Her Smile

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After the awkward moment of Ibrahim and Aqsa twinning, especially for Mr. and Mrs. Khan, Mrs. Khan saw Aqsa and Ibrahim looking at each other. This made her furious. She deliberately shifted everyone's attention to herself, forcing a smile as she said, "Ab hume chalna chahiye!" Then she looked at Ibrahim and told him in a stern voice, "Jao car nikalo!" He looked down and nodded, then began searching his pockets,  pretending He forgot something.  

He went to Shibra and whispered in her ear, "Baji wo... aana." He took her hand, about to go to the guest room, but Mrs. Khan frowned and asked, "Kaha ja rahe ho?" He replied, staring at Mrs. Khan without emotion in his eyes or voice, " Key bhool gaya room mein."

He finally led Shibra to the guest room and said, "Sit here." Shibra was confused but quietly followed and sat down. He went to the bedside table and picked up a bag. He then looked at her and hesitantly passed her the bag. She took it with a confused expression. He settled beside her and said in a barely audible voice, "Ye aapke liye chota sa gift meri taraf se."

Shibra was somewhat confused by her brother's actions and said gently, "Mumma papa itna sab kuch toh laaye hain. Tumhe laane ki kya zaroorat thi Ibru?"

Ibrahim wth a forced  smile and said, "Wo mumma papa ke taraf se h aur ye aapke bhai ki taraf se. Zyada kuch khas nahi h bas chota sa gift hai."

With that, he stood up and left. Shibra remained there, trying to process everything, wanting to ask more questions, but Ibrahim didn't give her the chance.

Meanwhile, Ibrahim entered the hall. Mrs. Khan asked, "Did you get keys?" He nodded. Then Aqsa came with the return gifts in her hand. Mrs. Ahamed said, "Ibrahim and Aqsa, jayein aap dono ye gifts rakh dijiye car mein." Mrs. Khan interfered, saying, "Arey inki kya zarurat thi?"

While Mrs. Khan and Mrs. Ahamed were talking about the gifts, Aqsa and Ibrahim looked at each other. Aqsa gestured to him towards the gifts, implying, "Let's put them in the car." He understood. She was about to pick up the gifts, but he put out his hand to stop her and passed her the car keys. She took them with a frown, and he carry all the gifts in his hand. She only followed him.

He took long steps, and Aqsa had to run to match his speed. She came running, and he asked, "Key?" She showed him the key.

He took the key from her hand, trying to open the car's trunk with one hand. She then said hesitantly, "Le... Let me hold this?" He looked at her, and she looked away, avoiding his intense gaze.

After a few seconds, he said, "Lo," and passed her all the gifts. While she was not ready to take them and stumbled, she managed by putting her hand on the top of all the gifts.

He then finally opened the car's trunk and went to it. She followed him while carrying all the gifts. He then put them in the car. She finally took a deep breath and rest her hands on her waist, saying, "Huh, finally! I was thinking it's going to take forever!"

He shook his head and walked away. She again sighed and followed him by running, saying, "Aap humesha itne jaldi mein kyu hote ho aur itne lambe lambe steps kon leta hai yaar?"

He simply ignored her, and she continued, "Arey, aap kitna ignore karte ho yaar! Aisa nahi hai ki main mari ja rahi hu aapse baat karne ke liye."

He, without warning, stopped in his track and looked back at her. Meanwhile, she was running behind him, and his sudden stop made her lose her balance. And she ended up falling in his arms again. He held her in his arms by her waist.

He said in his deep voice, still holding her, "Lagta hai aapko mujhse takrana aur meri baahon mein aana kuch zyada hi pasand aa gaya hai."

She looked at him with an awkward smile and said, "Aisa nahi hai." She then fidgeted her fingers and said in a low voice, "I'm just a little bit clumsy!" with a pout.

Meanwhile, they were busy in their own world. The whole family witnessed their close moment. Mrs. Khan said with a fake laugh, "Aapki beti clumsy bahut hai," commenting on Aqsa.

Meanwhile, her Baba, Mr. Ahmed, didn't stand for this comment and said, "She is that way only, and we love her like that only."

