MAIZAH'S POV

As soon as I stepped in the home from college I witnessed that usual scene, Ammi and Badi Ammi both were cooking and I was planning to work on my target. Anzala made his way back to his room and I moved to my room. I didn't waste any time to change myself in a blue trouser with long green shirt which was reaching to my knees. Hanging a narrow scarf in my neck I made my way to the kitchen while making a rough bun of my hair and securing that with a big clutcher.

I drew out water bottle from the fridge start pouring water in the glass while thinking what should I do to talk to Ammi normally. But sometimes our plans don't go well because of our emotions. I was sipping on water and suddenly I chocked on that. For a while I felt someone catched my breath and I started coughing placing the glass back on the kitchen counter. I was coughing badly and felt my chest become dry

"Maizah... Maizah.. Sit here..." Ammi dragged me to the chair and started patting my back, but I was shocked when badi Ammi also come to me and started caressing my back rapidly after removing Ammi from my back, by then my condition was quite better.

"I.. I" I again cough you but continue my sentence "I'm fine now"

"Can't you be little more careful? It's not a difficult work" Badi Ammi scolded me and I felt embarrassed.

Since childhood I got scoldings from badi Ammi more than my own parents, but it was true that she loves me very much, sometimes she use to scolded Anzala for me in childhood

"Do you still care for me?" unwillingly I asked and Badi Ammi glared me

"Shut up, don't talk to me! You haven't left any room to care about you but..." Badi Ammi stopped in between and turned to go out from the kitchen but stopped by my call

"But? But what badi Ammi?" I asked slowly I was thinking that she would say that she loves me that's why she couldn't see me problem but her reply made me realise that Anzala and my mission wasn't too easy

"I'm not like you both who kill their family member's by killing their trust." Badi Ammi spoke with rancour and I smiled sadly.

"I wish you people would trust us instead of those pics" I said in my defence but badi Ammi was already out from the kitchen

"Ammi" I grabbed her hand and she freed her hand from my grip.

"Don't talk to me." Ammi said and I rested my back to the chair.

"Ammi at least...." this time she didn't let me complete.

"Due to you I'm feeling ashamed that I have raised you in wrong way!" Ammi said and Turned her head to other side.

"Ammi believe me I and Anzala have not done that" I said and hugged her tightly, first she tried to took a step back to break the back but I didn't let her go

"Ammi" I was still hugging Ammi, sitting on the chair and she was standing in front of me, I got tears in my eyes

"Ammi" I again murmur and that time I felt her hand on the back of my head

" Don't cry... Whatever you both have done was wrong, but... Now start focusing on your future." Ammi said slowly and kissed my head on which I break the hug.

"Ammi we didn't do anything wrong, and we don't want to accept this marriage, you think yourself If Anzala and I would be involved with each other then when why would we stay in our rooms when you people said us to stay in same room." I tried to convince her and she keep gazing at me for a good moment

" Maizah... "

"Hmm Ammi"

"Forget that you and Anzala will be separated ever... No one is ready for this divorce"

'' what the hel.... " I was going to shout but stopped in between when remembered that I had to focus on melting the heart of our family members, separation with Anzala should be my second target.

"Okay... But... Don't be offended with me anymore" I told her in requesting way and I watched her love filled gaze. "Ammi if you become offended with me I am warning you that I won't talk to you ever" will full of fake anger I said while showing my pout which made her smile

"Go to your room, I am making your favourite dish" Ammi said and I smile.

"Chicken?" I asked with great smile and Ammi shook her head

"bhindi"

(Okra)

"What??" I almost yelled.

'Mar gaye aaj to... Allah mene kya gunah, kra tha ki aaj Ammi ne bhindi pakai' I asked to myself and I was going to cry at any moment

(Oh god what sin had I committed today that Ammi made okra for lunch?)

''You and your aabu like bhindi... Right?" Ammi asked with smiled and I tried my best to smile but nodded.

