"Mmmmmmmmmmm~" he stretched his body right left up down all over for almost an hour before finally deciding to get out of the bed.
Not walking but crawling. Too sleepy still to walk properly. One may think man worked 72hr hospital shift. No. He just woke up from a 17 hr sleep session after he spent 7 hrs in front of his computer playing games.
This is his routine. No day no night. He sleeps whenever, eats whenever and playswhenever. Once done he begans again; sleep eat play. And cycle goes on in a loop on repeat. It has been an year.
But least he has came out of his shell. 4 years back due to some incident, he locked himself away for 3 years straight. Doing nothing just lying in his bed. He quit his job, stopped meeting with anyone. He won't eat won't talk. His family had rushed him to hospital multiple times. Whole neighborhood knows the troublemaker odd-one-out Azlaan Bayg. So this unruly behavior of his was of course better than those harsh three years.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"Azlaan, darling, are you up?" His mother knocked the door.
"Mm." He replied as he plopped into his bed and opened his laptop. Lying on his stomach, swinging his legs left and right, he hummed randomly, wobbling his head left right.
"Here," mrs. Bayg, Salma Tariq, placed a tray by his side. Breakfast. "Ohh, you seem happy, my lovely child." She placed a kiss on his head. "What's the good news? Did you get a job?"
"Comon mom!" He rolled his eyes and sat up right. His favorite comedy show was playing on his laptop and he begun his breakfast. "I'm living a marvelous time, don't jinx it!"
Mrs. Bayg wanted to smack him but she controlled. "You dad has called you in his study. Go to him after breakfast."
He only nodded in reply. He already knew what his father, Rizwan Bayg, wanted to talk about. He took his sweet hours to finish the breakfast. Laid lazy here there for further some more time before finally leaving his room and greeting his dad.
"Hi." Was all he said after annoying his father to bones. He comfortably placed himself in the soft cushioning of the study room sofa.
"Ohh! The Highness is finally here to see his nothing father! Fozia (maid), bring in delicacies for my highness!" He slammed the book he was reading on the desk.
"I just had breakfast, no space left now, I'll try your delicacies next time." Azlaan said with a sweet smile.
The boiling blood in Mr. Bayg's body from anger, was turning his eyes red. "Azlaan, I beg you. You want me to get on my knees? Will that make you happy!?" And he tries to get down with his cranky knees, but mrs. Bayg intervened.
"Rizwan.. AZLAAN!" Holding her husband up, she growled at her son.
"No, let me kneel in front of him, let me beg on my knees. If that's what it need to get him out of this house then let me do it!" Mr. Bayg shrugged in anger.
"What more do you want! You do this every time! Blackmail me, force me into things you want! You forced me into therapy programs now you want to force me into job. What next, marriage!? Then what next, children? When will you understand its my life, let me live it my way!" Azlaan replied back in anger and stomped back to his room.
"Baygsahabaap hi sudher jaen!" (Mr. Bayg atleast you should behave). Mrs. Bayg pinched her husbands arm lightly. "If this is how you are going to do, then what's even the purpose!?"
Seeing his wife getting angry, mr. Bayg's previous temper was all vanished and he disarmed himself at once. "Salma ji, don't be angry. I'll behave of course. You don't look good angry. Please, forgive me, forgive me." He pulled her to sit in his chair and started massaging her shoulders.
"Don't butter me."
"You just say! I'll do as you say!"
"Yes, yes, like all other times, right?"
"I'm sorry.." he said sweetly.
"We must talk him into it not force him. The more you behave like this the more he'll run away. This is the 4rth family that rejected my daughter because of your son."
"Hn? How come she is only your daughter and he is only my son?"
But mrs. Bayg only hunh-ed and left.
Azlaan knew the seriousness, the all and all of the matter, but things were out of his hands.
He must marry for his younger sister to get married. But for him to get married their must be some family willing to give him their daughter but for that he must have a job first. Right now, no one wants their daughter to marry Azlaan. Although they know how brilliant he is. But he doesn't have a job so what his brilliance can even do.
