The cold air cinched the young girl, who walked lethargically towards her college, she had regretted not layering much on the inside, and coming out of the house in a single shirt, she thought she'd walk to her college on a November morning, perhaps, it was bold of her to assume that, even though her mother had tried to convince her to wear a sweater.
It felt like all her muscles were achy, and there was no energy in her that usually buzzed from somewhere deep down her soul, not that she minded walking because her college was conveniently close and she didn't much like to trouble her older brothers, or her father to drop her off but today, she wished at least one of the three men was not busy, then she'd be a happy passenger princess for five minutes and wouldn't be feeling like throwing up in the middle of the street. Her oldest brother, Ahsan, had took off early for meeting at his office, and her second eldest was not in town, he lived off city in a prestigious football academy, but he was in town for a match, but he was off to practice, and her father was a surgeon and was perhaps, busy performing some kind of surgery.
Her cold fingertips rested on her bag which hung low on her back. Students went inside the college, looking glum and irritated as always. The fatigue weighing her down, it was almost endearing to see some of the people who were excited walking in clusters of three or four.
She was about to cross the road when her eyes fell on a kitten meowing in the middle of the road, injured and helpless, it couldn't even move. No wonder, the cars were pretty much flying on the road. A part of her heart squeezed seeing it in pain. For as long as she had remembered she had been a big fan of animals, especially cats.
She marched on to help the poor thing, lifted the cat from the road into her arms. Its leg was scraped, the cat nuzzled its cute self into her, she found her ginger color so appealing, the thing looked so sweet, small paws, newborn probably. It somewhat had found comfort in her embrace. Who were these heartless people driving like freaking maniacs? She felt a surge of anger. In the midst of it, she hadn't paid much heed that, she too infact was standing in the middle of the main road, her ears perked when first a surge of wind and then the sound of a roaring engine reached her, there was no time escaping the darn thing. The car was so fast on it's wheels that had a speed breaker been in it's path it would have toppled over and fell head on to crash.
She didn't even have time to panic, the cat pressed to her and her eyes shut, if she was to die today better be without seeing her death ride coming her way. In retrospect, the wheels had screeched on the rough road, smoke erupting from the sides, and the loud noise of the engine dying, when she opened her eyes again she was inches away from a black Audi, beautiful as it was, the little spectacle had knocked the air right out of her lungs, and her heart beating wild.
Before her eyes covered with dark shadows, and little shapes of triangles, rectangles and pentagons started to form in her already fuzzy mind, she saw a man flurry out of the car in black ray bans and her eyes closed shut as she crashed on the floor with a loud thump.
Her eyes opened to the welcome sight of her friends, and she found herself laying on a bed in the college dispensary, her best friends, Haya and Mirha charged to check if she was still alive.
"You have been knocked out for a long while," Mirha informed her, rubbing her arm soothingly.
"Really?" Ayat said trying to sit up, when a string of pain surged onward on her right shoulder.
"Are you alright?"
"I think so,"
"Madam its about damn time you told us why that super good-looking man brought you here?" Haya's eyes had charged with sheer excitement. Ayat head was still throbbing with pain, and remainders of the event before he passing out came through. They were probably talking about the man who she hadn't seen for all it's worth in the world. Ray bans were all she remembered it was ironic the little detail she remembered.
Haya was the immature one of their trio, but everyone knew not to get on her bad side, because her bad side wasn't less than a hurt lioness, Ayat had known her since third grade, the girl who shared her lunch with her, some of the girls in college still envied their friendship, and even Mirha who was a little less energetic version of Haya had incorporated with them in fourth grade and they had remained tough as a triangle since then.
"I would love if you ask how I was doing, instead of asking about a good looking guy," Ayat had spoken like a spinster when someone asked about marriage.
"I am sorry, madam, are you alright?" Haya spoke battering her lashes, Ayat knew even if her persona was a little out there, her concern was always genuine.
"Yes," she replied closing her eyes again. "Now about that guy? Fill me in,"
"You are super lucky, girl," Haya started to tell the tale like a perfect story teller with each and every detail talking about her being led out of his car in the college courtyard and then he, himself carrying her till the dispensary until the nurse came and took the matters in her own two hands. It felt like a scene straight out a novel, but this is exactly where real life and novels parted ways, the man had come and there was no way she was to see him ever again, although considering the details Haya had integrated with his entire persona, she felt left out and kind of eager to see him now, but there was no miracle that was to make them meet again, although a little prayer had left her heart for it to be possible again. Like every other girl, a knight in a shining armor and stories of heroes saving damsels in distress did entice her, but then the logic hit her.
