Kaifiyat.

Chapter 1: The Mirror’s Reflection

The sun rose over a quiet household, casting long shadows that failed to stir the two figures still deep in sleep. In the shared bedroom of the twins, Sajal and Zeba, the silence was suddenly shattered by the piercing ring of an alarm clock.

Sajal was the first to react. She sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, and immediately nudged the lump of blankets next to her.

"Zeba, get up," Sajal whispered urgently. "Get up now, or Ammi is going to come in here and give us a lecture we won't forget."

From beneath a mess of hair, Zeba waved a dismissive hand. "I’m not afraid of anyone," she mumbled, her voice thick with sleep.

Sajal sighed, knowing better than to argue, and headed for the bathroom to start her day. The moment the bathroom door clicked shut, Zeba’s eyes snapped open. A mischievous glint appeared. Moving quickly, she crawled out of her own bed and slipped into Sajal’s, pulling the duvet up to her chin.

A few moments later, the door swung open. Their mother, Mehak, stepped in with a frown.

"Wake up, you lazy children!" Mehak called out.

Zeba sat up abruptly, putting on her best "innocent" face. Because they were identical, in the dim morning light and with Zeba sitting in her sister's bed, the resemblance was uncanny. Just then, Sajal walked out of the bathroom, fresh from her shower.

Zeba looked at Sajal and gasped with fake surprise. "Wait... Zeba? You already took a shower?"

Sajal froze, blinking in confusion. "What? Ammi! I’m Sajal. That is Zeba."

Zeba didn't miss a beat. She pointed at the bed she was sitting in. "Ammi, look. Whose bed is this?"

"It’s Sajal’s," Mehak answered, looking between them.

"Exactly," Zeba smirked. "Which means I am Sajal."

"No, Ammi, don't listen to her!" Sajal protested.

Seeing Sajal’s frustrated face, Zeba and Mehak both burst into laughter. Zeba flopped back against the pillows, grinning at her twin. "Oh, sister, you’re so easy to prank. You can't even take a joke!"

Mehak shook her head, though a smile lingered. "Alright, Zeba, stop the drama. Go get ready. Your father, Asraf, is waiting for both of you at the breakfast table."

"Give me fifteen minutes," Zeba called out as she finally hopped out of bed.

The Breakfast Table

The tension of the morning shifted from playful to heavy as the family gathered for breakfast. Asraf looked up from his plate as his daughters sat down.

"So, Sajal," Asraf said, his voice full of pride. "How is everything going at the office?"

"It’s going well, Baba," Sajal replied with a modest smile.

Zeba pulled out a chair, the wooden legs scraping loudly against the floor. "Wow," she interjected, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Look at this father-daughter bond. It’s like I’m not even here. I’m invisible, aren’t I?"

Sajal shot her a sharp look. "Zeba, maybe if you found a serious job, people would talk to you about it."

Zeba’s expression hardened. "Serious? You think what I do isn't serious? I am a content creator. I show people the truth on YouTube."

Sajal scoffed. "Was that journalism degree just so you could become a YouTuber?"

Asraf raised a hand to silence them. "Enough. Stop the bickering. Zeba, what happened with that interview you had?"

Zeba looked away, her bravado flickering for a second. "No response yet. But it doesn't matter. Like a real journalist, I’m showing the truth on my channel."

Mehak sighed, placing a hand on the table. "Look, Zeba, there is nothing in this 'YouTube' business. You need to find a responsible, stable job."

Zeba threw her hands up in frustration, the familiar weight of disappointment settling in her chest. Sajal checked her watch and stood up abruptly, grabbing her bag.

"I’m running late," Sajal said, her voice professional and clipped. "I have to go."

"I'll drop you off," Asraf said, picking up his car keys. He walked over to Zeba and gently patted her head, a small gesture of affection that seemed to say more than his words. "Come on, Sajal. Let's go."

Zeba watched them leave, a forced smile on her face. As the door closed, she turned back to her breakfast, but the appetite was gone. She and Mehak finished their meal in a silence that felt far too loud.

Sajal and her father [arrive]. Sajal’s father drops her off at her office. Sajal says goodbye to her father and goes inside the office. Everyone congratulates Sajal. Sajal looks at everyone in surprise. Her boss, Reyaaz Ahmed, comes there and says to her, "Sajal! Brilliant idea. Your idea has benefited the company a lot. I will definitely tell Asraf. I am giving you a promotion." Sajal smiles.

After a while, Sajal is sitting at her desk working. "Hey Sajal, do you know that Reyaaz Sahab’s son is going to join the office? Do you know him? Reyaz Sahab is your father's friend, right?" a coworker asks Sajal. "Yes, I met him once a long time ago at a family gathering," Sajal replies.

Scene Shift

Zeba has come to her friend Anas’s house. "Hello Aunty," Zeba says to Anas’s mother. "Oh dear, come in, come in. I was waiting for you. Anas, come and sit," (Afiya, Anas’s mom) says. Anas arrives. "Oh, you’re here? You know we have to shoot an important video today, let’s go quickly," Anas says.

As they both start to leave, Anas’s father and elder brother are near the gate. "Hey Zeba, when did you arrive?" (Salim, Anas’s father) asks. Leaving with Anas, Zeba says, "I just arrived. See you, Uncle! Bye, Brother." Saying this, they both leave.

Scene Shift

A very big house is shown. "All the work should be finished by the time Atif arrivesbefore that; 'Oh Mother, all the work is done, you are worried for no reason,' Rafiya says (Atif’s sister). 'Yes, Sister-in-law is right,' says Rafiya Kasaf (Atif’s Aunt). 'Yes, yes, you two are more like friends than aunt and niece.' 'Well, Aunt is also so young and has always lived with me.'

Just then, Atif arrives. Seeing him, everyone turns toward him. His mother hugs him and then everyone asks, 'Where is your Father?' Atif says, 'There was a very important meeting at the office, he must be on his way.' Mother says, 'No, no, I will meet him at the office itself.' 'Okay, come on, let’s eat,' Kasaf says. Everyone goes inside.

Scene Shift

Atif arrives at the office. There, he meets his uncle and cousin. 'Oh Atif, come here! How does it feel being back from London?' Safi (Atif’s uncle) asks. 'It feels very good, Uncle Safi. And how is Seriyar?' Atif asks. Seriyar: 'I'm fine.'

Atif: 'Where is Father?'

Safi: 'He was just leaving the office for home.'

Atif: 'Okay, I’ll go and meet him.'

Atif walks inside and bumps into Sajal.

To be continued..."