chapter 1

The sun shined brightly as it's happy calm rays showered themselves on the city of swat. The markets were crowded with shoppers and vendors. In the admist of the rush a choas was formed by two young girls. Dodging and passing multiple faces and obstacles they ran for their lives.

"WE ARE ROYALLY SCREWED!!" Hadiya yelled as she ran after her bestfriend. A fat man chased after them. The two troublesome girls had just accidentally hit the man's bald head with their tennis ball as one of them tried to hit the other and other dodged the hit resulting in the ball hitting the man who was peacefully chatting away with his friend.

To add more to his misery the chai he was drinking was spilled all over his sky blue shalwar kameez. His nostrils flared, and pale face turned red with fury, he glared at them making the girls crack up at his hilarious expressions. Tough they had apologized but the lack of remorse in the girls attitude made him run after them to teach them a lesson. 

He spewed profanities at them in pashto but they just laughed and ran dodging the passing cars and people. They had caused a chaos in the market they were in, a few things fell off the stalls which they were fast to place back up while not getting caught. 

"LESS WORDS MORE STRIDES IF YOU WANT TO LIVE" The black haired girl replied turning around glancing at her friend with her soft hazel green eyes shielded by round nerdy glasses. A magnificent grin plastered on her face showing just how much she wasn't regretting anything she did. 

They ran faster as the man started to gain on them. The girls jumped over a man who was hunched over on the road picking something up. The man stumbled on the ground cursing her whole being. 

"SORRY!" They Yelled in unison, taking multiple turns, they finally slowed down in a valley covered with luscious green grass and a canopy of white scattering clouds. 

"Zee stop. I can't run anymore." Hadiya said panting as they reached an open field, a river flowed down at a little distance. It was vast with uneven surface giving away the fact that it was one of those hilly fields in the area.

A stream flowed by singing songs of it's existence as the waves crashed against eachother struggling against the shore. 

Zoya turned around smiling at her friend. Her black hair swished around in air as the cold breeze wafted past her. Her face had turned red from all the running and sweat beads formed on her forehead sliding down gracefully caressing her cheeks. 

"Ohh! come on, it was not even that much" her friend said plopping down next to her friend, she wiped her face with a tissue and laid down on the grass her arms crossed under her head while she gazed at the beautiful clouds scattering on the clear blue canvas we call sky. 

"Says the one who has longer legs than mine" Hadiya huffed laying down beside her. Zoya just shook her head and grinned at the little adventure they had. 

"I'm only 5'9" Zoya rolled her eyes at her bestfriends obnoxious behavior. 

"And I'm just 5'0. It's a huge difference. And what do you mean by only? Do want to be taller?." Hadiya huffed and exclaimed like a child making Zoya to pull her cheeks in annoyance. Hadiya swatted her hand away. Zoya rolled her eyes at her bestfriend. 

Her green eyes scrutinized the scenery infront of her, infinite curtain of blue, soft flooring of green, small bump like hills, running streams. She couldn't help but trace every cloud with her adoring gaze. The beauty of nature entranced her keeping her gaze and thoughts locked on just itself.

She took out her phone from her light pink backpack and started clicking pictures of the sky. Sitting up slowly she turned to her friend. 

"Here take my pictures" she handed her phone to Hadiya who only rolled her eyes ay her friends antics. Zoya plucked a few white flowers from the field and tucked them in the long sleeves of her yellow hoodie and clutched them in her tiny fists making them come upto her knuckles like sleeve paws. She brought her fists near her face and placed them right under her eyes concealing her whole face leaving behind her beautiful green eyes and black hair. 

She took many other portraits of Hadiya and herself. One with the flowers tucked between her fingers while covering her face with her hands. 

She took photo of Hadiya with her bending over the edge of the river with her hair tumbling down on her shoulder as she gazed in the water. It was a risky shot but she got it. On wrong and both of the girls would've ended up in the fierce crashing water. 

The portraits were beautiful with Hadiya catching the background expertly. Her mustard yellow sweatshirt stood out in contrast with the striking blue sky. 

She took out her polaroid camera and took a few tangible memories. Both the girls spent a wonderful time in the heavenly meadow.

"Zee uncle is calling" Hadiya said seeing her friends phone ring once again. They were walking home, when they got her father's call. She picked up the call and said her salam but was met with dead silence. 

"Zoya Alam Khan." Came the stern voice of her father. Yasir Alam Khan. Zoya gulped audibly before answering with a yes. 

"May I know where you are? And what time it is?" He asked. His voice itself told Zoya that she was in big trouble. 

"Um... Baba... I...." She trailed off not knowing how to explain this situation to him its not like he's going to scold her or go complete berserk on her but she knew she had done wrong and she was embarrassed to confess that she had infact wandered off a little away. 

"Yes?" He asked expectantly. Zoya looked here and there to find anything recognisable so she could tell how far she was but she didn't find anything. 

"I'm just a few miles away from home I'll be there in no time. And its 7:30pm right now" she said biting her tongue realizing how late she was. She heard her father sigh at the other end making the guilt to seep through her body. 

"Baba?" She asked. She kept walking as the sky grew darker. The purple and orange hues of the sky looked magnificent, intriguing and enchanting Zoya in their spells. 

Yasir hummed in response. Never in his life he had thought that in a span twelve years he'd be attached to the little girl he and his late wife maheen took in. They couldn't find any information about her parents but they did find a burned cottage in the woods where the girl was found. The cottage was ruined to ashes and nothing remained behind, except the bricked structure.

