Hira's POV:

"WHAT THE HELL, AHMAR." Zulqarnain shouted in irritation and his loud voice made me flinch yet Ahmar on the other hand, snickered on it.

He turned around trying to suppress his smile but was startled the moment his eyes settled on me. As if he completely forgot my presence behind him.

"W-what?"

"Hm?" I raised my eyebrows.

"Din-ner." He left my dupatta with a jerk and rushed to the dining room.

A smile appeared on my face watching his panic state and for some reason, I found it really cute.

"Why are you smiling?" Came Zulqarnain's voice from behind.

"Am I not allowed to smile?"

"Whatever." He said in a bitter tone.

"Why are you in such a bad mood?"

"Is there even a need to ask?"

"Yes, because I don't know."

"Then there is no need for you to know." He said going back towards the drawing-room.

"Ary, where are you going? Dinner is ready."

"Then go already, your precious student must be waiting for you."

"What? My precious?"

But instead of answering me, he went inside the room and I quickly followed him.

"Hero, don't tell me that you are sulking?"

"I am not." He suddenly turned around coming face to face with me.

"That's good, so let's eat. Right?" I carefully took a step back, so he won't notice but unfortunately, he did and let out a dejected sigh.

"It would've been better if I were your student too." He mumbled grabbing the script from the sofa.

"What?"

"Noting. Come, everyone must be waiting for us." He said leaving the room first.

Why he seems so irritated...

~*~

Ahmar's POV:

"What?" My head snapped towards Tahir when he said he will be coming to my house every day till exams.

"Yes, Miss Hira was generous enough to agree in helping me in studies." His tone sounded mocking to me.

"Did she really?" Asked Zaid.

"Yes, if you don't believe you can ask by yourself."

"No need. She has a habit of getting herself into trouble." I shook my head.

"You know me well, my friend." He said faking an evil laugh.

"Which time will you be going?" Faiq asked sitting beside me.

"Daily after college."

"I am asking about timings, you idiot."

"I will go with her."

"What do you mean by going with her?" I abruptly asked.

"Oh, right. I haven't told you. Actually, I will be bringing my car from now on. So you are free to leave whenever you like... or whomever you like." The way he ends the sentence irked me a bit.

"Is it just me of this guy is getting too clingy to Miss Hira?" Asked Faiq looking at us while pointing his thumb towards Tahir.

"He is." Answered Zaid typing something on his phone.

"What? I like her yar. She is sweet and helpful, plus there is nothing much I can do. Her life is quite pitiful." He shrugged.

"And how her life is pitiful? And how come we are not aware of it?" I threw a question at him.

"Come on yar, how you guys can be so dense. She lives in your house right?" He continued as he stared into my eyes, "And she lives alone, no parents, no siblings, and has nothing to do except going to the job."

She helps her friend daily...

I mentally denied his argument but didn't say it out loud.

"If I remember correctly, you said she doesn't have a television in her room right?" He asked me.

"Yes, but the last time I went there it was before she moves into our house and who cares about it anyway, it's the age of laptops and mobile phones."

"Does she have a laptop?"

"Who doesn't have these days?" I asked them while being quite unsure of myself.

"I think I should ask her." Tahir nodded taking out his phone and while we were trying to fathom what he said, he starts talking to someone on the phone.

"I hope I didn't disturb you." He said with a smile and a voice so soft that we never heard.

All three of us exchanged glances, probably thinking the same thing that he was talking to some girl.

"Yes, actually I wanted to ask, do you have MS office installed on your laptop? There is a presentation I wanted to show you."

My eyes went wide when the thought crossed my mind.

He is talking to Miss. Hira!

"Yes, actually there is some problem with my laptop, so I will be giving it for repair before coming to you."

"....Yes. Alright, thanks." He smiled and ends the call.

"Don't tell me, you were-"

"Talking to Miss Hira." He didn't let Faiq complete his sentence, "And congratulations Ahmar, she has a laptop."

"Why are you congratulating me, idiot?" I frowned but he only shrugged and lean back to the wall.

"Tahir." Zaid called out for him.

"What?"

"You said that you will be leaving for Ahmar's house soon."

"Yes, what of it."

"Have you searched for the presentation you want to show Miss Hira?"

"Oh!" He abruptly got up, "Zaid I am borrowing your laptop."

