The Homecoming
A RANGE ROVER pulls up to the driveway of Zia's house. SYED gets out from the front passenger door. He pulls a rucksack over his shoulder. He glares at the house of his childhood. ZARAH exits the car from the driver door, and immediately embraces SYED.
ZARAH
I missed you so much Behtah.
SYED
I missed you too, Mum.
SYED notices a flicker of the curtains.
SYED (cont'd)
Zia home?
ZARAH
She's staying over at Dina's.
It's just me and your dad.
Blue Is The New Red.
University Study Floor. ZIA, DINA and ASIM are busily revising. The floor is packed with people. ABUBAKAR enters, talking to a fellow classmate. ZIA eyes him unabashedly.
DINA
Is that him?
ZIA Yeah.
DINA
You were right, he is cute.
What's his name?
ASIM looks on.
ZIA
...I don't know.
61.
DINA
How could you not know?
ZIA
What does it matter if his name's
Husayn, or Hassan, or Hasnain or...
DINA
Henry or, Himlesh...
ASIM
(Under his breath)
Or Hitler.
ZIA
Very funny. He is Shia.
ASIM
Zia, have you got the answer for
question 2A. Zia? Zia.
ABUBAKAR waves at ZIA. She reciprocates brightly.
DINA
Why are you staring at him like that?
ZIA
Shhh... he's alone.
DINA
Break another leg!
ZIA grabs her crutches and walks off.
DINA (cont'd)
Awww... Look at her, all smitten.
Limping over there like the female
Quasimodo of Karachi.
ASIM exits.
DINA (cont'd)
What's wrong with you?
DINA feels a tap on the shoulder.
ALI
Hi...
DINA
Ali?!
ABUBAKAR and ZIA are in deep conversation.
ABUBAKAR
So, Billy Elliot, how's the ankle?
ZIA
Still sprained.
ABUBAKAR
I wanna show you something.
YOU ARE READING
SUSHI FROM SOUTHALL
RomanceIn a South Asian district of West London, a young Sunni man falls for a Shia woman despite the barriers placed upon them by their families and society.
