Jia was running late for school.

She had
overslept, as usual. She loved sleeping,
especially when it rained. She loved the rain, it
made her happy. She enjoyed dancing in the
showers, feeling the water on her skin. She felt
free and alive.

She loved her life, she had everything she

wanted. A loving family, good friends, and a
bright future. She always aced her exams and
impressed her teachers, without much effort. She
did not care about her future, she lived in the
present.

She cared about her family, though. She loved her

parents, who gave her everything she wanted. Her
father, Saleem, was a government school teacher,
who adored his daughter and fulfilled her every
wish. He often bought her gifts and encouraged
her to do whatever she wanted. Her mother, Salma,
was a homemaker, who also loved her daughter, but
was more strict and practical. She often scolded
Jia for playing with kids all the time and
reminded her of her responsibilities and duties.

1
Jia reached the bus stop and waited for the bus.
She saw a group of kids playing nearby. They were
throwing stones at a stray dog, who was
whimpering and bleeding.

Jia felt angry and sad. She loved animals, they

were her friends. She hated people who hurt them.

She ran towards the kids and shouted at them.

"Hey, stop it! Leave that poor dog alone!"

The kids turned around and saw her. They

recognized her, but they did not take her
seriously.

They laughed at her and threw more stones at the

dog.

2
They mocked her and taunted her.

Jia ignored them and reached the dog. She picked

him up gently and hugged him.

"Shh, it's okay. I'm here. I'll take care of

you."

She looked at his wounds and felt tears in her

eyes.

She looked at the kids and felt rage in her

heart.

She stood up and faced them.

"You are all cowards and bullies! You should be

ashamed of yourselves! How can you be so cruel to

3
an innocent animal? How would you feel if someone
did this to you?"

She threw the stones back at them.

"Take that! And that! And that!"

The kids dodged the stones and ran away.

Jia smiled triumphantly.

"That's what you get for being mean!"

She looked at the dog in her arms.

"Don't worry, buddy. I'll take you to the vet.

You'll be fine."

4
She walked towards the bus stop again. She
reached the bus stop just in time. The bus was
about to leave. She waved at the driver and got
on the bus. She looked for a seat and found one
at the back. She sat down and placed the dog on
her lap. She stroked his fur and whispered
soothing words.

"You're safe now. No one will hurt you again."

She looked out of the window and saw the city

passing by.

She wondered what her mother would say when she'd

see the dog.

She hoped she would let her keep him.

She loved him already.

5
She decided to name him Bablu.

He looked like a fighter.

He had survived the cruel kids.

He deserved a good home.

She smiled and kissed his head.

He licked her face and wagged his tail.

He was happy too.

They reached her home after half an hour.

6
She got off the bus and walked towards her house.

She saw her mother standing at the door, waiting

for her.

She looked angry and worried.

Jia felt nervous and guilty.

She knew she was in trouble.

She ran towards her mother and hugged her.

"Assalam o Alaikum, Ammi. I'm sorry I'm late. I

had to do something important."

7
Her mother pushed her away and looked at the dog
in her arms.

"What is this? Where did you get this filthy

animal? How dare you bring it into our house?"

Jia held the dog tighter and looked at her mother

with pleading eyes.

"Ammi, please don't be angry. This is Bablu. He's

my friend. He was hurt by some bad kids. I saved
him. I want to keep him. Please, Ammi, please."

Her mother shook her head and scowled.

"No, Jia, no. You can't keep this dog. He's dirty
and diseased. He'll make us sick. He'll ruin our
furniture. He'll eat our food. He'll bark all
night. He'll bite our neighbours. He's a nuisance
and a burden. You have to get rid of him right
now."

8
Jia felt tears in her eyes and sobbed.

"No, Ammi, no. You don't understand. He's not

like that. He's sweet and gentle. He's smart and
loyal. He's brave and strong. He's a good dog. He
needs me. I need him. He's my family."

