Prefrence Delights

ZARMEENA KHAN

The suburban locality on the city's outskirts was small yet densely populated. Most of its inhabitants led simple lives, earning their income through traditional means like farming, cattle grazing, and working in small cottage industries.

These industries ranged from minor food processing plants to handicrafts and the production of daily-use products. Despite being somewhat removed from the urban core, the community was closely connected to the city, regularly supplying their goods to urban retailers.

Zarmeena grew up in this environment. She belonged to a small family that included her grandmother (Dadi), her mother (Amma), and her brother, Ahmed. Ahmed was an intermediate-level student, and both siblings excelled academically.

Zarmeena's father had served as a low-ranking army man and had owned a modest piece of land. However, a few years ago, tragedy struck when her father unexpectedly passed away due to cardiac arrest.

The loss was devastating, especially for Zarmeena, who had been very close to him. Her father's sudden death left her emotionally shattered. The family struggled to accept this harsh reality, sinking into a state of denial and trauma.

As time passed, they gradually began to heal. Amma and Dadi, who had previously only managed household chores, took over the responsibilities of the farm. Initially, they were inexperienced in this field, but as time passed, they slowly honed their skills.

Though the productivity of the land was not as abundant as before, at least they managed to earn a modest income that allowed them to survive.

Alongside their vegetable farming, they also started supplying homemade frozen food items to nearby restaurants and retailers in the city. Gradually, life began to move forward again.

Zarmeena was a carefree girl who preferred to take life lightly, avoiding the complexities of deeper thoughts. She found joy in helping others and took pleasure in seeing them happy, which made her a favorite among everyone-teachers, students, and those around her. She was almost like a character out of a story, a superficial girl who seemed to glide through life with ease.

However, there was one thing Zarmeena deeply disliked about herself: her gender. She hated being a woman, largely due to the way women were treated in third-world countries. Women were often seen as inferior, confined to strict boundaries, and denied the right to make decisions. Even in her own home, when her father was alive, he made all the decisions, big or small.

Zarmeena often noticed how her mother would become anxious whenever her father entered the house. Though it was considered an honor for husbands by societal standards, this dynamic disgusted her. She viewed her father as a good parent but a poor spouse.

From a young age, she resisted the feminine clothes her mother made for her, preferring to wear her brother's clothes. She rejected anything that made her appear more feminine. While her mother disapproved of her boyish look, her father supported her, and ultimately, her mother had to comply with her husband's wishes.

This wasn't the only area where Zarmeena clashed with her mother. There was also the issue of her future. Zarmeena was an exceptionally bright student, and her mother wanted her to become a doctor. But Zarmeena had a passion for mathematics and a natural talent that was almost miraculous.

She was also an excellent math tutor, teaching many of the children in her neighborhood. Some paid her for tutoring, but she taught most of them for free. Even her brother, who excelled in his studies, was coached by her.

SALAAR MALIK

Salaar was a man with an introverted nature, preferring to keep his thoughts and emotions to himself rather than expressing them outwardly.

Despite his reserved demeanor and desire to maintain a low profile, he often found himself the center of attention. His captivating looks made him quite popular at Cambridge University, where he was particularly admired by many girls for his physique and good looks.

In contrast to Zarmeena's small family, Salaar came from a large and influential one. He was the grandson of Muhammad Nawaz Malik, one of the richest men in the country. Malik Nawaz was a self-made man who had spent his entire life working tirelessly, and after his death, he left behind a vast empire for his descendants.

Muhammad Nawaz Malik had three sons: Shahnawaz Malik, Faizan Malik, and Zawar Malik. Shahnawaz Malik had one son and two daughters, all of whom were married, and their children were only a few years younger than Salaar. Faizan Malik had two sons: Taimur Malik and Salaar Malik. There was almost a ten-year age gap between the brothers.

Taimur had married the daughter of a famous bureaucrat when he was only twenty-two and now had a ten-years-old son. Although Malik Zawar had no children, he and his wife doted on their nephews and nieces as if they were their own.