THIRD PERSON'S POV:

"Bilal..."

"Bilal" someone call him when he was going towards the bus after getting over the school.

"Yeah"

"How are you buddy? You forgot that we are friends" Rohail and sameer said one by one and Bilal smiled

"No I don't forget. I'm fine and how are you?" Bilal asked and while getting steps towards the school bus and his seniors boys followed him

"How is your brother? I mean Hamdan bhai? How his studies are going?" Sameer asked and Bilal smacked his forehead

"Bhai always keep studying, he don't even turn off the light of room at night" Bilal complaint and both nodded after sharing looks

"And how is Shifa?" Rohail asked and Bilal turned to look at him. He was just ten but he had enough scenes that he shouldn't talk to boys about his sister.

"Why are you asking about her?" He asked

"Just because she is not coming school with you since few days" Rohail replied and Bilal nodded.

"She is ill, actually she is suffering from chikungunya fever" Bilal replied and both the seniors nodded.

"Say her to take care, and you too take care of your sister" Rohail said and Bilal's small brows shrinked

"Rohail bhai you don't have to tell me that I have to take her care, she is my sister and I don't need anyone's advice to take her care" Bilal replied in his childish tone but annoyed way. Sameer raised her eyebrows.

"Abey, Rohail Saala bohot teez ja raha hai bey" Sameer said in whispered after placing his hand on Rohail's shoulder.

(Dude.. This brother-in-law is behaving like elders)

"Abbey Ohh.. Tera nahi, mera saala hai yeh" Rohail replied in whispered while jerking Sameer's hand Which was on his shoulder

(Ohh hello, he is not your Brother-in-law but mine)

"Chal gayab ho ja yaha se!!" Rohail said to Sameer after snapping his fingers in front of his eyes and Bilal preferred to went inside his bus, Sameer started his bike after mounted on that and Rohail stepped in the school bus.

(Disappeared from here)

=============

"Lala.. Razi Mama, mami" Bilal jumped with joy when he saw them in home. They all were there to meet Shifa

{Mama: maternal uncle

And mami is his wife}

"Bilaluu" Maham opened her arms and Bilal hugged her.

"Bilal go and change your clothes after shower, then sit with Lala and mama and mami" Maryam commanded and Bilal followed hers order.

"Aapi should we take Shifa with us?" Maham asked Maryam and she took seat beside Shifa who was sleeping still burning in fever. Maryam shook her head in reply and kissed Shifa's forehead and a lone tear appeared in her eye

"Aapi don't cry. I'll take care of my lalu, you pack her clothes we are taking her with us" Maham said and Maryam cried out then nodded

"I'm sorry" hugging her brother Maryam said but he turned his face to other side.

"Don't talk to me" Razi (Maryam's brother) said and moved back

"Razi please" Maryan said while holding her brother's hand.

"Aapi I come here just to saw Shifa, don't talk to me" Saying that Razi made his way towards the exit.

"Pack her clothes, we are taking her with us" Razi said and Maryam nodded while wiping her tears

"Shifa beta wake up, you are going to Nani Ammi's home" Maryam said and Shifa opened her eyes with great difficulty

"Mummy I don't want to go, I want to be with you" Shifa said Maryam gulp the tears.

"Beta there are many people in nani's home, they all will take your care. Here I'm alone to do all the work. It's difficult for me to take your care and manage with domestic chores" Maryam said after sitting beside shifa and caressed her head and she nodded.

============

"Come babu" Razi was going to step out from the home holding Shifa's hand when her father entered the home

"Where are you taking her?" He asked to Razi.

"I'm sending her with them, everyone will take her care in Ammi's home" Maryam said and got a sharp gaze from her husband.

"Shifa go to your room, she is not going anywhere" He ordered Shifa and she nodded weakly

''Bhai Sahab, Hum Shifa ka dhyaan rakhenge" Maham said meekly to Her brother-in-laws and Razi nodded in agreement

(we'll cake tare of Shifa)

"Wo toh mujhe pta hai tum log kitni achchi tarah dhyaan rakhte ho"  Maryam got tears in her eyes after listening that and Maham and Razi was shocked on his reply.

(I know very well how you people know to take care)

Sometimes indirect words narrates the whole story

"Shifa go to your room, Maryam she is not going anywhere" Maryam nodded on her husband's order and give support to Shifa to took her in room

=============

After two days:

"Mummy I'm fine now. Please I can't take this soup and Juice anymore" Shifa said after pushing the bowl of tomato soup

"Shifaaa... You are not that much well that you can have spicy food" Lifting the spoon ful of soul Maryan said and travelled the spoon to her mouth.

