“No Nadira appa I can’t do this” Sahana said.
“You can’t do what?” Ammi who just came in my room suddenly asked.
“Exams ammi, Sahana can’t learn properly for her exams” I said.
“No Shana we will find a way to study, don’t get nervous” Ammi said.
“Actually there is way” I said.
“What?” Ammi asked.
“Combine study” I said.
“With whom will she study?” Ammi asked.
“With Siya, her classmate, actually ammi can I take Sahana to her place tonight?” I asked.
“Tonight, but it’s not safe” Ammi said.
“But ammi I will be with her no, so no problem” I said.“Ammi let her go no, we don’t want out Sahana to fail no” Zoya who just entered the room hearing our conversation sa“OK but today Aisha is also going for the party” Ammi said.
“Yes ammi” Zoya said.
“So who will go to drop her?” Ammi asked.
“I will” Zoya said.
“OK done” Ammi said.
*
“Nadira appa this dress is too tight” Sahana complained.
“What’s wrong with this dress it is supposed to be tight” Siya said. We were at Siya’s home we went there to dress up Sahana properly for the date. She was wearing a pink short dress.
“This dress is too short yar” I said.
“Exactly” Sahana said.
“But it’s a date no?” Siya asked.
“I will just wear this jeans and black top” Sahana said.
“I think we should just let her wear what she likes to wear” I said.
“OK whatever” Siya said.

Sahana wore the top and jeanse.
“Nadira appa are you sure we should go for the date?” Sahana asked.
“Of course Sahana Mirza really loves you I think we should give him a chance” I said.
“She is right yar” Siya said.
“OK if you say so” Sahana said.
That’s when my phone rang. I picked it up instantly.
“Hello” I said.
“Hello Nadira Kabir this side” Mr. Khan said.“Oh! Hi” I said.
“So when will you reach?” Mr. Khan asked.
“8:00 Pm” I said.
“OK, but don’t wear your salwar with your scarf and come” Mr. Khan said and laughed slightly through the phone.
“Excuse me Sahana is going for a date not me” I said.
“OK, if you wanna look like a total bore then wear whatever you like” Mr. Khan said.
“Why are you always like this?” I asked.
“Hey, actually I thought you will look really nice in modern dress that’s why I was just trying my luck” Mr. Khan said.
“Really!?” I asked.
“See you at 8” he said and hung up leaving behind a super confused me.
“Siya do you have any jeans and top by any chance?” I asked.
*
I watched Sahana and Mirza talking non-stop with each other. They were sitting a little far away from me. I was wearing Siyas jeanse and top.

“I was right you look really nice without a scarf covering your head” Mr. Khan who was sitting opposite to me said.
“Oh! Don’t get any ideas OK, I didn’t wear scarf because it was night and not because you told me to” I said even though I wore it only because Mr. Khan told me to.
“Oh! Really” Mr. Khan said with a smile.
“Why are you smiling?” I asked.
“Nothing” He said and smiled even more.
“Stop smiling” I said.
“OK” he said and smiled even more.
“I said stop smiling” I said.
“OK” He said and smiled to his maximum.
“You are so...........forget it” I said.
*
“So do you have a boyfriend?” Mr. Khan asked we were walking home post dinner. Sahana and Mirza was walking a little far behind us.
“What! Do I look like ‘a girl who has a boyfriend?” I asked.
“No but taking into consideration the fact that you look so cute, I think you have a boyfriend” Mr. Khan said.
“It’s not necessary that every cute girl have a boyfriend” I said.
“I think you should have a boyfriend” Mr. Khan said.
“Why?” I asked.
“See now Sahana has a boyfriend and she is younger than you so first your Ammi will have to get you married so that Shana can get married” Mr. Khan said.
“No, ammi will never force me for an arrange marriage so as soon as Zoya appa and Aisha get married ammi will start thinking about Sahana’s marriage” I said.
“Why won’t she force you?” Mr. Khan asked.
“Because she thinks I am Anarkali” I said.
“Anarkali, that’s a type of dress right?” Mr. Khan asked.
I laughed out loud.
“I am not talking about the dress OK, have you heard about the Salem and Anarkali story?” I asked.
