Haal Kya Hai Dilon Ka — Chapter 8

This story is a work of fiction. All characters and events are fictional.

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Dinner unfolded in an unusual hush. The clink of spoons against plates, the soft scrape of chairs over the floor, the faint scent of matar chawal and sharp red chutney in the air—everything felt louder because no one was speaking. Haniya pushed a pea around her plate, glancing up once, then quickly down again. Even Ammi seemed subdued.

Sami stepped into the dining area and paused just inside the doorway, taking in the scene with visible suspicion. "Kya hogaya sab ko? Badi khamoshi se dinner chal raha hai aaj toh." (What's happened to everyone? Dinner's happening in such silence today.)

He pulled out a chair and sat beside Aarib, nudging him lightly with his elbow. "Kya hua phir se? Ladkiyon ne ched diya tumhe?" (What happened again? Did the girls tease you?)

Haniya straightened at that, irritation sparking instantly. "Nahi, aaj toh Aarib bhai ne bechari ladkiyon ko itna daanta. Poori class mein bas daante hi rahe." (No, today Aarib bhai scolded the poor girls so much. He just kept scolding the entire class.)

Sami's mouth curved as he spooned rice onto his plate. "Toh tum kyun chup baithi ho? Tumhe bhi daant pad gayi kya?" (Then why are you sitting quietly? Did you get scolded too?)

Before she could answer, Ammi chimed in, pleased. "Haan, achha hai. Isko bhi daanto. Maa ki toh waise hi kuch nahi sunti. Koi toh isko seedha kare." (Yes, that's good. Scold her too. She doesn't listen to her mother anyway. Let someone straighten her out.)

Haniya pressed her lips together, resisting the urge to protest.

Sami shook his head. "Nahi bhai, koi daantna-waantna nahi. Bas pyaar se samjha dena." (No bro, no scolding or anything. Just explain with love.)

"Abhi toh nahi kuch kaha," Haniya muttered, glancing at Aarib from the corner of her eye. "Par mera number aane wala tha. Mishi tak toh aa gaye the." (He didn't say anything to me yet. But my turn was coming. He even got to Mishi.)

Sami nodded, chewing calmly. "Usne koi kaam hi aisa kiya hoga, yaqeenan." (She must have done something like that, definitely.)

Haniya's fork stilled. "Kyun peeche pade rehte hain aap uske?" (Why do you keep siding with him?)

He grinned, entirely too pleased with himself, and ignored her complaint. Turning back to Aarib, he said lightly, "Iska toh din achha nahi guzra, isliye moonh bana hua hai. Tumhari raat kisne kharab kar di?" (Her day hasn't gone well, that's why she's pouting. Who ruined your night?)

Aarib didn't look up immediately. He took another bite, swallowed, wiped his fingers with deliberate calm. "Aariz bhai ki call aayi thi. Project ka hi pooch rahe the." (Aariz bhai had called. He was asking about the project.)

"Toh tension kya hai?" Sami replied easily. "Meeting hai toh agle hafte kuch na kuch ho jayega." (So what's the tension? There's a meeting, something or other will happen next week.)

Aarib shook his head once, subtle but firm. "Bhai ka masla nahi hai. Woh keh rahe the Agha Baba call karenge update lene ke liye." (Bhai's not the issue. He was saying Agha Baba will call to get an update.)

A brief pause followed. Sami's expression shifted, amusement fading into understanding. He gave a small nod.

Ammi leaned forward, her tone softening. "Koi baat nahi. Itni mehnat toh kar rahe ho na tum. Kuch nahi kahenge Agha bhai." (It's okay. You're working so hard, aren't you? Agha bhai won't say anything.)

Aarib answered with a faint smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. He adjusted his sleeve, then reached for the chutney as if the movement might steady something inside him. After a moment, he looked across the table.

"Haniya. Khane ke baad chalein phir?" (Haniya. Shall we go after dinner?)

Her spoon froze mid-air.

Sami glanced between them. "Kahan ka plan hai?" (What plan is this?)

Haniya shot Aarib a warning glare so sharp it nearly burned. Then she shrugged, too casually. "Mujhe kya pata, bhaiya. Mera toh koi plan nahi." (How would I know, bhaiya. I don't have any plan.)

Sami's gaze returned to Aarib. "Kya scene hai?" (What's the scene?)

