2.2|Aafreen • Weird|

The next morning, Aafreen woke up with a terrible headache. First of all, she wasn't used to sleeping on a soft mattress. Secondly, she cried herself to sleep after her encounter with Shahaan. And lastly, she could still feel his lips on hers.

The ancient wall clock produced a sound as the pendulum hit on the metal exactly at noon. Aafreen stepped out of her room at noon. Wearing a grey Kurta and Palazzo, dupatta hanging on her right shoulder. Her face was devoid of anything artificial and her wavy black hair was kissing her cheeks from time to time.

Aafreen hoped that Shahaan wasn't present at home. She didn't want to again encounter him. She went downstairs, rats were doing a break-dance in her stomach.

"Bibi Ji, today is parent's meeting at Zoya's school. I have to attend it." Rania was talking to Hiba.

"Okay, you may go," Hiba said without looking away from the book she was reading.

Rania immediately went out of the villa.

Aafreen tip-toed to the kitchen, but Hiba sensed her presence. Nonetheless, she didn't stop her. She was aware that Aafreen would feel uneasy in her presence.

Aafreen looked for a cooked meal. The previous night she had just started eating when Shahaan came and kissed her. Well, there was no leftover food. Hence, she had to eat fruits again.

Then she went to the garden on the west side of the villa. She and Shahaan used to spend their evenings in the garden. Playing hide and seek, planting trees, listening to the chirping of birds and birdies.

Aafreen saw a little girl sitting in the garden. She smiled looking at the cute little angel. She sat beside her.

"What's your name?"

"Zoya." Zoya smiled, she instantly developed a liking towards Aafreen.

"What is your name?"

"Aafreen."

"Aaf... it's too difficult. I will call you... Ummm... Aafi!"

Aafreen smiled when Zoya called her with the same nickname which Shahaan used for her.

"Will you play stapu with me?"

Aafreen instantly nodded as she also liked this game.

Like that both the girls began playing stapu in the garden. Aafreen drew a rectangle which was divided into eight blocks on the ground with a piece of marble. Turn by turn both of them showed the art of balance and brains by not touching the boundary of any block and not throwing the marble at the wrong block.

Time flew like a bird and Rania was back from Zoya's school. She looked around for her daughter and had an idea that she will be in the garden as always. But when she found her playing with Aafreen she got scared. Aafreen was a murderer for God's sake. She could hurt her daughter. Rania ran to Zoya and picked her up in her arms. Without uttering a single word she left with a whining Zoya.

Aafreen felt bad. After a long time, she made a friend but now Rania won't let her play with Zoya.

Shahaan was standing on the balcony of his room. The garden was on the west side as well as his room. From his room's balcony, the view of the garden was pretty clear. He was keeping an eye on Aafreen while she was playing with Zoya. He was concerned for Zoya, what if Aafreen tried to harm her? But she didn't.

Shahaan felt pretty weird. Because Aafreen was acting like a child. Ten years ago when Aafreen was fifteen, she used to behave immaturely for her age. She was weak in her studies. Her logic was that of a toddler. At that time Shahaan used to think that she is a slow learner. But now, when she is an adult, he found it something else.

But why was he thinking about her? He hates her, right?

He shrugged off these thoughts and went inside his bedroom.

Aafreen was again hungry after two hours. She didn't have a proper meal since she has come back. She didn't want to ask Rania to make her food. Rania should have a common sense that she has to cook for Aafreen as well. To be honest, Aafreen disliked Rania. She was judging her when she has no right to do so.

But cursing Rania won't fill her empty stomach. So she headed to the kitchen, to cook something for herself.

For Aafreen, home science was as tough as rocket science. She put a cooking pot on the stove, filled water in it, and ignited the stove. And then put potatoes in it. She had no idea what she was supposed to do with the boiled potatoes, all she knew was hunger at that time. And in the same hungry state, she absent-mindedly touched the hot vessel. She screamed at the burning sensation in her fingers.

A girl came there. She was wearing a green shirt and grey trousers, looking modern and educated. She hurriedly turned off the stove.

"Oh, God! Your fingers have burnt. Come with me."

The stranger girl made her sit in the living room and ran upstairs. Aafreen's eyes turned bloodshot. It pained very badly. Fingers of her both hands turned red by the burning. That girl came back with a toothpaste in her hands. She applied the toothpaste on Aafreen's burnt fingers. A cooling sensation erupted as the paste came in contact with her skin. It relieved her pain a bit.

"Why you touched the hot vessel with your bare hands?" The girl asked.

"I didn't notice. I was hungry."

Aafreen pouted, now she could not cook food for herself with burnt fingers.

"So you are hungry?"

She nodded.

"Don't worry, I'll cook for you. You do rest. I am going to the kitchen."

Aafreen smiled.

Fifteen minutes later that girl came out of the kitchen and served her Aloo Parantha. Aafreen's mouth watered. But then she again pouted.

"I can't eat it by myself with these burnt fingers."

"Let me feed you."

That girl fed her with her own hands.

Aafreen after a long time felt care that too in a stranger.

"By the way, my name is Gauri. Dr. Gauri Batra. I am Shahaan's friend. What is your name?"

"Aafreen."

"You are Shahaan's relative?"

"Yes, I am his maasi's daughter."

"So his cousin?"

"No, she isn't my biological mother."

"Okay, I am a psychiatrist. What's your profession?"

"Nothing, I do nothing."

"Then what you like to do? Any hobby?"