"Was it an Audi?"
"From our collective very bad knowledge of cars, I think it was," Mirha answered Ayat.
"Yes, I think he is the reason I fainted in the first place,"
"Don't turn this fairy tale into a hate crime Ayat," Haya pouted in disappointment.
"Are you for real, that man had no mannerisms in driving, he was flying his car as if he was on a runway and you are saying that it was a fairy tale!" Ayat's voice raised in alarm.
"And did he bring it on the footpath, where you were?" Mirha asked a rather genuine question, which made Ayat realize that she was partly guilty as well.
"Not exactly, I was kind of in the middle of the road," Ayat spoke her cheeks stained red in embarrassment, but her ego got in the way of admittance "But still, if he would have been driving like normal people I wouldn't have fainted I think, I might still be alive,"
"You are in fact alive," Mirha stated matter of factly.
"Hypothetically speaking obviously," Ayat cleared her point.
"Did you see him?" Mirha was curious, from what she knew of Ayat's type in guys, she would have been head over heals for this one.
Ayat shook her head, she was herself bummed for not getting a look at him. "No, it went on so fast that I wasn't able to catch a glimpse,"
"I mean he was like a treat to the eye, hard luck, sis you missed it," Mirha said. If Mirha was saying this it totally meant he was something, because it was so rare for her raving over men like this.
"I wish he had stayed a little longer for you, Ayah," Haya commented.
"Okay, leave him alone," Ayat frowned.
"Ahem, ahem, possessive much?" Haya's laugh filled the air. It wasn't possessiveness it was something about his scent and his presence, his certain aura, it seemed like it meant something, or maybe the deliriousness from the morning and her obsessive reading of romance novels was filling her brain with these thoughts.
She glowered at them with fun eyes brushing the thought away.
"I mean it wasn't such a shock, you have always loved animals, no surprise you got into an accident rescuing one," Mirha spoke.
"Did you hit your head somewhere, I think I might get diabetes from all your praise madam," Ayat rolled her eyes. Mirha gutted her.
"You have no concern for a friend in bed," Ayat commented, although things started to course back in her brain after the banter with her friends. "Where's the cat I rescued? Oh and how long have I been out?"
"2:00 o clock," Haya replied. "And the cat is with Ma'am Fatima, she was so reluctant on wasting two band aid's on the poor cat, she even said she had some fear from cats and stuff, just to hoard band aids for weeks, no one even gets injured around here, I don't get why our college is so stingy, luckily she said she'd take care of it until you woke up, she must be in the courtyard,"
Ayat was relieved to hear that although the fact that she had been out the entire day wasn't much of comfort.
"We need to meet at 9:00," Ayat said changing the topic. "Remember the game,"
"Yes, we do because if we wont come Arsalan bhai would kill us, and nobody wants to die so soon," Haya sighed dramatically getting a light slap on her arm too, Haya slapped Ayat back while she fake groaned.
"I am sorry," Haya apologized in a frantic hurry, Haya was cute in that sense, anybody could come and sell her their spoilt grapes and she'd blissfully take them.
"Doesn't hurt really," Ayat laughed her throat out at her.
"Yeah right," Haya rolled her eyes at Ayat. "One day you are going to get in prison being so manipulative,"
All the tiredness wore off from the sight of her eldest brother, who's own bright eyes shined at the sight of his little sister.
"Hey clumsy cake" he commented coming out of the car. "Hope you didn't fall too hard,"
"Shut up," she whined like a child, she was like a child with her older brothers, they treated her like a little princess.
"Of course I know, I got a call from your college,"
"Who is this new guest?" Ahsan asked looking towards her cat. She needed to give it a name.
"I found it in the middle of the road injured and I want to keep her now," she explained petting its ears. Ahsan laughed as if she was talking about going to an alien planet on her next vacations. He opened the car door for her to sit while taking the driver's seat, maybe the AC in the car will wear off her delusion.
"Pray, mom agrees," Ahsan spoke, as the engine of the car roared to life.
