Muskan's POV

I was feeling so happy that I celebrated my birthday with Arham and my friends but that bloody mobile ruined my day, daddy didn't even wish me but scolded me because I lost my mobile.

'Why are daddy's rules always important for him?'

'Why can't he understand that here I'm not an army regiment and he is not a Colonel but my father?' I was asking those questions to myself.

Sometimes I feel that mom did correct, she took divorce and made her life better but what about me? Why didn't she think about me? When she decided to divorce, I was only 4 or maybe 5. Neither daddy nor Mom think about me. Daddy wasn't this rude with me in childhood but passing time made him peevish. I also wanted to live my life happily, I wanted to live my life with Arham but that's impossible, he loves someone else.

How lucky some people are!

That girl must be beautiful, intelligent and maybe talkative too because Arham can't like a silent, and less intelligent girl like me.. I was an average student so daddy always felt ashamed due to me, he wanted a perfect robot like daughter who could perform anything which he programme in me. But I wasn't even near the 'P' of Perfection.

'Why am I less important for everyone?'

'Am I not beautiful?'

'Why doesn't Arham like me?' I was answerless in front of those questions. Taking a step out from the bed I made myself stand in front of the mirror. I was gazing at the girl who was standing on the other side of the mirror.

"Not bad!" I mumbled while touching my cheek

"I don't look that bad" Mumbling the same I examined myself in the mirror.

A small button nose was settled in between just perfect big eyes with curly lashes. Lips are finely shaped and pink.

But...

''My cheeks... Hmm.. My cheeks are chubby" pressing my cheeks between both palms I realised the same, and a sad feeling strike inside me,

"Why are my cheeks chubby? Why are they not like other girls who are in their zero figure?" I cursed myself looking at the reflection of myself.

"Nowadays no one likes chubby girls. Maybe Arham also doesn't like my cheeks, or maybe I would look more attractive if my eyes would be almond shaped instead of round." applying liner to my eyes I mumbled and opened my hair which was folded into a bun.

'Why is my hair short? Maybe he would like me if my hair would be long..' I said to myself while examining my hair which was reaching the middle of my back.

"wait.. What am I doing?" looking at the reflection I scolded myself.

"No.. It's not appropriate! Why I'm thinking to attract Arham towards me?" I seriously felt something between guilty and ashamed.

I wanted to gain Arham's attention but at the same time I was thinking about Daddy if he got to know anything about my feelings about Arham, then that would be my last day with both my soul and body together because after that both will be separated by my daddy's rough hands.

"But Arham" I mumbled and sat down on the bed resting my head with headboard.

''Stop it Miss Wackadoodle '' I tried to avoid that feeling by scolding myself but the feeling was jumping inside my heart as my heart was jumping inside my rib cage, both were out of my control. For diverting my mind from Arham I decided to call Maizah. I called her and after all listened to her voice "Hey Muskan '' but that wasn't like Maizah's voice because she was sounding seriously unlike ever.

"No Muse cat but Muskan? What happened to you girl?" I asked dramatically trying to show myself cheered up but actually I wasn't in that condition

"Hmm.. Right now my mood is a bit off" She was sounding sad unlike ever, I couldn't imagine Maizah serious or worried about anything

"Maizah, what happened? Tell me!" I said rightfully, this is the bond of friendship. We many times need to share our feelings with each other but unfortunately maybe we weren't that much good friends that we could share our feelings with each other. I never share with Maizah that I love Arham now she shared with me what was running in her head and buried in her heart.

"Nothing serious, just a small argument" she mumbled but I could feel that she was lying about that..

"Argument with whom?" I asked

"With Badi Ammi" She muttered and I was shocked to know that. Maizah never did any argument with her elders.

"Why?" I asked and she stay silent

"What happened to Maizah? Is everything fine?" I asked and I listened a small voice

"No Muskan, nothing is fine. I had an argument with Anzala" I was confused just a minute ago she told me that she argued with badi Ammi but then she was saying that she argued with Anzala.

"Maizah it's not a big deal for you to have an argument with Anzala, it's your daily routine to argue with him." I said what I felt.

"Muskan everything has changed now."

"Why?"

"Because of those pics, I'm feeling myself as a stranger in my own home." She shared with me and I felt guilty that it was just because of me.

Neither I uploaded those pics on my Facebook and Instagram page nor all that happened with Maizah. She was a babbled and daring girl but after that she was converted into a silent one.

"Muskan bibi bade sahab aap ko bula rahe hain" A maid knock on my door to informed that daddy was summoning me and I nodded

"Maizah, I'll will talk to you tomorrow" saying that I hung up the call and rushed towards the stairs after folding my hair in a rough bun.

"Daddy you call me?" I knocked in the door while saying that slowly.

It's quite indigestible that I knocked and talked so much formally just to ask my father to enter the room but those were the rules of Retired Colonel Arsalan Haider, so I had to obey those.

" Come in" that was a loud order as if I was a cadet and I entered the room.

Thankfully daddy never ordered me to march while saying 'Left right left' otherwise he could do so.