Her mother sighed and softened her tone.

"Jia, I know you love animals, but you can't keep

this dog. We don't have enough space or money for
him. We have other priorities and
responsibilities. You have to think about your
future, not just your present. You have to be
realistic, not just emotional."

Jia shook her head and clutched the dog closer.

9
"Ammi, I am thinking about my future, my present,
and my past. This dog is part of all of them. He
makes me happy, he makes me feel alive, he makes
me feel free. He reminds me of who I am, who I
want to be, who I can be. He's not just an
animal, he's a miracle."

Her mother looked at her daughter with a mix of

admiration and frustration.

"Jia, you're such a dreamer, just like your

father. You have a big heart, but you also need a
big brain. You can't live in a fantasy world, you
have to live in the real world."

Jia looked at her mother with a mix of love and

defiance.

"Ammi, you're such a realist, just like yourself.

You have a big brain, but you also need a big
heart. You can't live in a boring world, you have
to live in a wonderful world."

10
They stared at each other for a long time,
neither willing to give up or give in.

They heard a loud honk from outside.

They turned around and saw Jia’s father riding

into the driveway on his bike.

He got off the bike and walked towards them with

a smile on his face.

"Assalam o Alaikum, Jia, Salma. What a lovely

surprise! Who is this little fellow?" He asked,
pointing at the dog.

Jia ran towards her father and hugged him.

"Waalaikum Assalam, Abbu. This is Bablu. He's my

friend. I found him on the street. He was hurt by

11
some bad kids. I saved him. I want to keep him.
Please, Abbu, please."

Her father looked at the dog and smiled.

"He's a cute dog. He looks like a fighter. He has

survived the cruel kids. He deserves a good
home."

He looked at his wife and saw her frown.

"Salma, what's wrong? You don't like the dog?"

His wife shook her head and crossed her arms.

"Saleem, I don't like the dog. He's dirty and

diseased. He'll make us sick. He'll ruin our
furniture. He'll eat our food. He'll bark all

12
night. He'll bite our neighbours. He's a nuisance
and a burden. We can't keep him."

Her husband sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"Salma, I understand your concerns, but you're

being too harsh. The dog is not that bad. He's
sweet and gentle. He's smart and loyal. He's
brave and strong. He's a good dog. He needs us.
We need him. He's our family."

His wife looked at him with disbelief and anger.

"Saleem, you're being too naive. The dog is not

that good. You're just saying that because you
love animals, just like Jia. You have a big
heart, but you also need a big brain. You can't
live in a fantasy world, you have to live in the
real world."

Her husband looked at her with love and patience

and said:"Salma, you're being too realistic. The
dog is not that bad. You're just saying that

13
because you don't like animals, just like
yourself. You have a big brain, but you also need
a big heart. You can't live in a boring world,
you have to live in a wonderful world."

They stared at each other for a long time,

neither willing to give up or give in.

They heard a loud bark from the dog.

They turned around and saw him wagging his tail

and licking Jia's face.

He looked at them with hopeful eyes.

Saleem thought for a moment and came up with an

idea. He turned to his wife and said:"Salma, I
have a proposal for you. Let's make a rule for
keeping the dog. If Jia can take care of him for
one month, without any help from us, then we will
let her keep him. But if she fails to do so, then
we will give him away to someone else. What do
you say?"

Salma looked at him sceptically and said:"Saleem,

that sounds too easy. Jia is smart and
determined. She will find a way to take care of

14
the dog, even if it means sacrificing her studies
and her health. She will not give up on him, no
matter what."

Saleem nodded and said:"Salma, I know Jia is

smart and determined, but she is also young and
naive. She does not realize how hard it is to
take care of a dog, especially a stray one. She
will have to feed him, clean him, train him, walk
him, play with him, and take him to the vet. She
will have to deal with his fleas, his worms, his
diseases, his allergies, his injuries, and his
moods. She will have to face the complaints of
our neighbors, the threats from the authorities,
the dangers of the streets, and the risks of the
law. She will have to balance her time between
the dog and her schoolwork, her friends, her
hobbies, and her family. She will have to learn
to be responsible, mature, and realistic."

