The afternoon sun bathed the Oakridge School ground in a golden glow, the only sounds breaking the silence were the occasional chirps of birds perched on the branches. The stillness was only disturbed by the faint buzz of distant classrooms, where students were engrossed in lessons.

In one such classroom, Ishmal Zarrar sat at the backbench, her seat by the window offering a view she was hardly paying attention to. The history teacher’s voice was a constant drone in the background, but Ishmal’s mind was elsewhere. Her eyes flitted to the clock every few seconds, her fingers idly twirling a pen. She sighed, her patience waning as she silently wished for the bell to ring, marking the start of break time.

Suddenly, a slight nudge from her best friend Sobia snapped her back to the present. Startled, Ishmal glanced at her friend, who was staring at the teacher as if she was fully engrossed in the lesson.

Furrowing her brows, Ishmal discreetly opened it to the last page where a scribbled note awaited:

"Will you come to the back of the tower during the break?"

Ishmal’s eyes widened in disbelief. She quickly scribbled back:

"For what?"

Sobia's response came faster than expected:

"Arez asked me to."

Ishmal stared at the words, her heartbeat quickening. The "back of the tower" was infamous for being a secluded area where seniors often snuck off with their boyfriends or girlfriends. It was a place of whispered secrets, forbidden exchanges, and unspoken rules. No teachers ventured there, making it the perfect hideout, but also a dangerous spot for those not looking for trouble.

When the bell finally rang, signaling the end of class, the boys darted out while the girls gathered their belongings slowly, chattering among themselves. Sobia and Ishmal stayed behind.

“Why do you want to go there?” Ishmal whispered, her concern evident.

“Arez wants to give me something,” Sobia replied, her tone innocent, as if she was unaware of the weight behind her words.

“Sobia, tumhe pata hai waha kon jata hai. You can’t be serious. Just… don’t go,” Ishmal’s voice was firm, but there was an edge of desperation to it.

(Sobia, you know what kind of people go there.)

"Please, Ishmal! We’ll just go for a minute. No one will see us, I promise!” Sobia’s pleading eyes were hard to resist. It wasn’t something they had ever done, and maybe that’s why Sobia was so eager, trusting that Ishmal would be her anchor.

Ishmal hesitated, torn between being a protective friend and her loyalty to Sobia. Against her better judgment, she reluctantly nodded.

The area behind the tower was both eerie and quiet. It was isolated, surrounded by tall trees, casting long shadows over the large open ground. Ishmal stood with her back against the red brick wall, arms crossed, feeling a growing sense of unease. Her eyes remained fixed on the ground, the awkwardness of being in such a place making her more uncomfortable by the second.

Not far from her, Sobia stood with Arez. He handed her a large box of chocolates, and they exchanged a few words, their voices barely reaching Ishmal. She stole a glance at them, but quickly averted her eyes, feeling like an intruder.

Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, Ishmal saw Vivek Sir walking across the other side of the ground. He wasn’t coming their way, but just his presence filled her with panic. Her heart pounded in her chest.

"Sobia!" Ishmal hissed, waving her hand frantically to get her friend's attention, but Sobia was too engrossed in her conversation with Arez to notice.

Ishmal bit her lip, then rushed over to them. “Maine Vivek sir ko jate dekha!” she whispered urgently.

Sobia and Arez immediately froze. "Leave now. I'll catch up with you two later," Arez instructed.

Without further hesitation, Sobia and Ishmal hurried away. They were halfway across the field when Sobia suddenly stopped. “My bag! I left it back there!”

“Sobia!” Ishmal exclaimed, glancing nervously behind them.

“Just hold this!” Sobia pushed the box of chocolates into Ishmal’s hands. “Go ahead. I’ll grab my bag and be right back.”

Ishmal, annoyed but too worried to argue, clutched the chocolates and continued walking, determined to lecture her friend about this ridiculous situation later. But before she could escape unnoticed, she collided with someone at the base of the stairs.

The impact knocked the box out of her hands, and she quickly bent down to retrieve it, her heart sinking as she looked up to see who it was.

Kian. His eyes darted between her and the chocolates, then shifted to the tower behind her. He shook his head and walked past without saying a word, but the judgment in his eyes had already spoken volumes.