Bayg family is the family of scholars. Both parents are university professors; mr. Bayg taught Chemistry while mrs. Bayg was an electrical engineer. The eldest daughter, Danisha Bayg, is assistant professor in Psychology at the same university as her parents. The 2nd child, Kamaal Bayg, he is a neurosurgeon. The 3rd child, Rutba Bayg, she is also a doctor; dermatologist. The 4rth child, Azlaan, a high achiever throughout his academics, a peraon with high IQ, good grates, high performance, multiple degrees in his pharmacology; he too is a doctor, and a research scientist who creates various medicines. Or used to. Last one, Sana Bayg, she is in last year of her MBBS.
All first three children of mr. and mrs. Bayg are married. But due to what happened 4 years back and how Azlaan neither defended himself nor is doing any job or habing any earnings via any source at all, no one wants to marry him. Now families have started to reject Sana too. They believe something must be really wrong since Azlaan didn't do anything about what happened, and no one wanted to be stuck in something so ugly.
Mr. And mrs. Bayg have been on Azlaan's heels to get a job. Any job works. And get married. But he doesn't want to do either.
Why? Well if you try to explain both job and marriage with one word, the only perfect word is responsibility. He hates it.
He knows he must do both for Sana. He loves his little angel, but it's kinda hard to bring himself to. So he treats Sana with more and more love. Cause that's all he believes he can.
He spent whole day in bed, eyes closed as if really sleeping. Thinking of all kinds of things. All types of possibilities and outcomes.
"I'm such a jerk." He muttered under his breath.
Sana had a puppy love secret that only he knew. Up till now his situation worked for his sister cause she too didn't want to marry all those people that came to see her. Cause she liked this boy from her class who actually has been her classmate since kinder up till now. And now that their MBBS was finally about to end in 3 months, Azlaan knows that's all the time he has.
This boy, Rafay, he too liked Sanaand wanted to marry her too. Azlaan has talked to him already multiple times and knows he has plans of asking Sana's hand in marriage right after MBBS. They both plan to go to Ossmic Hospital in South City of Turiis. Azlaan supports them. They had been so good with boundaries and pure in love, Azlaan wanted to see them get together so much. But now he felt heavy as days pass.
He had promised Sana, he'll fix everything and will get the two love birds married. 'But how..' was a question he had yet to answer.
'Knock.. knock..' It was Sana.
"Bhai (brother).. you sleeping?" She asked tickling him lightly on the feet.
He pulled his feet away, smiling. "Very much."
"Please wake up na I wanna go shopping. Zola has launched new products. Let's go to North Mall."
"North Mall..? Celbu Road!?"
Sana nodded in excitement.
"That's an hour away. Why not visit the nearest Zola? It's just 4 blocks away."
"North Mall na bhai.."
"You want to buy things or have other plans? So it's not just Zola, right?" Azlaan chuckled.
What things. Azlaan knew she was visiting Rafay. His dad was the onwer of Zola franchise in North Mall. Rafay often spend noons and eneving at the mall.
"Please..?" She tried to be cute but Azlaan could only chuckle and roll his eyes. At least one of them was having a good time.
"Ok." He nodded.
"Yes!! Then lets go now! We can have lunch at the cafeteria there! I wanna eat pizza and dumplings and ice cream!" Sana excited listed before exiting the room.
Azlaan quickly freshed up and got ready. He wanted to buy all those things for her. He of course can, he earned enough in those small years to live half his life freely. But he spent alot on Sana too. Almost all. He now only had a little lacs left in account. But still how to not buy Sana things she want.
Azlaan and Sana drove to the mall in high spirits. The moment they got inside, heavy rain started pouring with thunder and lightening.
"Gosh, thank goodness we planned to lunch here." Sana said off handedly. Azlaan could only roll his eyes at his genius baby sister.
