His lips were slowly moving in sync and his voice was like a whisper that nobody could hear, or understand anything. He was sitting in one of the elitist club surrounding with booze and lust. People rubbing their sweaty bodies on the beats of music, overcoming the shadows of their inner demon finding solace in temporary temptations. And in all of this picture, he was just sitting their, whispering Amir khusro's famous couplet.

"Azil Khan...... Ohhh my GOD......its really him."

Two teenage girls barely seventeen years old, were standing infront of him. They were looking at him like he was an animal of new breed, scientists have just discovered. Azil was getting irritated with their unwanted presence. He got up from his place when one of the girl asked for an autograph, he looked at her smilingly and after signing an autograph for her, he went away. The biggest con of being a known face, you'll never get relief in Public.

He went out of the club, his driver was waiting for him. As a dutiful helper he opened the door for Azil. Azil thanked him and sat in the car, taking deep breaths. He was looking at the city passing by, the city 9f dreams Mumbai. Beautiful and Exotic. Warm yet cold. But that all doesn't matter for him. All he wanted was to go back to that Small town, peaceful and calm, cold yet warm. The small town where he left her, the girl he loved. He won the world but at cost of losing her. The girl who still dances in his soul and bled through his heart.

A lonely tear fell down his eyes. Money and Fame really can't buy happiness.

...

"Dada Jaaaaan."

She entered the house with a bang. Thats the most suitable line for entry. She was loud and bold. Perfect combination of Red Chillies and Sour lemon.

"Izzat beta kya hua hai kyun itna shor kar rahi hai?"

Her Dada came out from the kitchen hearing her high pitched voice. Well he knows why she's shouting like that.

"Dada jaan maine iss Taufiq ke bacche ki gardan tod deni hai. Besharam fir se taar daal raha tha humare electricity line mai. Hadh hoti hai bhai Haram kaam ki bhi."

(Dada jaan I will break th neck of Taufiq, he was again taking electricity from our line illegally. Is there any limit for this heinous activities.)

Izzat sat down after complaining and shouting. She wanted to convey this message to Taufiq but as a good mohalledar she can't say this on his face that's why chose the most antique technique of complaining.

"Izzat when will you stop doing this childish act? You're a grown up girl not a kid. So stop behaving like one."

Rahim Sahab was scolding her like a mother after all he was her Mother, Father, brother, sister... her whole family. Her best friend. Her parents both didn't wanted her, born out of wedlock. Her mother was a famous bar dancer and her father is a drug addict. She was two months old when her mother gave her to Rahim Sahab who was looking for his missing son, at that Izzat's father was a culprit of an attempted murder and her father run away. Her parents didn't cared about her, that's why she doesn't waste her time thinking about them. After all she has her Dada jaan, who was the best Dada in the whole world according to her.

"Izzat now go back to your room and pray salah after that do the dishes."

"Dadu? Dishes? Me?"

She looked at him like he was speaking Chinese.

"Yes my dear friend. YOU." Rahim sahab patted her shoulder and she goes back in her room, for praying Zuhr salah.

Izzat was in the middle of her salah, when she heard music being played on high volume. She tried to concentrate but she couldn't. She was getting irritated with the continuous disturbance.

"Kaun badtameez hai yeh jou itni zor se gaane baja raha hai woh bhi Zuhr ke waqt. Koi sharam baki nahi aajkal ke baccho mai. Hmmm kuch tou khauf e khuda ho."

(Whose this moron playing Music on such high volume that too at the time of prayer. There's not a shame left in today's kids. Hmmm no fear of God.)

Izzat went towards the window, her blabbering is still on. She opened the window, looking around in the street, to look who is playing Music on such high volume.

...

Her face was getting redden due to the anger she was holding back, her eyes was blazing with fire, her nose was adorned with a beautiful nose pin that was shinning like a pearl and her button lips thinned in a straight line.

Angry bird. Thats the first that crossed his mind.

Izzat was looking around when she felt that someone was looking at her. She looked around more suspiciously and when her eyes unknowingly lifted up, she saw a man standing in the balcony of the house opposite to hers, he was continuously oggling her. When her burrows furrowed in question, he smiled widely. Showing his dimples. Izzat didn't liked this loafer. Although he was handsome.

Wheatish Tanned skin, hairs that were constantly falling over his forehead and his built was like a starboy magazine Model.