I don't even know what was my expression, it was something between crying and fake smiling

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Anzala's POV

"What is in dinner?" I asked while dragging the chair for myself I was dying with hunger, chhoti Ammi made bhindi (okra) for lunch so I skipped lunch

That was better to stay hungry than eating that bhindi (okra)

"Bhindi (okra)" Rumi aapi replied while placing the dish of that high quality okra specially made by my dear chhoti Ammi.

"No one have this in lunch, it was left, so we haven't cook again" Chhoti Ammi said and I gulped with a smile.

"Momina, is there anything else?" Abbu asked to Ammi and she shook her head

"We both are very tired so we preferred not to cook anything else" Ammi replied and I was looking at Rumi aapi with dropped jaw.

"Let's order something from outside!" Adnaan suggested and I really wanted to hug that guy for his suggestion but.

"Shut your mouth, don't eat anything from outside, eat what your Ammi has cooked." Poor Adnaan got a slap on his head from his dear father and soon his plate was filled with that okra. I looked at Maizah who was already looking at me, her face was showing that horrible expression.

" Gul today's okra is very tasty" Chhote Abbu compliment his wife which made her happy and gave me power to lift the first bite.

'Umm... Wow...' my soul screamed loudly.

I wanted to distroy all the books, all the quotes, all the statements which I have learned about love till now

Who says that love is blind? I can bet after watching the love of chhoti Ammi and Chhote abbu that love is not blind but tongue less....

If someone would say me that I have to prove my love towards Muskan by having that type of okra made by her, I'll definitely choice her love to let go instead

"Yes Chhote abbu the okra is tasting just like paneer (cottage cheese)" I taunt him after looking each and everyone's face, which were narrating the same story.

"Ab itni bhi tareef ki zarurat nahi hai!" chhoti Ammi said with a happy smile as if I was giving her compliment.

(No need to praise this much)

'Huh!! What... Chhoti Ammi I'm not praising you, it was a taunt' I said her in my thoughts while gawking at her in disbelief but actually I wasn't able to say a single word.

"Ohh.. I remember... I have to complete my assignment" saying that I scoot towards the stairs but stopped by a call.

"Anzala complete your dinner" That was Dada abbu's voice

"Dada abbu I'll have that later, for now I have to complete my assignment" Without looking at him at said loudly and ran to my room.

"Bach gaye" I sighed after placing my hand on my heart.

(thank god, I'm safe)

In no time I stated working on my assignment when I listened footsteps coming to my room, the voice was very fast like someone was literally running towards the room and I was shocked when Maizah entered in.

"What are you doing here? And how have you been managed to run away?" I asked and she dramatically wiped the sweat from her forehead which was actually no where.

"I said that I have to complete assignment" She giggled as so I did

"Thanks to Hitler Sharma who had given this assessment, otherwise we both were eating that bhindi (okra) like all the others" Maizah said with her lighthearted tone and I smiled.

'she is amazing, she knows how to be happy in any situation.' I couldn't help but accepted that with a smile.

"Come let's start the work together" I told her and sitting beside me she nodded with a smile.

We both were sitting on the floor, our books were spreaded everywhere and Our gazes were fixed on books when I noticed Maizah and her small hairlock which was falling on her face but she was careless about that and busy in writing something, I was noticing her lashes first time. She had long lashes but I never noticed anything like that before, she had a small mole on the left corner of her jawbone. While writing something she made a pout and her pen was dancing in between her fingers,

Conclusively, She was looking beautiful.

Don't know why I was looking at her without thinking about the assignment and smiling on her small acts which I had witnessed since childhood.

'What's wrong with me?' I asked to myself but couldn't avert my eyes from her face, in the time being she leaned down and started writing on another paper, she was so much busy that didn't realise when her dupatta slipped down from her shoulder, my eyes became wide but my breath was hitched in my chest as my gaze went down to her cleavage.

'Astaghfar!' I suddenly averted my eyes as I was feeling awkward, ashamed as well as embarrassed, my heart was beating differently. I gulped and slowly lifted my gaze towards her.

