Heart entanlgled : a journey of two souls

chapter 1

Ayesha’s mother had been trying to wake her up for the past few minutes, but to no avail. She’d tried calling out her name gently, then a little louder, and even poked her daughter a few times. But Ayesha remained completely undisturbed, cocooned in her blankets, as though the world outside didn’t exist. The room was bathed in soft morning light, but to Ayesha, it was still far too early. The silence in the room was broken only by the occasional chirp of birds outside. It was a quiet Sunday morning, one that Ayesha had been looking forward to, with no college lectures and the entire day to herself. She was content to just sleep in.

Her mother, growing increasingly impatient, glanced at the clock. The time was quickly slipping by, and it seemed Ayesha had no intention of waking up on her own. After five minutes of unsuccessful attempts, her mother decided to take a different approach. Without warning, she gave Ayesha a firm smack on the head.

That did the trick.

Ayesha shot up in bed, eyes wide open for a moment before she blinked several times, trying to shake off the grogginess. She glanced around her room, squinting against the soft light that filtered through the window. For a brief moment, she closed her eyes again, unwilling to leave the warmth of her blankets.

Her mother’s voice, stern but loving, cut through the haze. “Uth jaa, kumbhkaran ki aulad!” she said, her tone both affectionate and commanding.

Ayesha groaned at the familiar phrase. “Kumbhkaran ki aulad?” she mumbled, opening her eyes halfway and looking at her mother. “Per mai to apki aulad hu!” she teased, her voice still thick with sleep. “But I am your child, na?”

Her mother shook her head, a small, exasperated smile forming on her face as she watched her daughter. “Huh, is this how you treat me after I spent so long trying to wake you up? And now you’re making jokes?”

Ayesha grinned, stretching and rubbing her eyes, trying to shake off the remnants of her sleep. Her mother’s playful scolding was always something she looked forward to, a part of her daily routine, even if it was a bit inconvenient at times.

She finally became aware of the time, and a sudden panic struck her. “Ammi, you’ve woken me up late for college again!” she exclaimed, sitting up straighter in bed.

Her mother rolled her eyes, folding her arms in front of her. “Pichle ten minutes se to mai tandav kar rahi thi na!” she said, her voice dripping with playful annoyance. “And today is Sunday, remember?”

Ayesha’s eyes widened in realization. She blinked a few times, trying to process the information. She had completely forgotten that it was Sunday. A wave of relief washed over her, and a sheepish smile tugged at her lips. “Accha hua apne yaad dila diya ki aaj Sunday h, warna bekar mai college jaane kai liye energy waste karti,” she said, shaking her head as she sank back into her pillows. “It’s good that you reminded me it’s Sunday, otherwise, I would’ve wasted my energy getting ready for college.”

Her mother smiled softly at her daughter’s antics, her frustration dissipating as she watched Ayesha settle back comfortably into the bed. “Always in a rush, aren’t you?” she said, shaking her head. “Anyway, I’ll let you sleep for a bit longer, but I have news. Your brother is coming home today from Turkey.”

Ayesha’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of her brother. The sound of his name always had that effect on her. She had missed him terribly since he had left for his studies in Turkey, and the thought of seeing him again made her feel a rush of excitement. “Haan, ammi, ye yaad h mujhe,” she said, her voice filled with affection. “Ham ye kaise bhul sakte h?” She paused, as if trying to remember. “Waise kab tak pahunch jaenge bhai?” she asked eagerly. “By the way, when will he be here?”

Her mother’s smile deepened. “Usne call kiya tha. He’ll be here in about twenty minutes. And yes, Ayan is coming with him too,” she added, a small, knowing smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

Ayesha’s heart skipped another beat. Ayan. The name rang in her ears like a song, stirring a thousand emotions she wasn’t quite prepared to handle. It wasn’t just any name. It was the name of the one person who had been occupying her thoughts far more than she liked to admit. The mere mention of him made her cheeks flush with warmth, a reaction that she had tried to suppress but had never quite succeeded in doing.

She sat up quickly, her pulse racing. “Ayan?” she echoed, almost breathless. The mere thought of him sent a wave of heat through her body. She had been thinking about him constantly, daydreaming about him in the quiet moments of her day, replaying that fleeting glance in the hallway, that one time when their eyes met for just a brief second. It wasn’t much, just a quick exchange of looks, but to Ayesha, it had felt like the universe had paused, holding its breath. His gaze had lingered on her for a moment longer than necessary, and in that instant, she had convinced herself that he had seen her. And that thought had stayed with her ever since. Her heart had raced then, just like it was doing now.

Her mother didn’t seem to notice Ayesha’s sudden change in demeanor. “Haan, Ayan is coming with him,” she repeated, smiling softly at her daughter’s reaction.Ayesha barely heard her mother’s words as she sank back against her pillows, her mind awash with memories of Ayan. Ayan. Even now, his name sent a thrill through her, a mix of excitement and nervousness she couldn’t quite put into words.

She could still picture the day in the hallway when their eyes had met. It wasn’t anything significant. Just a glance, but to Ayesha, it felt like the entire world had shifted. The way his eyes had briefly met hers, lingering just a little too long. She had told herself that it meant nothing, that it was just a fleeting moment, but deep down, she knew it was more than that. Her heart had raced, and ever since that day, he had been in her thoughts, sometimes at the most unexpected moments.

Lost in these daydreams, Ayesha didn’t realize how much time had passed. She had been staring at the space in front of her, her eyes unfocused, a smile playing on her lips. The thought of Ayan always made her feel a strange mix of giddiness and longing, something that she hadn’t experienced before.

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