love and devotion

The college Argument

chapter number 2

~~~~~~ by Noor ul sehar ~~~~~~~

**Past:**

This was the scene of a degree college classroom. After the lecture, many girls were talking.

One girl, Mahnoor, was speaking. The rest of the girls listened to her in complete silence. All their faces showed seriousness, except for one. That one girl looked extremely bored.

When Mahnoor finally went silent, the bored girl started to speak.

"Guys, what has happened to you? Why are you supporting her?" She taunted all the girls. "Why do you want to make a girl fall at a boy's feet? Don't you know that a girl who goes and confesses to a boy has no respect? Then why are you agreeing with her?"

Mehmal was extremely angry at them.

Mehwish said, "*Yaar* Mehmal, what has happened? We have both heard and seen that if love is found by bowing down, then one should bow down. And if one has to beg for love, one should not hesitate. And anyway, she is saying that the boy takes care of her and fulfills all her wishes. So what is the problem in confessing? Who does it, what difference does it make?"

At Mehwish's words, Mehmal's lips curved into a smile. Her smile was extremely beautiful. Then she began to speak.

"Look, let me clear one concept for you first." She paused for two seconds. "Tell me, whose honor is more delicate? A boy's or a girl's?"

Everyone answered together, "A girl's."

Mehmal smiled again. This smile was a part of her personality. It always stayed on her lips.

"Good. Now, if a girl confesses and the boy rejects her, whose honor is gone?"

Again, everyone answered, "The girl's."

She continued, "And if a boy proposes to you and you reject him, his honor is not diminished at all. Because boys are bold. They say whatever is in their heart. No one questions them. But if a girl proposes, two things can happen. First, if the boy accepts, then no matter what condition he keeps you in, you cannot complain. If you do, he will taunt you every time: 'You liked me yourself.' Second, if the boy rejects her, then the world won't let her live."

Mehmal pulled both of Mahnoor's cheeks and said, "My dear Mahnoor, throw these useless thoughts out of your mind. If he loves you, he will come to you himself. Because those who are loved are never left alone."

She then pointed to her phone where 'Baba Calling' was written.

"I will talk to you later. For now, *Allah Hafiz*."

Saying this, she got up and left. She left the entire class silent behind her. This is what always happened. Whenever she spoke, everyone listened in silence. Her way of speaking was very beautiful.

After she left, Mehwish smiled slightly. She was proud of her friend.

***

When Mehmal came out of the college gate, Mehr Ali's car was standing right there. Seeing her *Baba*, her lips curved into a smile.

She was wearing a white uniform with a white scarf wrapped around her face. She had a wheatish complexion and black eyes with thick lashes. With a smile on her lips, she looked extremely beautiful to Mehr Ali. And why wouldn't she? If anyone asked Mehr Ali about the most beautiful girl in the world, there would be only one name on his tongue: Mehmal, his daughter.

She smiled seeing her *Baba*, the piece of her heart. She reached the car, opened the door, and sat beside him. The first thing she did was greet him. Mehr Ali's smile deepened. Maybe they had inherited that smile.

He replied to Mehmal's *salam* and asked about her paper as he started driving. The journey passed with small talks like this.

***

A short while later, their car was inside the house. As soon as you entered, the drawing room was first. In front of it were two rooms. On the right side was the kitchen, next to it was the way to the lawn, and on the left side were the stairs. Upstairs, there was a lounge in front and two rooms on the right.

This was Mehmal's small house. For Mehmal, this small house was no less than heaven. And why wouldn't it be? Her mother, father, sister, and brother lived in it.

Mehmal got out of the car and entered. The drawing room was empty, so she walked towards the kitchen. She could hear the sound of utensils from there.

When Mehmal entered the kitchen, Mobina Begum's back was towards her. Excitedly, Mehmal hugged her from behind.

Mobina Begum understood who it was. She knew it could only be her child. She said with a taunt, "There is no custom of greeting in this house?"

Mehmal separated from her and greeted her shyly. This made Mobina Begum even angrier.

"You are over twenty, but even today you have to be told like small children to say *salam*. *MashaAllah*, you follow every command of religion, but you don't greet your mother."

Mehmal immediately joined both her hands together. "Bas bas. If someone forgets, you just get a chance to scold me."

