From You To Love
From You To Love By Nageen Khan
(Originally named 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.
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Notice: From You To Love published on MustateeraPK with the permission of the respective rights holder.
Chapter Thirteen
Your eyes have buried me beneath their intoxication.
I could have lived for thousands of years, if only I had never seen you.
“How are you, Hamza? And where’s Inshal? She was supposed to come to university today, wasn’t she?” Hamza had barely entered the university when Maria called out to him, making him stop in his tracks. But he didn’t bother turning around.
“Yeah, Hamza, you should’ve brought her along with you. After Aunty’s death, she must be feeling quite lonely anyway,” Hadid said, assuming that Inshal would be coming to university alone. But at hadid’s words, Hamza looked away… avoiding someone’s eyes, though he didn’t know whose. Maybe his own… or perhaps the voice of his conscience.
“No, Maria. Inshal isn’t coming to university today either,” Hamza replied, ignoring the guilt rising inside him.
“Is she okay, though? I mean… she told me that she’d definitely come today.” Maria showed her concern worriedly.
“Yeah, Ama needed her for some important work.” Saying that, Hamza pulled Hadid along and walked away, trying to escape Maria’s further questions.
“Inshal isn’t careless enough to promise me she’d come and then not show up… If she had something important to do, she should’ve at least told me. Now I have to spend the whole day alone again… Ughhh.” Maria was lost in her own thoughts when Hadid came over and lightly smacked her.
“Where are you lost, witch? Come on, we have Sir Adil’s class.”
“How rude… Who calls their own sweet sister that?”
“Well, you were lost somewhere in your thoughts. Now come on, Hamza must’ve already reached the department.” With that, Hadid started walking, and poor Maria had no choice but to follow him because she didn’t want to be late for Sir Adil’s class and end up standing outside alone.
**********
In the evening, Zaid had gone to the doctor with Hamza and Saima Begum.
“Hamza, when will my Zaid be able to walk on his own feet again?” Saima Begum asked impatiently as soon as they got into the car on their way back.
“Well this will be known after reports.” Hamza replied irritably.
“Alright, and when will these reports come?”
“What difference does it make, Ama? Whenever I use my legs again… it’s not like you’ll have to take care of me. Poor Nisha Api does everything for me anyway,” Zaid, who had been quiet for so long, spoke before Hamza could say anything.
“Hamza, are you listening to what he’s saying? That witch has become the poor, helpless , and I’m the cruel monster now?” Saima Begum dragged Hamza into the conversation as well.
“You know the truth, Ama, and so do I. If you want to look away from it, then that’s a different matter,” Zaid said bitterly, his voice slightly raised.
“Zaid.” Hamza warned him in a stern tone.
“Look, Zaid, don’t forget you got shot as a punishment for arguing with your mother. And what were you even arguing about? That Inshal,” Saima Begum said bluntly.While at Inshal’s name, Hamza looked at Zaid through the rearview mirror and then turned to look suspiciously at Saima Begum. Zaid simply shrugged while Saima Begum turned her face away.
Perhaps because of Hamza’s warning, Zaid stopped himself from saying anything bitter after that, and the rest of the journey passed in silence.
Whatever she was… however she was… she was still their mother, after all…
**********
At that moment, Inshal was walking around in the lawn while listening to songs through her earphones. The joy of walking on the soft, wet grass under the moon and stars in the middle of the night is different… And Inshal had always loved being under the open sky.
Of course, Saima Begum wasn’t so heartless that she would take Inshal’s phone away from her too… But who could be more heartless and cruel than a woman who stopped another woman from continuing her studies?
Inshal had barely completed one round when she suddenly felt someone’s burning gaze on her. She immediately turned around and looked everywhere, but when she found no one there, she shrugged it off as her imagination and continued walking…
After walking for a long time, she finally got tired and came to sit on a chair. She then called Maria.
“How are you, Nisha?” Maria picked up the call on the very first ring.
“I’m alive,” Inshal replied hopelessly.
“Inshal, what happened? Why are you talking so hopelessly?” Maria, who had been lying down at that moment, immediately sat up worriedly after hearing the sadness in Inshal’s voice.
“I read a couplet somewhere. Should I tell you?” Inshal said, ignoring Maria’s question.
“Yes, yes, of course.” Maria knew how much Inshal loved these things.
“My fate is written on the palms of my own hands.
Yet I have no control over my own fate.”
She said while looking at the lines on her palms.
What complaint can you have against the book of fate, O foolish heart.
When everything is destined to fade away, then why hold on to desires?
Maria encouraged her in the same way.
“So you’ve started a poetry competition now,” Inshal said with a small laugh.
“Hello? Maria…” When Maria didn’t say anything for a while, Inshal checked to make sure the call hadn’t disconnected.
“Inshal, I’ve heard you laugh after so many days… It felt really nice. May Allah Pak always keep you smiling and happy like this,” Maria prayed sincerely.
“Ameen, and you too.”
“Alright, I want to meet you. I’ll come to your place tomorrow after university, and then we’ll go somewhere together.” Before Inshal could refuse, Maria said it and immediately ended the call, making Inshal smile?”
“With whom you were talking?” Inshal had just turned to leave when Hamza suddenly appeared in front of her.
“None of your business.” Perhaps it was the result of talking to Maria , that she replied to him just like she used to.
“Everything is my business…” It was double-meaning remarks, but Inshal remained quiet.
“Why are you still awake?” Hamza asked another question… Maybe he just wanted to keep talking to Inshal.
“My choice… What’s your problem?” Inshal was still in a good mood .
“What do you think?”Hamza was also talking like the old Hamza now.
“I think you’ve lost your mind… Hmph, rotten tomato.”
“Hmph, you rotten okra,” Hamza replied in the same way.
“You’re the okra… Get lost from here. In fact, I’ll get lost… Hmph, you’re so stubborn.” Saying that, Inshal walked away from there…
Hamza had already seen Inshal walking around outside, and when he couldn’t stay away any longer, he had gone over to her. And when Inshal answered him the way she used to, Hamza had slipped back into his old self as well.
How beautiful this meaningless conversation between them was…
To Be Continued…
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