'Maizah what are you doing with me?' I asked to Her in my mind.

Yes it's true my nature was bit flirtatious, but I just like to saw the smile of girls when they were praised by me, I never get this much magnetize to any girl's beauty or acts like I was feeling for Maizah.

'Anzala you have to control your feelings, it's an unjust act.' My subconscious said and I again lower my gaze but Maizah's beauty had been trying to pull a fast one on my senses and I was trying to control myself so I decided to go away from her, so I made myself stand from the floor and moved towards the window of the room.

"What happened?" she asked me, and I shook my head.

"You continue, I'll rejoin in a few moments." trying to avoid eye contact I state and she nodded while placing her dupatta back on her shoulder then again bowed her head down towards the books.

I open the window and lean my back towards its corner or the wall. I was free to stare outside and thinking about what I was feeling, but the problem was pretty big...

But What was my problem?

I was trying to understand exactly the thing which was making me restless but I didn't have any name for that problem!

'I don't know anything but I know one thing very clearly that I love Muskan only Muskan...' I said to myself and my gaze went to Maizah who was busy rolling her hair lock on her finger while reading something and my lips converted into an upward curve.

'It's morally wrong!' Making me feel guilty my soul scolded me and my smile again dropped down

Anzala, Maizah you are husband and wife...

Suddenly those words started ringing in my head which Dada abbu said to us when we were talking about divorce

'Yes she is my wife, so I can stare at her as much as I want' . Suddenly I listen to a voice from the depth of my heart and look at her with a smile, crossing my arms on my chest. I was watching her regularly without blinking. I was remembering the days of our childhood, how we all used to play together. I still remember that on my 7th birthday the whole Rizwi Mansion was decorated with fairy lights but that decoration wasn't specially for my birthday, but for Maizah's birthday. No one removed those decorations because there were only thirteen days in my birthday. For our family our birthdays weren't less than any festival. When I opened my gifts after the birthday party was over I started crying because I got a big and beautiful dollhouse from my phuppo Jaan.

After listening my crying voice everyone got to know about the matter but the first one was this chudail who came to me and told me that I could take the Hungry Hippos Game board which she got from phuppo, as well as keep that doll house too. But then phuppo said that maybe due to the same packing she exchanged our gifts. But this chudail promised me that she will share her every toy with me, she was the only one who was trying to hush me otherwise all the others were laughing and making my fun to get a dollhouse as birthday gift. That's been many years but I still remember those days.

'wait' my subconscious said and my smile become big

'She was so chubby and now only god knows how she became just perfect in shape?' That was a question which my subconscious asked me and I was answerless but sometimes being answerless is also enjoyable, right then I was in the same situation. I didn't know where my mind was at that time.

"Anzala, Maizah" I came out of my trance when a voice fall in my ears, chhoti Ammi was standing on the door of my room holding a water bottle, looking at me in disbelieve

Maybe choti Ammi catches me watching Maizah, that sworn realisation hit my heart which was enough to make me nervous, I was cursing myself to gazing at Maizah without even blinking.

"Yeah Ammi?" Maizah uttered and I made myself stand straight while cleaning my throat roughly just to cover up my embarrassment. Chhoti Ammi shifted her gaze from me to Maizah.

'' You both are still awake! It's 11 O'clock, sleep now, complete this assignment tomorrow" Chhoti Ammi advised us I wanted to nod but Maizah shook her head.

"Ammi I'll sleep after half an hour, till then lemme work on this" Maizah said in her energetic form and chhoti Ammi moved back from the room while giving a small nod, but she looked at me before taking further steps and her sight was holding some different emotions, I was trying to finding out the meaning of her expressions when she smiled slowly and moved away.

Why did she smile looking at me? I was confused, so I shrugged that thought and turned towards the window.

"Anzu tujhe wahi khade rehna hai kya puri raat?" Maizah asked me and I turned to see her then shrugged and sighed. I didn't want to sit down with her to avoid that awkward feeling rising inside the depth of my heart.

