It has always been you!

Chapter 22

Lying on the sofa with my one leg over the other, I kept browsing through the channels.

"Ugh..."

Nothing was coming on the television also. Switching it off, I threw away the remote on the other sofa and again picked up my mobile opening my Instagram feed. These were the only things I was doing since my final exams ended-from the past week.

Scrolling through my Instagram, my phone vibrated as a message popped up on the bar. Keeping aside the bowl of chips that I had kept on my stomach, I straightened up and wiped away the masala on my hands to reply.

Zoha: Free ho?

Me: Yeh bhi koi puchney wali baat hai? Shadeed farigh hun :,)

Sending the message, I waited for her reply but instead of replying she called me. A huge smile took over my face if someone would have seen me now he or she might have thought that there was something fishy going on. Accepting the call immediately, I greeted her enthusiastically but did not get the same response.

"Kahan mari ho?" As soon as I heard her screech, moving the phone at an arm's length, my other hand involuntary went to my ear rubbing away the momentary numbness. My mother, who had been working in the kitchen all along, looked at me with a deep frown on her face.

"Zoha," I mouthed to her. Shaking her head, she continued with her cooking and I fled away from there.

"...And from whom are you hiding or avoiding? Yeh bhi bata do! I have been visiting dadu's home but not once did I found you there. Messaging you, calling you to be there and hearing the same excuse of your papers again and again. I swear, Al if it's because of all those reasons-qasmey- I will come to your house and beat the shit out of you! Wese tou dadu ke ghar pr pari rehti thien chahey papers hon ya tsunami ajaye aur ab-"

"Zoha! Stop it! It's not what you are thinking, okay?" I told her right away, knowing really well what she was talking about.

"Okay." She took a deep breath and continued "-I believe what you are telling me. You, not coming to dadu's house or any of the recent gatherings had nothing to do with bhai or nanna's decision, right?"

Now, it was my turn to take a deep breath.

"Yes."

"It was because your final semester was going on, so you were very busy."

"Yes."

"Fine then, now your exams are finished so is your semester and your university, of course, so we are meeting today. Promise?" Her voice was totally monotonous. I couldn't get what she was up to but I couldn't dare say no to her.

"Of course, we are!" I tried to sound as eager as I could, dreading that she'd call me at nanna's house.

"Yippee. So we are meeting in the evening. I am leaving a message on the group, we'll plan an outing for today." Her voice regained its exuberance, expressing her happiness.

"Zoha- I...I mean...can we..."

I had a sigh from the other side.

"Will you be like this for all your life now, Al?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean! For how long will you avoid him? He is your cousin, Al, and after the decision nanna, mamu jan and all our elders had made, you know he is not going anywhere now. He will be staying here now. He had to wind up all his work and settled here to look after the company, Al. Are you hearing me? He isn't going anywhere, Al, so will you isolate yourself from all of us now?" she asked, her voice filled with mellowness.