him or not. They were just neighbors and she was his best friend's little sister. A casual hello and good bye was all they were accustomed to.

But ever since his sister had been married, Sohai has been coming over more frequently to help his mother out. They have interacted a lot more in the past two years than they have in their entire lives and now he didn't think a day goes by without them arguing or fighting over something. It used to irk him before but now he looks forward to her visits and her banter.