the stars nodded,
the ocean agreed,
the flowers chorused,
"bloom now - bloom free"
-rise again

🥀

Chapter 2 :Frenzy Dawn

His eyelids stirred. The curtains blocking the bars of sunlight which vaguely stood out behind the window bars, shimmering.

Outside, the sun was half-covered by the smooth cotton-like clouds. Its orange-red fingers spreading hues of lights all over the region through them. The birds started to take off searching for their early ingest. The winds slothfully caressing the plants and flowers with their swooning sound and the butterflies wing each other as they flutter from one nectar to another.

Azaan groaned as he sat on his bed, rubbing his face with his hand. His sleep hooded eyes barely opened. He heard his sister's usual morning bickerings and the clink of utensils. As he checked the grandpa clock on the ceiling-floor wall and sighed knowing the time is quarter to seven. Flipping his dark blue comforter away. He stretched his arms and wakes into a new morning where he got a new turn of life to be a better and practicing men of Islam. He got a new opportunity to please his creator.

"Alhamdu lillahi-lathee ahyaana ba'da maa amaatana wa illahin-nushoor"

Reciting his usual morning dua (pray) Azaan headed to his bathroom to do all the morning routines.

!¡!¡

"Riya this is your last call. Come before your breakfast becomes cold." Alfiya yelled at the youngest Rabah. Alniya who stood beside her shook her head smiling before putting the cookies into the oven for baking.

"I'm tying my hijab. This needs concentration so do not disturb slash yell at me Ukhti!" exclaimed Alriya as she tried to pin her shawl less revealing her modesty. Alfiya gruntle and mumble as she goes on doing her morning chores.

Promptly, Azaan descends the stairs in a white Calvin Klein hoodie with dark-blue ripped jeans. The dew-like water drops are dripping from his charcoal black hair which he idly brushed to his side and wore those ever so infamous lade watch on his left wrist.

"Assalamu alaikum" he eventually greeted seeing both his sisters who replied politely while the youngest one screamed her's from her room. Azaan chortle.

"Smells delicious!" Azaan proclaimed as he peeked behind his sister, Alfiya's back "Wow! Hummus!. You sisters are the best" he jested.

Both the elder Rabah sisters giggled at their brother's odd praising. Alniya washed a plate before placing two already prepared tortillas plus Hummus over it. And kept it on the table before her brother with an avocado juice. Azaan's smile faltered.

"Seriously! Avocado juice?" He asked incredulously.

"Seriously. An Avocado juice" emphasized Alniya.

Azaan shook his head "Where is my caffeine Niya!?" He whined. Alniya's nose flared as she gives her brother a pointed look making him gulp.

"No caffeine. It ain't good for your health"

"But you know. I can't work without it"

"No buts Akhi! You are not getting caffeine unless or until it is so necessary" His second sister avowed while Azaan scowl deepened.

Alriya strolled into the kitchen. Her school bag sliding over her right shoulder. She kept the bag on the table with a thud before she grumpily claimed a seat beside her brother.

"Yelp" she exclaimed unenthusiastically. "I can't get to finish school already"

The youngest sister shook her head, scowling before she digs her point finger at the pastel cream-green-colored food and sucked her finger. Both the Rabah siblings seated there with scowl marred on their visage.

"Annoyed early morning itself?" Alfiya walked as she kept her Tabbouleh, salad on the table and watched at her both siblings in amusement as their frown deepened.

Alniya's lips twitched seeing her brother openly acting without any edginess. His eyes twinkling with jubilant vibes while his lips defending not to stretch into an obvious smile.

"I want my coffee -woooaa!" Azaan shrieked when he felt a movement around his feet. He let a loud squeal defeating a whole pack of wolves before pulling both his legs up protectively on his chair near his chest. "La haula wala quwwatha ila billa! What in the world is this murky creature doing here?" He questioned skeptically looking at the brown fur kitten. Its grey-green eyes lided slightly as it licked its paws, leisurely. Alfiya gasped.

"You just did not call it a creature now, did you?" She howled.