(Anzu will stay standing there for the whole night?)

"Tere paas beethne se dar lag raha hai" I state the true state of my heart in the voice which was obscured to be heard clearly but that chudail heard and giggled

(I'm feeling scared of sitting besides you)

''kyu? Main tujhe maarne ka plan kr rahi hu kya jo tujhe mujhse dar lag raha hai?" She asked and I rolled my eyes.

(Am I planning to kill so you are afraid of me?)

''Tera mujhe Maarne ka plan hai ya nahi ye to mujhe nhi pta, lekin main kam se kam tere haathon se to marna nahi chahta" saying that I turned my back towards her and started gazing outside the window.

(I don't know whether you are planning to I'll me or not but I am sure that I don't wanna die with your hands)

"Kesi ajeeb baten kar raha hai tu? Pagal wagal to nahi ho gya? Mene ye to suna tha ki log shock lagne se Pagal ho jate hain, Assignment milne se Pagal hote hue Pehli baar dekh rahi hu"

(Anzala, are you mad? You are sounding strange! I have listened many times that people become mad if they got shock but this must be the first time then a person is becoming mad when he get an assignment)

Maizah said and I detected the disbelief in her voice, maybe she was feeling my behaviour awkward. Actually that was awkward, I was fighting with myself, one part of me was dying to gaze at Mazi and remaining ashamed of myself, I was feeling guilt ridden.

"Are you even listening or not?" She asked and I preferred to ignore it.

'After a few days I have to divorce her so I don't have any right to gaze at her, no matter if she is my wife at this time or not... This relationship is just a piece of paper with our signatures nothing else.' I said to myself and kept staring at the sky.

"Anzala Are you fine or not?" I again listened MAIZAH'S voice and felt angry on her

'Why she is talking to me again and again when I don't wanna talk to her, or see her' I was frustrated, I closed my eyes while holding the railings of the window very tightly, just to suppress my anger.

"I'm fine you complete this and go to your room soon" I said without turning towards her but that time she didn't say a single word and I thought to turn and see her reaction but I stopped myself and kept staring outside while handling a war inside me.

---After almost Two hours ---

"Anzala"

'Not again' I said to myself with frustration, I wanted to hit Maizah so hard and instruct her not to talk to me about anything because then I was fully determined that I had to get rid of that feeling as well as her from my life too.

"Maizah what...." turning towards her I was going to yell on her but stopped when I witnessed her tired face

"What?" I asked rudely, I was so angry that I wanted someone to pour my anger and frustration out and unfortunately Maizah was there.

By the way she was the sole reason of my anger and my condition

"Why are you being rude to me Anzu?" she asked while glaring at me with her big eyes.

"Because you are eating my head" I said louder than normal pitch

"I'm so hungry that I can eat anything, but still I don't eat rotten things so don't worry your brain is safe from my side." She almost burst on me And I was again answerless in front of her.

Suddenly I listened to a loud howl which I was ignoring for two or three hours. That was my stomach which was caterwauling loudly due to my yearning to eat.

" Anzala I'm hungry" She said and that time I hummed

"I'm hungry too," I muttered.

"Order something from outside" She suggested and I nodded but it was 2 AM and home delivery wasn't available in those restaurants from where we used to order, I informed her about that and she made a pout.

After a short discussion we both went to the kitchen to check some leftover food but unfortunately there was nothing besides bhindi...

"Let's sleep without having anything," I mumbled and she shook her head.

"You go and change in your night suit, in the time being I'll cook something for both of us" Maizah said and I wanted to laugh harder on that because she didn't even know how to make tea properly.. I guess...

"But you don't know how to cook," I said and she nodded, "but I know how to make masala rice, that won't take a lot of time and I will make that too easily. " She chirped and I rolled my eyes.

" First chhoti Ammi made that bhindi, and now you will cook the masala rice... You know I'm thinking of making a menu card that will show your recipes like..." I took a pause and a few steps back.