"Who gets a chance to scold our daughter?" Mehr Ali's voice came from behind.

Seeing her *Baba*, Mehmal immediately ran to him. He was the only one who could save her from Mobina Begum's scolding. Mehmal made an innocent face. "Maa scolded me."

Mehmal called Mobina Begum *Maa*, while her siblings called her *Mama*. But Mobina Begum loved it when Mehmal called her *Maa*.

"You have just come and didn't even ask for water?" Mobina Begum said, looking at Mehmal in astonishment.

"Why are you scolding our daughter?" Mehr Ali asked.

"Yes, I am the enemy of your child," Mobina Begum replied angrily.

As soon as she said that, both Mehr Ali and Mehmal burst into laughter. When they were done laughing, they looked at Mobina Begum. She was standing with a strict expression, glaring at them. Father and daughter looked at each other and smiled.

Mobina Begum couldn't take it anymore. She started to leave the kitchen. Mehr Ali held her hand.

"Arrey, where are you going?"

"I am the enemy of you and your child, so I am leaving the house," Mobina Begum said angrily.

Seeing her angry, Mehr Ali could not control his smile. Seeing his smile, Mobina Begum became even angrier. Seeing their bickering, Mehmal quickly left the kitchen so that Mobina Begum wouldn't start scolding her again.

Seeing Mobina Begum angry, Mehr Ali with great difficulty controlled his smile and said, "Arrey, you are not our enemy. You are our beloved."

As soon as Mehr Ali said that, a shy smile spread across Mobina Begum's face.

***

Mehmal went upstairs to get away from Mobina Begum. Both rooms upstairs belonged to the siblings. The one on the right was Mehmal and Mozina's room. The one on the left was Dawood's.

Mehr Ali had three children. The eldest was Mehmal. The second was Dawood, and the youngest was Mozina. Mehmal's final year graduation exams were going on. Dawood was studying engineering, and Mozina was a first-year student.

As soon as Mehmal entered the room, darkness welcomed her. She felt for the switch and turned on the light. The whole room lit up at once. To protect her eyes from the sudden brightness, she put her hand over them.

After a while, she removed her hand and saw Mozina sleeping right in the middle of the bed. Mehmal looked at the clock. It was past two.

She walked forward and pulled Mozina's blanket. Mozina sat up, startled. When she opened his eyes and saw Mehmal standing there with a strict expression, she made a grumpy face.

"What happened, *Aapi*? Why are you ruining my sleep so early in the morning?"

Mehmal pointed at the clock. "Look, the morning time has already passed."

"*Yaar Aapi*, you know there was Iltihaam Bhai's *mehndi* last night. We came back at *Fajr*. You couldn't go because of your papers, so don't ruin my sleep. I swear, it's not my fault at all." Mozina said this while blinking her eyes in such a way that Mehmal felt immense love for her.

Mehmal suppressed her smile and made her tone a little strict. "Acha acha. You talk too much. Now be good and go to sleep. And from now on, I don't want to hear the word '*yaar*' from your mouth."

Mozina was not in the mood to argue, so she quietly lay down again.

After seeing Mozina sleep, Mehmal slightly pulled aside the curtain of the window. Outside, she saw a lawn exactly like theirs. The whole house was like their house because it belonged to her *Tai Jaan*. *Tai Jaan* had passed away two years ago. After the shock of his death, *Taiya Jaan* also passed away soon after. Now their children lived in that house. They had three children: one son, Iltaja Adnan Ali, and two daughters, Areesha and Areeba. Both daughters were twins, and their weddings were going on. Mozina had come back from one of them.

As soon as Mehmal moved the curtain, she saw Iltaja right there. He was getting flowers planted in the house. At the same moment, Iltaja also looked up and saw Mehmal.

Seeing Mehmal, his lips curved into a smile. Till today, he himself didn't understand why he smiled whenever he saw her.

Seeing him smile, Mehmal smiled back.

iltaja looked at her carefully. White uniform, white scarf wrapped around her face, wheatish complexion, black eyes, and a smile on her lips. The sunlight was falling on Mehmal's face at that moment. To iltaja, Mehmal looked extremely beautiful. He praised her in his heart.

Now Mehmal was fixing the curtain. iltaja looked at her for two seconds and then got busy with his work.