Chapter 1: Shuruat
Mere haath kaamp rahe the. Result card mez par para tha aur Abba ki nazar us par jami hui thi.
"Ayesha, 67%?" Abba ki awaaz kamre me goonji. "Sharma ke bacche ko dekho, 92% laya hai."
Ammi kitchen se bhaagti hui aayin. "Bus karein ji, bachi ne mehnat to ki hai na."
"Mehnat?" Abba ne result phaar kar dustbin me phenk diya. "Mehnat to tumhare bhai ki beti karti hai. Doctor banegi wo. Aur ye? TikTok banati phirti hai."
Mera gala band ho gaya. Maine TikTok 2 mahine pehle delete kar diya tha. Board exams ki wajah se. Lekin Abba ko kaun samjhaye.
"Bhai se baat ho gayi hai meri," Abba sofe par baith gaye. "Uska beta Saad engineer hai Dubai me. Achi job hai. Agle mahine rishta le kar aa rahe hain."
Mere kaan sunn ho gaye. "Lekin Abba... meri parhai?"
"18 ki ho gayi ho. Larkiyan itna parh ke karti kya hain? Mere dost ki beti ne bhi FA ke baad shaadi kar li. Aaj 3 bacchon ki maa hai, khush hai."
Ammi ne mera haath pakra. Dar rahi thi wo bhi. "Ji wo... Ayesha ne kaha tha college..."
"Chup!" Abba khare ho gaye. "Is ghar me meri marzi chalegi. Saad se shaadi hogi bas. 12th ke paper ke baad rukhsati."
Main kamre me bhaagi. Darwaza band kiya aur bed par gir gayi. Mobile uthaya. Saad ka number nahi tha mere paas. Na kabhi baat hui. Sirf bachpan me ek dafa dekha tha. Mota sa, ghussa wala.
Instagram khola. Meri dost Sana ki story lagi hui thi. "Admission open in NUST." NUST. Mera khwab. Engineering karni thi mujhe bhi. Saad ki tarah Dubai nahi, apne mulk ke liye kuch karna tha.
Aansu phone par gir rahe the. Phir ek idea aaya. Agar... agar main 12th me 90% le aaun? Kya tab Abba maan jaayenge?
Bahir se Abba ki awaaz aa rahi thi. "Begum, chai lao. Aur haan, Ayesha ko kehna neeche aaye. Saad ki Ammi se video call par baat karni hai."
Maine pillow muh par rakh liya taake awaaz bahar na jaye.
Mujhe bhaagna tha. Lekin kahan?