"Sharam tou bachi nahi hai aajkal ke ladko mai. Bas dusro ki maa behno ko tadna aata hai. Badbakht. Huh."

(There's no shame left in boys nowadays. They just know how to eve tease women. Huh.)

Izzat didn't control herself from making one of her remarks and with a thud she closed the window. The person in the balcony is still smiling.

...

Izzat woke up for fajr very late and missed the prayer. She knew now she has to listen a long lecture from her Dada jaan. After all he was An imam and being his only granddaughter she couldn't even pray continually.

She hurriedly got ready and walked downstairs to listen to his Qirat and for making tea. It was their daily routine. After fajr her Dada jaan recites Qur'an and she listens, that was the best time of the whole day for her. She was sitting in their veranda waiting for Dada jaan, when she heard his voice, she got up from her place to greet her Dada jaan. When her eyes fell back on the person standing behind him.

He was wearing a Pathani black colour kurta and black coloured trousers. He was looking like the person in the balcony, but she thought maybe he was someone else.

"Areey Izzat, meet Azil his our new neighbour."

Rahim sahab intervened when he saw Izzat's questioning gaze.

"Izzat make tea for us. Hurry go."

Izzat who was still in confusion why her Dada brought a man and that too in her presence. He never allows any man in Their house. He was very protective of her.

When she came back with tea and some other snacks, she saw her Dada laughing and chatting with that badbakht like he had met his long lost friend.

"Dada jaan Chai." She murmured.

Izzat goes back in her room and for the first time in eighteen years. She didn't listen her Dada jaan's Qirat. And that too because of that badbakht Azil Khan.

...

"Dadu why did you let that Azil shazil kazil come in our home?" Izzat was eating chat and in between talking with Dada jaan.

"Beta he was grandson of my very old friend Muhtesim Khan."

Izzat stopped eating, and her eyes went wide.

"You mean Muhtesim Khan, that veteran film actor. Whose films you watch and make me watch them too."

Rahim Sahab nodded his head and Izzat looked at him like he was an alien.

She didn't knew that badbakht is grandson of a famous bollywood veteran actor.

...

She was standing in her window, holding the bowl of burning coals, loban, in her hand and eyes closed. Her lips were murmuring something in Arabic.

Azil was looking at her amusingly, he has seen many girls but none of them like her. He has more beautiful girls but thats the case he wasn't attracted him, her personality and nature, attaracted him. Her bold and confident self. Her spirituality. Her love for her Dada jaan.

She was a very patakha kind of a girl.

Izzat opened her eyes and her eyes looked up, he was staring at her with the same smile and she closed the window again with a thud.

This routine of theirs went on for days, he would oggle her and she closed the window on his face. He would come in her home, meet his Dada jaan and drank the tea made by her hands.

Until one day.

"Dada jaan Van nai aayi. Ab mai Exam centre kaise jaungi."

(Dada jaan my van didn't come. How can i reach the exam centre now?)

Izzat was crying. Today is her last paper and that manhoos Van hasn't come. Both Dada and Izzat were walking here and there in tension, when they heard a knock on the door.

Dada jaan opened the door and their Azil was standing. He said his greetings and asked his wjy he was looking tense. He told him everything and after that he said, "if you allow Rahim sahab, i will drop Izzat to her exam centre."

Izzat was looking at him like he was angel, sent down for her help. She took her bag and with one hand dropping her veil, she walked out of the house. Azil started his Royal Enfield bullet with a kick. And izzat who sitting on his bike placing her bag between them as Barrier, with suddenness, her hand went on his shoulder and long gone her tension. She was fuming in anger.

Seeing Azil smiling from the side mirror she murmured, "Loafer. Badbakht."

Azil was continuously smiling, even after listening a long lecture from her. When they reached her examination centre, she went in their without even thanking him.

Izzat went out from the examination centre after a long battle of three hours, she was happy that her Paper went well. She was walking down the pathway, when she saw Azil's bike standing in her way.

"Kya problem hai?"

(What's your problem)

She asked him like she was doing him a favor.

"You."

Azil looked at her with deep eyes, she can feel them staring at her and seeing her soul. She was now used to with his unwanted stares but for the first time, she saw something different in his eyes. And she was very well aware of it, possessiveness.

She didn't wanted to create any scene on the road, henceforth she sat on the bike, maintaining the distance. This time both of them were silent. Even in silence, their raging heartbeat is talking.

To be continued. |

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