"Shifa see we are also having soup, just like you" Hamdan said while adding salt and Pepper in his bowl.

"Bhai have this soup, and give me yours. Its without any pepper and almost no salt" Shifa clenched her nose after saying but had the soup from her mother's hand.

Meanwhile doorball rang.

"Handam, beta open the door, it must me your papa" Maryam said and Hamdan nodded before putting the bowl on table.

"Bhai I'm going... My papa is home" Bilal quickly ran towards the door to open that.

"Hamdan bhaiiiii.... See who has come to meet you" Bilal said while entering the room again but this time there were another boy with him.

SHIFA'S POV :

"Shifaa, for few more days beta" Mummy said after lifting the spoon full of soup and I unwillingly open my mouth. I was tired of sleeping whole day, that too in mummy's bedroom.

That was almost a weak and I was not going to my room.

"Hamdan bhaiiiii.... See who has come to meet you" Mumma, I and Hamdan bhai; three of us were surprised to saw the boy.

He was the same boy who was talking to Bilal other day in school.

"You here" Placing the soup bowl on table Hamdan bhai said and that boy..

I don't remember what was his name

That boy stepped in the room.

"Assalamualaikum" He said looking towards mummy and she just nodded with a small and fake smile in reply.

"Hamdan who is he?" Mummy asked and made me sat with resting back with headboard.

"Mummy she he is Sameer, he is my junior" Mummy nodded on reply

"Mummyyy..!!! Is She aunty?? I mean you aren't looking like Hamdan bhai's mother." That sameer said to mummy and Hamdan bhai glared him.

"What are you doing here Sameer? That too at this time?" Hamdan bhai asked him and I was sitting silently having my tasteless soup.

"Umm.. Actually I need some help so I thought to come and ask you for help"

"Fine! come to my room" Hamdan bhai said and took steps towards the door

"No its alright, I'll not take much time, just few minutes. Can we sit here with Aunty?" Sameer asked and Hamdan bhai looked at mummy and she nodded.

"You take this beta, I am going to bring something for him" Mummy said to me in hushed tone after giving me the bowl of soup and left the room. Hamdan bhai was explaining some topics To sameer but he was not listening carefully, that was clear from his eyes which wasn't on books but everywhere. I started drinking soup silently and I felt Sameer was gazing me I lifted my head and he was really gazing me, Hamdan bhai was that much busy in explaining the topic that he didn't know that his student was not listening to him.

I suddenly averted my eyes and continued my soup. Then I again lifted my head and again his eyes were watching me.

"What's wrong with him?" I mumbled and glared him, but he smiled and bowed his head towards the book..

No need to be happy...

He lowered his gaze only for a few moments then..

"Now How is Shifa?" sameer asked and I looked at him suddenly.

"Sameer focus on this" Hamdan bhai scolded him.

"Come on bro Shifa is sick at least turn on TV for her, she must be bored" Sameer said to bhai and I really felt the same.

"Sameer if you have extra time to waste then fine but we don't have." Bhai again scolded him but that impertinent boy....

"Bilal let me tell you a joke" Sameer said and Bilal nodded excitedly

"Doctor to a rich man: Do you prefer a

local anesthesia?

Rich man: I would rather prefer an

imported one."

Sameer cracked a joke which wasn't a joke at all, three of us didn't even smile.

"Don't like it?? Okayy... Then other one" He said and

"Mother: Did you enjoy your first day at school?

Girl: First day? Do you mean I have to go back tomorrow?"

"Not funny?" Sameer asked and I shook my head in reply as so Bilal did

"Were we supposed to laugh on this type of words?" Bilal asked with expressionless face and I couldn't control my giggle.

"See Shifa like this one" Sameer said pointing out towards me and I shook my head

"I'm not laughing on joke but on what Bilal said." I said and he smiled sheepishly

"Okay... Another one" He said and I bowed my head down to have my soup.

"Shifa are you listing?" He asked but I didn't like the way of his question.

"No I'm not" I said politely and continued having my soup.

"Sameer, you want to study. Right?" I listened Hamdan bhai's voice

"Bro just one more." Sameer replied stubbornly

“Patient: What is the cost of plastic

surgery?

Doctor: It is near about 10,000$.

Patient: Well, what if we arrange the

plastic?" This time we smiled on the joke not Only smiled but laughed and I chocked on my soup

"Shiffaaa" Hamdan bhai came to me and took the bowl from hand.

"Shifa Aapi" Bilal yelled and mummy entered in the room.

"Shifa are you alright. I'm really sorry, I.. I.. Really sorry.. I.." Sameer said in a single breath and I was fine by then

"I'm fine.. Its alright.. I'm fine" I said to sameer and Hamdan bhai and they both nodded.

