Chapter-1 Thinking of Her
Ayaan's POV
Getting up early in the morning is one of the most difficult tasks for the day on top of it when I am finally awake I get to hear the same lecture from both my parents especially mum.
"Ayaan you are not a kid, you should wake up for the morning prayer. Look at Arhaan he wakes up even before us and goes to the masjid for Fajr prayer with your father. And then you give me these looks as if I am just talking non sense, start being responsible for God's sake"
This is the same record my mum plays almost every morning after I go down to have breakfast. Though there are slight variations at times, and no the variations are never better in fact they are so disgusting that I have to leave without breakfast. Well that's just how my day starts in this house every morning, by the way I am Ayaan, Ayaan Siddique and my life is not the smooth one with a happy family of loving parents and supportive big brother it's quite the opposite if you trust me. Anyway why have I started thinking about all the same drama which happens every day, it's already 10 in the morning and I need to be in my office by 11.30. It's good to be in my favorite line of work but also tiring, I am a contractor and I am actually quite proud of the fact that in the last 5 years I have become the best and most famous contractor in my city. Though my parents don't feel very proud of my achievements as they have their elder son to be proud of who is a neurosurgeon. I was never actually much into studies; I just completed my graduation somehow under my parent's pressure. In fact during my graduation days I started working with one of the famous contractors in our city, Mr. Walia. He is a nice man and has always had more confidence in me than my own family. Technically now I am his competitor but we have a healthy professional relationship, I really respect him a lot. Ok now I better have a bath and get ready, the weather is getting pleasant now a days so I think I will wear my blue jeans with my favorite black shirt.
Now that I am ready to leave I will go down and see if there is any breakfast for me or I have to get myself something on my way. I was about to switch off the lights of my room when my mobile started ringing. It was Abdul calling, he works in my office and usually attends clients and gets a brief up before arranging meetings with me. I wonder why he is calling me right now as he knows I will be in office within the next 15-20 minutes. I take the call and straight away come to the point
"What is it Abdul?"
"Sir, this guy Nihal is creating confusion at the site." One thing I like about Abdul is that he knows very well that I like to talk to the point and don't waste time in exchanging pleasantries. I then wait for him to continue.
"He is asking the owner to pay him separate and confusing the former with the contract details." Now this is something I hate, double cross. I am glad we came to know about this bul*shi* and I think Nihal needs some fixing.
"Ok, I will take it from here. I think I will be late to office because I will first go to the site and have a nice chat with Nihal"
I hate it when people spoil my mornings but then I have to deal with such situations every now and then. By the way I am no gentleman; I am actually a cold and short tempered guy. And with my 6'2 height and a well-built body people find me intimidating at times. Nihal needs to be taught a lesson, this is the first time I am working with him. I have given him the plumbing contract for one of my sites, it's a residential building and the owner is a simple man. Hell even I am a simple man if people don't mess with me. The contract with the owner Mr. Khan is simple he has paid me for everything and now I will deal with others. That's how I work; I take full contract of the site and then distribute tasks among my trusted people. And this guy Nihal has been paying me visits since the last couple of months and literally begging me to give him work, and this is what he does in the first contract I give him. I don't know what was he thinking before messing with my client but I surely know that this is his first and last time working with me, which also he will regret soon. Finally getting from my room I greet my parents who were sitting in the living room. My father is a retired government officer and mother is a house maker. They were busy talking about something when I wished them good morning and just like someone said 'ACTION' they both started with their sarcastic comments brightening up my morning even more. The same records being played again and right now I was in no mood to listen to it all over again. I got my cue that home cooked breakfast is not for me today and I just left before they could finish their rant.
I got in my car, my black Audi Q5 the beauty that soothes my eyes every morning. As I sit in the driving seat I take a deep breath trying to calm my mind. This family drama has started getting on my nerves now, I have been thinking of shifting into a separate house any time soon. But then I think about loneliness, though staying with my family is irritating but I am scared to die alone. Call it my phobia or whatever but I am scared to one day die alone in an empty house and people coming to know about my death after a couple of days. Then again I stick to my plan B, to find her and make her mine forever then move to our separate house. I wonder if this dream will ever come true. Anyway I better get started now; Nihal needs some sweet words from me. Thinking of him my blood almost boils and I can feel my nerves tense.
