Author pov
A man stands in front of a big potrait. It's khalind shahnawaz looking at his late wife's potrait. He nurses his whiskey lost in his wife's memories.
Footsteps echoes from distance. The door creek opens. Khalind doesn't turn back as he already knows who it is.
Ayaana looks at her father and speaks. "Dad, please listen to me, once. I promise I will return soon as soon as possible". Khalind exhales tiredly rubbing his forehead and speaks, "Ayaana, we had already discussed about it. How many times should I say this you are not going to India".
Ayaana looks at her dad pleading "dad, please. I will return after I mix mother ashes in Ganga Ghat". Khalind looks at his daughter sternly and speaks, "I said no, Ayaana". Ayaana tries to speak but dad I -
Khalind cuts her off immediately with a sharp raise of his hand, silencing her mid-sentence. " No more discussion on this Ayaana, go back to your room, now". His voice is like a final nail to the coffin leaving now room for further arguments.
Ayaana huffs and stroms out. He turns back his attention shifts to the potrait. He inhales a deep breath. The words leave his mouth before he can register, " I can't let her leave to India, the Pratap's are hunting like wolves". " I won't let her leave kashi" he murmurs lost in thoughts.
Ayaana pov
I strom out of my father's study. I don't understand what's the problem with India. I had travelled most of the countries. Dad never stopped me. But if I open my mouth about travelling to India, he gets angry and tensed.
I tried many times but he refused. I walk inside my room and slam the door shut. Seriously, how can dad refuse me after all the puppy eyes I gave him. My phone pings with a notification. I open my Instagram to check it. It's my friend Avni Tripati from India.
Yes, I met her in Instagram. She is my best friend now. First it started with following each other. We started to chart formally sharing about each other's day, now it ended with being soul sisters.
Avni- Hey, what are you doing .
Me - Nothing special, a bit mood off.
Avni - what happened
Me - same like always my dad refused me to travel India
Avni - ok, don't worry everything will be fine.
Me - yup, ok.
I chat with her about random things and bid her bye. I walk out of my room towards kitchen to fetch some water as I am feeling thirsty. I walk engrossed in my mobile and collides with a wall.
" Who the hell builds a wall in between". I look up and see my brother Zayan. "Can't you see and walk properly". I snap at him frustrated. Zayan looks at me and mutters a sorry. Wait, did he just apologise to me. No, I must be dreaming. I look at him shocked. I and Zayan are tom and jerry type we always fight to the extent we end up pulling each other's hair.
I look at him. Wait, something is wrong. He looks sad, I walk towards the kitchen fetch some water and drinks it. I return back to the hall where Zayan is sitting. "Is everything alright , what happened", I ask him.
"Not your concern" he replies back looking pissed. Seriously, here I am being polite to him and asking nicely. He is showing me attitude.
I exhale frustrated, and speak "fine, I thought I could help you". I walk towards my room. "Will you really help". I stop in my track as soon as I heard Zayan, turns towards him and says, " It depends ". He walks near me. Not here let's go to my room and talk. I nods at him and walks towards his room. I must say his room is really clean unlike my room which had things scattered everywhere. I turns towards him. Now speak I tell him.
" I hacked my college security system", he speaks. Oh, you hacked- you did what I ask him shocked. "Did anyone found out", I ask him. No one has found out he replies.
Then why are you sad, I ask him. "My bank cards are freezed by dad" he replies. What! Why did dad do that, I asked him. "Cause, I hacked the college security system using dad's laptop and forgot to delete the history" he replies.
I look at him. My brain starts thinking. "I will give you my credit card," I speak. He looks at me shocked and suspicious. "You won't even give me a chip from your chips packet and you are speaking about giving your card". I give him a sweet smile.
"Didi, please dar lag raha hai, chudail jaise has kyu rahi ho", Zayan says looking afraid.
( Sister, please you are smiling like a witch it's scary)
My sweet brother, you are so good, I speak. Zayan looks at me suspicious. I give him a smile and speaks, "you are helping me travel to India".
Zayan face turns pale. " No, no I can't help you with this, if dad finds out, he will bury me alive " Zayan says dramatically.
I scoff at him , " do you think I am fool, I know well about you. You travelled to India four times", I speak looking at his face. Zayan face pales as the words leaves my mouth. I smirk enjoying at his reaction. He gulps nervously and speaks, " what, I didn't. What are you talking about. You are crazy, you know well dad restricted us from travelling to India". I look at him and speaks, " seriously, what if dad finds out about it". " You wouldn't " zayan says. " Try me", I reply him back.
Zayan falls quite for sometime." I can't help you, why are you so stubborn to travel to India ", he asks. I sigh frustrated and replies him, " I want to travel there for our mother". Zayan eyes soften. " You know well, our mom loves her motherland a lot. Her wish to visit varnasi was not completed, we lost her in the accident. After that our dad bought us to France. He never allowed us to travel to India. I just want to mix our mother ashes in Ganga Ghat. I want to travel to Varanasi, understand it. I believe it brings peace to her soul",I replied to him.
Zayan thinks for a second. I look at him pleading, " I will return as soon as the work completes", I assure him. Zayan looks at me and speaks," what about Asan bhai, you know well. He is like dad's shadow, always watching everything. "Don't worry, Asan bhai and Dad will be leaving to Italy next week on a business deal", I assure him.
Zayan nods and speaks, " then it's fine". " I will talk to dad, I will tell him I want to travel to Paris", I say. "Wait, then how will you go to India", zayan questions me. " I will travel to India from Paris, all I need from you is to arrange a fake passport for me and necessary documents", I reply to him.
Zayan nods at me. "What if dad doubts", zayan question. " I will return by that time to France, I will be in touch with you", I assure him.
" I will arrange the documents and passport ", he says to me. I smile at him, I sigh in relief. I walk outside of the room and walks towards my room.
I enter into my room and locks it. I walk towards my bed and lays down on it. I am so happy. I turn and look at my side table which had the photo frame. I take the frame in my hands, it's me and my mom smiling in it. This frame is my favourite, I always carry this with me. " I am coming mom", I speak looking at the frame. My eyes drop with exhaustion as I feel sleepy. I put the frame on the table and drift to my dreamland.
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