"Beta, carefully" Mummy caressed my head and I nodded with a smile.

"Now Shifa is fine so one more joke as my apology" Sameer said and I looked at Hamdan bhai.

"No need Sameer"

"Fine I'm going to crack any joke but Shifa learn Two Best Advices For Safe Life" Sameer said and I looked at mumma, I never liked that boy  cheapster

"What advice?" Mummy asked and Sameer looked at me then smiled.

"Otherwise this joke was dedicated to Shiaf but if you are asking thennn... the advices are" sameer said and took a dramatic pause.

"First Always Speak The Truth, No Matter How Bitter Harsh It Is." He said and I was amazed to listening a sincere thing from him, but mummy smiled and nodded

"And second Run Immediately After Saying It." He said and we all bust in guffaw.

Everyone was busy in guffaws and my gaze went to Sameer and he winked at me, my smile immediately went to its end and I was numb. I Was confused that if he really did that or that was just my imagination. I looked here there but everyone were holding a smile on their faces except me.

"Why are you laughing?" we listened a voice and suddenly I looked at the door, and papa entered the room.

"Papaaaa" Bilal ran and hugged him, I was again hoping that he might asked about my health but....

Some wishes are ment to be Bury inside the dead soil of heart...

"What happened? Why everyone is laughing?" Papa asked happily while pulling Bilal's cheeks

"Papa He is Sameer bhai, he is telling a joke, and Shifa aapi chocked on soup, then he again tell a joke as an apology" Bilal informed Papa and he examined Sameer from head to toe.

"Who are you?" Papa asked and Sameer introduced himself as well as he told that he was there to learn something from Hamdan bhai and Papa looked at me suddenly.

"It's getting late you go to your home" Papa instructed Sameer and he left after a few minutes.

We took our dinner in mummy, papa's room and After dinner we were sitting together, papa was talking to Bilal and Hamdan bhai and mumma was caressing my head, I was laying placing my head in her lap.

"Shifa" Papa utter my name and I looked at him.

"Ji (yeah) papa" I asked happily

"Are you fine now?" He asked and I nodded happily, because he was asking about my health

"Then sleep in your room from today" He said and again turned his face to Hamdan bhai. He asked about my health just because he wanted to throw out me from his bedroom

===========

I was trying to sleep but not possible to sleep.

"kesi baat kar kahe hain aap, kam se kam bolne se pehle ek baar to sochiye" I listened mummy's voice and made my way to the door of her bedroom where Bilal and Hamdan bhai was also standing outside the bedroom of mummy. The door was locked from inside but their voices were coming outside.

(what are you saying? At least think once before saying something like this)

"Maryam kaan khol kar sun lo, tumhe aur tumhari ladli ko zinda zameen me dafna dunga agar mujhe kuch pta chala to" papa yelled angrily, I was surprised to listen my name. Papa never yelled on mummy but that day he was very angry

(Maryam I'm telling you I'll kill you and your dear daughter too if I got to know anything fishy)

"Aap esa soch bhi kese sakte hain? Bachchi hai woh, bohot choti hai woh abhi" Mummy was talking loudly and we three siblings were standing outside the room silently, but that was Clear that they were talking about me.

(How can you even think like this? She is very young)

"Uski maa bhi to bachchi hi thi" papa shouted and I was confused about the meaning

(her mother was also young)

"Maa ki saza beti ko kyu de rahe hain? Kya galti hai us bachchi ki?" Mummy shouted

(why are you punishing this child instead of her mother?)

Three of us were standing silently listening the argument of our parents when the door of room snap open and mummy took step out front the room

"Mummy.. What I have done?" I asked in whispered and mummy embraced me then cried loudly.

As loudly as one could.

"Mummy" I just whispered and hugged her back.

"I'm sorry babu... I'm very sorry." Mummy was crying loudly and saying that continously

"Mummy.. Mummaaa.." Hamdan bhai pulled us to separate both of us.

"Shifa I.. I'm sorry..."

"Forgive me.. Please forgive me" Mummy was saying while joining her hands in front of me and I was confused

"Billu go to room" Hamdan bhai said and he did so

"Shifa go to your room and sleep. Go Shifa" Hamdan bhai ordered me after making my hand free which mummy was holding. I ran to my room locked the door

"Why papa said that my mother was also a child?" I mumbled and open the cupboard to search my mom's diary. I decided to not to read someone's personal diary but now I had to know each and everything.

I took our both diaries and open that and placed on the bed

" It's the time to know everything"

============

So..

How is this?

What do you think about the secrets?

_Naaz Jamal