Maheen was immediately attached to the girl, she felt the void of motherhood disappearing as the little girl unconsciously started calling her Ammi. 

When Zoya had woken up she had just stared at the couple in confusion and out of no where she had wrapped herself in Maheen's motherly embrace. 

Without having a single idea as to who these people were or who her parents were Zoya had accepted them as her parents from day one. The Khan family accepted the baby with open arms as the child of the youngest son of the family, since then it was Yasir, Maheen and little Zoya. The perfect family of inseparable three. 

"I'm sorry I'll be back in a little while don't worry. I found a really beautiful field and didn't realize what time it was until a few moments ago. I'm sorry" she said in a small voice making all the sterness bubbled up in yasir to melt away. A sigh escaped his lips thinking of his innocent daughter. 

"Ok but hurry home your Tayi Ammi is worried sick. If you're not home in half an hour I'm sending your Einstein to look for you" he warned knowing just the mention of Einstein and his daughter will be running home.

"You wouldn't dare baba. I won't come home with that grumpy old man. He would find me later but start his lecture beforehand. Also he's not my Einstein." she huffed, a few strands flew as the breath left her lips. Turning a corner she saw the large white haveli coming in view. 

"Ok I'm just a few blocks away I can see the haveli now. I'll drop Hadiya at her house and come home ok?" She said waiting for a quick reply. 

"Alright" yasir said After hanging up. He shook his head at his photographer daughter who would do anything for perfect pictures. It was her passion and since she was really good at it he didn't want to ruin her fun. He had given her the privilege to roam around the city until and unless she comes back home on time and it rarely ever happened that Zoya was ever late.

Dropping off Hadiya she walked home. Silently she walked inside seeing her Tayi Ammi and her baba sitting in the main room. A sheepish grin took place ok her face as she stepped in the room. Her Tayi Ammi crossed her arms over her chest and raised a questioning eyebrow at her. Her foot taped on the marbled floor as she waited for her niece to answer her. 

"Tayi Ammi" Zoya chuckled bouncing on her toes looking towards her father for help but he turned his face away making her scrunch her face in annoyance. 

"Where were you?" Rabia asked her daughter like niece. She was worried knowing her princess was not home at this time, it wasn't late but she went alone and now it was completely dark outside. 

"I.. Was... With Hadiya" she said the last part hastily grinning at her Tayi Ammi. Rabia felt her anger melting seeing her cheeky grin but she kept her posture intact. 

"That I know but where were you both?" She asked again. Zoya again looked at yasir who left the room leaving a wide eyed Zoya. 'How devious is this man' she narrowed her eyes at her father. 

"I've asked something" Rabia asked again. Zoya took off her bag and walked over to her hugging her tightly. 

"Tayi Ammi. Meri pyaari si Tayi Ammi I'm sorry" she grinned holding her ears after Rabia freed herself from her blackmailing embrace. 

(Aunty. My sweetest aunty. I'm sorry)

"Don't try to blackmail me" Rabia said sternly but her and Zoya both knew she's really weak when if comes to her grinning face. 

"But its working isn't it" she said nudging her aunty playfully who finally cracked up a beautiful smile. Ever since Maheen passed away two years ago Rabia took Zoya under her wing providing her with the motherly warmth that was turning the little girl depressed and to save her from her other sister in law's taunts who left no chance to rub it in the girl's face that she's not from this family. They never felt like she was not the families blood but Muznah never let the fact go. 

"Now go make it up to your baba. Poor Yasir was worried sick because of you not picking up you phone. Be a little responsible Zoya" she said softly patting her cheek. Zoya nodded and left picking her bag from the couch. She ran up the stairs. 

"Baba.." She whispered peeking her head in the room. She walked further inside and stood behind him who was staring out of the large window. He heard her coming towards him and felt her presence behind him but didn't reply. It wasn't like she had done a crime by coming home late but he couldn't help feeling the little panic building inside him because of her not answering his calls. 

"Baba. I'm sorry. I know I should've answered your calls and I know it was very irresponsible of me I shouldn't have done it. I promise I won't let it happen again but please don't give me the silent treatment. Please." she whispered from behind him. Her voice soft and low. She sounded as if she was on the verge of crying. Yasir turned his head towards her and glanced at her. 

She gave him her best puppy dog eyes melting his anger away, he dejectedly opened his arms for her. Zoya grinned widely and hugged her father. Her head on his shoulder being 5'9 compared to her 6'0 foot tall father she stood just a few inches below him. 

"You know how lighthearted I've become ever since Maheen left us. Please never do that again. You can stay out as long as you wish but if it ever happens just inform me and stay in contact with me. I get worried easily for you" he said hugging her close. Zoya snuggled in his warm embrace. He placed his chin over her head as they silently gazed at the sky. 

"I'm really sorry but the shots I got because of this are amazing. Come I'll show you. You know we didn't mean to go that far but a little accident happened and we had to make a run for it" she said taking him to his bed. He looked at her skeptically. He raised his eyebrows at her to which she started narrating the whole adventure to him earning a lecture but at the end it was worth it sharing her daily life to her human diary her Baba. 

He was her support. He was her hero. He was her secret keeper. After her Ammi her baba was the one she considered herwhole world. Her baba is her whole world and she could do anything for him..........