They had an age gap of seven years, while Sana was almost 14 years younger than the eldest of them, Danisha. The baby in Sana never died. She is a forever child, pampered and extremely cared, loved over the brims. Looking her his sister he thought to himself: 'how's she going to spend her whole life? What if they fail to love her like them?' A chill ran down his spine as he saw his sister doing a microscopic happy dance. Just being there was making her happy.
The spent hours exploring the mall. They Went to Zola and there he was Rafay. Rafay bought her things she wanted as gifts. The three then went to have lunch together. Sana wasn't done yet though. She went for more shopping while Rafay returned to his store.
"Sana, it time now." Azlaan said.
"Ohh is it?" She said mischievously.
"Yes it is. We're having a large chocolate cookie and that's it, we leave then."
"Ok!" she said hoping here there.
They went to the 2nd floor the cookie but before they could buy anything or even get close to the shop, a loud cry came from not so far.
A girl was standing almost at a distance of 15 ft from them in lemon PJs and had cried out what the hell. She was bare foot, and was holding a towel in her hands which later she quickly wrapped around her head. Azlaan had already but seen her beautiful shiny deep maroon hair. It was a weird sight. She looked so perplexed. Trying to run here there, somewhere, but ending in im circles. It was as if she didn't know where she was.
"Bhai.. what do you think is wrong with her?" Sana asked in bewilderment.
"I don't know. Seems for sure like a psychiatric case."
Both nodded in unison. The doctor inside both siblings woke up and they tried to walk up to her but the girl suddenly started running in their direction. Scared to bones, the siblings stood there stunned untill the girl bumped into them.
"S-sorry.. can you tell where this is? Where is exit?" She asked Azlaan.
"Uh.. exit is a floor under.. this is North Mall on Celbu Road. You ok ma'am? Do you need something?" Azlaan asked.
She opened her mouth several times but nothing came out, so she shook her head in end.
Azlaan noticed how uncomfortable she looked. She must be a lady who covers herself up (do parda). And he quickly lowered his gaze as he realised he was staring at her. He felt ashamed deep down.
She was as pale as ghost and as thin as hair, yet he found himself calling her beautiful and catching his breath midway.
"Sana, give her a dupatta." Azlaan quickly asked off Sana who couldn't comprehend what her brother had said at first. She took a moment to process and then pulled out a stoler from one of her bags.
"Do you need any help?" Sana asked.
"I.. don't know where I am. I may sound absurd but I was in my home just moment ago and then I was here. I opened a door and I was here.. I-I.." she stopped. She seemed to have alot more to say but all that cake out of her mouth was: "Thanks for this.. I'll be on my way" she turned to leave.
"Wait.." Sana said.
The girl turned around.
"Bhai give me your mobile. Lets let her call home." Sana whispered to her brother, pouting.
"Ok. Ok." He replied back in whispers too.
"I can show you the exit. And.. you can make call if you want to." Sana offered her the Azlaan's mobile.
The siblings stook their to witness how her eyes lit up but were soon dawned by sadness. Neither could understand those teary eyes.
"I don't have anyone." She said in a low broken voice and left, making the most uncomfortable remark.
"What did just happened..?" Azlaam muttered in shock.
"Large chocolate cookie." Sana said holding her brother's arm in a clingy way.
"Ohh.. yes, yes, my dear darling." Azlaan said patting her head.
They had many icecreams. Azlaan felt alive seeing Sana enjoy herself so much. Everything felt perfect and right when se saw his baby sister hop in joy, giggle with happiness.
Suddenly but Sana turned to him with a serious face.
"Bhai.. I can't help but think about that girl from before. Should we take her to a hospital? Maybe she isn't of sound mind? Like, I don't know, but I felt very uncomfortable when she said she doesn't have anyone out of nowhere.." Sana sighed.
"Mmm.. me too. She.." Azlaan was about to say something, but Saira had a long long life. Cause there she was, by the exit gate. Hiding under the shade from harsh rain.