"Whatever." Said Zahid and grabbed his guitar again.

~*~

Hira's POV

"Sorry, I was stuck in traffic." Tahir said as soon as I opened the door.

"It's alright. Come in." I stepped aside letting him come.

"Thanks. Oh, and Ms., this is for you." He said holding two chocolate bars in hand.

"For me?" I asked and he nodded in response.

"Thanks."

I took the chocolate and lead him to the empty room next to my bedroom. I have been using this area as my living room where I have put my study table and some cushions on the carpeted floor.

"You have to take off your shoes." I said turning on the light of the room.

"Sure, no problem." He quickly took off his shoes and after a few minutes, both of us were discussing the important topic for the exams.

"Tahir, can I ask something?"

"Yes."

"Do you really need my help because your concepts are already clear?"

"Don't get me wrong, I brought these subjects because of the upcoming test, but I really need your help in Urdu and English and Pakistan Studies." He said scratching his head.

"These three subjects again." I chuckled. "The most infamous subjects among the students these days."

"Correct." He nodded and continued, " and also, I am not good at Ratta (memorizing without understanding)."

"I see. So, for now, you want to concentrate on mathematics only?"

"Yes, it's easy to gain good marks in math."

"Good to hear that you are thinking about improving your rank."

"Well, I have no choice. Actually, none of us has any."

"Us? Are you referring to the four of you?" He nodded in affirmative.

"And why did you say that you guys don't have a choice?"

"Unfortunately, all four of us have to succeed in our father in their work. So we must get good grades to enrol in their selected universities for further education."

"Oh, I didn't know that." I was taken aback by his answer.

"Hm." He let out a dejected sigh and looked at me, "Can I have a glass of water?"

"Yeah, sure." I quickly got up from the floor.

"So, you will be enrolling in business school?"

"As I said, we have no choice." He shrugged taking the glass of water from me.

"And what if you guys have choices?"

"We would defiantly go to a music school."

"Means you guys want to be singers?"

"Musicians, to be precise. Proper musicians, not just singers." He smiled, which failed to reach his eyes.

"If you guys want to be musicians then why are forcing yourselves to go in the other direction?"

"Ms., Do you always wanted to be a teacher?"

"Yes, of course. That's why I have done my specialization in education."

"But we aren't lucky as you Ms."

Lucky???

I am lucky?

How???

"Our future was decided at the time when we couldn't even understand the meaning of a profession."

The catastrophe of our society!

"To be honest we never even bother to think about the profession we need to take and if it wasn't for our interest in music we might never know that we want to do something in our lives for our own happiness...but now when I think about it, I regret a bit."

"Regret what?"

"That we have realized our passion for music."

"What?"

"If we hadn't realized it we would've to hate our families for forcing their decisions on us. Nor we get rebellious like we are now."

Hate?

"Why are you staring at me like that?" He chuckled.

"...This is the first time I have met this Tahir."

He smiled and stretched out his hand to me, "It's a pleasure to meet you too Miss Hira."

I smiled back and shook his hand. A hand of a troubled teenager who is forced to follow the path which adults decide for him. Suppressing his interests and ambitions and burdened by his own wishes.

After studying one more hour Tahir left, giving me an uneasy feeling. I was saddened that they have to let go of their dream of becoming musicians to fulfil the duty imposed by their families. But he also left me questioning myself about being 'lucky'.

I always pitied myself for not having siblings and losing Ami at an early age and then Baba but was never thankful for the blessing I was given. If Baba also forced me to take a profession of his likeness, I would've been suppressing my own feelings like these kids. I was always so engrossed in my loss, always seeing my life through the glasses of tragedy and didn't see that I am not the only one who has hardship in life. Everyone is fighting their own fight and some souls like such kids are so small that they can't even put up any resistance and are fated to be carried away by the circumstances.

A person is a unit of society and a person alone has the power to create a change in society. Now I can what my teacher tried to tell us. Even if one of these kids are allowed to choose the profession they want, there is always a possibility that they will do something remarkable because their driving force will be their passion. They might be able to make a change but if their driving force is the responsibility, will they be motivated to do the same thing?

If only, their parents or one of the parents stood up with their dream, their whole life will be change and this trend of supporting the wish of a child will easily be carried to the next generation.

If...

I sighed and went to bed.