Meet Aleeza

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Aleeza's POV

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I was looking outside the window, i was feeling a wave of excitement rush in my body, as I was going up higher and higher and the buildings were getting smaller and smaller

I took a deep sigh and leaned back on my seat. I said goodbye to my hometown, i was leaving it forever. I am going to open a new chapter of the book of my life.

My name is Aleeza Ahmed, I'm 24  years old, Jaipur is my birth place, I've lived all my life here and now I'm going to Delhi to pursue my career

My mother died when she was giving birth to me, i don't know what mother's love is, though my family tried their best to compensate for her love but i don't think mother's love can be compensated.

I lost my father in a road accident when i was just five years old, i was in a big trauma after his death, it was my brother who had to step in and be a father figure for me

My brother, Saif Ahmed, he is eleven years older to me and he is the best brother in the world, after dad he looked after me and dadi, he started working at a very young age, I owe my life to him. Last year he got married. He got an outstanding job in Canada, he wanted all of us to move there, but I didn't want to go, he was adamant to give up his job and stay back with me, but dadi convinced him to go. It was needed for his career

I have got my degree to be a doctor and now I'm going to join my uncle as an intern in his hospital. Dr Hasan Mustafa, even though he is my distant relative, but for me he is much more than that, I've looked upto him since my childhood, he is my role model, my inspiration, i highly respect him and now working under him is such an honour for me, I'm ecstatic.

To follow my dream of becoming a doctor, i had to shift to Delhi, so here I am on my way to Delhi. I will be living at Rabiya phuppo's (paternal aunt) house, which is also my dadi's sister's house, my phuppo married her khala's (maternal aunt) son.

I wanted to rent an apartment and live there with dadi, but phuppo and phuppa insisted to stay with them, dadi was also in the favour of staying there so I agreed, but I'm hesitant

"What are you thinking?" Dadi asked

"I still feel that we should have rented an apartment"

"Why beta?"

"It's awkward to get permanently settled in phuppo's house" i said, dadi sighed

"You must be thinking it as Rabiya's house, but for me it is my sister's house first"

"But dadi..."

"Enough Aleeza, stop overthinking. Ek jawan ladki ki zimmedari bohot badi hoti hai, mahol wese hi kharab hai kuch ho gaya toh (it is a huge responsibility to take care of a young girl, it is becoming so bad these days, what if something happens).

"Ok" i nodded in defeat

"Don't worry beta we will live in a big house with people around us, we'll be safer there than an apartment" she said putting her hand on mine, i just gave her a weak smile

Food got served to us in an aircraft, we silently had our meal, it was hardly an hour's flight, soon we landed in Delhi.

The moment i switched on my phone, i got a call from Arfa, i immediately answered

She is my phuppo's daughter and my best friend

"Hello" i said

"Oh my God you are here, I'm so excited" she shrieked, i had to pull back the phone from my ear a little, i chuckled

"Yes i have just landed, I'll be out in few minutes"

"I'm outside at the arrival, I'm waiting for you, come soon"

"Ok" I said and hung up

We got off the aircraft and went to collect our luggage, after we've gathered our things we headed out, I spotted Arfa and phuppo immediately, i waved at them, they waved back, their smiling faces made me feel welcomed

Dadi ran to them and engulfed her daughter in a big hug, they both started crying, I don't understand why these older people have to cry so much

"Dadi, don't cry, your blood pressure will become high" i said

"Yes ammi, she is right, don't cry" phuppo patted her back and wiped her own tears

"I'm not crying I'm just feeling so happy" dadi said

"Ohho toh khushi ka izhaar has k bhi to kara jaa sakta hai meri pyari Nani (joy can be expressed by smiling also my beloved nani)" Arfa said

"Arey Mera baccha (my child)" dadi hugged her happily

"Aleeza" phuppo hugged me, and kissed my head, "I'm so happy to see you here, i can't tell how excited I am that you and ammi are going to stay with us" i just smiled

After our little reunion we all settled in the car, Arfa was driving and together we left for home

Phuppo lives in a high-class area, my phuppa started a hotel chain which  spreaded all over India, now he retired and his sons, Hamza and Hammad took over looking after the hotels

Hammad Bhai is mostly traveling, he mainly looks after the hotels out of Delhi, he is also Saif bhai's age, Hamza is 26 years old, he is very smart for his age and he is the incharge of Delhi's hotels.

"Here we are" arfa announced

I looked around as we entered the driveway of the house, no not house, i should say mansion, it was huge. A big and very elegant name plate was hung there, Mustafa mansion

I remember when we were kids our favourite game was hide and seek, it used to take us forever to find each other, i smiled at the memory

Phuppo live in a big joint family, with so many members, but i love all of them..... Well except for one

"Let's go" Arfa chimed

She stopped the car and a house help came running to get our bags, we left our belongings and went inside

I have spent a lot of time here in this house, i used to come here in my vacations from school to college

Everytime I came here, it used to be a short period of time, but this time i have no idea for how long I'll be staying here. I know everyone loves and adores me in this house, but this time I'm not here just as guest, am I going to be a burden?

