The Entangled Tales

⓶

ہم تو بس خواہش کا مرجانامانگتے ہیں-

Translation: We just want our wishes to be dead.

Hooriya's POV:

My morning back at college had been a disaster. I couldn’t tell if I was distracted by him or just utterly exhausted—first from Humayil bhaiya’s wedding and then from my upcoming exams. I hadn’t felt this drained in a long time. To top it all off, my monthly visitor decided to show up today. Ugh, why is it always Mondays?

After enduring six grueling hours of lectures, I finally returned to the villa, only to find the driveway filled with cars. The cacophony of voices and laughter spilling from inside piqued my curiosity, and I wondered what was going on.

Opting to avoid the crowd gathered in the lounge, I slipped into the house through the back entrance. The familiar scent of home enveloped me, a comforting contrast to the chaos outside.

As soon as I stepped into my room, Maha Aapi wrapped her arms around me in a tight embrace. “Hooriii, where have you been? I was waiting for you!”

“What happened, Aapi?” I asked, concern lacing my voice as I pulled back to look at her.

“Ugh, all these proposals are driving me insane! I can’t take it anymore. Why can’t Mama and Papa understand that I don’t want to get married? I just want to focus on my dreams, and marriage isn’t part of my plans yet!” she exclaimed, her eyes wide and her expression comically exaggerated as she made a crying face.

I chuckled, relieved to see her passion, but my heart ached for her. “Uff! You scared me for a second! By the way, it’s your fault for being this beautiful. Of course, everyone will want you for their sons or brothers,” I teased, pulling her into a gentle hug.

Looking into her eyes, I could see the worry etched on her face. I didn’t want her to get into trouble for speaking her mind in front of our family. I knew they would never allow her to pursue the field she wanted, no matter how talented she was. “Don’t let anyone pressure you into something you’re not ready for” I added softly, hoping to reassure her as we shared this moment of vulnerability.

Maha, at 23, stood confidently at 5'5", her flawless wheatish complexion glowing in the light. Her shoulder-length brown hair framed her face beautifully, while her deep black eyes sparkled with a boldness that set her apart from everyone else. Unlike me, with my shy and timid demeanor, she exuded an energy that was impossible to ignore.

We were like the sun and the moon—two halves of a whole yet strikingly different. Maha was always the one to push boundaries, to stir up excitement, while I often found myself quietly taking the blame for her antics. It puzzled me how everyone seemed to see through her mischief, recognizing it for what it was, while I ended up being the scapegoat.

Despite our differences, my love for her was immeasurable. She was my only sister, and in her own way, she adored me just as fiercely. No matter the chaos she brought into my life, there was an unbreakable bond between us—a connection that transcended our contrasting personalities and made us inseparable.

My thoughts halted as Maha Aapi exclaimed, “Jee jee bilkul, jaise tum toh pyari nahi ho, balki sabse khoobsurat toh tum hi ho. Saare rishtey tumhare hi aane chahiye!” (Yeah, right... as if you're not pretty yourself. In fact, you should be the one getting all the proposals; after all, you’re the prettiest one.)

“Lekin mein toh choti hoon na!” (But I’m too young to be getting proposals!) I stuck out my tongue at her playfully, and she rolled her eyes in mock annoyance. I loved teasing her whenever I got the chance, especially when it came to proposals.