"Yeah daddy" He was sitting on the edge of bed holding a small box in his hands, making myself stand in front of him I almost mumbled

"What is today's date?" I was confused on that question because he never ask that type of questions

"21" my reply was short and appropriate on which he watched me with a sharp gaze.

"Today is your birthday" He said but that seems like a question and I slowly nodded but I was shocked that he remembered that, since morning he didn't wish me and he was remembering the same at night.

"But Due to your irresponsible nature you get scolding on your birthday too" He scolded me again and I lowered my gaze

"I'm sorry Daddy" I muttered and he hummed.

"This is for you" He passed me that box which he was holding in his hands

I open that, a smile creeped to my lips when I saw gold earrings "Thanks Daddy" I muttered and he nodded while standing up from his place

"Have dinner?" He asked in the same colonel's tone and I nodded.

"Use.... "

"Yes daddy, I have" Before he could command me to use my tongue I did so, and he nodded.

"I'm going for a walk you go to your room and sleep" I nodded and daddy took a step out from the room. And I took steps towards my room, but his voice stopped me

"Muskan"

"Yeah daddy"

"Who is that boy who comes to return your mobile?" I felt my breath was stopped in my chest

'Was I watching Arham noticeably?'

'Did Daddy noticed something?'

'Has anyone seen me in a restaurant with Arham and Anzala?'

'Did Arham and I talked in front of daddy which made him feel doubtful about us?'

I was pondering every possibility and asking those questions to myself. My legs were shivering, and my heart was beating very fast.

"Who was he Muskan?" Daddy repeat his question and I open my mouth with great difficulty

"Daddy he.. He is Arham" I tried my best not to stammer while giving reply to daddy but my voice was shivering

" I am not asking his name I am asking who he was to you?" I was really feeling my heart was thumping badly against my chest

"Daddy he is my classmate!" I said slowly and he rolled the corner of his big moustache which means he was thinking something very deeply.

"Only classmate or friend?" He asked and that time I really gripped with fear.

'Muskan now you are dead! What should I say now is he my friend or not?' I asked to myself but unfortunately I was confused

"Classmate" I answered

"So have you told your address to your every classmate?" Daddy asked me and I Cursed myself to be his daughter. Sometimes I wonder who made him an army officer he should be a detective

"Daddy he is just my classmate but..." I mumbled and glared me

"But? But what?"

"But he is my partner in my assignment so I... I used to talk to him about that and while talking to him I told him that my daddy is a retired Colonel and he is very strict, and punctual..." I told daddy as I know whenever someone talk about his post and Punctuality he become impressed and luckily my plan worked and I detected a proud shine in his eyes, so I continued to tell him some more things about him related to his praising but actually I never praised him in front of my friends.

"Has he bothered you ever?" I shook my head in negative as soon as I could

"No daddy, Never. He is not like that" I said and after a moment I thought that why I favour Arham in grubby of daddy?

"Hmm... Fine.. Tell me if he bothered you ever" I nodded and looked at the gift box in my hand.

"Daddy can I also join you for a walk?" I asked and he nodded while watching his wrist watch.

"Come within exactly five minutes I'm waiting for you outside" that was a strict order from a Colonel for a cadet but I nodded with a smile as I was getting a chance to spend some time with daddy.

----------------------------------

Daddy was walking very fast and for matching his steps I was doing jogging after him. After a long walk I was tired and wanted to go back home but daddy's walk wasn't getting over so I was cursing myself while jogging after him, he was a few meters ahead from me, then I saw a gray headed man and daddy started talking to him, talking long steps I also made myself stand there trying to catch my breath which was out of my control.

"Should I instruct you to greet the elders?" Daddy scolded me and I took a deep breath trying to calm down myself

"Assalamualaikum uncle"

"Who is she?" The old man asked daddy.

"She is Muskan, my daughter" Daddy introduced me and got busy in talking to him. Watching here there I saw an ice-cream vendor.

"Want one?'' Daddy asked me after that man left from there and I nodded slowly, he brought me one and we went back home. I was feeling happy. And when I entered my room my mobile was ringing that was Arham's call. First I locked the door then picked his call.

"Hello"

"Offo birthday girl sounding very happy? Any good news?" Arham asked and I informed him about the gift that I got from daddy and ice cream.

"It's a good news, family's love is very important" Arham said but I felt sad

"Arham my mistake snatch the family love from Maizah and Anzala. Maizah had an argument with her badi Ammi and Anzala, she didn't said anything properly but she was tensed and the reason of their problems are those photos" I told him and really feeling guilty

Guilt is a feeling which is enough to kill a person from inside

"I was calling Anzala but he was not talking to me properly, I thought maybe he is worried but now I understand the reason" Arham said and I Hummed In response

" Arham we should do something for Anzala and Maizah"

" Yes Muskan we have to do something after all I am responsible for that neither I sent you those pictures nor all these things would happen. I am feeling guilty for what I have done unintentionally" He said and I also felt the same but we both decided that we will do something for our friends.

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So how is this part?

Liking this book or not??

Let me know please

_Naaz Jamal