Unexpected Promises

Chapter 53 ✓

Atifa's pov:

It was rare for ammi to cook something since we moved to Ba town, but today was one of those rare days when she was in the kitchen, making our favourite kheer. It was kind of surprising for us, for her to suddenly want to make kheer, but we didn't say anything.

Mira was in our room, studying for her upcoming test. Our finals were just around the corner, the syllabus done, just the revision with occasional tests remained.

It was my last year in University before graduation. And with that, one of my dreams would be accomplished.

But since I was unable to concentrate on my studies, I decided to do dusting, maybe then I would get bored enough to actually study. But so far, it wasn't working, my mind was busy wandering to my old memories, making me frustrated. Why couldn't it just stay in one place?!

I was dusting ammi's room when something caught my eye. Squinting, I moved closer to the half opened bedside drawer to open the half closed lid of a wooden box. Weirdly enough, there were a number of folded chits in there. But there was something else too which caught my attention. Keeping the lid back on the box, I opened the drawer anxiously, highly aware of the fact that ammi was still at home and could burst in anytime.

But focusing back on the task at hand, I took out the wooden box to have a clearer look to quench the thirst of my curiosity. It was not only the slightly opened drawer which intrigued me but a brown leather journal which was kept inside that caught my eye.

Opening the drawer, I hesitated before finally taking it out. Running my hand over the cover, I was about to open it when a stack of envelopes caught my eye. They were stuffed to the back of the drawer, under the journal, as if to keep them concealed. But before I could even touch them, a folded paper fell from the journal, making me frown. What was that? And why had I never seen this diary before?

Bending down, I picked up the paper, but in that process, something else fell from it. Confused, I was about to pick it up when ammi quickly picked it up and snatched the paper from my hand, a furious look on her face, which clearly indicated that I was doomed! She held the paper tightly, her knuckles turning white as the paper crumbled.

Quickly keeping the journal at the table, I attempted to clarify myself. "Am- ammi, I- I was just dusting your room when-"

"SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP! DID YOU ASK ME BEFORE  ENTERING MY ROOM?! HOW DARE YOU EVEN COME HERE LIKE THIS AND SNOOP AROUND?!" Gritting her teeth, she yelled angrily, her face red. 

"It- it's nothing like that. I wasn't snooping around or anything. I- I only came here to dust your room." I stumbled while trying to step back, scared of her next move.

"Oh really?! Then what was that journal doing in your hand? And what about that box, huh? Who took it out?" Folding her hands, she looked at me inquisitively, not believing me.

"I- it caught my eye so I took them out to see. I'm sorry, I-"

"Don't. Don't you even dare make any excuses for this! Besharam ladki! Kamre se kuch der ke liye gayab kya ho jao hamare to kamre ki talashi shuru ho jaati hai!" Snatching the journal from the table, she kept the paper back in it.

(Shameless girl! I left the room for a while and you started fishing around my room!)

"N- nahi ammi, I'm sorry. Aisa- aisa kuch nahi-"

(N- no mom, I'm sorry. It's- it's nothing like that-)

"Did I ask you anything? No, right? Then why are you trying to explain yourself to me? Thank God I came here on time or I don't know what else you would have done. You only took out my journal now, God knows what else you were planning on taking out! And God knows how many more times you might have snooped around my room and fished my things! Is this the only thing you learned?" Shooting me a glare, she slammed the journal back in the drawer before keeping the box inside.