Jaan-e-Azlan❤

01(edited)

In the picturesque city of Islamabad, Pakistan, the sun shone brightly, occasionally obscured by drifting clouds that seemed to have a mind of their own. One moment, the sky was clear; the next, clouds would roll in, casting shadows before giving way to sunshine.

Despite the impending rain, there was a sense of tranquility in the air, promising a gentle shower that would soothe rather than storm. It was the kind of rain that invited cozy gatherings and heartwarming moments with loved ones.

While Islamabad was renowned for its peaceful ambiance, the atmosphere inside Khan Villa painted a different picture. Despite the city's serene reputation, tensions ran high within the villa's walls.

"Please, open the door," Mrs. Bushra Saleem Khan, the respected elder of the household, appealed gently to her daughter-in-law, who had withdrawn into her room, refusing to emerge.

"Mani, darling, please, open the door. Come on, guriya," Ghazan Arif Khan implored, his voice tinged with concern as he addressed his cherished sister.

Inside the room, emotions ran high as their beloved "guriya" remained obstinate, her voice carrying through the closed door. "No! I won't. You all lied to me," she protested adamantly, her words echoing with frustration.

Ghazan's heart ached at the sound of his sister's distress, prompting him to plead further. "Can you at least tell us what's wrong? You've been locked in there for three hours. It's time to come out," he urged, his genuine concern palpable.

Finally, after a moment of tense silence, the door creaked open, revealing the figure of Khan Villa's beloved princess, the ronak of the house. Though her presence illuminated the room, her expression betrayed a mix of anger and hurt, adding depth to the scene.

"Don't you know what happened?" she yelled, her face contorted with fury, and Ghazan immediately shook his head, swallowing hard. She frowned at his response.

"Salma told me that you are going to Naraan Kaghaan for summer vacations and that too leaving me here and not even telling me," she said innocently, her cute frown deepening. Bushra, her tayi ammi, sighed as Ghazan facepalmed himself at his princess's dramas.

"Beta, she was just teasing you, and do you think that I'll let him go without taking you?" her tayi ammi said, while caressing her hair lovingly. No, she was not angry at her because she knew her nature very well. She trusted people very easily, but the world is not always as we want it to be. There are some people too who only want your bad and it gives them happiness. Same is the case with Salma. She is her only female cousin she knows of, but she never liked Mantasha like everyone else did, primarily because of certain reasons.

"It means you're not going??" she shrieked, her voice tinged with disbelief, as she questioned Ghazan. He simply shook his head, still in disbelief at the dramatic turn of events. He knew it was all her theatrics, a ploy perhaps to get something she desired. It wasn't lost on him that she was fully aware that no one in the house could bear to see her upset, and she took full advantage of that.

"Oh! I starved myself for nothing then. Tayi ammi, please make biryani for me. I'm starving," she exclaimed in disbelief, her plea accompanied by a hopeful expression. Her tayi ammi, ever indulgent, simply smiled in response and headed to the kitchen to prepare the dish for her beloved princess. Mantasha returned the smile, her affection for her tayi ammi evident. She cherished her as a mother figure in her life.

"Such a drama queen," Ghazan mumbled under his breath, though she heard him clearly. To her, it was simply his problem, and she dismissed it with a flip of her hair in a dramatic flourish before retreating to her room to freshen up. Ghazan couldn't help but smile at his little sister's antics as he shook his head, walking away.