Ishmal stood frozen, her face flushed with embarrassment. Her mind raced, replaying what had just happened. To anyone, she had just come from behind the tower, holding a box of chocolates. The conclusion was obvious, and it made her stomach churn with shame.

Tears pricked the corners of her eyes as she fought to hold them back. She hadn’t done anything wrong, but the weight of the misunderstanding crushed her. What would everyone think of her now? What rumors might spread?

“Why are you standing there like a statue? Let’s go,” Sobia’s voice broke through her thoughts, her hand landing casually on Ishmal’s shoulder as she caught up, completely oblivious to what had just happened.

Ishmal looked at her, disbelief swirling in her brown eyes. How could Sobia be so carefree? Ishmal handed the chocolates back to her friend without a word, her expression blank.

Whatever that boy thought, Ishmal told herself it didn’t matter. It wasn’t like she would ever need to explain herself to him.

Only if she knew how fate would bring her face to face with Kian under much more complicated circumstances, and how this simple misunderstanding would wreak havoc in her future.

•••

Eight years had passed since that fateful afternoon behind the tower. The Oakridge School ground, once bathed in golden sunlight, was now a distant memory for Ishmal Zarrar. Life had moved forward, as it always did, and the concerns of high school felt trivial compared to the responsibilities she now carried.

Across the city, Khan Haveli was alive with the hum of conversation. Afternoon sunlight streamed in through the tall bay windows of the living room, painting the furniture with a soft, golden hue. The warmth outside was in stark contrast to the underlying tension that stirred within the walls of the Haveli.

"Kian, aap sunn rahe hain hum kya keh rahe hain?" Ayla’s voice cut through the stillness of the room, her tone laced with impatience. She sat on the edge of the bed, eyes focused on her son.

(Kian, are you even listening to what I’m saying?)

Kian, engrossed in his laptop, typed away, his fingers moving swiftly over the keyboard. The gentle sound of birds chirping through the open window added a soothing backdrop to the ongoing conversation.

"Ji, mummy," he responded absentmindedly, not lifting his eyes from the screen.

(Yes, mummy,)

"Then at least give me an answer." Ayla leaned forward, her gaze searching his face for any sign of engagement.

"My answer is still the same," Kian finally looked up, his expression filled with innocent resolve.

"I don’t want to get married yet. I mean, I’m still young, and I haven’t even finished my studies. Aur phir abhi Ehan hai, pehle uska sochein," Kian laid out all his arguments in one breath, hoping it would be enough to end the discussion.

(Plus, there’s Ehan to think about. Let’s focus on him first.)

"Age ki aap baat na karein, 24 ke hone wale hain aap. Parhai bhi aisa koi issue nahi, woh konsa apki books chupa dengi? Aur  rahi baat Ehan ki toh... unhone keh diye hai apni pasand se shadi karenge woh. Ab aap apna bataye." Ayla was quick to counter every point Kian raised. "Apko koi pasand hai toh bataye, hume apki pasand se koi problem nahi,"

(Don’t bring up age; you’re about to turn 24. And your studies aren't an issue—what, do you think she’ll hide your books? As for Ehan, he’s already made it clear that he’s going to marry someone of his own choice. So, now it’s your turn to decide.)

(If you like someone, just tell me. I don’t have any issues with your choice.)

"Mummy, mujhe koi nahi pasand." Kian replied, clasping his mother’s hand with affection. "Main apki pasand se shadi karunga, lekin please abhi nahi. Meri parhai toh complete hone dein."

(Mummy, there’s no one I like,)

(I’ll marry whoever you choose for me, but please, not right now. Let me finish my studies first.)

"Theek hai, shadi apki parhai ke baad hogi. Lekin apki parhai ke chakkar mein achhe rishte intezar nahi karenge." With that, Ayla stood up, leaving Kian behind to ponder her words.

(Fine, the wedding can wait until after your studies. But don’t think good proposals will sit around and wait for you forever.)

Kian shrugged, then realised his mother might have someone in mind. His suspicion was further piqued as he thought about the recent arrival of her niece from America. Could she be the 'good proposal' his mother was talking about?

"Khala!" His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden entrance of Sharfa, who burst into the room, almost out of breath.

"Kya hua?" Ayla asked, mildly concerned.

