"Assalamu Alaikum!" Kehara exclaimed as she entered the kitchen. Sufyaan and her father are sitting on the dining table eating their breakfast.

"Walekum Assalam sweetheart. How are you?"

"I'm Alhumdulillah very good Abbajaan."

"Abbajaan?? Oh My God! I can't remember when was the last time you called me that." Kehara laughed as she came to table and started eating her breakfast.

"Someone is happy." Sufyaan said.

"I don't have any reason to be sad. So yes I think I'm happy!"

"Good. You can enjoy the party then." Khurshid said.

"Party? What party? "

"We are having a party tomorrow." Sufyaan said with mouth full of cookies.

"Where? "

"At our house." Sufyaan said rolling his eyes.

"Okay. But why?"

"What why?" Khurshid asked looking up from his newspaper.

"Why are we having this party?  What's the occasion?"

"My promotion party was due and you know Sufyaan's results came last week and he scored so good MashaAllah. And even Aman and Afzal scored that well. So even they want to give a party so we decided to keep it at our place." Khurshid explained.

"Okayyyyyy." Kehara said thinking something.

"So please clean the house." Sufyaan said and Kehara narrowed her eyes.

"Even you will help me."

"No."

"Yes."

"No!"

"Yes!"

"NO!"

"YES!"

"Okay stop it. Sufyaan help her. I have to go now. Bye AllahHafiz. Take care Kehara." Khurshid bend down and kissed kehara's forehead.

"Only kehara should take care right!" Sufyaan said turning his face to the other side showing how hurt he is. Khurshid hit Sufyaan's head and said.

"Help her."

Saying that he left. The Whole day went cleaning the house and deciding everything for the party. Tomorrow Noor,Aman and Afzal are going to come there early morning so that they could prepare for the party.

***

*In the evening*

"So how was the day?" Khurshid asked still looking in the newspaper.

"Tiring." Kehara said sitting on the couch and closed her eyes.

"I did everything and you are tired?" Sufyaan said and  Instantly kehara opened her eyes.

"You did everything? Oh please you hardly did anything."

" liar kehara! You should not lie."

"Daddy I'm not lying!"

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not."

"STOP. Why are you both fighting today."

"We are not fighting." Both said in union.

"I can see that." Still not leaving the newspaper.

"Daddy you are reading it since morning and still could not finish it." Kehara said tilting her head.

"This one is yesterday's."

"Then why are you reading it now?" Sufyaan asked.

"Because I could not read it yesterday. So what time party starts tomorrow?"

"Seven!" Both shouted together.

***

It's six thirty and Noor,Aman, afzal,Sufyaan and Kehara are checking all the arrangements.

"So everything is done?" Afzal asked.

"Yes!" Noor said jumping.

"So let's get ready." Sufyaan said and everyone left to get ready. After kehara was ready she came to the living room and was watching TV when Aman comes in the room. When they see each other they smiled and Aman made his way to the chair which is to the left of kehara.

"Everything is done?" Aman asked not knowing what to say.

"Yeah."

The were silent again. Five minutes pass by and all they did was staring the TV screen. When the silence in the room became more awkward Aman said.

"How is college?"

"It will start in two days."

"Oh yeah your holidays are still not over."

"Yeah." Kehara said smiling.

"Where is Noor?"

"In my room still changing."

"This girl. She takes forever to get ready. Girls are just impossible." Aman said and Kehara raised her left eyebrow. After few seconds Aman looks in her direction and realises what he said.

"No no I didn't mean that ways. Of course you are not a girl. You are ready even before us." This time Kehara raised both her eyebrows and Aman closed his eyes.

"I mean you are not like the other girls. Because you are ready even before us." Aman covered his face with his hand and kehara laughed. Hearing her laugh Aman looked up and smiled.

"I'm sorry." Kehara said still laughing.

"It's okay."

Someone coughed and they both looked to the entrance to see Afzal. Smiling mischievously.

