Aas-e-Ishq (Hope Of Love)

Chapter 2

Hooriya Rehman was the beloved daughter of Rehman Khan and JahaAara Khan. With a married elder sister and a younger brother she was a happy go lucky girl. But now she is staying at her khaala's house for further studies.

Her khaala Nusrat begum lived in a joint family. She was the third daughter in law of the Abdullah Jahangir hosehold. Shahana begum and Abdullah has 4 sons and 2 daughter.

First son Junaid Jahangir was blessed with 2 sons and 1 daughter.
Zaydaan was their child and beloved to all being the first child of the house. Mirha was his younger sister by 2 years then comes the younger Junaid aka Ahmer.

Second son Jamshed has 1 daughter Naimal with his wife Rasheda.

Now comes Hooriya's khaala who was married to Shahid Abdullah and had 1 daughter Fajar aka Hoor's bestie and a pair of twins Ahmed & Azhar.

The youngest son married to the love of his life Sumayya and has 1 daughter Safiya who was younger than her triplet brothers Hamza, Haider & Ali who were the bunch of mischieves together.

Ahmer, Naimal, Fajar & triplets were of same age as Hooriya. And mirha being 1 year elder & twins being 1 year younger use to mingle with them easily. But Naimal was somewhat not found of Hooriya.

The 2 daughters of the house was also settled happily with their respected families in different cities.

                  ×××××××××××

Hooriya entered Shahana begum's room. She was silently reading a book laying on headrest. Dadijan looked at the nervously standing Hooriya through her glasses.

"Kya hua betaji ap aise kyu khadi hai?" She lovingly tried to ease her situation.
"Wo..wo...Dadijan baat darasal ye hai ke..."
"Bolo beta kya baat hai ghabraiye mat."
"Ahmerfajarorhumariloungemecushionfightchalrahithizaydanayehmdareorvasetootgaya."

Shahana begum first stared at her amusedly then her expression changed to confusion.

"Ap idhar aakar baithiye pehle aur gehri saas le"

Ab to tu gayi beta. Hoor thought but obeyed her.

"Ab bataiye kya baat hai or thoda dheere dheere mai boodhi ho gai hu agar apko yad nhi ho to."

"Ji...ji...wo hm logo ki lounch me cushion fight ho gayi thi or ek dum se Zaydan aa gaye the waha chillate hue to hsm log dar gaye or galti se cushion apke dahej k vase pr lag gaya. I am so sorry Dadijaan."
She finished her story looking down on the verge of crying.

Shahana begum looked at her amused.
"Koi baat nhi bete ek guldan hi to tha."
Hoor whipped her head towards her in astonishment.

"Kya apne waqai maaf kardiya hame?"

"Ha Hoor koi baat nhi. Kabhi kabhi bejan chizo se aham jandar chize hoti hai" she lovingly patted her head.

"Thankyou thankyou thankyou Dadijan and sorry once again apka favourite vase tha." She exclaimed loudly at first and then said in a low voice.
Kissing Dadijan's cheek she ran out of her room only to stop in her tracks hearing Zaydan's words.

Zaydan turned around seeing her dibelieving self staring directly at him.

"Hoor..." Fajar instantly came to her side to verify her brothers act but Hoor ran away from there not wanting to cry in front of everyone.

Everyone gave disapproving glances towards Zaydan and left the lounge living him alone.

It was now everyday thing for Shahana household. Zaydan hating Hooriya was the thing everyone know. But no one asked him any questions regarding this because everyone know he is particular about the new people around him. But Hoor wasn't new now. It has been nearly two years since he know her and five months since her stay here.

Zaydan's repultion towards her increased when he was "ordered" to take her to college with him regularly as both of them were in same college.

Sitting near the same window after two hours her mind drifted at how reluctant she was to come here.

Flashback-

She was selected in her favourite college. Since childhood she wanted to become an event planner and now she was selected for it. She ran to her parents room.
"Ammi, abbu dekhiye hme kya mila"

"Kya hua beta?" Her father asked her.
"Abbu jo university apne or hmne mil kar apply kiya tha usme hame admission mil gayaa" she at last squeled happily.

"What!!!" His father exclaimed taking her mobile in his hand and checked her email.
She went to her mother and gave her a crushing hug.

"Lekin anjan sheher me akele kaise rahegi meri beti?"

"Aree ap fikar na kare Ammi, apki beti boht bahadur hai. Waise bhi shadi k bad jo anjan logo me rehna padta hai usse to acha hai ki hm hostel me rahe." She assured her mother still hugging her.

"Apko to 50% scolarship bhi mili hai" His father shockingly said.
Disbelieve was return on his face.
"Meri nalayak beti itni layak kab ban gayi???" He was not ready to believe that his daughter who use to give exams playing chess with him till late night can make him this proud. In fact he was sure while filling admission form that she won't get enrolled there and his beloved daughter would study infront of his eyes, but now it seems impossible.

"Abbu ab ham itne bhi nalayak nhi hai" she said pouting slightly.

"Wo sab chodo tum hostel me to bilkul nhi rahogi. Nusrat hai waha usi k ghar me rukna." Her mother said in a final tone.
" But Ammi khala to joint family me rehti hai" she tried to make her mother understand.

"To kya hua. Maine bataya tha unhe apke admission k bare me unhone khud hi kaha tha k khala k ghar hote hue hostel me kyu rahegi ap." She looked at her abbu for help but he surrendered infront of his wife.

"Mai is mamle me apke ammi k sath hu."

"Khan sahab ye to nainsafi hui ap beti par biwi ko tavakko de rahe hai" she said with a pout earning a slap from her mother playfully for calling her own father by his name.

"Ouch Ammi mare to nhi. Thik hai jaise ap logo ki marzi lekin hm bata rahe hai agar hm waha comfortable nhi rahe to hm nhi rahne wale waha hm bata rahe apko abhi se."

"Thik hai ham kal hi tickets book karwate jane ke liye. Begum ap bhi chalege sath ap bhi apni behn se millegi."

"Ap na bhi kehte to ham ane wale the."

Hoor smiled at her parents banter. How much she will miss them. She sure as hell know how to control her emotions but this time tears started coming without invitation.

"Arerere mera strong bacha kyu ro raha hai."
Her father at once noticed her tears and engulf her in his arms.

"I will miss you both." She cried more when her mother join the hug. "Rote nhi bacha apki to practice ho jayegi sasural jane ki shukar kare khala ka ghar hai."
Her mother tried to ease the situation which made her even more emotional.

"Aree bhai group hug or wo bhi mere bagair." Hamdan her brother came to join the group without knowing why she was crying.

"Waise topic kya tha?" He confusedly asked when they broke the hug.
Hoor slapped his head & hid behind her father from the upcoming hit. Her mother started to tell him the whole reason making him happy that now all the love of his parents will be for him at last.
"Beghairat insan. Dekhe na abbu khush ho raha hai hmare jane se."

She came out of her thoughts when someone knocked at the door.