(What happened?)

"Come with me!" Sharfa grabbed Ayla’s hand, dragging her out of the room without further explanation.

"Momo, is everything alright?" Ayla called after her, but Sharfa didn’t stop to respond, leading Ayla towards the other side of the Haveli. Kian was left sitting in the room, deep in thought. His worries were momentarily alleviated when he realized Momo couldn’t be the one his mother was talking about—she was only 17. Relieved, Kian returned to his laptop, focusing on his work once more.

•••

"Momo, what’s going on?"

"Kullu is upset," Sharfa said, leading her aunt down the hall.

"What happened now?" Ayla’s brow furrowed in confusion. The two women had just left Kaif’s portion of the Haveli and were now heading toward Kabir’s part. As they walked, Sharfa filled Ayla in on the details.

"Kal unki friend ayi thi aur Ehan bhai ne unhe Kullu bula diya tha toh woh gussa ho gayi hain."

(Yesterday, one of her friends visited, and Ehan bhai called her 'Kullu' in front of everyone. Now she’s furious.)

"Kal kaha tha na, aaj gussa kyu hain woh?" Ayla still didn’t quite understand.

(But that was yesterday. Why is she angry today?)

"Arey, Khala," Sharfa stopped for a moment, exasperated by the need to explain. "Her friend told the whole class today that her nickname is 'Kullu.' Isliye woh gussa hain ki ek toh pehle hi unka naam Kulsoom rakha aur uspe aise nicknames. Jabse ayi hain gussa hain, she hasn’t eaten, and she’s not listening to Eifa either. That’s why Eifa asked me to come and get you."

(Now she’s upset about the name Kulsoom and the nickname. Ever since she got back from school, she’s been in a terrible mood.)

Ayla finally pieced it together and sighed. "Aur Shyra kaha hai??"

(Where’s Shyra?)

"She’s with bhai at Hamna nani’s house," Sharfa replied.

Ayla nodded as they continued down the corridor, heading toward Kabir’s side of the Haveli.

"I asked bhai to take me with him, but he refused because I have car sickness. On top of that, he thinks I can’t sit still in one place and... Khala, wait!" Sharfa hadn’t finished speaking, but Ayla had already picked up her pace, prompting her niece to run after her.

The moment Ayla entered the room, she heard a voice filled with frustration. "Mujhse toh koi pyar hi nahi karta,"

(No one loves me,)

Kulsoom was sitting cross-legged on the sofa, arms crossed tightly over her chest. Still in her school uniform, her pout made it clear that she was in no mood to be reasoned with.

"Waise itni bhi badi baat nahi hai, Kull... Kulsoom." Eifa faltered, unsure of how to handle the situation. Kulsoom’s complaint had been the same ever since she returned from school, and it showed no signs of letting up.

(It’s really not that big of a deal, Kul... Kulsoom.)

Kulsoom often felt that an overwhelming sense of unfairness had followed her since childhood. Every couple of months, she would have this phase where it seemed to her that no one in the house truly loved her. After all, her arrival had changed little; the family had felt complete even before she was born.

Azrin was the first granddaughter, and naturally, she was adored by everyone. Then, after Azrin, when Eifa and Ehan were born, Ehan became the first grandson, cementing his place as the family's darling. Eifa, being Kabir and Shyra’s first daughter and a twin to Ehan, received equal affection as well. When Kian came into the world, he was Kaif’s first son, and with that, he too managed to garner everyone’s attention. Shahnan, of course, had his own importance, being Hanan's firstborn and Shahzain’s first grandson. So, by the time Kulsoom was born, it felt like no one really needed her. The family already had two granddaughters, her parents have a daughter.

To make matters worse, her status as the youngest in the house didn’t last long, as the very next day after her birth, Sharfa, Hanan and Ayat’s daughter, arrived, claiming the title of the youngest. Kulsoom was soon overshadowed, feeling like she had no special place in the family.

This feeling of injustice grew over the years. In her view, the greatest unfairness was her name—Kulsoom. Everyone said it was her grandmother’s favorite name, chosen with so much love. But if her grandmother loved the name so much, why hadn’t she remembered it when Azrin or Eifa were born? Why did they get such beautiful names, while she was stuck with one that made her sound like an old woman from ancient times?