"Kehara come here." Sufyaan called and kehara excused herself and left the room. Azfal who was still standing in the entrance comes in staring Aman. Sitting in the chair next to Aman he is still staring him. Aman took the remote and starting changing the channels.

"What?" Aman asked when he caught him staring.

"What?" Azfal said smiling.

"What do you want Afzal?"

"I think."

"You think what?"

"I think."

"Afzal." Aman warned him and Afzal laughed.

"Okay okay. I think you have a crush on Kehara." Aman dropped the remote and looked at him in horror.

"Have you lost it or what?"

"Calm down lover boy and reduce your volume. You don't want her or Sufyaan or Noor to know what we are talking."

"Don't call me that."

"Okay I won't. But that won't change the fact that you have a crush on her."

"I don't have a.." Aman screamed but then realised She could hear him so he whispered.

"I don't have a crush on her."

"Yes you have a crush on her." Afzal whispered.

"What makes you think that?"

"Your behaviour around her."

"I'm totally normal around her."

"No you are not normal around her and that's for sure."

"Yes I am!"

"No you are not."

"Shut up."

"You shut up. Look I'm not saying you love her just a small little crush. You can have a crush on anyone."

"Yes you can but I don't have a crush on her."

"Fine!" Afzal turned his grace to the TV and Aman followed his action. They remained silent for about a minute before Aman broke the silence.

"What happens when you have a crush on someone." Aman asked still looking at the TV screen. Afzal smiled before replying.

"Well you become nervous around her. You become clumsy when she is around. You can't speak. You think a lot about her. You feel jealous of every other guy she talks to. You smile like an idiot thinking about her."

"Have you done PhD on crush?" Afzal started laughing.

"No but I wish I could. You tell me do you have the same symptoms?"

"I don't know. But I don't have a crush on her!"

***
By 7:30 the house was full with people. Kehara is talking a lot!  She is constantly say something. Khurshid occasionally looks at her and smiles. She was a chatter box since she was a little girl. But after everything started to fall apart she was hardly talking. But now she is back with a bang! And Khurshid is loving this.

"Can I have some attention everyone." Mr khan asked and everybody stopped what they were doing.

"Thank you. So you all know our boys made us proud with their results. I can't express how happy I was to see what Aman have achieved. I'm so proud of you son. And of course I'm proud of his best friends sufyaan and Afzal. They both are like my own son. Today we are not only celebrating their achievement but also their life."

"Thanks dad." Aman said before hugging him.

"Now stop it before your daughters kill us for taking all the attention." Sufyaan joked and both Noor and kehara replied together.

"Hey!"

"What? Don't even lie that you were not getting jealous of us." Sufyaan said look at kehara to which she rolled her eyes before saying.

"Jealous of our brothers? Like really? Let me tell you guys one thing you are not that Important." Kehara said that and everyone just stared at her. When she realised all were staring at her she became conscious and looked down as if she did something wrong and everyone started laughing.

"I love this new Kehara." Wafa said hugging her and she laughed.

***

Yusuf is sitting in the backyard all alone. Constantly thinking about something when Aman noticed him and came out side. Yusuf was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't even hear the glass door open and shut.

"What's up bro?" Aman asked sitting next to him.

"Nothing. You say. What brings you out here?"

"I saw you sitting all alone so I thought of giving you company. What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong Aman." He said not meeting his eyes.

"Yusuf I know you well to say when something is bothering you. You don't want to tell that's fine.

They didn't say a word for next few minutes. Before Yusuf said.

"There is this girl I'm totally in love with. I can't imagine my life without her. She is the only person on earth who makes me nervous. Can you believe that? Someone can make me nervous!"

"Someone is in love." Aman said in a singing way smiling widely.

"Shut up." Aman chuckled

"Okay okay. So what's the problem?"

"It's complicated."

"Why?"

"Because I don't know if she feels the same. I don't know if she will accept my proposal. I'm scared if it's a no we will even lose our friendship. And I don't want that to happen.".

"Woah woah woah boy. Why so negative? Just imagine if she says yes. If even she feels the same way. It is as complicated as you make it"

"That's the point. 'If'."