"What use are you off? You are the eldest son mom blindly follows what what you say,"
"No way, don't drag me into this, this is your matter, handle it yourself,"
She pouted, "Please, I will not tell her about Anaya if you do this for me,"
Ahsan's eyes widened in shock. "You are such a manipulator, our love has officially spoiled you, you don't blackmail your brother alright,"
Challenge hinted her pitch black eyes. They both knew well enough that their mother won't agree with a stray cat into their house, she remembered back in fifth grade Arsalan, her other brother brought a parrot, even though it was just a bird her mother told him off for that, she says it's too much work and the siblings will leave it to her after some time. She was right to an extent but she can't throw a statement before trying them.
Just how perfectly it fit in her arms, there was no way she was letting it go.
"Mom would be fascinated by my tale," she said. "The way I rescued the poor thing and she will let me keep it, and I will be responsible for everything, you just have to say, 'mom, let her keep it, and see how adorable it is', that's it,"
"Your threats don't work on me, I practically invented blackmailing in the family, so I will see if I want to," he smiled smugly a sign he was saying that to tease her.
"Bro, for god's sake, you are an old man drop teasing me," she rolled her eyes.
"What am I 26?" he chortled. "You are right kid,"
"Don't call me that, I am 17, and next month I will be 18, so you need to change your stats," She sassed.
"You are never going to be an adult for me," He smiled looking at the straight road.
"And hey, don't ever pull that Anaya card on me, she is my fiancé,"
"Don't ever refuse to help me!"
"Okay, madam," Ahsan said lifting his hand from the steering wheel defeated. He just knew when to surrender. She smiled in triumph. Her mother's expression wasn't the most welcome sight because Ayat knew from the looks of it, that today was just not the day.
"What is this blood?" Ayat's uniform was stained with splotches of it, Ahsan almost panicked when he too noticed that.
"Mom, mama, its not mine, not mine, I am perfectly fine its of daisy," Ayat explained. Sara, their mother looked at her as if she was speaking Spanish and then looked at daisy in her hands.
"You rescued a cat and then you fainted?" Sara asked after she was done telling her mom about her all so fascinating story, cutting 'the shady guy carrying her in arms' part though.
She nodded her head.
"Now what?" Sara raised an eyebrows.
"Can I keep it, mom?" she asked arching her head to her right.
"Please?"
"See, Ayat, don't come after two days saying you can't take care of it then," Sara scowled.
"I swear mom I won't," she said desperately. "Can I keep it?" she jumped on the couch.
"I will think," Sara said showing a fake attitude outburst. She almost begged Ahsan with her eyes.
"Mom, let her keep it, see she even gave her a name, she feels attached and she was the one who saved it," Ahsan jumped in. More than she asked for but okay...
"Okay, okay keep it," Sara said giving in. Ayat smooched her mum on the cheek and glided up the stairs to her room.
"I owe you one bhai!" She screamed back.
She brought daisy to her room, she opened her balcony door when she entered her room and let the fresh air in. She sprang on her bed, her face faced towards the ceiling fan, as Daisy was cozened up in a corner with a baby blanket. she will ask Mirza, her father to bring all her necessary stuff today. Unlike her mom, her dad was an animal lover, he loved snugly things and she could already tell how happy he would be to see daisy. She did try to ignore all the time it felt like ghosts of bugs were crawling her arms, the itch was unbearable now, but she had to hide it for the sake of daisy.
Nowadays, Arsalan was also at home which they all were not used to, he used to study his college and school in a hostel in Karachi and now he was living at the football academy in outer Lahore.
He had been here for a week and he was going to play a match tonight. All the local team players were going to play. It was a very reserved match, with invites, but since Arsalan was reluctant on taking them as she usually refused to go, but when Arsalan lured her saying her friends could come to she jumped on the opportunity, a good time with friends? Who doesn't like that.
Arsalan almost mimicked the personalities of all the footballers in his elite club, although Arsalan loved her to bits, and she him, there was no deflecting her on the fact that she found footballers in his academy too arrogant and broody for their own good.
Ahsan was a successful businessman, and Ayat herself was aiming to become a doctor, all of them had different interests although her father did nag Arsalan that he needed to get a real job sometime soon.
Daisy was still there lazily laying still. She locked her room and went downstairs, her mother was in the kitchen while Ahsan was sat in the living room, and their father who himself was a doctor had come back home from his clinic, he had retired two years ago.