Salma listened to him and said:"Saleem, you make

it sound too hard. Jia is not alone in this. She
has us as her parents. We can help her with the
dog if she needs us. We can guide her, support
her, and advise her. We can teach her how to be
responsible, mature, and realistic."

Saleem shook his head and said:"Salma, that's the

point of the rule. Jia has to do this on her own.

15
She has to prove that she can handle the dog by
herself. She has to show us that she is ready for
this commitment. She has to earn our trust and
our approval."

Salma thought about it and said:"Saleem, what if

she succeeds? What if she manages to take care of
the dog for one month? What then? Will you still
let her keep him?"

Saleem smiled and said:"Salma, if she succeeds,

then I will be proud of her. I will admit that I
was wrong about the dog. I will accept him as
part of our family. I will love him as much as
you love Jia."

Salma looked at him with surprise and

said:"Saleem, are you serious? You would do
that?"

Saleem nodded and said:"Salma, I am serious. I

would do that."

He looked at Jia and said:"Jia, do you accept

this rule?"

Jia looked at her father with gratitude and

said:"Abbu, I accept this rule. Thank you for
giving me this chance."

16
She looked at her mother and said:"Ammi, please
agree to this rule. Please give me this chance."

Salma took a look at the dog and then sighed and

said:"Fine, you can keep him. But it should
affect your studies."

Jia started jumping with joy and hugged her

mother tightly saying:"Thank you Ammi, thank you
so much."

On the other side, Zakir came home after a long

day at work. He was the superintendent of police
in the same city. He was a brave and honest
officer, who had earned respect and admiration
from his colleagues and the public. He was also a
kind person, who cared for his family and
friends. His family included his parents, Zameer
and Yasmin, his grandparents, Abdullah and
Rukhsana, and his younger sister Momal.

He greeted his parents and grandparents, who were

sitting in the living room.

17
"Assalamu alaikum, everyone. How are you all?" he
asked.

"Wa alaikum assalam, son. We are fine,

Alhamdulillah. How was your day?" Zameer replied.

"It was busy, as usual. There was a robbery at a

jewellery shop today. We managed to catch the
culprits and recover the stolen items," Zakir
said.

"Masha Allah, you are doing a great job, my son.

We are very proud of you," Yasmin said.

"Thank you, Ammi. You are very kind," Zakir said.

He then went to his sister's room, where she was

studying for her exams.

"Hi, Momal. How are you doing?" he asked.

"Hi, Bro. I'm fine. Just preparing for my math

test tomorrow," Momal said.

"Do you need any help? I'm good at math, you

know," Zakir offered.

18
"No, thanks. I think I can handle it. But I
appreciate your offer," Momal said.

"Okay, then. Good luck with your test. I'm sure

you will ace it," Zakir said.

"Thanks, Bro. You are the best Brother ever,"

Momal said.

Zakir smiled and hugged his sister. He then went

to his room to freshen up and relax. He felt
happy and content with his life. He loved his
family and his job, and he was grateful for
everything he had.

One day, he visited a bookstore near his office,

as he wanted to buy a book for his sister. He
entered the store and looked around. He saw a
girl standing in front of a shelf, holding a book
in her hand. She had long black hair, fair skin,
and bright eyes. She was wearing a blue dress and
a white scarf. She looked beautiful and innocent.
Zakir felt a strange attraction towards her. He
walked towards her and said: "Excuse me, miss. Do
you mind if I ask you something?"

The girl turned around and smiled at him. She

said: "Sure, sir. What can I do for you?"

19
Zakir felt his heart skip a beat. He said: "I'm
looking for a book for my sister's birthday. She
likes mystery novels. Do you have any
recommendations?"