It seemed to Kulsoom that from the very beginning, life in this household had dealt her the worst hand, and her name was just one of the many proofs of that.

"Kya ho gaya hai? Kulsoom, aap ab tak uniform mein kyu hain?" Ayla asked as soon as she entered, first directing her question to Eifa before turning to Kulsoom, as if Sharfa hadn’t already told her everything.

(What’s going on? Kulsoom, why are you still in your uniform?)

"Badi mummy, Ehan bhai ne mere sath bohot galat kiya hai." Kulsoom immediately complained. Ayla was the one who patiently listened to everyone in the house and took their concerns seriously.

(Badi mummy, Ehan bhai has done really wrong to me.)

"Pata hai class mein sab waise bhi mujhe Kulsoom apa keh kar bulate hain, aur ab Kullu Manali." Kulsoom's brown eyes welled up with tears as she said this. Hearing ‘Kullu Manali,’ Sharfa couldn’t help but giggle, but quickly hid it behind her hand when Eifa glared at her.

(You know, in class, everyone already calls me Kulsoom apa, and now they’ve started calling me Kullu Manali.)

"Haslo, Momo. Everyone in class was laughing at me too." Kulsoom said angrily after hearing Sharfa’s giggle, making Sharfa feel guilty.

(Go ahead and laugh, Momo.)

"Kulsoom, baat itni badi bhi nahi jitna aap soch rahi hain. Why are you letting other people’s words affect you so much? What do they matter? They’ll gossip for a little while in class, go home, and forget everything. But here you are, holding on to their words, and only making yourself upset. Just let it go and move on," Ayla said, sitting beside Kulsoom and gently explaining to her. "Aur Ehan apko Kullu chirhane ke garz se nahi bulata. Woh pyar se bulate hain, Sharfa ko bhi toh sab Momo bulate haina." Sharfa nodded in agreement.

(Kulsoom, it’s not as big of a deal as you think it is.)

(And Ehan doesn’t call you Kullu to make fun of you. He says it with love, just like everyone calls Sharfa Momo.)

"Chaliye, ab uthiye aur change kariye. Pehle lunch kariye aur phir sochiyega kya baat wakai itni badi thi jo ap itni derr se upset thi, aur behen ko bhi pareshaan kar diya." Ayla scolded her lightly but kindly.

(Now, get up and change your clothes. Have lunch first, and then think about whether this issue was really big enough to keep you upset for so long and trouble your sister too.)

Ayla’s words had some effect, and partly out of respect for her, Kulsoom got up and headed to her room to change. While each girl had her own room in the house, most of their belongings were kept in the big shared room, and they spent most of their time there together. Only when one of them was upset did they retreat to their personal room to show their displeasure.

"Badi mummy, yeh din ba din chirh chirhi hoti ja rahi hai. Maama se shikayat karungi iski." Eifa grumbled once Kulsoom left. She was tired of Kulsoom’s daily complaints.

(Badi mummy, she’s becoming more irritable by the day. I’m going to complain to maama about her,)

"Woh choti hai, Eifa." Ayla chided her. "Uski shikayat karne ke bajaye bas uski baaton ko tahamul se sunn liya karo, unhe yahi chahiye."

(She’s young, Eifa,)

(Instead of complaining about her, just listen to what she has to say with a little patience. That’s all she needs.)

"Young kids often feel like no one takes their words seriously, like everyone just treats them as babies. That’s why they get so irritable. If you just listen to them and make them feel important, they won’t behave like this," Ayla explained further. Eifa nodded in understanding. It was these kinds of conversations that made Ayla so dear to Eifa; she always had a different perspective on everything and could make anyone understand her point of view.

•••

That night, everyone gathered around the dinner table while Rukhsar asked Shyra about her visit to her home, Shyra's aunt (Zinnirah) was sick.

"Theek hain, bas bade papa ki death ke baad se kamzor rehne lagi hain." Shyra explained.

(She's fine, but ever since uncle's death, her health has been deteriorating,)

The family typically had their own meals separately, but Huzaifa believed that they should share at least one meal together.