"I like playing stapu, eating cotton candy, making sandcastles and drawing."

Gauri was astonished to hear this. For once she felt like she was talking to a kid.

"What's your age, Aafreen?"

"Ummm... I don't know."

Gauri found it weird. She was going to ask further but Shahaan came there.

"Gauri, what are you doing here?" Shahaan asked, eyeing Aafreen sitting beside Gauri.

"Oh Shahaan, I came to meet you but I met Aafreen so we began chatting."

"Whatever, come with me. Let's go for a long drive."

"Sure. Bye, Aafreen."

"Bye!" Aafreen waved her hand.

Shahaan noticed the toothpaste on her fingers, however, he chose to ignore.

Gauri and Shahaan left. Gauri had made a mental note to meet Aafreen again because she found something weird about her.

Whereas Aafreen was so mesmerized by Gauri's beauty and personality. She looked so different and unique. Her hazel green eyes had unbeatable confidence. While her light brown hair added to her fashionista attitude. Above all, she was down-to-earth and an easy-going person.

•••

Shahaan was driving the car while Gauri was sitting beside him on the passenger seat.

"Gauri, whenever you come to my home, stay away from that girl."

"Why? She is so sweet."

"She is dangerous. You remember I had told you that my mother was murdered?"

"Yeah."

"She is my mother's murderer."

"But that happened a decade ago. She looks so young."

"Devil doesn't have any age."

"Shahaan, what's her age now?"

"Maybe around 25."

"You mean same as ours? Means she murdered your mother at the age of 15?"

"Yes."

"Shahaan, first of all, it's hard for me to believe that she is a killer. Even if it's true, my mind doesn't allow me to believe it. I am a psychiatrist and I could sense that she has some mental problem. And even if it is the truth then it happened ten years ago. This period is enough to reform a person."

"Okay, maybe what you are saying is true. But I can't forget about what she did to my Mamma. Whenever she comes in front of my eyes, my hands itch to kill her."

"I can understand what you are feeling. But if you don't mind, I want to find out what's wrong with her."

"Whatever you want." He shrugged.

•••

Shahaan was coming out of his room when Zoya came towards him.

"Shaan Bhai, my kite stuck in your balcony. Can I take it back?"

"Sure, baby." He smiled and pulled her cheek.

Shahaan went downstairs while Zoya entered his balcony.

Zoya leaned on the parapet to get a hold of the kite. But the kite was stuck at a higher level where her tiny hands couldn't reach. She stood on the floral-shaped bars to reach that height. After struggling for few minutes she held the string of a kite. But she imbalanced herself such that she hung on the opposite side of the parapet. She screamed in fear. She was a mere kid and couldn't hold on to the parapet for long.

Aafreen, who was in her room, heard Zoya's constant screams and cries. She ran in the direction of her voice and entered Shahaan's room. She gasped finding Zoya hanging on the parapet. She quickly pulled Zoya up and saved her. Zoya was crying vigorously. Fear gripped her senses. Aafreen hugged her and tried to calm her down.

At the same time, Shahaan and Rania came there from downstairs listening to Zoya's screams. But they got the wrong picture of the whole scenario. Rania instantly pulled Zoya away from Aafreen and left with her. She was thinking that Aafreen did something to her daughter.

Shahaan was now angry beyond limits. Aafreen was unaware of what was going on in his mind. Shahaan angrily slapped her. The stinging sensation on her cheek made her eyes welled up. She couldn't understand why he slapped her. She touched her now hurting cheek.

Without a single word, he gripped her arm and dragged her with him. He left her arm when they entered the basement of the villa. He left her there and locked the door behind him.

"Nothing can reform this vile girl. She only hurts others."

•••

Aafreen was standing in the dark basement. The same basement where Hiba used to lock her.

Shahaan would be sleeping peacefully in a deep slumber. While Hiba would lock her up in the basement as a punishment whenever she will get angry with her.

Unknowingly Shahaan made her go through the same fear which she faced years ago.

Her own cries echoed in her ears. Her old self cried for help. But she was helpless. She felt as her life came back to the same place from where her destruction began.

Darkness was surrounding her, the same darkness engulfed her senses as well. She fell on the dusty floor with a thud. This trauma was unbearable. She had a horrible childhood. And now it seemed like that horror will be her end as well.

•••

The next afternoon Shahaan was sitting in the living room. He was worried, what if Hiba asked for Aafreen's whereabouts? She must be thinking why she didn't show up till now.

But Hiba thought that Aafreen was in her room. And she didn't show up because she was afraid of her and Shahaan.

Rania hastily entered the villa. She was about to say something to Shahaan but stopped seeing Hiba. Shahaan had instructed her to not tell any of this to Hiba.

"Bibi Ji, will you like to have coffee or you are going to take your nap?"

It reminded Hiba that it's time for her afternoon nap.

"I am going to my room for a nap. Wake me up for lunch."

She moved her wheelchair to her room.

"Shahaan sir, Aafreen didn't do anything." Rania immediately spoke as Hiba left.

"What? Are you sure?"

"Yes, sir. Zoya told me that she saved her from falling from the balcony."

Shahaan immediately ran to the basement. When he opened the door and entered inside, he found Aafreen lying on the floor in an unconscious state.

"Aafreen... Aafreen..."

He picked her up and rushed outside to take her to the hospital.

☆☆☆

Husn e jana ki tarif mumkin nahi

Aafreen aafreen...

Afreen aafreen...