"Anaya is not feeling good, maybe she won't come," Ahsan said looking fairly dejected.
"What are you all talking about?" Their mother piped in.
"You know we are taking Ayat out with us to the game remember," Ahsan immediately changed the topic before she could say anything.
"Oh my god, Ahsan was that permission?" Sara asked sarcastically.
"Hello, we respect our mom and we ask for permission... so mom would you let our overly annoying little sister to join us in the game tonight," Arsalan replied. "We will take care of her,"
"Of course my tycoons you can go, but be back before midnight and keep an eye out for your sister," Sara said and Mirza also came out wiping his hands with a towel. Sara called them tycoons because they were over-energized and overexcited, especially when they all were together, even Arsalan became a happy goose when with his siblings. Ayat didn't blame him much, he had always been overly critiqued by her father and with his obsessive nags to get a real job he was working his ass of to get into the national team.
"Dad, are you coming?" Ahsan asked.
"Sure why not?" Mirza said smiling, their mother's glare made the man rethink his entire existence.
"Mr. Husband remember since our tornadoes are off tonight we were going on a dinner, can't believe you forgot about it," Sara said. Mirza gave her an unknowing look but then laughed as her mother frowned in response.
"Someday it will cost you your poor life," Sara sighed, her father loved to tease her mother, and apparently her brothers loved to pull pranks on her.
"Rat," she screamed at the top of her lungs and dropped the glasses on the floor. The thing shattered on the floor, glass shards spreading across the tiled floor in a haphazard manner.
"What happened?"
"There is a rat in the kitchen?" Her lungs had forgotten the taste of air, her breaths were shaky, the fear got the best of her when she saw the grey specie in the kitchen.
"Rat?" Sara said as if it was unreal to happen, of course, no such creature was found in her mother's kitchen. She was too particular about hygiene to allow such a thing to happen.
"I swear dad,"
"This little sister is our new pet," Arsalan said and went to the kitchen and came out picking the mouse with its tail. How disgusting can this get now?
He neared the disgusting little creature to her so she hid behind Ahsan, and he as ever shielded her. Arsalan left it on the floor it scurried off towards her. She screamed and jumped up on the chair. Arsalan was 22 years old he needed to chill out with teasing her.
"Mom I am not living in this house if this rat remains," she complained. Two beady tears resting on her lashes.
"This was the best decision ever," Arsalan's smile was sinister, if there was one thing he loved after football it was to mess with Ayat.
Ahsan and Mirza who were before amused looked at Arsalan. They all know how off track, Arsalan could go sometimes.
"Is this really your pet?" Ahsan asked astonished when Arsalan nodded his head. It wasn't so hard to believe since he had brought all kinds of reptiles to keep as pets, which were obviously rejected by Sara.
"I don't approve of this," Ayat spoke standing awkwardly on the chair. "I already brought in a beautiful pet, mom will never approve a rat! A rat are you serious bhai?"
"Another pet?" Mirza asked.
"It's our new real pet," she pressed on the real part, Arsalan was having way too much fun seeing her on the chair all scared. "I rescued a cat,"
"Are we keeping it?" Arsalan asked.
Envy me brother, I was able to pull off what you couldn't do for all your life.
Dad's face lightened up. "Show me,"
"Sit back down," mom said. "Finish your lunch, Daisy isn't running anywhere,"
"Wait," Arsalan's eyes darted all over Ayat. "Weren't you allergic to cat hair?"
"No, when?" Ayat said looking elsewhere. A total guilty move
"What am I hearing Ayat?" Sara frowned.
"I don't know anything about it," Ayat said totally faking it, she did not have the talent to lie.
" Don't you remember once you petted a cat on street and got severe reaction and then IÂ took you to the hospital, remember and we made a pact to not tell mom and dad because you loved cats and all, seriously Ayat keeping one would be like a death wish," Arsalan spilled the beans unintentionally.
"Really?" Ayat sighed before she let out a sneeze she had been keeping in for so long.
"Guess the cat is out the door now," Sara declared strictly.
"Mom!" Ayat whined like a little kid. They laughed at her childish antics besides everything, she had lived a happy and content life. A perfect life. She must have appreciated it more if anything else, before some man in ray bans came and ruined all the fun.