My search stops on you

part 1

Sarah's pov

I was in my room, I was scrolling through my whatsapp list. Suddenly I got a notification from one of my friends. His name was Aqib, he was my neighbour since forever. but we never communicated with each other till the day came when I was in my 9th standard. I was coming back from my school walking, all tired. When I was at the last turn to my home, a bike just rode past inches away from me. I panicked and got off my feet and laid down on the road, to add to the problem, the weight of the bag on my shoulder was killing me. That bike stopped in front of me. The guy came out of it, fumbling and he was apologizing to me, then he tried to help me in getting up. But I helped myself without requiring his assistance. I stood up and managed to dust myself. Seeing the genuine guilt in his eyes, I accepted his apology. Then I remembered he was our neighbour. We never contacted each other, just knew each other by faces. then we introduced ourselves and that incident was the starting of our friendship. 

Same Aqib, now a friend contacted me, I was about to check his message, my phone started ringing, he was calling me, I instantly picked up the call. He said ''assalamulaikum''.  I replied. 

suddenly my door got opened with a thud and Adi ran towards me, he was my four years old nephew . He was my heartbeat. No matter in which state I was in, whenever he was with me, I feel delighted, I love him. I treat him as if he is my own  child. Sometimes, I think whether I would be able to love my own child as much as I love him, although I don't want to have babies of my own, I don't think I would be able to handle them. He started calling me Api, "api see  abba got a car for me"

I said to Aqib to wait for a minute and pulled Adi onto my lap and kissed him everywhere, on his head and then I picked up the phone again. I got so engrossed in hugging and kissing Adi that I forgot  Aqib was on the call.

''Yes Aqib how are you? What are you up to nowadays? I asked him.

" I am chill as always, you tell how's everyone in the family''

''Alhamdulillah, everyone is doing good'', I replied.

"Actually the company in which I am working is hiring from across India for work from home opportunities" I though you might benefit from it"

"But why would you think that I would be interested in working" I reflected on what I just said, actually I never gave it a thought.

"See , I can understand  but listen, there is one thing Sarah,you live in Kashmir and you are well aware about the situation here. I think this is the time for you to get some exposure out of Kashmir. You will meet lots of people from outside our state and you will learn a lot"

I never gave this a thought that I would be working, I was just studying so that I can complete the minimum standard of education in our society and I think I just love to study. My parents  also love to see my study. I was doing this for my own and my parents satisfaction. That's  why I was doing my Bsc in nursing. I don't want to build a career in hospital or medical lab. And seeing people in pain is one of my weaknesses.

" Do one thing, you message me the details of the work and let me have few words with my parents on this", I said.

"ok, you take your time and let me know about it. Till then take care" he disposed the call off. I liked this thing about him that he didn't talk uneccesarily, he just gets straight to the point and when it's over, he goes away unlike some of my cousins who can just chatter for hours on anthing.

I gave it a thought and I figured it was not a bad idea if I would be able to work, sitting at the comfort of my home. And the thing is, due to lockdown because of covid and the killings in the valley, had brought the city to a halt. I was unable to go to college as well. I didn't have much to do than to offer  salah and scroll through the internet and I will get the  opportunity to build a good resume for myself. It will help me in my own development.

Let's put forward this idea to my father whom I call baba, first I should have a nap, I slept for almost 20 minutes when my sister came in to the room and woke me up. I was having a peaceful sleep and she just shook me like I am a child. I wanted to kill her that moment.

"Yeah what happened", I squealed irritatingly.

"Sarah, bb is calling you'', I wanted to ask why but I was lazy enough at that moment to not let words go out from my mouth.

I put off my earphones, searched for the slippers. The slippers were cornered behind the door.I had a glance at the outside. The sun was vanishing . I reached to the ground floor. My bb and baba lived in ground floor. Me and my sister shared one room on the second floor. I liked this room. this room gives me the privacy. I can use my phone whenever I want. I can be in any t shirt without dupatta. I am away from the chit chat of the neighbours who come anytime in the living room to talk to bb.

Bb said to me that she was making a disk and she wanted me to spend some time with her so that I can learn to cook too.  I didn't want to say no to her but that time I was not in the mood to spend next half an hour in the kitchen, burning my nostrils with smoke. I searched for baba, he was performing ablution and it was asr time. it was his prayers. So I didn't say anything to him. I just sat on the red mat laid on the floor and looked around. there was a beautiful earthy smell in this room and this is quite spacious too with green color paint over the walls. I loved this room. After few minutes he came back from masjid. 

"I needed to to have an important discussion with you, I said and sat crossed leg in front of him.

 "Don't tell you need a new iPhone, I recently purchased this new model to you", he said comically and laughed.

"are you making fun of me , go away I don't want to talk to you", I said to him angrily and moved my back facing him. 

"Where would I go, this is my room. you go to your room, you are the one who came here",he laughed around and pinched me on the back.

He irritated me further, if it was some other day, I would surely not forgive him till he buy me a belguim chocochip but today I didn't have enough time. I needed to respond to Aqib soon. 

"Remember Aqib, he called me informed me about a job offer, there is this company,  which is hiring people for chat support by providing them the facility to work from home. I think I need your opinion on this."

''why do you need to do a job, I am here for you for everything, you don't need to work API", he sometimes calls me Api at home.

" I know baba, it not about that, I know you are here for me for everything, see as my college are not yet opened and Allah knows when they will be opened so I think I can work for sometime. It may be good", I said.

"Have you studied about the kind of work they are offering? beware of frauds ok."

"Yes, yes I have studied about it, you don't worry and I will search more about it as well." I answered putting the strand of hair away from my face.

"I understand, it is becoming a major problem here, colleges are not getting opened, careers of lacks of students are at stake. See if you have made up your mind then don't worry, you pursue this new opportunity, he said and went outside the room. He is always like this, he is afraid to argue with me. I thanked Allah and asked
him to make everything go smooth.

(Guys, this is the unedited version of the chapter. Apologies for the grammatical errors. Soon I'll make the required changes.)