The girl nodded and said: "Of course, sir. I love

mystery novels too. You can try this one." She
handed him the book she was holding. It was
called "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd" by Agatha
Christie.

Zakir took the book and looked at it. He said:

"Thank you very much. This looks interesting.
Have you read it?"

The girl nodded again and said: "Yes, sir. It's

one of my favourites. It has a very surprising
twist at the end."

Zakir smiled and said: "Really? Now I'm curious.

Can you tell me what it is?"

The girl shook her head and said: "No, sir. That
would spoil the fun. You have to read it
yourself."

Zakir laughed and said: "Fair enough. You're

right. I'll read it myself."

20
He paused for a moment and then said: "By the
way, my name is Zakir Khan. I'm the
superintendent of police of this city."

The girl's eyes widened and she said: "Wow!

That's amazing! You must have solved many cases."

Zakir shrugged and said: "Well, I try my best."

He then said: "And what's your name?"

The girl smiled and said: "My name is Jia Saleem.

I'm a student at Shah Latif Girl's Government
College."

Zakir was surprised and said: "Really? That's a

coincidence. My sister also studies at the same
college. She's in the second year of her BSc.
What about you?"

Jia said: "I'm in the first year of my BA. I'm

majoring in English literature."

Zakir said: "That's nice. You must have good

taste in books."

Jia blushed and said: "Thank you, sir. You're

very kind."

21
Zakir felt a warm feeling in his chest. He said:
"Please, call me Zakir. We're not that formal
here."

Jia smiled and said: "Okay, Zakir. And you can

call me Jia."

Zakir smiled back and said: "Okay, Jia. It's a

pleasure to meet you."

They looked into each other's eyes and felt a

connection.

Zakir went back to his office, where he had some

paperwork to finish. He tried to focus on his
work, but he couldn't stop thinking about Jia. He
wanted to know more about her. He wanted to see
her again.

He decided to call his sister and ask her if she

knew Jia. He hoped that she did and that she
could tell him something about her.

22
He dialled Momal's number and waited for her to
answer.

"Hello, Bro. What's up?" Momal said.

"Hi, Momal. I need your help with something,"

Zakir said.

"Sure, Bro. Anything for you. What is it?" Momal

said.

"Well, I met a girl today at a bookstore. She's a

student at your college. I was wondering if you
knew her," Zakir said.

"A girl? At a bookstore? At my college? Bro, are

you serious? Did you meet a girl? Who is she?
What's her name? Tell me everything!" Momal said,
sounding excited and curious.

Zakir laughed and said: "Calm down, Momal. It's

not a big deal. Her name is Jia Saleem. She's in
her first year of BA. She's majoring in English
literature. She likes mystery novels. She's very
beautiful and sweet."

Momal gasped and said: "Jia Saleem? Bro, do you

know who she is?"

23
Zakir felt a pang of anxiety and said: "No, I
don't. Who is she?"

Momal said: "Bro, she's the daughter of Saleem

Saleem, the famous government school teacher who
won the Pride of Performance award last year for
his outstanding service in education. He's also a
very influential and respected person in our
community. He's involved in many social and
charitable causes. He's like a hero to many
people."

Zakir was impressed and said: "Wow, I didn't know

that. That's amazing."

Momal continued: "And Jia is just like him. She's

very smart and talented. She always tops her
class and participates in many extracurricular
activities. She's also very kind and generous.
She volunteers at an animal shelter and helps
poor and needy people. She's like an angel to
many people."

Zakir was amazed and said: "Wow, I didn't know

that either. That's incredible."

Momal added: "And she's also very popular and

admired. She has many friends and admirers.
Everyone likes her and respects her. She's like a
star to many people."

24
Zakir felt a twinge of jealousy and said: "Wow, I
guess she's perfect then."

Momal said: "Well, almost perfect. There's one

thing that she doesn't have."