"That too ugly!" Added his youngest sister, Alriya.

Both gasped before keeping their hand on their chest feigning hurt. Azaan gazed at his sisters, astonished. He still kept his legs on the chair though and took a deep breath and exhaling it through his mouth, shuddering. Alfiya caught the kitten before patting the kitten's ears admiringly while the others looked at it with an adorable glint. Azaan scoffed.

"Don't call it a creature or murky. It is a being like us" Alfiya soothed as she cooed and mewed at the kittens.

Their brother chortle. "What should I call it then? Sultan? (king)" he asked sarcastically.

At the name both the sisters perked up and looked at their brother amused yet curious "who told you his name?" They asked concomitantly. Azaan cringed at their voice which was up to damage his tympanum.

"Who he?" He asked skeptically.

"Him" Alfiya and Alriya shooed the kitten towards Azaan. He shrieked and shuddered before leaning impossible closer to his chair. Alniya who seated there munching at her Tabbouleh salad snickered upon seeing her brother quite an uneasiness.

"Introducing Sultan Javed Abubacker Al Rabah" Both the sisters hoicked, giggling. Azaan let out a gruntle.

"Seriously! You girls have this kitten our surname!" He asked incredulously "And Sultan Javed Abubacker! What the heck!? what is wrong with you girls?" He added with a horrible shook of his head. His sisters nodded flinging their shoulder.

"Us three had varieties of names for him. So we just named him all of our names" Alriya confessed as she dug her fingers almost in the Hummus but got strangled by Azaan who caught her wrist with a distasteful expression.

"What!?" She growled frustratingly.

"Wash your hands before eating." He grimaced "you just touched that mur- Sultan Javed Abubacker Al Rabah's fur" He talked, deadpanned.

Alriya frowned before sauntering towards the washbasin. Azaan shook his head disgustedly before eyeing the coffee-brown fur kitten warily.

"Is him going to stay here?" Azaan asked as he brought his legs down the chair onto the floor slowly still eyeing the kitten.

Alfiya rolled her eyes heavenward and back before saying "No- uh! I was about to book a hotel room for him" sarcastically, she said.

Alniya burst out at the look on her brother's visage which was soon joined by her youngest sister. Azaan scowled at his sisters' blunt response. He etches a piece of a tortilla before digging it in the Hummus and savoring it wholly trying to cover the smile creeping from him. His sisters were still laughing while talking and stroking the kitten their eyes glistening as their elder sister animatedly talks about how she got the kitten in the first place.

"I see, The Rabah's household is loud and ecstatic in a Monday morning itself"

Came a familiar voice of certain someone with grey eyes and dark brown hair; brushed sideways as his blue crisp shirt tugged inside an umber colored pants. He looks all it professional except for the tie lowly degrading over his second button. He gave them a boyish grin before claiming the seat next to Azaan which was previously occupied by Alriya.

"Howdy Azaan?" He chirped as he almost scooped the Hummus on his finger which was caught by Azaan on his wrist.

Azaan growled "What's with everyone digging on my Hummus with their dirty finger?.Go and wash your hands, Rounak" he fretted.

"Chill bruh chill" Rounak flipped him off as he stood up to wash his hands. Azaan murmured something inaudible in his native language, Arabic. Rounak- after washing his hands looked at his reflection in the mirror. Instead of seeing him, his gaze cinched with the resplendent visage of her.

She laughed at something her elder sister said. Those beauteous eyes fashioned at its ends forming lines, her perfectly shaped parrot nose cringed and her heart-shaped lips slightly parted exhibiting her pearl-like teeth. Her olive skin face flushed as of the constant merriment of laughter.

However, when her eyes momentarily caught his through the mirror. There was a fiction of vulnerability and tiredness in them but when their eyes locked. He saw an emotion he undeciphered. In those ocean-like eyes of her, it would be an honor for him to be drowned, to get lost.

Fleetly, he gave Alniya a curt nod which kind of pulling the strings of his heart for being caught at his not-so-obvious glance at her. He drained his hands with the towel which is hunged near him before railing towards the table.