Finally, Ibrahim made her stand on her own and looked at her. Then he looked forward, shocked to see everyone there looking at them like that. Meanwhile, she was looking at him only, thinking why his face had look shocked . Then she looked in the same direction where he was looking, then she gulped hard.

Aqsa went towards Shibra, avoiding everyone's gaze, and stood beside her. Meanwhile, Ibrahim didn't move from his place. Mr. Khan said, "Acha chalte hain fir hum" and bid goodbye to them.

Mr. & Mrs. Khan and Ibrahim settled in the car and drove off.

After seeing them off, Mr. & Mrs. Ahamed, Shahmir, Shibra, and Aqsa went into the house. Everyone helped each other with house chores; even the males of the house helped with washing dishes and kitchen cleaning. After finishing the cleaning as soon as possible, everyone went to their respective rooms.

In Shahmir and Shibra's room, Shahmir went to have a shower. Shibra was holding Ibrahim's gifted pack and was deep in thought about her baby brother. She thought, "Ibru behaved so differently. Even Papa and Mumma, unka behaviour Ibru ke sath itna rude kab hua? They were the one who cherished him the most, more than me. But now the way Papa yelled at him." She remembered how their Papa and Mumma treated Ibrahim, behaving so differently with her and him. She was treated by them with so much love and everything, but on the other side, he was treated so rudely by them.

She took a deep sigh and put the gift in her hand on the side table, mumbled, "Hua kya hain inke bich mein? Aise koi mujhe nahi batayega par puchu bhi kisse? Aur ye differences ab se nahi, mere shadi se pehle hain. When he came from Ukraine after completing his studies. But aisa kya badal gaya aur kisi ne mujhe kyu nahi bataya? Kya chupa rahe hain ye log mujhse?"

As she was mumbling, the bathroom door opened and Shahmir came out. He called out to her, "Shibra," but she didn't listen.

He went closer to her and said in a slightly louder voice, "Shibra?"

She came back from her thoughts and looked at him. He said, "Kab se bula raha hu? Kya hua aapko?"

She shook her head and said with a faint smile, "Kuch nahi!" and went to the bathroom without saying anything.

In Mr. and Mrs. Ahamed's room, Mr. Ahamed sat on the bed, leaning on the headboard, with a book in his hand and glasses on his eyes. Mrs. Ahamed came and sat beside him. She said, "Suniye."

Mr. Ahamed placed his book aside and looked at Mrs. Ahamed. He said, "Sunayein."

Mrs. Ahamed paused and said with a little doubt, "Mujhe lagta hain, hume Aqsa ko Dubai trip ke liye mana kar dena chahiye!"

Mr. Ahamed calmly replied, "Kyu? Bachi ka dil toot jayega aise toh Begum ji."

Mrs. Ahamed said with a sad face, "Wo aaj aapne dekha Ibrahim ne jab Aqsa ko aaj girne se bachaya tha toh Mrs. Khan ne kaise comment kiya tha. Aur aapko pata hain, humari beti kitni clumsy hain! Bina gire iska din katta nahi hain. Kahi kuch baat ho gaye toh Mrs. Khan kya sochegi aur bolegi?"

Mr. Ahamed understood his wife's fear and consoled her. He said, "Begum ji, aaj jo bhi hua wo sirf hadsa tha aur ye dono akele thodi ja rahe hain? Inke sath Shahmir aur Shibra bhi honge. Aur aapko toh pata hain Shahmir kitna possessive hain Aqsa ke liye, wo sambhal lega! Kuch nahi hoga aap itna mat socho!"

Mrs. Ahamed unwillingly agreed with Mr. Ahamed.

Aqsa's room, she was all ready for bed in a T-shirt and pajamas and lay on the bed. Suddenly, her last encounter with Ibrahim hit her mind and she mumbled, "Aaj toh bach gaye main! Par Devil Ma ne koi sawal nahi pucha mujhse aisa kyu? Itni achi kab se ho gaye meri Devil Ma?"