"Helloooo Madam, where are you lost?" Arfa's voice broke the chain of my thoughts

"What are you thinking?" She asked

"Nothing" i shook my head

"Liar"

"No, seriously nothing specific"

"Come with me" she held my hand and dragged me to the living area, i could see chhoti dadi sitting there on the couch

"we have come" she shouted, chhoti dadi looked up and beamed

"You guys meet, I'll just be back" Arfa said and left

"Aleeza, meri bachchi" she engulfed me in a hug, i also wrapped my arms around her, chhoti dadi is the sweetest in the family

"Assalamualaikum" i said

"Walekumassalam" then she turned and hugged dadi, "aapa i missed you so much"

"I missed you too" dadi replied, then they both pulled apart

"Where is everyone? Look my sister and granddaughter are here" chhoti dadi shouted, and everyone started pouring in, i heard multiple salaams

"Assalamualaikum badi mummy, assalamualaikum chaachi" i said, even though they were Arfa's aunts, but since childhood they have treated me as family only, that is why I call them with the same name as Arfa calls

"Walekumassalam meri bachhi" badi mummy hugged me lovingly, then Chaachi also hugged me, then they turned towards dadi, i was just standing in the corner listening to everyone suddenly someone held me from the back lifting me up from the ground and swirled me, i gasped

"You are here" it was Zara, she is chaachi's daughter, we are also very good friend

"Oh God Zara put me down" i requested, she obliged, then we both laughed loudly and hugged each other

I wonder if it is a national hugging day as there have been lots of hugging since morning

"Mashallah, my Aleeza has filled my house with her laughter, it feels so good, aapa I'm so happy on your arrival, you should have come here earlier" chhoti dadi said to dadi

"I am happy to be here also, Aleeza wanted to rent an apartment, but I insisted of staying here only" dadi announced and i face palmed myself, what was the need of saying this. I heard few gasps

"What is this beta? How can you even think like that? Isn't this your house?" Phuppo and chhoti dadi said simultaneously

"How can you think something like that, this is your house only" badi mummy said

"What were you thinking Aleeza?" Chaachi asked

"I just didn't want to be a bother" i said, phuppo slapped my arm lightly

"How dare you? You have offended me by saying or even thinking this, i have never differentiated between you and Arfa, don't you remember i was so keen of you all to live with us only, but it was you and Saif who wanted to stay in Jaipur" her eyes got teary as she said, i immediately hugged her

"Ohho meri pyari phuppo, kyun naraz ho rahi hai, ghalti ho gayi maaf kar dijiye (my beloved phuppo, why are you getting upset, i made a mistake please forgive me)" i said

"Sirf tumhari phuppo hi nahi hume bhi bht bura laga beta (not just your phuppo even we felt very bad)" badi mummy said, i quickly held my ears and said sorry to everyone

"Now you have thought of something like this, but in future don't you dare to even let such ridiculous thought cross your mind" chhoti dadi said

"I promise, it won't happen again" i assured, she nodded and got busy in talking with dadi, i heard phuppo sniffing, i turned my head towards her and tightened the hug

"Please phuppo, I'm sorry" i said

"Here we were counting days of your arrival, and something else was cooking inside your head. Don't you take me as your mother?" She asked

"Ofcourse I do, you have been my mom since i have opened my eyes"

"Then why?"

"I'm very very sorry, i will not think like that again" i said again holding my ears

"This is your house too beta, your phuppa and I take you as our daughter only, now imagine how he would feel if I tell him this"

"No phuppo please, don't tell him" i pleaded

"What's happening here?" Arfa returned

"Nothing" phuppo said and i sighed in relief that nobody told anything to her

"I'm hungry, can someone give anything to me?" Dadi said and everybody immediately got on their toes

"Oh in all this chaos we forgot about lunch, come let's have it together" phuppo said

"Let me just freshen up then I'll join you all" i said and was walking towards Arfa's room, i always stay there when i am here, but phuppo stopped me

"You will not stay in Arfa's room" she said

"Where will i stay then?" I asked

"In your own room" phuppo shrugged

"Why?"

"Because abbu thinks that our Dr Aleeza would need privacy" Arfa said

"But.."

"No but, come we'll show you your room" arfa held my hand and dragged me with her along with zara

"I am so happy to have you now, I missed having fun with you" Zara said

"I missed you both too, I'm also happy to be here"

"Sorry yaar I couldn't come to the airport I had to go to the university" zara said, i smiled and said it's ok

"Even Hamza Bhai had to go for some work otherwise he really wanted to pick you up from the airport" Arfa said

"Oh that's okay I will meet him when he returns home" i replied

"He is also very excited on your arrival, he was saying that we will have lots of fun time and recall our childhood" she said

"I can't wait" i smiled

"By the way we were thinking that we will order ourselves a large carton of popcorn" zara said and looked at Arfa, they both looked like as if they were having a conversation through their eyes

"Popcorn? Why?" I asked, both of them smirked

"So that when you and Irteza Bhai will come face to face we would just sit there and enjoy the show while eating popcorn" arfa said and high fived Zara, my smile ended and i stopped in my track. His name turned my mood sour