Zakir asked: "What is it?"

Momal said: "A boyfriend."

Momal said: "Maybe, maybe not. But I think you

have a chance, Bro. You are smart, honest, brave,
kind, and handsome. You share some of her
interests and values. You respect her and support
her. You make her happy and love her
unconditionally."

Zakir felt a surge of hope and happiness. He

said: "Do you think so, Momal? Do you think she
likes me too?"

Momal said: "I don't know for sure, Bro. But I

have a feeling that she does. She always smiles
when she sees you or talks to you. She always
listens to you attentively and asks you
questions. She always compliments you and thanks
you. She always looks at you with admiration and
affection."

25
Zakir felt his heart beat faster and said: "Wow,
Momal. You are very observant. You are a good
friend to Jia and a good sister to me."

Momal said: "Thank you, Bro. You are very sweet.

You are a good brother to me and a good friend to
Jia."

Zakir said: "Thank you, Momal. You are very

kind."

They hugged each other and smiled.

Zakir said: "So, what should I do now? How should

I approach her? How should I tell her how I
feel?"

Momal said: “Well, Bro, I have an idea for that too. Why don’t you
invite her to our house for evening tea tomorrow? You can
introduce her to our parents and grandparents. They will love her,
I’m sure. And you can spend some time with her and get to know
her better. Maybe you can even find a chance to tell her how you
feel.”

Zakir thought about it and said: “That sounds like a good idea,
Momal. But how do I invite her?”

26
Momal said: “Don’t worry, Bro. I have her phone number. She gave
it to me when we became friends. I can give it to you. Or better
yet, I can call her and invite her myself. That way, she won’t
suspect anything.”

Zakir said: “That would be great, Momal. Thank you so much. You
are a lifesaver.”

Momal said: “You’re welcome, Bro. Anything for you. And for Jia.”

She took out her phone and dialled Jia’s number.

She waited for her to answer.

She said: “Hello, Jia. It’s Momal. How are you?”

Jia said: "Hi, Momal. I'm fine, thank you. How

are you?"

Momal said: "I'm good too, thanks. I'm calling to

invite you to something."

Jia said: "Oh? What is it?"

Momal said: "Well, I was wondering if you would

like to come to our house for evening tea
tomorrow. I want to introduce you to my parents
and grandparents. They are very nice and friendly
people. They would love to meet you."

27
Jia said: "Oh? That's very kind of you, Momal.
But why do you want to introduce me to your
family?"

Momal said: "Well, because you are my friend,

Jia. And I want my family to know my friends. And
I want my friends to know my family. I think it's
important to share our lives."

Jia said: "That's very sweet of you, Momal. I

appreciate your friendship. And I would love to
meet your family."

Momal said: "Great! I'm so happy to hear that,

Jia. You will have a good time, I promise. My
family is very warm and welcoming. They will make
you feel at home."

Jia said: "Thank you, Momal. You are very

generous and hospitable. I'm looking forward to
seeing you and your family."

Momal said: "You're welcome, Jia. I'm looking

forward to seeing you too. I'll text you the
address and the time later."

Jia said: "Okay, Momal. See you tomorrow."

Momal said: "See you tomorrow, Jia."

28
They hung up the phone and smiled.

Momal ran to Zakir's room and knocked on the

door.

She said: "Bro, guess what? Jia agreed to come to

our house for evening tea tomorrow!"

Zakir opened the door and hugged her.

He said: "Really? That's awesome! Thank you so

much, Momal! You are the best sister ever!"

Momal said: "You're welcome, Bro! You are the

best brother ever!"

They hugged each other and smiled.They were both

excited and nervous about the next day.They hoped
that everything would go well.They hoped that Jia
would like their family.They hoped that their
family would like Jia.They hoped that Jia and

29
Zakir would fall in love.They hoped that this
would be the start of something beautiful.They
hoped that this would be the start of something
beautiful.

30