“No, I haven’t” Mr. Khan said.
“Anarkali was a dancer in Akbar’s court in Agra her actual name was Nadira” I said.
“Nadira? that’s your name” Mr. Khan said.
“Yes, but due to her pink coloured completion everyone called Nadira Anarkali. She was an excellent dancer but she did a mistake. She fell in love with the prince the first son of Akbar..............Salim when Akbar got to know about their relation he said a court dancer cannot become the queen of Hindustan because dancers are considered of low birth” I said.
“Then what happened?” Mr. Khan asked.
“Nobody knows, most of the people say he killed her enwalled her alive, some say she escaped to Lahore and lived there till death, some people also say that she returned after Akbar’s death to complete her incomplete love story, there are also people who believe that Anarkali don’t exist” I said.
“Wow! That’s amazing now tell me what’s your connection with this Anarkali” Mr. Khan asked.
“When I was born a maulvi sahib came home and he said I am the incarnation of Anarkali and I am here to complete my incomplete love story” I said.
“Wow! So you believe in all that?” Mr. Khan asked.
“No, I don’t” I said.
“Then why don’t you want to get married?” Mr. Khan asked.
“Because I wanna support my mother and only I can take care of my mother because of this Anarkali drama she will never ask me to get married” I said.
Mr. Khan smiled.
I was looking here and there because I couldn’t face him anymore I don’t know why. That was when I saw Aisha she was with one guy.

I was shocked I thought she was going to the birthday party. So she made me lie to ammi. I was angry.
“Aisha?” I blurred out.
“Where?” Mr. Khan asked as he looked around and found Aisha with a guy.
“Ayan?” Mr. Khan said.
“Do you know him?” I asked.
“Even you know him” Mr. Khan said.
I looked at him more closely and identified that it was the same guy who was staring at Aisha at the bar the other day. I decided to listen to their conversation silently. I went and hid behind a wall and listened to their conversations.
“Ayan you are absolutely mad” Aisha said.
“Why?” Ayan asked.
“If I would not have come on time then Nadira appa would have beaten you up” Aisha said and laughed.
“Yes yar thanks” Ayan said.
“You are mad Ayan why were you staring at me at the bar when you can actually do anything you want with me when we are alone” Aisha said.
“Anything?” Ayan asked as he came close to Aisha.
“Ayan, what are you doing?” Aisha asked.
“Oh.....you know what I am doing” Ayan said with a smile.
“Shut up Ayan, jokes apart, tell me- when will you will marry me?” Aisha asked and kept her hand on Ayan’s face.
“I will I am just waiting for your sister Zoya to get married” Ayan said.
“Oh! that will happen real soon” Aisha said.
“Aisha, when will you go back home?” Ayan asked.
“I told mom I am going for a sleepover at my friends place so after our date I cannot go back home so I will go to my friends place she is not there and I have the key to her home” Aisha said.
“Can I come with you” Ayan said.
“Why?” Aisha asked.
“Oh! You know why” Ayan said as he pulled Aisha close to him.
I couldn’t handle all this I came out of my hiding place.
“Nadira appa” Aisha said as she slightly pushed Ayan away from her.
“You stupid idiot duffer donkey” I screamed.
“’Donkey’ seriously, Naira appa you sound like a school kid scolding a Tiffin thief” Aisha said and laughed slightly. Mr. Khan also laughed. I gave him an angry look which made him laugh even more.
“You made me lie to ammi” I said.
“Like you never lied to ammi” Aisha said and looked at Mr. Khan.
“That’s not the point the point is that you made me lie to ammi” I said.
“Stop over reacting Nadira appa” Aisha said.
“Why didn’t you tell me the truth? Why didn’t you tell me about your boyfriend or whoever he is? Why didn’t you tell me about the date? Why did you lie to me?”
“Nadira appa what is actually your problem me lying to you, not telling about my boyfriend, not telling you about the date or not telling you the truth?” Aisha asked.
Mr. Khan laughed again.
“Why the f**k-are you laughing?” I shouted at him this made him shocked and shut his mouth.
“Now that is better than the donkey monkey thing” Ayan said.
