Hating The Devil

1| Blaming The Devil

|| S H A N Z E ||

I stepped in the house of my father’s elder brother, behind my parents. It was more like a mansion not house. Believe me I didn't want to come here just because of one person. But today just for the sake of my parents I came here.

I followed my parents to the living hall where everyone was seated. Taiama and tayaabbu greeted us there on which I greeted back with a forced smile.

(Taiama means father's elder brother's wife & Tayaabbu means father's elder brother)

Actually they invited us on the dinner to discuss something important with my parents but I didn't understand why they brought me and my little sister here.

“Finally after a long time, Shanze!” Taiama said and hugged me.

Because of a devil.

I hugged her back and smile but said nothing. Rania appi came and hugged me tightly but I quickly pulled away because of her small bump.

“How are you, appi? And how is this little one?” I asked pointing at her small bump.

She hit me on my arm which made yelp and I looked at her with wide eyes. I rubbed my arm while she glared at me.

“You. Miss. Where were you? I heard you stop coming here? Can you please tell me why you stopped visiting?” She bombarded with question after question.

“Appi. Take a deep breath first. I was busy with my exams. You know how much my exams were important for me,” I explained her.

She pouted but pulled me in a warm hug. Appi took me and Mahira, my sister, in her room. She sat on her bed and opened the jar of Nutella. I and Mahira also sat on her bed and I tried to eat Nutella but she swatted my hand away.

“Sorry. No sharing. My baby is saying don't share it with anyone,” Appi said rubbing her bump and eating Nutella.

“That's unfair!” Mahira whined looking at Nutella.

Appi giggled but didn't share. Believed me this appi was now dangerous because she was pregnant.

“How was your exams?”

“Exams. What type of a question is this! You know no one know the answer of this question,” I answered her.

She giggled and poked her tongue out at me. We all talked about random stuff.

Later, half an hour later the door knocked. Mahira opened and saw a servant.

“Everyone is waiting for you all on the dinning table,” She informed us.

We all went to the dinning hall where everyone was waiting for us. We all joined them and started eating. I felt something fishy because they were talking but not like how they all used to. Dad was silent which was very rare to see because whenever dad and tayaabbu met they both started talking nonstop.

While eating devil entered in the hall and greeted everyone. He also joined us which made me lost my appetite. How badly I hated him. Why? I didn't know myself maybe because he was always rude to me.

He didn't look at me. Well who wanted him to spare his evil look. He sat across me, my bad luck. I didn't look up from my plate.

“Zeeshan! Look who is here today with us. Shanze. Isn't it great finally she joined us?” Taiama asked him.

We looked up at each other on the same time. He coldly stared at me while I stared at him blankly. His lips curled up in a fake smile which I didn't miss but for everyone it was real.

“Yeah! Finally she spare us her precious time. What a great day!”

I knew he was taunting me which he was smirking at me which made my blood boiled. I moved my left foot forward and kicked him under the table quietly.

He jerked his face towards me but I quickly looked away with a smirk.

“Taiama please pass me that dish,” I ignored him and said to Taiama.

From the corner of my eyes I could see him still glaring at me. He clenched the spoon tightly on his hand.

“By the way Mr. Zeeshan, I don't think you get bored without my presence. I bet you enjoyed a lot in my absence.” I smirked at him.

I was enjoying annoying him. By seeing him burning made me feeling happy.

He was going to open his mouth but appi cut him which increased my fun.

“I don't think because when you stopped coming here during your exams he always came to me and indirectly asked about you.”

I looked at him with smirk who was glaring at appi.

“I don't remember something like this ever happened,” He said coldly.

I ate silently but also stared at him with amuse. I enjoyed dinner because he was not enjoying it.

• • •

When we all came back to our house I sat on the floor in front of the LCD screen and started watching movie.

“Why were you behaving like that with him? He is your cousin. Next time I see you with him talking rudely then I will--,” Mom said, suddenly, coming in front of me.

“Mom, if you love him so much then adopt him and make him your son and give me away to anyone,” I said cutting her and rolling my eyes when I thought about Zeeshan.

Stupid. i***t. Mental. Psycho. Father of dog.

I tried to mentally curse at him but those were the only words which I thought about. I hated myself because I didn't know how to curse.

Mom scoffed at me because she knew it was useless to fight with me or give me lecture.

Mahira came and sat beside me. She stared at the screen then at me.

“Why you behave so rude with him?” She asked.

“Please. Don't start again. Mom is enough,” I mumbled massaging my forehead.

“He is not that bad, Shanze. I don't know why you do this with him,” She said softly and protecting him.

Huh? Why everyone thought I was rude with him? He also behaved rude with us but no one noticed it.

“You are defending him like you love him,” I said, irritatedly.

She didn't speak which made me look at her. I noticed pink shades on her face which made my eyes wide.

“Oh! My! Gosh! Mahira! You really love him?” I asked her in surprise.

She closed her eyes and nodded her head, slowly. I didn't know what to say. I just kept staring at her.

“You are a young. Maybe it's just attraction which attract you towards him. You are in the age where that types of things happen,” I said and hoped she understood me.

“But I love him! I know,” She said, quickly.

I sighed and turned my body completely towards her.

“Mahira. You are just 18. You don't know what love is. Sweetie, please understand that and focus on your studies,” I tried again.

“Why don't you believe I actually love him so much?” She asked.

“OK! Then tell me what do you know about love?” I questioned over her question.

“When you hear the name of the person you live you get giddy feelings. When you know you are going to see your love you get conscious. You get nervous near you love and--,”

“That doesn't mean you love him,” I said cutting him.

“If it is not love then you tell me what is love?” She asked getting angry.

I sighed and stared at the moon from the window. I closed my eyes and curled my legs closed to my chest and rest my head on it.

“When you hear the name of your love you feel ease. When you are going to meet your love you feel excited. When your love is around then you feel comfortable and complete. When he is away you feel restless and incomplete. The touch of your love makes you feel saved. And this true meaning of love,” I said.

We both sat in silent. Neither one of us said anything. I opened my eyes and looked at her again.

“Don't be confused. You just enter in this age and don't have experience of anything. That's why you mix attraction with love. Forget about it,” I said her, politely.

“Whatever you say. But I love him. That's it!” She said in anger and frustration.

She stood up and headed to her room. I stared at the space where she was sitting and blamed the stupid devil for this.