Chand Sifarish

𝑆𝑖𝑑ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑡ℎ

In khwahishon me khoya hua hun
In zakhm khaatir meri suno

"Need any help?" I asked Sana who was carrying the casserole to our table. 

" No, thanks. I will carry them." She replied with one hand brushing her hair. 

We all were sitting in the garden under the moonlight. Taya abu had demanded the dinner to be served in the garden, in the fresh air. The grass was a bit wet, a carpet had been spread on it with small wooden tables settled. It was only for the few of us, ammi and badi ammi had denied the offer stating they were comfortable inside. Shehnaaz had accompanied them while Sana was with us serving the food. 

The aroma of Hyderabadi Biryani was so fulfilling, the malai kabab and raita making my stomach ravenous. Whatever people say about genz, I'm inclined to Indianism. The desi food with oil and spices, the Indian attire and music. Even the way the people in our country are so considerate towards each other is rare. I would never leave my homeland.

I started hogging on food with my bare hands, when I am hungry and my favourites are served, etiquette is the last thing that comes to my mind.
"Yaar ye biryani kisne bnai h. It's so good. Ayesha khala?" It was mostly her who used to cook in the house.

Taya Abbu gazed at me, his trimmed beard shining in the light. "Sana ne bnai h. She's even a better cook than her mother"

I looked at her astonished, who stood silently beside me with her pursed lips and red face. Her white dupatta kept flowing in the light breeze and her hair kept coming on her face. She looked everywhere but me.

" Mattar Paneer?" She asked, breaking my trance of thoughts.

"Jab itna tasty biryani ho toh who eats veg. No way"

"I eat." Shehnaaz comes with a water pitcher. "Mama was asking whether you people want anything else"

"Nahi, we are fine" Abbu and taya abbu said in unison and then got engrossed in their talks. The bromance these two people had. Seeing them I sometimes wished to have siblings too.

She turned towards me, raising her eyebrows.

"Asar dikh rha h" I said, holding back my grin.
"What?"
"Pure veg hone ka...it wouldn't take much effort for the wind to carry you with it"
"You..."
Sana started laughing, taken aback. Her jingles of laughter floated while Shehnaaz scorned. 
"I don't want anything. Thank you" I said, raising my hands. I guess I pulled the wrong string.
She looked at me one last time, muttering something under her breath and rushing inside.

Taya abbu and abbu decided to stroll after the dinner while I accompanied Sana to the kitchen.

"Aapko aisa nhi bolna chahiye tha Sid. She got angry"

"Weren't you the one who burst out in splits, Ms Sana Raichand."

"But.."

"I can't even understand how she ended up being a pure vegetarian. Just look around us, nobody is interested in veg."

"But choices hoti h na"

"Wahi toh match nhi hoti" I muttered. 
"See, if we go outside, we have to order veg especially for her and then in the end she doesn't even finish it under the lame excuse that how can somebody eat so much alone. Issues, Issues" I huffed when Rani di came running.

"Are chote babu aap ye sab kyu laa rhe h. Sana thi na and there are other helpers too", she glared at Sana who looked petrified, constantly shaking her head.

"Koi baat nhi, Not a big deal"

"Badi Memsahib dekh lengi toh hum kya jawaab denge, ye dijiye aur app jaiye", she said, snatching the plates from my hand and dragging Sana along.

I ambled to my room humming "Jab koi baat bigad jaye" when I noticed Shehnaaz leaning on the window, her hands swinging outside. 

All the residential rooms were on the first floor, Shehnaaz's, Sana's and mine in a row. Shehnaaz's was the last room in the row, the room beside her was going to be mine but she whined so much being adamant on having Sana's room beside her that I ended up in the third last room.

There were windows on the stairways and corridors, wide and we usually kept it open on such full moon nights.

I stood there contemplating whether to talk to her or not, but what would I say? She probably realised there was someone standing behind and turned to face me. I stared at her face, probably for the first time since I arrived. She looked so young, almost like a teen. Though she was tall, her slender shoulders and short hair added to her babyish structure. I opened my mouth only to close it again.

"Bas hum bhul jaenge ki aap hamare bete hai"
"You don't have an option Sidharth. You only have us"

Taking a deep breath, I rushed to my room leaving her standing there.

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HEYA PEEPS!
It's around 3 in the morning and I wrote this. Reason?
I was missing them way too much, uk there are times when I really start questioning why did it all happen and I have not even once reached to a conclusion. There is no answer and there can never be. We have to live with that. This makes me feel wobbly, this concept of life which I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to unravel.
Well, let's not go there. It ends nasty.
But writing makes my thoughts go away.
Fiction is so better than reality. Always.

Well, tell me how are you finding this story? Truths pls.
And what do you feel about Sidharth's character?

Have a great day ahead.
Love,
Ahsmir.