Ayaan

Azizaa, Aziza uth jaaa... I heard, it was my mom but wait Aziza? And that was the first time I heard someone's name in my name as if it was entwined to be one. My mom was calling me "Ayaan, Ayaan" but all I heard was "Aziza" as if we were no different. I woke up sweating, my heart racing I...I had never felt this before, it was new. Yesterday when I looked at her eyes, it... it was something different, like I found my world. They were brown, shining in the sun as she took her name shaking my hand, "Aziza". Her hair was rich black, so beautiful that anyone could be lost in them. Her dusty skin glowed in the morning light while her smile was a ray of the sunlight itself. "Nani hoti toh unhe es bare me zarur batata" I thought.

"kya? Pagal hogya hai kya? Esse kyu baitha h aaj bhi collage nhi jana kya? Mumma's voice broke me out of my thoughts.

"nhi...nhi jana haina uth rha hua yr mummy"

'Ayaan tu pagal hogya hai kya, ek hi toh dost h ab uski bhi bhen pr line marega!' I thought hitting my head in frustration. I had never felt like this before infact ye pyar, kissi ki aakon me duniya dekhna I always tought ye sab bas pagalpan hai...sach me esa kuch nhi hota. My nani always used to tell me stories of her and nanu, but those stories... they left with her.

"byeee byee mummy mai jara hu."

"Are Naina ko bhi leke jaa" mumma shouted from behind

"ohh haan eska bhi toh collage shuru hogya, chal"

***

Aziza

"Aziza... aaaa ye ... ye kya h hawww mujhe pta hi tha ki tu chudail h. pls merepe kala jaadu mat kriyo" Rohan said in a dramatic pleadng tone, joining his hands together,pulling me out of my thoughts

[I knew that you are a ghost please don't do black magic on me]

"kya? Kala jadu? Kya bol rha h?", I looked around at the dimly lit room with only a lamp on and a notebook in my hand. Yea.. well

"are u okay?" he asked genuenly concerned.

"haan.. haan yes im fine. Kya hua? Yaha kyu aya?"

[why are you here?]

"kyu ab mai aa bhi nhi sakta kya?"

[why? I cant even come now?]

"nhi nhi aye aapka hi ghar hai jab chahhe aaye." I said making both of us chuckle

[no no, come think of it as your house, come whenever u want]

"9 bje gye h, dinner krne chal"

[it's 9 o'clock, let's have dinner]

"Papa ko bulaya?"

[Did u call papa?]

"papa bhi abhi hi aye hain he's on a call voh kahna khake aye hai. Chal na hum kha lete" Rohan said reading the expression on my face. Its always been like that but I'm glad that Rohan is always there, never making me feel alone. Ever since mom left he has been my only support.

[papa just came he's on a call. Come on lets eat]

"hmm... theek h chal"

***

It had been a month since Aziza and Naina started their collage. Ayaan kept pushing away what he was feeling, beacuse it was new, an unexplored feeling in his life. somehing he always thought was illogical and only possible in movies. As the days passed he not only fell for her eyes but also her loving and kind nature, that he could see through her usual shy demeanor. The more he got to know her the more he felt conflicted with his heart and mind. At one place she was Rohan's sister . His best friend, who had always been there for him no matter what and the other was Aziza, who become a silent reason for his happiness. On the ther hand, at some extent Aziza felt the same for Ayaan but she had blocked her heart long back and had built strong walls around, that she swore not to break. but, despite her efforts Ayaan's mere presence had an enchanting effect on her

"bhaiyaa pleaseee chood aao naa", Naina pleaded her brother to drop her at a park where she and Aziza had planned to meet.

[bhai, please drop me!]

"na bhai mujhe kaam hai, aur kya krna h tujhe park jake, choti baachi hai kya?" Ayaan replied, clearly busy with his work

[No I have some work, and why do you want to go to the park? Are u a small kid?]

"bhai please chal na mujhe Aziza se milne jana hai voh pohchne wali hogi"

[please lets go, I have to meet Aziza, she must be about reach]

"huh? Acha theek h ja bhar mai ata hu" Ayaan's reply shocked Naina as she did not think it would be this easy to convince him

"Aziza!", Naina called but stopped at the sight of what she saw. Aziza was talking to an old man with a small cupcake in her hand. The old man held a photo with an emotional smile on his cake.

"Meri dost bhi aane wali hai then we will celebrate together!" Aziza told him.

"Naina tu aagyi? Dekh aaj uncle ka birthday hai but unke pass koi celebrate krne ke liye nhi h, jaldi me mujhe kuch aur toh nhi mila but ye cupcake le aayi. Hum saath me inka birthday celebrate krte haina chal" Aziza explained

"haan haan yr ofcourse esme puchne ki kya baat h kissi ka birthday ho aur mai mana krdu never...cake bhi toh kahna h" Naina joked.

Aziza's eyes lit up the moment she saw Ayaan and she could not help but ask him to join them.

"Ayaan tum bhi aao na"

"hmm?", He asked realizing he had missed what she said.

"Maine kha tum bhi aao na humare saath"

"Are Aziza inhe kaam hai, mujhe choodne bhi bohot mushkil se aye hai. Hum chlte hai"

[let him go Aziza, he has some work, lets go]

"okay...", she said disappointment clear in her face.

"umm.. thodi der ke liye aajta hu chalo", Ayaan said

Aziza smiled widely as she heard him and happily started walking towards the old man

"kuch zyada khushi nhi hori tujhe bhai ke aane pr? Haan?" Naina asked with a smirk

"hatt! Sahram nhi aati? Kuch bhi bolri hai"

The three of them celebrated the old man's birthday offering him the affection he had longed for so many years.

"ye kon hai uncle?" Ayaan asked him with warm smile, looking at the photo of a woman in his hands

"ye... ye meri chandini hai" the old man told him

"Ayaan ye inki wife hai she left an year ago" Aziza told him, her voice sympathetic

"humesha kush rho beta, thank you for this" he said showering his blessings on the trio

***