I reach the site in the next half an hour and park my car outside the boundary wall. As I enter the premises I see none other than Nihal sitting in the soon to be garden area, without wasting any time I walk to him and grab him by his collar while pulling him up. He was shocked at my action and could not speak a word except 'Sir'….'Sir' He could clearly see in my eyes that I am not in a mood to spare him, though I could also see the confusion in his eyes. He must have thought that I will not come to know about his nasty game. I harshly threw him on the ground and growled at him…
"What the hell were you thinking before trying to double cross my client and ruin my reputation?"
"Sir I don't understand what are you talking about and why are you being so rude with me" Nihal spoke in a shaky voice. I am sure now he understood the reason behind my present rage and so he is trying to play innocent.
"Nihal don't try to act smart with me. I am aware of your conversation with Mr. Khan, how dare you try to play around on my site, under my contract? Now listen to me very carefully, within the next three days I want all my money back. I am taking this plumbing contract back from you and mind it if you don't pay back my money on time then I will no longer talk to you. Next time I will see you with my favorite hockey stick in my hand. And I am sure you are aware of how I play with it or should I say how I use it on people like you." Yes this was no threat in the air I have actually beaten up people who play nasty games with me.
"I am sorry Sir, I was not thinking straight. Please give me a last chance I will not repeat such a mistake again." The jerk was now almost begging me but I have made up my mind.
"I don't give any extra chances to people like you. Now get out of my sight before I lose control."
He got up and left, actually I am famous not just because of my work but also because of my temperament. Once in a while the news of me beating up someone is out in the open. I actually don't mind but the only problem I face after such news is in discussion is the emotional drama I have to witness at home. My dad and his family reputation lecture, I don't care actually because I don't beat up unnecessarily it's always people like Nihal who push me to the level of getting violent. Taking a deep breath in I call up my client Mr. Khan and apologize for the inconvenience and assure him that his work will be completed on time and I will give the plumbing contract to one of my most trusted person. I get back in my car after talking to him and drive towards my office. I was in office around 1 in the afternoon and as I reached I asked my office boy to get me a cup of tea and order some chicken rolls from the nearby restaurant for my lunch. I was hungry like anything. After having my tea I called up Alok and spoke to him about the plumbing contract at Mr. Khan's site. Thankfully Alok had enough time and workers to readily take the contract; he is one of my trusted people.
The rest of my day passed by pretty fast, I had to check on my other three sites and after the third one I decided to head home. It was almost time for dinner when I reached home, I walked up to my room after greeting my parents and came down for dinner after a bath. We had the same discussions at dinner, my parents mostly lecturing me to control my temper and discipline myself; the same comparisons were drawn between me and my elder brother. I hate it when they compare me to him, but I usually listen to them quietly. After dinner I went back to my room and just lay on my bed, after staring at the ceiling for some time I got up and opened the top drawer of my bedside table. I took out her picture and stared at it lovingly, the only hope that kept me composed since the last 20 years was to find her one day and make her mine. Well at least I believe that I am still composed and actually don't care what everyone else thinks. My parents often say that I was always short tempered and cold, never did they pay attention to the incident in my life that actually made me what I am today. A five year old kid's love was taken as a joke by even his own parents. A deep sigh left my mouth once again on the realization that not even my mum understood the grief I went through. Though my love is always on my mind but by the end of days like today when I am a little more pissed off, thinking about her in the silence of night soothes my mind. My Zuby, I wonder how she looks like now, I am sure her eyes still must be as captivating as before. She would have turned 24 years old by now being just a year younger to me. But as always I wonder what if she is already married by now, or maybe she has started covering her face then how will I ever get to see her. I know for sure that she is from my city itself, but what if she has settled in some other city or another country for that matter. No, no I should not let the negative thoughts dominate, I will definitely find her one day and I pray to Almighty that I will be able to make her mine and win her heart one day soon. I think I should sleep now and just think about my Zuby's beautiful eyes to have some beautiful dreams.