Azlan and Rubab lived alone, so they always joined for dinner. Lately, their home was lively, as Shahnan and Sharfa had come to visit. The last time Hanan and his family visited India was for Azrin's wedding seven years ago. This time, it was Rubab’s insistence that prompted them to send Shahnan and Sharfa. Hanan was busy with his business, and Ayat had recently completed her PhD. and joined a university, so neither could come. Only Shahnan and Sharfa had come since their summer vacations had begun.

"Basim unhe apne paas kyu nahi le jata?" Rukhsar asked with concern.

(Why doesn’t Basim take her to live with him?)

"Woh haveli chorhke nahi jana chahti. Waise Issam yahi rehta hai unke paas." Shyra explained in detail.

(She doesn’t want to leave the haveli. Besides, Issam stays with her,)

“Basim ka beta?” Ayla sought clarification. It was hard to keep track of distant relatives, and they meet Shyra’s side of the family only at weddings. The last time everyone met was probably at Azrin's wedding.

(Basim’s son?)

"What happened, Momo? Khana pasand nahi aya?" Rubab asked softly when Sharfa’s hand froze mid-air, her gaze momentarily fixated on something unimportant. The subtle distraction went unnoticed by everyone else at the table, but Rubab caught it.

(You didn't like the food?)

"No, it's good," Sharfa replied quickly, her cheeks flushing slightly as she tried to deflect. Meanwhile, the conversation around the table carried on about Basim and his family, and no one else noticed the slight redness creeping up Sharfa’s face.

"Hmm, Basim ka bada beta hai. Uski bhi college ki chutti hain toh aya hua hai. Kehta hai college ke baad yahi settle hoga, ussey yaha zyada achha lagta hai." Shyra said with a light smile.

(Yes, Basim’s eldest son. He’s here on break from college and says he plans to settle here after finishing his studies. He prefers it here,)

"Phir toh ussey kaho yahi ki kisi larki se shadi kare, American se kiya toh apne papa ki tarah khud bhi phir wahi settle ho jayega. America ki larki yaha nahi tik sakti." Rukhsar remarked seriously.

(In that case, tell him to marry someone local. If he marries an American, he’ll end up settling there like his father. No American girl will be able to adjust to life here,)

At the same time, Sharfa felt a sudden irritation and began to cough, drawing everyone’s attention and interrupting the conversation.

Shahnan quickly grabbed a glass of water and handed it to her while Rubab gently patted her back.

"I'm fine," Sharfa whispered, though her voice was hoarse from the coughing, and her eyes were watery from the irritation.

"Aap yeh mat khao," Shahnan scolded her gently, pushing her plate away. He assumed the spice in the dish had caused her coughing, as he knew Sharfa couldn’t handle spicy food.

(Don’t eat that,)

Sharfa nodded and quietly began eating from the plate Shahnan had prepared for her.

“Yeh kya baat ki apne, Rukhsar? Khushnuma bhi American thi, woh toh kafi achhe se humari family mein ghul mil gayi thi.” Huzaifa responded to Rukhsar’s comment. And when someone praise Khushnuma, Rukhsar couldn’t stay quiet.

(What kind of statement is that, Rukhsar? Even Khushnuma was American, and she fit in with our family quite well,)

“Shadi ke shuru mein Khushnuma ne bhi America aur India ek kiya hua tha, aur ab toh America mein hi jake settle hui na woh.” Rukhsar replied. “Bahar ki larki kabhi yaha nahi bas sakti.” This time, her gaze subtly shifted toward her grandsons, as if her words were meant for them.

(At the beginning of her marriage, Khushnuma also used to visit America frequently, and now she has settled there.)

(A foreign girl can never truly settle here.)

Kian was fine, living with them and he is obedient, but Ehan often went abroad on business trips with his father. He’d joke that one day he’d bring home a bride of his choice.

"Azrin, tum kuch kha kyu nahi rahi ho? Tumhe yeh doon?" Kaif noticed Azrin's detachment as she sat at the dinner table, almost as if she weren’t present. She hadn’t touched her food, just pushing a small portion of rice around her plate, oblivious to everything around her.

(Azrin, why aren’t you eating? Should I give you this?)

Feeling everyone’s eyes on her, she shrank further into herself. The attention and concern from everyone, which had once been comforting, now made her feel uneasy.