Then she remembered Mrs. Khan glaring at her and continued, "but aaj jo mujhe Devil Ma se zyada dangerous lag rahi thi. Wo Bhabhi ki Mumma lag rahi thi. Bhyyy aise dekh rahi thi ki kha hi jayegi mujhe wallahi!!!"

Then she started remembering the eye contact with Ibrahim. "But jo bhi kaho, his eyes.... Main doob sakti hu unn aankhon mein! Such mesmerizing eyes they were. Like literally kuch aisa hua jo I can't explain, it was something else like it gives me a whole zoo in my stomach, the way he saw me, the way our eyes met... Pure magic...." After a while, she dozed off.

Meanwhile, in the car, Mr. and Mrs. Khan were discussing today's dinner.

Mr. Khan said happily, "I'm happy today."

Mrs. Khan asked curiously, "Why?"

Mr. Khan, remembering Shibra's face, replied, "Shahmir and his family are keeping my daughter happy. She is truly happy there. I was scared a year ago when this rishta (marriage proposal) happened. Mujhe laga meri bachi akele kaise rahegi? Khush rahegi bhi ki nahi? Par aaj sare doubt dur ho gaye! Wo waha bhut khush hain aur ye mehsoos karne ke baad, I'm at peace."

Mrs. Khan continued, "Sahi keh rahe ho aap! Sab ache h shibra ke sasural mein.."  Then she remembered how Aqsa fell and Ibrahim held her, and she added, "Par aaj jo hua? Wo."

Mr. Khan frowned and asked, "Aaj kya hua?"

Then, Mrs. Khan said in a mocking way to Ibrahim, "Wo sab kya tha ibrahim?"

Ibrahim, with no expression on his face, said while driving, "Kis bare mein baat kar rahe h aap?"

Mrs. Khan said furiously, "Jo uss ladki ko tumne pakda hua tha."

Ibrahim, with a neutral face, said, "Jo tha aap sabne dekh hi liya tha! I don't think so, I owe an explanation."

Mrs. Khan said in a stern voice, "You owe an explanation, and don't show us this attitude again. About that girl, what's her name... oh yes, Aqsa. Stay away from her! Agar gir rahi hain toh girne do. Ek - do baar girne ke baad khud hi sambhalna sikh jayegi tumhe hero bnne ki koi zarurat nahi h. Wo ladki achi nahi h tumhare liye."

Ibrahim remained silent. Mr. and Mrs. Khan then began talking among themselves. Ibrahim remembered being caught with Aqsa. Aqsa had gone to Shibra and stood beside her. As he was leaving with Mr. and Mrs. Khan towards the car after bidding them goodbye, he tilted his head and looked back at Aqsa one last time. She peeked from behind Shibra and waved him goodbye with the sweetest smile he had ever seen.

After a while of driving, they finally reached home. Mr. and Mrs. Khan had already gone inside. He parked the car and entered the house. As he was about to go upstairs, Mr. Khan walked in from his room and said in a stern voice, "Ibrahim, my study room, right now!"

Ibrahim closed his eyes in frustration and took a deep breath, then unwillingly went to Mr. Khan's study room. Mr. Khan was sitting on the couch with an iPad in his hand. Ibrahim knocked first, and Mr. Khan said, "Come in." Ibrahim stood in front of him with his head down. Mr. Khan then gestured for him to sit on the couch opposite him.

He settled down, and Mr. Khan slid a debit card across the table toward him, tapping on the table. Ibrahim glanced at the card, and Mr. Khan said, "Take this card."

Ibrahim said without any emotion in his voice, "I have earned enough money to spend. You don't need to give this..." As he was talking, Mr. Khan cut him off and said, "This is for my daughter; she shouldn't lack anything. If she wants anything, buy it for her." The way Mr. Khan interfered and cut him off was enough to make him realize that he should quietly accept it and leave. With that, he took the card and headed for the door of the study room. There, he came face to face with Mrs. Khan, who was carrying a tray with milk and tablets.

He was about to leave when Mrs. Khan's voice stopped him. She said in a hateful voice, "And after this trip, pack your bags and go to your apartment. No need to stay here any longer." Without turning back, he nodded his head in agreement and went to his room.

Author's words

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