"Horrendous bhindi... Especially by Gul Bano Aasif Rizwi" opening both my arms I said like I was introducing the world's best dish.

"Spine-chilling Masala Rice... The signature dish of Maizah Rizwi" opening my arms to introduce that dish I said and My chudail glared me while opening the container of rice

"Sounds interesting na?" I choose to tease her and she rolled her eyes

"You forget two dishes which are my and your mother's speciality" She said with an artificially pulled smile.

"What?" I asked.

"Hot Glare and High-rise Taunts.... Exclusively by Mrs. Momina Rashid Rizwi"

" Breakneck crispy slap by Maizah Aasif Rizwi" She said while slapping my arm and that was truly a crispy one

"Get lost from here and come back in fifteen minutes, it won't take long time to cook" She ordered me just like the way in which sometimes Ammi use to order me but she was glaring me that means she was in her murderous form so I preferred to run away from there and went to take a long shower.

I was standing under shower feeling the coldness of water on my body but there was a different warmness in my heart, and somewhere Maizah's face was responsible for that. Leaning against the wall by Placing both hands on the wall I closed my eyes and found the same face in my senses.

"Stop it Anzala, stop it.. What the hell are you doing?" I literally yell at myself and clutch my hair in both hands.

What about that promise! I never ever have to think in that way about my cousins... I tried to remember and sighed.

''Anzala You and Maizah are husband and wife."

"Take care of my daughter"

"You have to admit that Maizah is your wife, not now but after a few months we will announce this marriage in front of everyone''

Those were the dialogues of my family members which were roaming in my head.

But shrugging all the thoughts, I drew a long breath, and stepped out of shower.

"Ignore Maizah focuses on Muskan" I mumbled for myself and wiped my hair with a towel. After a very long shower I felt relaxed and moved towards the stairs after wearing my a pajama and T-shirt

"Mazi kuchh pakaya ya aaj kismat me bhukha sona likha hai?" I asked while stepping inside the kitchen but made sure that my gaze should be fixed on the floor to avoid eye contact with her.

(Mazi have you cooked something or today it's written to stay hungry in our books)

"Anz... Anzu" Her shivering voice rang in my ears.

"Maizah what happened, why are you crying?" saying that I scoot towards her. Only her tearfilled eyes and shivering voice were enough to make me restless. And I willingly or unwillingly took back steps from my decision which I made just a while ago to ignore Maizah.

"Maizah..." I almost yelled in a whisper when I witnessed that She was standing silently checking her hand.

"Anzala" she just pronounced my name meekly with tear filled eyes and lifted her hand to show me, that was showing the deep red color due to burn.

"What is this?? How... It..?" holding her hand in mine I was examining and she was shading tears. Before I could ask something she said in her slow voice "My hand burned with a hot Pan, I was lifting the lid and I held the handle of the pan without using any cloth." She narrated the whole story and I felt her pain, she was crying very much, but silently... Her full fingers were burned.

" Maizaaaaa...., stop crying yaar. Is anything burn other than hand?'' wiping her tears I asked, she just shook her head in reply.

"Let's go, I'll take you to the doctor. It's a small burn. soon it will be fine" I said and she shook her head while wiping her tears, but fresh tears again took their place.

"No doctor will be available at this time" I agreed with her, grabbing her wrist. I took her to the sink and let the cold water run on that.

"Anzala... Please its burning" She hissed in pain and I felt that I was feeling that pain but

"Maizaaaah... my brave chudail is crying like a little girl on such a small burn" Wiping her tears I said to make her off cry and divert her attention from her pain, but the pain was very sharp for her. I noticed her clothes which were wet maybe while washing her hands abruptly she drenched her clothes.

"Come with me" saying that I took her with me to her room, ordering her change her clothes I went to my room took painkiller.

"Maizah can I come in?" I asked as the door was shutted, and I didn't find it suitable to enter in without permission.