For a second, Aarib looked almost caught. He cleared his throat lightly. "Nahi, main waise long drive pe jaane ka soch raha tha. Mind fresh ho jayega. Toh socha Haniya se pooch loon. Isko toh har waqt bahar ghoomna hota hai na." (No, I was thinking of going on a long drive. Mind will freshen up. So thought I'd ask Haniya. She always wants to roam around outside anyway.)

"Haan, yeh toh hai," Sami laughed. "Agar Haniya ladka hoti toh bohot awara hoti." (Yes, that's true. If Haniya were a boy, she'd be very wayward.)

Haniya lifted her chin proudly. "Ladka hoti toh kya matlab? Main ladki hoke bhi awara ho sakti hoon." (What do you mean if I were a boy? Being a girl, I can still be wayward.)

Ammi clicked her tongue sharply. "Haan, bohot fakhr ki baat hai jaise. 'Awara ho sakti hoon.'" She repeated the line with thick sarcasm. (Yes, like it's something to be very proud of. 'I can be wayward.')

Sami chuckled, and soon he and Ammi drifted into another discussion. The table noise resumed, lighter now.

Aarib fell quiet again, finishing his meal slowly. His jaw tightened once when he thought no one was watching.

But Haniya was watching.

When he finally looked up, he found her staring at him openly—no teasing this time, just a soft, deliberate smile. He lifted an eyebrow in question.

She exaggerated a dramatic kiss face and tossed it toward him with shameless pride.

For a second, he simply stared. Then he looked down, shaking his head, a reluctant smile breaking free as he reached for his glass of water.

Dinner dissolved into the usual clatter afterward. Plates were gathered, chairs pushed back.

Haniya had barely taken two steps toward freedom when Ammi called out, "Haniya, pehle bartan uthao." (Haniya, first pick up the dishes.)

"Achha na, aati hoon!" she called back, already half-turned toward the hallway. (Okay, I'm coming!)

She spotted Aarib returning from the kitchen and seized her chance. Before he could react, she grabbed his wrist and tugged him toward the nearest room.

He stumbled slightly, then steadied himself. "Kya—?" (What—?)

She shut the door halfway and turned to him, eyes flashing. "Aap bhaiya ke saamne kyun jaane ki baat kar rahe the?" (Why were you talking about going in front of bhaiya?)

He blinked, genuinely confused. "Kyun? Driving nahi seekhni?" (Why? Don't you want to learn driving?)

She stepped closer, lowering her voice to a hiss. "Shh. Ahista bolein na. Unko thodi batana hai." Her eyes gleamed with reckless excitement. "Dekhiye, hum na raat ko jab Ammi aur bhaiya so jayenge na, phir jayenge." (Shh. Speak quietly. We don't have to tell them. Look, at night when Ammi and bhaiya fall asleep, then we'll go.)

For a second, he simply stared at her.

"Ji nahi," he said at once, almost scandalized. "Aisa kuch nahi hoga. Driving sikhane ki baat hui thi. Yeh saara adventure main nahi karunga. Aap Sami se permission lo, madam. Sikhana mujhe hai." (No way. Nothing like that will happen. It was about teaching driving. I'm not doing all this adventure. You take permission from Sami, madam. I have to teach you.)

She groaned. "Woh nahi maanenge na. Company car hai." She stepped closer again, voice softening. "Please na. Unko pata bhi nahi chalega." (He won't agree. It's the company car. Please. He won't even find out.)

He tried to reason with her. "Dekho, Hani—" (Look, Hani—)

She cut him off by placing both hands on his face, forcing him to look at her. Her fingers were warm against his jaw. "Please, please, please."

She leaned in slightly, her pout exaggerated, eyes wide and unrelenting.

He stiffened at the proximity. His hands hovered awkwardly before gently prying hers away. "Achha, achha. Baad mein dekhte hain." (Okay, okay. We'll see later.)

She grinned instantly, triumphant.

Before he could retreat fully, she opened her arms for a hug.

He stepped back quickly, dodging her with practiced ease. "Haan, theek hai, theek hai," he muttered, already moving toward the door. (Yes, okay, okay.)

She stood there watching him escape, smile widening, certain she'd already won.

And somewhere beneath his controlled composure, the faintest crack had begun to show.

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CHAPTER NAVIGATION

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He'd agreed to teach her driving—but he hadn't agreed to the late-night adventures she was already planning in her head.

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