"Main le rahi hoon," she whispered so softly that it was only audible because the room had fallen silent, and everyone was watching her. She bowed her head closer to her plate.

(I'm eating,)

For a moment, an awkward silence settled over the dining table. Sensing the discomfort, Ehan spoke up to break the tension.

"Waise, dadi, apne suna, Kullu ko apse shikayat hai." Kulsoom’s eyes widened in surprise.

(By the way, dadi, did you hear? Kullu has a complaint about you.)

"Kya?" The startled reaction from everyone was predictable.

(What?)

"Mujhe Ehan bhai se shikayat hai, main inse gussa thi." Kulsoom quickly clarified, eager to defend herself.

(I have a complaint against Ehan bhai. I was mad at him,)

"Hua kya lekin?" Huzaifa asked, glancing between the two. Kulsoom shot another glare in Ehan’s direction, clearly still upset.

(But what happened?)

"Dada, aap Ehan bhai se kahiye mujhe ulte seedhe nicknames se bulana band karein. Kal inhone meri dost ke samne mujhe Kullu bulaya." Kulsoom complained to Huzaifa.

(Dada, please tell Ehan bhai to stop calling me weird nicknames. Yesterday, he called me Kullu in front of my friend,)

The rest of the family shook their heads, refocusing on their meals. This wasn’t the first time Kulsoom had complained about her name, or nickname.

"Yeh toh bohot galat kiya, Ehan, tumne." Huzaifa said, looking at him seriously, though his eyes twinkled with amusement. He was only pretending to be stern for Kulsoom’s sake.

(That was really wrong of you, Ehan,)

Ehan was about to respond, but Kulsoom quickly added, "Aur Wafa ne sarey class ko bata diya aur sab mera mazak bana rahe the."

(And Wafa told the whole class, and now everyone’s making fun of me.)

"Ek toh mere samajh nahi araha jiska khudka naam Wafa hai woh dusre ke naam ka mazak kaise bana sakti hai?" Ehan said carelessly, shrugging.

(I don’t get how someone named Wafa could mock someone else's name,)

"Wafa hai ya bewafa?" Shahnan commented, his tone soft and measured, unlike Ehan's carefree manner or Kian’s sharpness. His voice was gentle, calm, yet clear enough for everyone to hear easily.

(Is she Wafa or bewafa?)

The whole table burst into laughter at his comment.

•••

The night had deepened, yet the lights in the large room of Khan Haveli were still on. Sharfa sat on her bed, with her laptop resting on her legs, leaning back against the headrest as she casually surfed the internet. Her phone, placed beside the laptop, was playing an audio message of a frustrated guy.

"Why are you always after me? What do you even want? Do you realize what you've done?" The voice was filled with anger, but it didn’t seem to affect Sharfa, who continued listening quietly.

At that moment, Kulsoom entered the room, pausing in shock as she heard the voice speaking so rudely to Sharfa.

"You’re jealous of me, aren’t you? You are jealous of my beauty. That’s why you do all this, right? You want me to die single. You know what, Momo Khan, don't message me again. Our friendship is over." The message ended, and Sharfa, unfazed, glanced at her phone. She was about to record her reply when she noticed Kulsoom standing at the door.

"Aap aise kyu kharhi hain?... kisi ne statue bol diya kya?" At first, Sharfa asked in her normal loud voice, then she lower her tone and ask in conspiracy tone. She showed no signs of concern over the heated message she had just received.

"Who was that? Yeh tumse itni badtameezi se baat kyu kar raha tha?" Kulsoom was upset by the tone of the guy and walked further into the room.

(Why was he talking to you so rudely?)

"Al," Sharfa said casually.

"L?" Kulsoom was confused.

"Aliyar, your cousin," Sharfa clarified, adding to Kulsoom’s knowledge.

"Oh, Basim uncle ka beta. Issam bhai ka chota bhai?" Kulsoom remembered, and Sharfa nodded in confirmation before closing her laptop and turning to face her.

(Basim uncle's son. Issam bhai's little brother?)