"Yusuf you will never come to know what she will say if you don't ask her. Just give it a shot. Go ask her father for her hand and rest is your Qadr."

"I think you are right."

"Then you will ask her father right?"

"InshaAllah."

"InshaAllah."

***

Kehara is in her room searching something when she heard someone coming up the stairs. She went out of her room to see who it is. In the terrace right next to her room she saw Mrs khan standing in one corner. Crying. She was not sure if she should go to her or not. But eventually she decided to go. It took her few seconds to reach her.

"Let me guess Mr Khan again." She looked up instantly and wiped her tears.

"Oh Kehara it's you."

"Unfortunately." Kehara tried to distract her and she chuckled.

"Why he does this? Why can't he be nice? What exactly is his problem?"

"Who are you talking about Kehara?" She tried to show she had no idea what Kehara was saying.

"You very well know who I'm talking about."

They were standing awkwardly for which seemed like an hour but actually was just few seconds. Mrs khan suddenly moved and made her way to the floor. Kehara followed her action and now both of them are sitting on the floor.

"He was born and raised here. He always thought people in India are uneducated and uncultured. And he never really liked them. That's why he never accepted me." Kehara looked at her in total disbelief.

"Really? How can he think like that! Oh come on even my grandfather was educated. Yes the literary rate is low but hey its not that bad!" Kehara said in defence and Mrs khan looked at her with a smile. When kehara realised she just got off track she closed her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I just.....leave it. So why did he married you?"

"Because of his grandma. His dad's mom and my mom's mom are same. So she always wanted him to marry me. He loved her a lot and could not say no. He regretted that decision his whole life. And is still regretting." She looked down as her eyes were full of water.

"Well that's wrong. So many years and he still can't accept you? I won't ask you why are you still with him because I know what divorce means in our country. It's still not acceptable forget all those years back."

"Yeah. But that was not the only reason. There are many others as well."

"Like what? Don't you hate him?" Mrs khan laughed on that.

"No I don't hate him kehara. I always liked him so when our grandmother told us about her wish to say that I was happy would be a understatement."

"After all these years of torture you still can't hate him?"

"It's difficult to hate someone who loves your children so much kehara. Who can do anything for them. When I see his making them happy I can't even think of hating him."

"Wow. Mothers are incredible. But is that worth it?"

"What do you mean?"

"You sacrificed so many years of your life for your kids and they behave exactly like their father. Even that does not break you?"

"Aman does not behave like his father. In fact few years back he use to fight a lot with his father for his behaviour. But he started blaming me for brainwashing his son against him. And even I don't want Aman to fight with his father for any reason. So I made him promise he won't say a word after that and will always respect his father no matter what. And you saw today how proud he is of his son. And for Noor. Well we can say she is like her father some times."

Kehara was just staring her. Not sure of what she should say.

"Don't worry everything will be fine soon InshaAllah."

"InshaAllah." A voice came and both of them turned to see Aman standing near the door. He came and sat down next to his mother.

"What are you doing here?" Mrs khan asked arranging his hairs which were messy.

"I was talk to Yusuf when I saw to come here crying. So I just came here to make sure you are fine."

"I'm fine dear." She said with a smile and he smiled as well knowing very well that she is far from being fine.

"Kehara were are you?" Sufyaan called out for kehara from downstairs.

"Um I have to go. We will talk later bye."

"Okay sweetheart." Kehara left and Mrs khan turned to look Aman and Aman smiled.

"So I guess you have a new best friend now."

Mrs khan laughed before replying "I think so."

"That's good. But she won't replace me right?"

"Of course not! No one can replace you in my life. You are my son. My only support. And my life. But she definitely is someone special."

"Special?"

"Yeah, special. I like her."

"You never said I was special!" Aman said in a baby tone and his mother laughed.

"You are not special Aman. You are the biggest blessing I have."

Aman smiled before hugging her. He knows it's high time things change. It's time for his father to value her. But he already tried helping her and caused more problems. Maybe he should try something else this time. Maybe he can take someone's help. Someone special's help.