Alniya flushed at the way he was giving her, a longingly look. But she was too quick to change the thought that occurred in her mind, closing it completely away from her heart marking it as the irrational thoughts of her. She got up when she heard the small bling sound of her oven to take out the cookies she had made.

"No offense for asking but why are you here morning itself?" Azaan inquired as he digs his tortilla at the Hummus.

"Well, Zumaya said Alniya always bakes cookies to give Riya at lunch on Mondays," Rounak said shooting a glance at Alniya's direction who had put on the gloves for taking out the tray from the oven.

"And Zumaya wanted to taste it first before anyone could. So she woke me up and threw me at my car making me drew all the way here." he resignedly said.

Alniya knitted her thick eyebrows, crinkles forming upon her forehead. Those brown orbs of her having a curious glint at them as her gaze wandered behind Rounak at the main entrance of their house searching for her best friend.

"She is in the car" Rounak sibilated seeing her curious glint. She rose her brows at him while bringing the cookies out and keeping them on the table which was soon attacked by her youngest sister.

"Why is she still there?"

Rounak beamed upon hearing her soft voice that too aimed at him. He cleared his throat to sound casual for he was afraid that he might squeal like a teenager whose crush had just acknowledge him.

"I locked her inside the car" Rounak sounded too casual than him and he cursed for being so when Azaan gave him a weird look at his unusual tone.

Fleebily, taking a glance at her direction, inconspicuously. He fished out his mobile from his suit pocket to phone his sister. He wasn't surprised when the call was taken on the first ring itself.

"You idiotic brother of mine. Just keep watching your surroundings, Ro. You won't know when and how I'm gonna kill you with my strong arms. I'll tear you into pieces and give those pieces to Tommy, our neighbors dog adding some spices to it and will watch as he devours you and..."

"Ahem... Sister if you could stop and take a deep breath, it would be so appreciative" Rounak fretted looking at the Rabah siblings facetiously.

"Do not tell me to calm down when you'd locked me in your masakh(monster) like car" she all but yelled.

"The car is locked from outside, Zumi. You could've just opened the lock and get down" he said barely containing his irritation "and for your information, the call was in loudspeaker" they were inaudible of rustling before the call went off.

However, it didn't take her so long to enter the Rabah household all provoked. She stood beside her brother. Barely containing her enraged vent and if it was an anime, one could see smoke coming off from both her ears as she stood there with narrowed eyes and scowled visage.

Rounak who was about to devour the choco cookies was harshly interrupted by his sister who took the cookies away from his hands. Rounak let a growl of protest "What's with you Zumaya?"

The said woman glowered upon her brother her grey hue cat-like eyes into a slit. Instead of replying to her brother's comment she engulfed the cookies still keeping her gaze locked with her brothers who in return scowled at her.

"Ah, take that Akhi. I'm the first one to taste these delizious cookies" she exclaimed a victory glint reflecting on her orbs.

"No-uh. This is my third cookie"

Zumaya shoot; tilted her head at the youngest Rabah sister who marred a smug look upon her visage biting upon her third cookie. She blinked.

"It's all because of you." Zumaya lamented at her brother before claiming a seat beside Alfiya who was scrolling through her DMs oblivious to her surroundings. It was then she apprehend the person beside her brother. She bites her tongue out of embarrassment as he was able to see the childish side of her.

"Assalamualaikum Akhi Azaan" she uttered. Azaan replied to her greetings in frolic and gave her a respectful shake of his head.

"Don't you have an office to be?" He queried his friend. Rounak slumped his shoulder in the chair his visage set into a gloomy look. "Yes," he fretted.

"Why? Is your job being hectic for you?" Azaan put a hand in his shoulder, hesitantly. Rounak sighed.

"It's just that...I don't know - I feel like I haven't done anything for myself for a while."

Azaan furrowed his eyebrows contemplating with his brain what his friend just said. "I'm afraid. I don't get you" he at last voiced.

Rounak let out a noiseless gruntle "I've taken over my father's business. That company is my Baaba's(father) blood and sweat. I'm afraid that if anything goes wrong in that company under my watch. It will make him upset. And I don't want that to happen" Rounak concluded.

