Khizaan

Chapter 23

"Uswa sahi kehti hai, doodh ka jala burnol bhi phoonk phoonk ke lagata hai." Hyra said to herself, but then smacked her head in frustration as she realized that Uswa's words are inaccurate but helpful in her current situation.

(Uswa is right, once burned, applies the ointment with a blowtorch.)

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Hyra corrected Uswa's misquote and whispered the correct idiom to herself, "Doodh ka jala, chhaas bhi phoonk phoonk ke peeta hai."

(Once bitten, shy twice.)

Determined to avoid Hayder's wrath, Hyra decided to spend the rest of the day with Hanif Mirza. She knew that Hayder wouldn't be able to scold her in front of his grandfather. It was a small act of defiance, a fragile shield against the storm she feared would come when he will return home.

•••

"Assalam-Alaikum, baba." On Hayder's voice, Hyra's heartbeat quickened, but she did not dare to raise her head from the tablet.

"Haan, Walekum-Assalam," Hanif Mirza didn't pay any attention to Hayder either, he was playing ludo with Hyra, and was invested in it more than his grandson.

Hayder sat on the chair. Hanif Mirza and Hyra were sitting on the bed. Crossing his arms over his chest, he looked at Hyra, who was feeling fidgety feeling his gaze on her.

"Uh... Assalam-Alaikum," She finally muster some courage and greeted him, though she has moved her head toward his direction, but still her eyes were down.

"Hyra, tumse baat karni hai." Hyra was wrong, Hayder didn't care it Hanif Mirza is present in the room.

(Hyra, I want to talk to you.)

"Shhh, chup raho." But Hanif Mirza proved to be her shield, as he hushed Hayder. He doesn't like any disturbance while he is playing.

(Be quiet.)

Hayder was startled by Hanif Mirza's act, but then did what Hanif Mirza told him to do. Sitting quietly, he waited for the match to be finished.

After a few minutes, the match was finished, Hyra won. And Hanif Mirza couldn't handle that, as he challenged her for a rematch, which she happily accepted.

"Baba," before they could restart the match, Hayder called him.

"Kya hai?" Hanif Mirza looked at his grandson.

(What?)

"Mera zaroori saman nahi mil raha hai, issey kahe jake dhoond de."

(I can not find my my important thing, tell her to find it for me.)

Hyra's eyes shot up from her phone, wide with surprise. She looked at Hanif Mirza, pleading through her eyes for him not to send her with Hayder.

"Pehle yeh match ho jaye, fir dhoond degi, aisa kya zaroori saman hai." Hanif Mirza's face was stern.

(First let us play, then she will find it.)

"Tum mujhse 2 baar jeeti ho, iss baar toh main hi jeetunga." Hanif Mirza looked at Hyra and told her, lovingly. Which made her smile greatly. Now she wants to win this match so badly, so Hanif Mirza could keep challenging her for another round.

(You've defeated me twice, now I am gonna win.)

"Baba, Hyra..." Hayder looked between them, and was about to say something, but his sentence was interrupted in between by Hanif Mirza.

"Kya Hyra Hyra... ruk jao," Hanif Mirza scolded him, as he restarted the match.

(What Hyra Hyra... be patient.)