Anaya was peacefully sleeping, the soft rustle of the night surrounding her like a comforting embrace. But suddenly, a familiar voice pierced through her dreams, gently rousing her from her slumber. "Api, uthiya, dinner ka time ho gaya hai, Dadajaan datenge apko bhi aur hum aa bhi ."
Her eyes fluttered open and Anaya saw Aqsa standing beside her bed, the usual energy in her voice bringing a sense of urgency.
"Kya hua?" Anaya mumbled, her voice thick with sleep as she rubbed her eyes. She was not pleased that her peaceful sleep had been disturbed.
Aqsa, hands on her hips and eyes wide in mock alarm, glanced at the bedside clock and then back at Anaya. "Api, apne time dekha? Dinner ka waqt ho jara hai" she said, her voice tinged with impatience.
Aqsa dramatically covered her mouth, as if shocked by the passing time. "Yeh Allah, 8.58 hogaya, mein chalti hoon" she added, about to hurry away.
Anaya, still half asleep, reached out and grabbed Aqsa's hand, pulling her back gently. "Ruk jaa, hum saath mein dinner karenge" she insisted, trying to ignore the creeping annoyance of being woken up.
But Aqsa swiftly pulled her hand away, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Api, 9 baje dinner ka time hai, aur aapne abhi tak kapre mein change nahi kiya hai" she said, her tone teasing. "Sorry, wait nahi kar sakti."
Anaya sat up in bed, a angry smile forming on her lips. "Zindagi pe time se kab se tu dinner karne gayi hai?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
Aqsa grinned, unbothered by Anaya's tone. "Aap se jaungi. Kyuki Hitler ke good books mein jo aana hai mujhe, woh jo unke good books mein hain unse puch ke nikkha dete hain aur jo nahi hain unse puchte nahi hai" she teased, poking fun at Anaya.
Anaya stared at her, taken aback by the unexpected response. "Jab mein tere liye wait karti thi, uska kya, ehsaan faramosh?" she asked, shaking her head in mock disappointment.
Aqsa rolled her eyes, grinning as she shot back "Dekhiya, Api, maine bhi aapke liye bahut wait kiya hai." She tossed her hair back and smiled mischievously. "Accha, mein chalti hoon, bohot der hojayegi."
As Aqsa turned to leave, Anaya shook her head, her annoyance fading as a soft laugh escaped her. "Tu kabhi nahi sudhregi," she muttered, getting up from the bed.
Aqsa left the room, leaving Anaya alone with her swirling thoughts. Anaya couldn't help but wonder "Iss ladki ko kya hogaya? Kal toh thik thi," as confusion filled her mind.
Sitting back down on the bed, she continued to muse "Actually, sab ko kya hogaya? Aqsa ko kya hogaya, Zayn ko kya hogaya, specially mujhe kya hogaya?" Her mind raced, trying to piece together all the strange happenings.
She pinched herself lightly, just to confirm that everything was real. The sting was sharp and she exhaled in relief, reassuring herself "Sab kuch toh thik hai, real hai."
Anaya stood up, shaking off the odd thoughts and glancing at the clock. "Accha choro yeh sab, chaldi se niche jaati hoon, nahi toh Dadajaan taana marke meri jaan lelenge" she muttered to herself. "Aur iss baar Azhaar bhai bhi nahi aur Aqsa ne bhi dhoka de diya hein."
With a sigh, Anaya headed to the washroom to change and freshen up, determined to face the rest of the night even if her thoughts remained in disarray.
After 10 minutes, Anaya descended the stairs, her footsteps echoing softly in the quiet hallway. As she entered the dining area, she noticed Dadajaan engrossed in conversation with the men of the house, discussing business matters. She could already feel the weight of his disapproving gaze, preparing herself for the inevitable scolding. But to her shock, Dadajaan paused mid-sentence, his gaze shifting to her as she entered the room.