"Yeah! Come," She said and I entered in. She was sitting on the bed changed into her night suit

"Consume it" passing the tablet I said but suddenly stopped her.

"Wait.. You Haven't had your dinner. Right?" I asked because she had to take medicine, and she couldn't take the same on empty stomach

"No." She replied meekly.

"Wait for me I'm bringing food for you" saying that I went to the kitchen, carefully transfer the rice in a serving bowl and went to her bedroom.

"Eat properly then take medicine before sleeping" Placing the food in front of her I went to my room. But I was feeling restless thinking about her condition, I wanted to avoid her but her tearfilled eyes were roaming around my sight. I gave up to avoid her and made myself stand with a defeated feeling in myself. I stepped in her room without any knock as the door was already open and she was sitting in front of the door. That's been almost ten or maybe fifteen minutes but she was still struggling with the spoon. Then I realised her right hand was burned and she couldn't feed herself with her hand.

Oh no.. How can I do this? Why didn't I think about her hand? I really felt sorry for her and sat down in front of her on bed

"Very Painful?" I asked slowly and she nodded with teary eyes. I felt pang in my heart for her. I started feeding her and she accepted every bite silently but after some three or four bites she stopped.

"You are also hungry, you have this I'll eat by myself" I smiled on that and pinched her cheek lightly.

''I'll eat later"

"No... Eat now" She mumbled with tearfilled eyes and I nodded after sighting her stubbornness.

To be honest I was afraid to eat that but when I placed the first bite in my mouth I just listened to a single voice, which was coming from my inside.

'Thank god its just tolerable'

"Is it Masala rice? It's only boiled rice with a little salt and namesake pepper." I said to tease her so that she started feeling happy, but she didn't reply..

"I... I'm sorry if you don't like this.. But.." She was saying very seriously and I felt sad for her, she was saying with lower gaze and I slowly grabbed her left hand

"I'm just kidding Mazi... Rice are perfect, even they are tasty" I lied and she lifted her gaze

"Really?" she asked and I nodded with a smile and lifted a spoonful of rice for myself.

"See its really tasty" saying the same I consume that and fed her next bite with my hand, her gaze was fixed on my face. She was silently gazing at me and making me more confused about her reaction and facial expression.

"No more please, I'm full" she mumbled and I nodded while giving her last bite and finished the rice remaining on the plate. Then I gave her painkiller before again examining her hand which was looking brick red

"Do you have any ointment for burn?" I asked and she slowly shook her head and I think for a moment and bring toothpaste, she was silently looking at me

"Why didn't I think about this?" I mumbled while applying a layer of toothpaste on the burn, and I made her lay down on the bed but she was still looking at me without blinking which was giving me a different feeling in my heart. I turned off the night lamps and made myself stand from her bed.

"Good night, if you need anything then call me instead of anyone else" saying that I wanted to go back to my room because, Maizah was making all my sensed blocked, don't know How

"Anzala" She said in hushed tone and I looked at her innocent face, her eyes were wet and lashed were looking like they were took a shower with tears that's why so fresh and she didn't looking like crying but looking more cute in her puffy eyes and slightly red cheeks and lips.

"Thank you" She whispered and a smile made its way to my lips. I sat down on her bed and pinched her cheek slowly.

"Anything for you." Mumbling the same I adjusted the AC temperature and covered her properly with a blanket. I didn't know what was going on inside me but her eyes were stopping me from going back to my room because the hunger of my eyes to peep inside Maizah's eyes wasn't going to its end. We both were looking into each other's eyes. I don't know about Maizah but I was feeling a different warmth in my heart and frame.

"Take rest, it will only be healed if you sleep" I whispered and leaned to her forehead just to plant a small kiss, she looked at me in disbelieve but I closed my eyes tightly after removing my lips from her forehead.

"Anzala" A whisper left from her mouth with a dropped jaw.

'What is the hack I have done just now?' I questioned myself and without wasting a single second I went to my room.

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_Naaz Jamal

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