Until Now

Chapter 5: Elation

Take it easy! What’s meant to be; will be.
                                        Hazrat Ali (R.A)
“Apa! Apa! Papa is calling you.” Minha was woken up by great commotion in her room due to her devil of a sister. In normal days, her younger siblings Abad and Noor were not allowed into her room. But lately she hasn’t been herself. Noor took it as an opportunity to barge into her room whenever she wanted. She was 3 years younger to her. She wasn’t allowed to do any make up but now she had used all of Minha’s things and destroyed some too.
Minha got up and got ready, reluctantly. She went downstairs. Abad and Noor were whispering into each other’s ears and giggling. Although they were fraternal twins, they had the same humorous mind. “What has happened to them”? Minha thought, glancing at her siblings.
“You know what time is it?” She heard her father’s stern voice. Minha abruptly looked at her shoes and mumbled sorry. “You know Minha you can’t live like this, moping around, sleeping till noon, locked up in you room all day long, dodging your friend’s call.” Minha was still looking at her shoes. Abad was looking at her with an amusing smile. He didn’t like the fact that he had to go school early in these chilly mornings while Minha was sleeping soundly. Minha and he had a love-hate relation.
When they were kids, Minha was really possessive and never let Abad use her toys. Abad, filled with agony, packed all her toys at night and the next morning gifted them to the kids at school. Minha cut his hair a night before Eid and at the Namaz e Eid, he was a laughing stock. Minha participated in a science fair. She and Mateen worked day and night to make a volcano, but left it at night to let it dry. The next morning, they woke up to see a baby pink colored volcano. Minha hated pink color. After a few days, Abad went to school and everybody started snickering while looking at him. Turns out that Minha had pasted a Kick Me note on his back. The list goes on and on.
These days Abad’s mission was to drag her out of the bed. But today he was extremely happy. Minha couldn’t guess why.
“Minha tomorrow you’ll be waking up at 7 in the morning”, her mother joined them at the table. “I’ll also teach you to make some breakfast and some other household chores. You also have to clean your wardrobe and drag out those suitcases.” “But why?” Minha protested. “Because we are marrying you”, Abad spoke with a grin while patting her head. “Shut up”, Minha swatted his hand away. “This came early”, her father passed her a piece of paper.
It wasn’t just a piece of paper. It was an acceptance letter from University of Winchester. Minha immediately jumped from her chair and everybody started laughing. “You can go but we have a condition. Bring a lot of chocolates and British sweets from there.” Abad said, imitating Mateen. “Why didn’t you tell me before?” Minha asked. “Surprise, surprise.” Her father shrugged his shoulders. “Now, everyone will make fun of me that I am studying psychology and everyone will think I’ll end up becoming a psycho.” She uttered sadly. “Minha, people are always going to bring you down with their words but if people talk about you it means you are probably doing the right thing”.
Saad Waleed said smiling and left for his office. “I am calling Waliyah”. “I think we should probably start packing”, her mother stood up. “And remember don’t become a fat cow in England. Otherwise I’ll disown you”, Abad said, hiding his smile. Now, it was Saadia’s turn to smack him.
Unknown POV:
I am participating in a play at school. There is a boy in my school named Patrick. He wanted that role too. But he didn’t qualify for it. After school, I was standing near a bench, waiting for mom, when Patrick and his big brother, Henry came to me. Henry yelled at me. “Go back to your country, you coward. You don’t belong here. Go back to your house, you filthy paki”. Out of nowhere he started punching and hitting me. There were other boys too. I don’t remember them. But they all made fun of my brown skin and black hair. They kept on hitting me until I fell unconscious. When I woke up, I was in a hospital. Grandma was yelling at my school teacher, Miss Morley. All of a sudden, she sat on the floor and started crying. “He is my everything. I can’t lose him. I have already lost his father. I am not brave enough to bear his loss too.” Mom came and made her drink a glass of water. She was okay afterwards. Mom looked at me and whispered something in grandma’s ear. She came to me and started kissing my face and hands. “This is embarrassing”, I told her but she didn’t stop. Mom went to call the doctor. Maddy told me that mom found me lying on the ground but Henry and Patrick ran away when she started calling my name, they have complained to the principal and he will handle the matter. But once I feel better. I’ll have to identify the boys. I asked mom why we couldn’t go back to Pakistan. She said we can but grandma’s job is here and we cannot leave her alone. “Listen to me my son, your father was a really brave man. He wouldn’t like the fact that you were beaten up by a lunch of losers. Next time someone calls you Paki, you are going to stand up and tell him, Yes, I am a Pakistani and I am proud of belonging to the land of pure. You are never going to be ashamed of being a Pakistani. Never.” This was the first time that mom gave me a pep talk.

But what he didn’t know was that, it was the last time too.

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