“Thank you, but why did you made me a liar Aisha?” I asked.
“Appa you are already a liar, with or without my help, now don’t tell me you told ammi that you are going on a date with Mr. Khan before you left home today” Aisha said. She was right I had lied to ammi but that was only to help Sahana. But wait did she say date?
“I.....I.....I am not.......I am not dating” I said.
“That’s not the point the point is that- did you or did you not told ammi that you are going out with this guy tonight” Aisha said.
“OK I didn’t tell ammi, but I am not dating him but you are dating him and god knows what other plans you guys had” I said.
“Oh appa! I am sure you don’t need god’s help to know our other plans” Aisha said and laughed Ayan joined. While I was shocked.
“Ayan” Mr. Khan called.
“Yes, baijaan (brother)” Ayan said.
“Should I tell your baijaan about your other plans?” Mr. Khan asked.
“You have a gun?” Ayan asked.
“Yes why?” Mr. Khan asked.
“Ha! What the.....you have a gun?” I asked but he avoided my question.
“Then shoot me that’s better than telling my baijaan” Ayan said.
“OK” Mr. Khan said.
“HA! WHAT ARE YOU NUTS ARE YOU REALLY GONNA KILL HIM?” I asked.
“Of course” Mr. Khan said.
“Are you nuts if you kill him you will get arrested and I will go to jail because I was with you I will be the witness and if I go to jail ammi will get to know about the date and if she gets to know Sahana will cry love story will break Aisha will kill me when I get out of jail and I will die and meet the real Anarkali and that would be horrible I wanna become a great dancer and have 4-5 kids minimum before I die and find out the real story of Anarkali see Anarkali’s tomb before I die I don’t wanna die I don’t...........” I blurred out all this in one breath and stopped talking when Mr. Khan shook me by the shoulder.
“OF COURSE NOT I was gonna say OF COURSE NOT stop freaking out Nadira” Mr. Khan said.
“Oh! Thank god” I said.
Everyone laughed.
“Aisha, are you sure this donkey is your sister?” Mr. Khan asked.
“No” Aisha said.
“Don’t call me a donkey” I said.
“So stop acting like a donkey” Mr. Khan said.
“I am not acting”
Everyone laughed again.
But suddenly Aisha screamed.
“Ah......Sahana” Aisha said.
I saw Sahana and Mirza standing there laughing.
“When did you come?” I asked.
“When you were calling Aisha appa a donkey” Sahana said.
“Et-tu Sahana” Aisha said.
“What the hell was that?” I asked.
“Haven’t you heard the famous dialog et-tu brut is means you too Brutus so like that you too Sahana......that’s what I meant to say” Aisha said.
“That’s the lamest thing I have ever heard” I said.
“Hmmm so Shana even you are on a date” Aisha said.
“What do you mean by even you? Who else is on a date except you Aisha appa?” Sahana asked.
“Nadira appa” Aisha said.
“I am not on a date” I said.
“Yes she is not on a date she came with me” Sahana said.
“You guys went on a double date without me?” Aisha asked.
“How can three couples go for a double date?” Sahana asked.
“I am not on a date” I said.
“Ya you are on ‘let’s meet up and have some fun’”
“WHAT!” I shouted.
“Good one” Sahana said and laughed we heard a noise like ‘hahahahah hohohoho hehehehe’ I know there is no such word in the dictionary but that’s what it sounded like.
“That’s a wild laugh” Aisha said and we turned to Sahana.
“That was not me” Sahana said and turned back to see Simmi kaaki our neighbour standing behind us and laughing.
“OMG Simmi kaaki” I said.
Simmi kaaki without telling a word walked away from there. I was scared because I exactly knew where she went- to meet the great Ammi begum or my ammi jaan.
“Guys dose anyone feel that we are screwed?” Aisha asked.
I and Sahana lifted our hands indicating a yes.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Hey guys I had so much fun writing this chapter. I dedicate this chapter to
malavikamanojk my cousin sister with whome I fight a lot. Our fights end up with this stupid monkey donkey stuff every time. Plus there is a picture of Siya on top plese check that out. Please Like and comment.
With love
Aiswarya vinod.