"How many times I have told you guys i don't even like talking about Tarzan" i cringed thinking about him

"You are still calling him Tarzan" Arfa laughed out loud

"Ab jo hai wahi to bolungi (just stating the reality)" i shrugged

"I don't understand what is the issue between you two" zara asked

"Can we talk about something else" i showed my irritation

"Fineee. See here's your room" she pointed towards a closed door, a name plate was hung on it Dr Aleeza Ahmed, i turned my head and looked at Arfa

"Seriously?" I asked

"It was Hamza Bhai, he hung it there" she said and i rolled my eyes, Hamza can be really extra sometime

"Ok now you go ahead, we'll be waiting for you at the dining table" she said

"Ok" i nodded, they left from there

I opened the door and the fragrance of lavender filled my lungs, i inhaled sharply, i love the smell

The room was big, much bigger than my room in my house in Jaipur, i looked around, it was exactly how I like, a small study table at the corner instantly became my favorite spot, i settled on the chair and explored the drawers, there were few medical books already

It must have been hamza's idea, he always know what I like and what I want, i looked around the room once again, they have made so much efforts to make me feel welcomed

Suddenly I felt bad for thinking I could be a burden on everyone here, they all love me so much and I love them too, I don't know what came over me, why i started thinking like that, but not anymore

I freshened up and then returned to the room, my luggage was kept there already, i opened my bag and took out a new top and jeans, tied my hair in a messy bun and wore my glasses, now i was ready to go downstairs

"What is there to eat I'm famished" i said settling on the dining table, phuppo must have realised my easiness, she smiled and kissed my forehead

"My little princess" she said, i just smiled

*****

Whole day passed by in a blink of an eye, i met the whole family, except Hammad Bhai and phuppa, they both have gone to Hyderabad for some meeting

Meeting bade papa aka Dr Hasan was the best moment of my day, he said he is waiting eagerly for me to join him, he also said he was proud of me, that made me so happy

Chachu runs a textile company, he manufactures fabric for garment, and he was also very successful in his field. He got me so many dresses, he said that i will be needing new dresses to wear at hospital, i was touched by his thought

Hamza's and my encounter was little different, the moment he entered the house, he just grabbed my hand and took me at terrace, he said he didn't want anyone to disturb us, we sat for almost an hour, but then called it a night because we both were tired

i was about to enter my room but Arfa stopped me

"Aleeza wait"

"What happened?"

"Come to my room, i want to talk for some time" she requested, i was very tired and just wanted to rest, i was about to tell her but she must have noticed the reluctance in my eyes, "please please please please please please plea...." She begged

"Ok fine, let's go" i gave up, she got happy, and together we went to her room, i found zara already present in the room when i entered, I just directly laid in the bed, she laid beside me

"I missed having you here, i can't tell you how happy I am seeing you now" Arfa said and i rolled my eyes

"Subah se hazar baar sun chuki hoon yeh line (I have heard this line 1000 times since morning)" my sleepy soul showed irritation

"Shut up" Arfa stuck her tongue out at me

All three of us continued talking, it was them who were mostly speaking, I was just humming in acknowledgement that I'm listening

"I want to tell you guys something" Arfa said

"What?" I asked

"There's a guy i really like..." She said, making me shocked

"Hey hey, stop right there, i sat in upright position, don't you remember we are not allowed to have feelings for someone" i reminded her

"But who can control feelings" Zara said, she also got in a sitting position, she looked like as if she is thinking about someone, but i dismissed the thought

"I can" i shrugged

"don't you ever find any guy cute?" Arfa asked

"Me? No way. Dadi will make my chutney" i shook my head vigorously

"Don't exaggerate, Nani loves you the most" Arfa said

"I'm not denying that, i know she really loves me, but if i get myself into love and all, she would be the first one to kill me"

"So how do you control feelings?" Zara asked

"I haven't felt anything for anyone ever, my studies, my job these things have always been my priority" i replied then i turned to Arfa "And I'm seriously telling you Arfa, just forget about this guy, whoever he is"

"It's just a crush, i will be over it soon" she shrugged 

"Who is he?" I asked

"Our school has just appointed a fitness trainer, it's him, he has got such a drool worthy body" she fanned her face, zara giggled

"Eeewww stop" i stopped her from imagining the guy, "you go school to teach or to gawk at guys?"

"Both" she smiled and Zara laughed, i just rolled my eyes

"Oh shit" zara said and jumped down the bed

"What?" I asked

"It's after midnight now, i must go to sleep, i have class at 7:30 in the morning" she quickly wore her slippers and went out, mumbling good night to us

"Aleeza, give me five minutes, I'll be back" Arfa said

"Now where are you going?"

"I had to tell something important to mom, I'll see if she is awake, i will talk to her and return in five minutes"

"Ok, go"

"I'll be back soon" she said and left

I thought of going to my room but i was too tired to even move, so I decided to stay in the room only

I couldn't sleep because of the brightness in the room, i groaned and got up to switch off the lights

After making the room pitch dark i was walking back towards the bed but i bumped into something, or someone and fell down

"Ow" i whimpered

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