Zindagi Gulzar hai

Zindagi behad badkismat hai

Author note:

Hey guys, if you are not aware or have not heard of ZGH, it's a popular Pakistani serial. So the story and the characters are not originally mine but I have to write this one because I freaking love it so much. I hope you guys enjoy reading my version of the story as well. Thanks for checking out.

Kashaf Murtaza

'Why do sun has to shine so strong everyday, even in winters?' I wonder to myself as I dap sweatbeads from my forehead with back of my hand. In hurry to catch the bus, I even forgot kerchief at home, though Ammi was reminding me of it, I guess.

'Ammi' my ever so worried, busy with her work but never forgetting about us, Ammi. What can say about her? Let's just say I won't be standing here at gates of University to check my name in enrollment list if it wasn't for her. Maybe I would have been standing in some kitchen making rotis for some guy my uncle wanted me to get hitched to.

My uncle and his younger brother, that is my father, have nothing better to do with their lives except make ours a living hell. My father, I wonder what a term 'father' means?  If my father has done anything for us, it may have been giving his sperm to make us. I would rather prefer to call him a sperm donor. After Ammi rejected to have anymore kids with him to grant him the much desired heir, he swiftly remarried and started new life with his new wife in new home, dumping us in old house.

While growing up I only remember his occasional visits which only brought more gloom and misery to us. Never once did he enquired about what we were eating, how were we getting by, how Ammi, while doing the job of high school teacher managed the three of us?

I remember as early as the moment I could read and write, I started assisting Ammi with her tuitions, the trend which was later followed by my sisters when I was unable to continue due to board exams.

But with growing inflation and expenses and Mom's salary remaining the same we barely managed to get by. Never did my father offered to help us financially, emotionally nor socially. Oh how much I hate that man!

Ouch! A boy brushes right by me in the passageway as if I am invisible to his eyes. I would have stopped him to reprimand if I myself wasn't in hurry and eager to find out my name in the list.

It took two long drawn hours for me to reach the university. The dust and sweat sat on my muddled face as I adjusted the chunni around my face tightly.

The girls here are dressed like they have walked out of some fashion catalog. The designer shoes, designer bags swaying their hips. This place clearly doesn't belong to a middle class girl like me from lower strata of society. What was I thinking while filling up the option form?? Sidra, my sis, was right about this university. But should the attire of students here matter to me?

I stop near notice board where there is hoard of students trying to check their names. I try to push myself and manage to squeeze in when some boy with black Tshirt, along with a girl with beautiful hair and a tall guy thrust in. The tall guy stands right in front of me, so now my miniscule view is also blocked.

"Asmara , you're a shorty, push yourself to the front" the guy in the black T-shirt literally shoves the girl like a mannerless brat. Now that I throw him a good look, I figure if he was same guy who brushed past me in the passageway? A complete mannerless moron.

"Ouee..Zaroon" the girl meekly protests but obeys as she scoots in.

"You don't have to look too farther" he shouts at her back.

"So you're confident you'll top the list?" Asks his tall friend.

"As confident as I always am" he smirks cockily.

"Yes! we all are in" the girl looks back and throws a sparkling smile.

"That I know idiot. But did I top the list?" He demands to know.

As the girls turns back to check, the guy looses his patience and scurries in making some space and I take this opportunity to step up so I can see the list too.

The guy moves his finger down to...

'Number 4- Zaroon Junaid'.

In bewilderment he moves his finger up to

'Number 1 Kashaf Murtaza'.

"Kashaf Murtaza" he reads my name. I smile in relief.

"What kind of name is this? Kashaf?" Guy in black T-shirt asks his tall friend.

"Sounds like a guy's name to me" Tall guy answers.

I try to make myself out but I'm stuck between these discourteous people.

"If the name is like this imagine what she must look like?" He guffaws.

"She is topper, Zaroon. Do looks matter?" Asks the sensible tall guy.

"They do. They always do" says Zaroon..or whatever his name is.."I wonder if she looks like old witch" he says. "No...I'm sure she looks like old witch" he affirms.

"You sure she is a witch?..not a wizard"

"Nah..she is a 'witch'"

"Topper witch" his friend adds in.

"Topper witch" he repeats boisterously.

Before they could go on dissecting my family background from my nomenclature, I manage to scamper out of their way.

People I hate apart from my father are self entitled ungrateful snobs from rich families whose only achievement is being born in those families.

Sometimes I wonder why God is so unkind to people like me and so generous with others. Not only He made me poor but He also gave me such average looks, and no talent at all. Why did He even create me in first place if He didn't wanted to love me enough.

"Oh thank God!" Ammi prays, she always manages to find ten thousand reasons everyday to thank her God for nothing basically.  "I'm so happy for you Kashaf, I'm so happy you got into this University" she pats my back.

"I'm not sure Ammi if I want to go there, the University is so huge...it is way out of our league...also I will have to commute for hours to get there...I won't be able to help you around in the hous..."

"Oh you don't worry about me.."she cuts me in "Your education is more important..and if it's the best University, you should definitely go there. God has given you this chance..."

"God didn't do anything, I had applied for it" I say a little more pestered than I intended to sound.

"Whatever beta, but you got selected"

"Not just selected Ammi, she topped the list!" Sidra quips in.

"But that doesn't change the fact that I could fit in there" I say.

"You don't have to fit in anywhere beta, just make ample space in your heart for others to stay, everything will be okay" my mother says wisely.

Hmm..

I may make ample space in my heart, but do those people that I saw today, with those fancy bags and fancy cars, would like to live in these shambles?

***

Hey guys let me know if you liked it...and would like to read it further.