"So?"

"So?... So I don't know I'm terrified to take any decisions without thinking about it for hundred times which makes me a headache. I want to take a break from all those and want to live my life a little"

Azaan nodded sinking his best friend's words in him. Thereupon, he sighed and talked "So in short, you are saying you lost faith in yourself"

Rounak shoots a questioning look at his friend "I...I just said I want to enjoy my life" he explained, perplexed.

"You know what Rounak! You had lost your faith in yourself it is because of that you think that you can't keep up with your father's business."Azaan watched his friends flummoxed vent trying to fathom what he had said "See Rounak when we do something which we like we never think about quitting or taking rest because we do that with a passion. we have to take risk. Everything in life is not given in silver plate for all. Everything in life is tumultuous. If we want to increment anything we first need to have faith in ourselves and our destiny"

"You are saying that I don't believe in my ability anymore so I'm trying to run away from my responsibility" Rounak put forth. Azaan half-nodded and half-shakes his head in disapproval.

"No that is not what I meant entirely. You have to believe in yourself. Having believed in yourself makes you believe in your creator also. Which means if we want to do anything; do it with thawakkal (trust in god's plan)

Allah Kareem (God is the most generous)"

Rounak bobbed his head in fathomable. While Azaan continued "Stop stressing over things which aren't in our control. Do what is your mind says. Leave rest in the hands of Allah. If it's for you it will be certainly yours." He concluded.

Rounak subconsciously nodded his head a distant look marred his visage. Thinking not to disturb him, Azaan left to wash his hands soundlessly.

Azaan's lips stretched when he noticed his youngest sister bringing his towels for him to drain his arms.

"Your school bus hasn't arrived yet?" He inquired taking the towel from her. Alriya gruntled "Nope, this Aslam uncle always reaches late when I'm ready early but comes early when I'm not ready" she complained.

Azaan chortled at her before scrunching down at her "Did you get your chocolate yesterday?" He asked to which the latter bobbed her head, beaming.

Azaan pulled her cheeks "Be a good girl and study. Do not look or talk to any boy's" he warned. Alriya scoffed looking at her brother warily "I'm studying in a girls-only school there are no boys for me to talk" she rolled her eyes.

"Still don't talk to anyone; you don't know. " He said "if anyone bothers you tell them your brother will chop-chop their head. Alright?"

Alriya laughed before bobbing her head just then they were inaudible of horn which Alriya ratified as her school bus. Giving a peck on her brother's cheek she scurried to her bus waving at others on her way.

"You do know that you have an office to reach, right?" Azaan raised his brow's skeptically watching at his best friend who shrugged nonchalantly eating the leftover broken pieces of the cookies from the plate.

Azaan shook his head, amusedly before claiming besides Rounak. "From what you've said to me I understood that I need to take my business a little seriously now onwards," Rounak said.

"Ah! And in your faith also"

"Yup, and in my faith also" He whispered.

"Don't think I'm boosting your ego by saying this, Akhi" Zumaya said to her brother coming out of blue, a certain cat named Sultan in her arms "You eats like pig"

Rounak rolled his eyes heavenward and back at his sister's sarcasm "Oh I didn't know I ate like you?" He replied with the same sarcasm gaining a slit eye from her.

"I hate you, Akhi"

"Feeling's are mutual, habibty (dear)"

Alniya who stood behind her giggled taking a sip from her now cold; green tea. Zumaya pulled her tongue out at her brother who does the same towards her making both the Rabah siblings laugh at their actions.

"Hey! I forgot to tell you this. Zahid is coming back from Morocco" Rounak said to Azaan who gasped at him shocked.

"When? Why didn't he tell me?"

"Tomorrow. He said; he called you several times but you didn't answer the phone"

Azaan frowned "it may be because my phone will be in DND mode...I guess" he assumed.

Two chairs across, a woman's heart accelerated hearing the name she hasn't heard for years. Little did she know that his return was for her to win his heart all over again.

🥀