Until Now

Chapter 6: Bonjour

Here's to the fools who dream,

Crazy as they may seem,

Here's to the hearts that ache,

Here's to the mess we make.

La La Land

"Passport?" Check.

"Two Handbags?" Check.

"Brown Handbag?" Check.

"Navy blue suitcase?" Check.

"Money?" Check.

"Family picture?" Check.

"Tea cups and kettle?" Check

"Mom stop it she is going to England not to Sahara Desert or war front." Abad said, bored of their conversation. He was sick of the attention Minha was getting in the past few days. They had been shopping since the letter came, just like the average Pakistani family. Their mother had brought a lot of things. Including a comforter and a whole bunch of warm clothes. Even when they had 3 spare comforters at home.

"You are just jealous of me." Minha said sticking out her tongue. "Why would I be jealous of you? Here I will live with my parents who will take care of me. And you will be living there with strangers who might kill you in your sleep." "Abad!" Their father spoke. Silence surrounded their car for a while. After a while, Noor gathered the courage to speak up, "Apa can I have your room?" Minha's room had a balcony and Noor always fancied her room. She had told Abad that when Minha gets married she would be the one to get her room, not him.

"It's not like I am going for forever. I am going for only four years and I'll come in holidays." Minha voice bought a sad look on Noor's face. "OK you can use it, but when I get back, it will be mine", Minha sighed. Noor's face lit up.

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"Minha! Minha!" Waliyah was screaming. "Can she ever change?" Minha thought, shaking her head. The Waleed's made their ways to Waliyah who was there to see her off.

"Will you ever grow up?" Minha said. Her cheeks were already red with embarrassment because everyone was looking at them. "Awwww, you are going for six months. I had to say goodbye to my personal entertainment in a peculiar way".

Minha smiled at her words. "I wrote this list for you, read it on the flight, Ok?" Waliyah handed her a piece of paper. Minha hugged her tight. "I won't miss you at all." Waliyah stated. Although, both of them knew it was a lie.

One by one, Minha hugged everyone. "Take care of yourself and call us when you get there." Her mother spoke. "Make ourselves proud ." Her father said, kissing her head. When she was about to embrace Abad, he turned his head away. "You stink, fat cow." Minha laughed and hugged him. "I'll miss you," she said, giving him her old Laptop. "Take care of it."

"Why is it the destiny of younger ones to get secondhand and ancient gadgets of their older siblings?" Abad cried. All of them burst into laughter.

Minha walked towards the terminal while waving at her family who returned the gesture. After the usual placement of documents, she went to her seat in the plane. She sat down and was glad to know that her companion was an elder woman because she was sure that the woman would sleep but boy, was she wrong. The woman kept on questioning her about her family and why she was going to Winchester? Minha felt like she was giving an interview to Interpol.

Finally, the woman left to use washroom. Minha pulled out the paper Waliyah had given her.

"Hey girl and bye too. Act on the following rules to have a brilliant life:

Rule # 1: Don't make a friend better than Waliyah.

Rule # 2: Don't eat delicious food without thinking about me.

Rule # 3: You can make friends but your best friend will always be Waliyah.

Rule # 4: In case you are planning on dying in Winchester, make sure that your funeral has Biryani with raita and coke.

Rule # 5: Bring a lot of skin care products and sweets for me.

Your ONLY best friend,

Waliyah."

Minha laughed at her antics. After lunch, sleep took her in its arms. She woke up when her elderly companion was shaking her at a violent rate. They had finally reached Winchester. She stood up and retrieved her handbag. After waiting for few minutes, she found her suitcases and other things. When she stepped out of the terminal, she was expecting someone standing there with her nameboard. But she didn't find anyone.

Panic stuck her and her hands started shaking. "What if it's a scam? What if someone kidnaps me and sells my organs?" She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't see that a guy was coming her way. They both collided and the next thing they know, both of them were on the ground. They tried to get up at the same time but he stepped on Minha's white dupatta and in a matter of seconds, she was on the floor again. By this time, her dupatta was strangely twisted around her purse and his legs. Minha was fuming. "Can't you see? Do you walk with your eyes closed? Who wears shades indoors? *Mera Sana Safinaz ka dupatta." Minha nearly cried while clutching her dupatta close to her which was now brown due to the stranger's muddy footprints. The guy just removed the dupatta from his legs and started to collect all the stuff that had fallen from his bag. "Madam, it's your fault. You weren't looking where you were going." He spoke calmly. Minha fell silent for a second before apologizing. "I am sorry." "It's okay." He gently smiled, flashing his dimples. She suddenly looked at his hands and for a minute her feet were frozen. He was placing a knife into the bag.

Minha ran towards the exit leaving all of her baggage inside. A girl at the entrance was announcing, "Minha Waleed, please report to the chamber". Minha went to the chamber and a girl with brown hair and grey eyes was waiting for her. "Hey Minha". She extended her hand. "How do you know me?'' Minha looked at her suspiciously. "Because you are wearing Pakistani clothes. Have a wrinkled dupatta on your head and a dumbfounded expression on your face that I have seen on every foreign student." Minha took a breath of relief. The girls shook hands. Brunette introduced herself as Katherine. She was in charge of Foreign student's club. She was French and was doing Masters in English from University of Winchester. They went inside to get Minha's stuff. Her suitcases were exactly where she had left them. The dangerous stranger wasn't in sight anymore. "Bonjour", Katherine said while sitting in the car.

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Assalamualikum peeps!

Wishing you all a great 2018 with lots of success and happiness. Ameen.

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