"Inko Evelyn pasand hain, unke sath inki date thi, lekin ussi din school ki stairs se hum gir gaye toh hume hospital le jane ki wajah se yeh ja nahi paye, aur woh last day the school ka toh uske baad Evelyn apni family ke sath vacation pe chali gayi. Halaki Evelyn ke baad Al Abi aur phir Sophie ke sath gaye the date pe, lekin humse baar baar keh rahe ki humari wajah se Evelyn ke sath date miss ho gayi. Evelyn humare class ki sabse khoobsurat larki hai, you know." Sharfa explained the whole story in one breath, while Kulsoom, wide-eyed, listened in shock.

(He likes Evelyn. He had a date with her, but on the same day, I fell down the school stairs, so he had to take me to the hospital and missed his date. It was the last day of school, and after that, Evelyn left on vacation with her family. Although he later went on dates with Abi and Sophie, he keeps blaming me for ruining his chance with Evelyn, who, by the way, is the most beautiful girl in our class.)

Dating and crushes were considered so normal in America, where even high school students casually talked about it. While such things weren’t unheard of in India, they were usually done in secret, especially in high school. Kulsoom couldn’t believe how easily Sharfa was sharing her friend’s dating history.

"Inki bak bak sunke thakk gaye hum, toh Evelyn jab wapas ayi, humne inki taraf se itna pyara msg likha aur kaha Evelyn ko bhej do. Aur woh maan gayi second date ke liye, ab inki date kharab ho gayi toh humse khafa ho rahe hain." Sharfa finished, rolling her eyes as if this was routine and she was tired of Aliyar's complaints.

(After getting tired of listening to his whining, when Evelyn returned, I wrote him the sweetest message and told him to send it to her. And she agreed to a second date. Now, because the date didn’t go well, he’s mad at me again.)

"Date kharab hui toh uski galti thi na?" Kulsoom still didn’t understand how Sharfa was to blame.

(If the date went wrong, wasn’t it his fault?)

"Look at this, I wrote such a sweet message," Sharfa handed her phone to Kulsoom, showing her the message she had crafted for Evelyn.

Kulsoom read it, and her nerves started to relax. The message was indeed sweet, something that could impress any girl.

But when she reached the last part, Kulsoom paused. The message mentioned that Aliyar would meet Evelyn near the primate exhibit at the zoo, in the second lane, where there was a cute animal that reminded him of her. If Kulsoom didn’t know Sharfa well, she would have assumed it was some beautiful exotic bird, something that would impress any girl. But knowing Sharfa’s mischievous mind, Kulsoom hesitated and asked, "Yeh 2nd lane mein konsa animal hai?"

(What animal was in the second lane?)

"Chimpanzee," Sharfa happily replied, and Kulsoom’s face turned pale. Now it made sense why Aliyar was so angry. Any girl might accept being compared to a bird, but a chimpanzee? Evelyn must have given Aliyar an earful, and now Aliyar was venting to Sharfa.

"Momo, tum..." Kulsoom wanted to say something but didn’t know what.

(Momo, you...)

"Kamal hoon, janti hoon," Sharfa flipped her long brown hair back with pride.

(I know, I'm amazing.)

"Aise mat dekho, he deserves it. Har dusre din inhe sachha pyar ho jata hai, phir uss larki se baat karne ke liye inhe Momo ki help chahiye hoti hai. As if Momo was born to be his cupid," Sharfa said angrily, picking up her phone.

(Every other day, he falls in 'true love' and then needs Momo's help to talk to the girl.)

Kulsoom, not fully understanding the situation, moved toward the bookshelf to find a book for herself. Behind her, she could hear Sharfa’s voice, probably now typing furiously at Aliyar.

After a little while, Eifa also came in to sleep. She didn't pay much attention to the two teenage girls. This was the usual routine: Sharfa chatting with her American friends on her phone and Kulsoom reading a book before bed. Eifa had a habit of doing her skincare routine before sleeping and didn’t bother with checking her phone or reading.

"Eifa," Kulsoom called out after putting down her book.

Eifa, sitting on her bed applying serum, responded with a simple "hmm" without looking up. Kulsoom was in her own bed, and Sharfa in hers. The room currently had five beds. (Two more beds would be added in the future.) Huda no longer stayed here, and Azrin now slept in her own room at Kaif's house. For now, it was just three of them.

"Main apna naam change karlu?" Kulsoom's question made Eifa’s eyes fly open, and Sharfa dropped her phone in surprise.

(Should I change my name?)