From You to Love by Nageen Khan

(Originally me in Urdu as Tum Se Muhabbat tak )

Translated by MISS GREY

Description:

FROM YOU TO LOVE is Nageen Khan’s first story which she wrote in her teenage years. She had no experience of writing a novel which is why sometimes you will find a little immaturity in some characters. But when you read this novel, you’ll feel the essence of love.

FROM YOU TO LOVE tells the story of cousins who live under the same roof. Between them is love, fighting, and bickering, but they love each other equally. But where love exists, there is also jealousy and ego getting in the way.

FROM YOU TO LOVE is also a story about university friends who find solace in each other and share everything with one another, from sorrows to happiness.

Read FROM YOU TO LOVE exclusively on WWW.MUSTATEERAPK.COM, and don’t forget to share your thoughts. Your feedback and support mean a great deal to the author.

Chapter Seven

‎“By the way, haven’t you liked any girl yet?” Hamza asked Zaid the same question he asked him almost every day.

‎“Oh, come on, Bhai. The day I do like someone, I’ll write it across my forehead. Now eat before Nisha Api comes in here. I have no intention of sharing my beloved biryani with her.”

‎“You seriously talk non-stop like a girl. Now eat, or el—” Hamza’s words died in his mouth as Inshal walked into the kitchen in tears.

‎‎At the moment, Hamza and Zaid were sitting in the kitchen,happily doing justice to the kebabs and biryani in front of them.

‎‎Inshal was crying because of Ayesha Begum’s words. She was naturally very sensitive. After all, she wasn’t a child who could simply ignore her mother’s words. And when it comes to their mothers, every daughter’s emotions become even more sensitive.

‎“What happened, Nisha? Say something,” Hamza and Zaid asked worriedly. They had every reason to be concerned because Inshal was definitely not the kind of girl who cried over every little thing.

‎‎“Nothing… I’m fine,” Inshal replied in a choked voice before running back to her room.

‎Meanwhile, Hamza and Zaid ran after her. She had come to the kitchen because she wanted to be alone, but instead, she should have gone straight to her room

‎“Nisha, come on… tell me what happened,” Hamza tried again.

“Hamza, just go away,” Inshal said angrily.

‎‎“Nisha, at least tell us what’s wrong.” This time, Hamza held her arm and gave it a slight shake.

‎“How dare you touch me? Who do you think you are? I never gave you the right to touch me. Don’t ever do something this stupid with me again. Save these cheap acts for those worthless friends of yours.” Inshal pulled her arm out of Hamza’s grip, slapped him hard across the face, said every single word through clenched teeth, and walked away.

‎“Leave it, yaar. She’s upset,” Zaid said, stopping Hamza, who was already walking toward Inshal’s room in anger.

‎“Just because you’re upset doesn’t mean you have the right to make everyone else upset too,” Hamza said through clenched teeth before  going upstairs to his room.

‎Zaid, on the other hand, went back to the kitchen because, in his opinion, it was better for the food to fill someone’s stomach than to let it go to waste. He knew that Allah disliked those who were ungrateful for His blessings and wasted the food He had provided.

**********

‎Inshal came to her room, lay across the bed, and got busy with her favorite hobby—crying. Ayesha Begum’s words, along with her own reaction, kept bothering her. She had only been there for a little while when the door opened with a loud bang. Hamza came straight to her, held her by the arm, and pulled her up to stand in front of him.

‎Hamza had gone to his room only so Zaid wouldn’t notice anything, but now he was standing in Inshal’s room.

“Hamza, what kind of behavior is this? Imar Bhai is right. You really are impossible,” Inshal said angrily while fixing her dupatta.

“Talk to me with respect,” Hamza said firmly. He was very angry today. And honestly, he had every reason to be.‎

‎“And what nonsense were you saying downstairs? You said you never gave me any right? Maybe you’ve forgotten, Inshal Ahsan Randhawa, but all your rights belong to me.And when the time comes, I’ll take every single one of them back,with interest.”

‎Hamza said every word slowly and clearly. Inshal started stepping back until her back touched the wall. Hamza placed both his hands on the wall, blocking every way to escape,and said.

‎‎“Today, you made the biggest mistake of your life by raising your hand on me. And now you’ll have to pay for it. Very soon. Right now… I hate you. I truly hate you.”

‎After saying that, he left the room as quickly as he had come.Inshal just stood there like a statue.

‎She remembered that once, when they were children, Hamza had argued badly with Tai Jan over something. Tai Jan had even hit him because of it. In his anger, Hamza had tried to leave the house, but Ayesha Begum somehow stopped him. From that day till today, everyone was afraid whenever Hamza became like that.

‎And today, Inshal saw that same Hamza again. She was really scared.

‎For the first time, Inshal felt scared of Hamza. But as that fear slowly turned into anger, she walked toward the dressing table as if she were in a trance. As soon as she looked at herself in the mirror, she started crying again.

‎“I remember everything… I haven’t forgotten anything… Please stop reminding me again and again… It hurts…” she cried between sobs.

‎“You think you’ll hate me? I’ve hated you before… I still hate you today.”

‎It was as if she was finally letting everything out. She didn’t even notice that her reflection had become blurry because of her tears. Slowly, she sat down on the floor.

‎After crying for a long time, she finally felt a little better. Then she got up and went to make wudu. When she came back from the washroom, she covered herself with her dupatta like a hijab, spread out her prayer mat, and started offering voluntary prayers to find some peace.

‎As soon as she raised her hands to make dua, tears started rolling down her face again.

‎“Ya Allah, You know what’s in every heart. Ya Allah, I remember everything… I remember everything Dada Jan did in his final moments.

‎Ya Allah, You are the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful. However Hamza is, please guide him. Don’t let him do anything wrong to me. Yes, I am a woman, and yes, I am afraid. I know I shouldn’t be afraid, but I am… I’m scared.

‎Ya Allah, all I ask of you now is peace. Please give my mother peace as well. Whatever fears she has in her heart, please take them away.”

‎She was crying.

‎Yes…

‎She was crying.

‎She was crying before her Lord.

‎She was crying to lighten the burden in her heart.

‎‎She was crying to let her fear out.

‎She was so helpless…

‎that all she could do was cry.

‎She was crying to hide her helplessness.

‎‎She was crying to tell Allah about her worries.

‎She was crying before her Lord…

‎‎so that no one in the world would see her tears.

‎Yes…

‎‎She was crying.

‎And she spent the whole night crying.

To be continued…