My eyes were busy in analyzing the keywords and brain was trying to figure out how to fit them in without breaking the grammar when my phone started vibrating, indicating new messages.

Brr
Brr
Brr
Brr

I waited for the vibration to stop but when it didn't, I picked up the phone to check who was so active in my DMs.

6 New Messages from the 'Khan Cousins' group on Whatsapp

Sam 🤡
11 pm at terrace y'all.

Irha 🌸
Are we having bonfire for real?

Sam 🤡
yesss

Aleena🐥
yoo new year night. I'm in!

Zooeeee 💅🏻
me too

Ohho.
Tonight's new year eve.
I had totally forgotten!
My eyes went up straight at the clock.
10:02 PM
I quickly typed down my reply.

Me
I may get late

Aleena 🐥
why? :(

Me
got some important work.

Sam 🤡
idc you should be up at 11

Me
XD okay lil bro

Sam 🤡
dont forget im taller than you. im not your little bro anymore.

Me
Yes mr pole XD

I put down the cell phone and looked up at the clock again.
Just 1 hour.
I can't complete this work in 1 hour. But I can't miss out on the bonfire too.
It's once a year moment!

Hmmmm....
Think Hayat think....

How about I make the layouts for the articles to ease up my load? And do all the background work? For an easy and quick writing process for tomorrow!
Yeah good idea. That will balance up my work without missing out on anything!

Hence, without wasting any time further I dived deep into the work.

.
.
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Around 11:30 I reached terrace and found my cousins almost done with the preps of bonfire.

"Escaped all the hard labor, huh?" Sameer joked while adjusting the pieces of woods with a thick wooden stick in the high flames. "I wont let you go before you help me in cleaning up the after mess tonight."

"Ji janab, kar dungi help." (Yes sir, I will help) I walked towards the fire pit, entering into the circle of warmness. "It feels so good." I rubbed my hands as fog escaped my mouth. It was a cold foggy night of 31st December and bonfire feels best in this weather.

As I sat beside Irha, my 14-year-old cousin, she inquired, "Done with the work?"

"Yep, done for tonight. Will continue tomorrow."

"Can I help?" she offered.

"Nah its okay. Don't worry I will manage. It's just some writing stuff anyways." I assured her.

"I'm telling you she will become a writer someday," Aleena murmured, my 13 year old cousin sister, who was sketching something on her canvas.

"And you, an artist," I acknowledged with a smile.

She blushed, offering a shy smile in return.

"I have no clue what I will become." Irha chuckled.

"Neither do I," Zoe chimed in, exchanging a high-five with her.

"You guys are still discovering your talents." I munched up some snacks from the packet Zoe was holding.

"If we have some." Irha quipped, making everyone chuckle.

While most of my cousins were just entering their teenage years, Zoe and I were on the cusp of leaving it. That's why she's particularly close to me. She fills the void of a trustworthy sibling I often feel, despite having an older sister. Zoe, too, lacks a sister, making us a duo.

I sometimes feel as if I'm just a single child of my parents with no shoulder to rely on.

My elder sister and I, with an age gap of 2 years, used to have a good bond but that stayed just till childhood. Once we entered pre-teens, things started to change and she drifted apart from me. She stopped playing with me or interacting with me at all, resulting in more clashes between us. I tried to understand and mend things but always got pushed away by her.

Hence, she turned into an introvert with barely any socializing and I stopped trying to mend things I didn't broke, finding solace in between novels.

It's true though that sometimes loneliness takes over me whenever I watch other siblings having fun together and sharing a good bond.
Especially an elder sibling.
I wish I had someone too who would pamper me, take care of me, and for once, I could really act as the smallest member of the family. It makes me laugh at the irony of the situation. Despite being the smallest member, I play more of a responsible and reliable child of my parents.

But yeah alhamdulillah, these cousins of mine sometimes fill that empty void.

Sameer is like a brother I never had, although he is 5 years younger than me. And since he has entered his teenage phase, he has become more hilarious with extra pampering, as if I'm the younger one (which I love lol, and sometimes makes me emotional too).

Aleena is Sameer's sister who has always been my baby sister. It's sometimes hard to digest how fast she has grown up.

Irha, another cousin, holds a special place in my heart, despite living elsewhere. Though we don't see each other often, her visits are always cherished.

I do have more cousins but either they live abroad or they belong in the toddler section lol.

So yeah,
Har variety hai mere ghar me.
(Every variety is available in my home)

Perks of living in a Joint family.

As the time fled by, almost all of our parents joined us one by one. I personally love moments like these where everyone gets together and enjoys till late night crossing the bedtime, making tea and snacks for everyone while sharing a laugh. It doesn't happen quite often as everyone lives separately at their own personal floors, but when it does, we do have a blast.

I sent Murat a few snaps of bonfire and me of course (made Zoe shoot me while enjoying the fire), to which he replied, 'whatsup?'

'Bonfireee nighttt'

'Ohh. Enjoy. Btw work done?'

'little bit. will do the rest tomorrow. can't miss the bonfire, its once a year moment.'

'you sure you will cover up?'

'yes. dont worry.'

'you are playing with my heart right now.'

I smirked, 'Am I? ;) '

'Im serious :)'

'dont worry your heart is safe with me. nothing will happen to your reputation.'

'hopefully.'

'what you doin?'

'working'

'on new year eve?'

'coz why not? I have nothing to do. and its all useless'

'uffo'

'what u doin?'

'enjoying with cousins. we even danced few mins back lol.'

'oh you can dance?'

'not a good dancer, but yeah lol. I feel so hot right now (temperature wise)'

'You are already hot, of course it's bound to happen.'

'Uffo' I replied shaking my head.

"Just 2 minutes left!!" Aleena excitedly grabbed my hand and dragged me towards the end of the terrace for a better night sky view.
"Come come, the firecrackers are seen better from this angle," she waved her hand at Irha and Zoe, calling them to join us.

All of our cousins started the count down in chorus, "5! 4! 3! 2! 1!", but the clock didn't strike 12 AM yet which made us laugh.
A few seconds later the sky got filled with numerous firecrackers and we all said in union, "HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!"

"New year, new me," Irha flipped her hair.

"Yeah, barely recognizable," I nodded sarcastically.

"Oh cousin, can you believe it? It's already 2022," Zoe rested her chin on my shoulder while wrapping her hands around my arm.

"Yeah. I'm still processing 2021. Alot has happened this year." I murmured.

"Our whole life has changed basically," she said softly.

"Completely upside down." I rub back her arm with my other hand.

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*********

4th January 2022
5:03 PM

Dear diary,
I got the first ever payment of my life! 
My own hard earned money! jsjsjdkdkdsjsjd
One milestone reached of life!

2nd January 2022
This date needs to be engraved everywhere lmao. 

The moment I got the notification 'Murat Ahmad paid you 1200 rupees', I was over the moon.
No scratch that, I was over the 7th SKY!!!!
And when I texted him '1200 rupees??????' with a surprise, he went like, 'is it less?' 

DUDE, ITS WAY BEYOND MORE!

I MEAN! Did I just earn 1200 rupees in 3 days!!???
THREE FOOKING DAYS!
JDSDJVTSIDJSIDJA

It was unbelievable honestly.
Wayyy easier than the internship I was doing.

My motivation has seriously died down for the internship, and increased for Murat's work.
But well, I can't run away from the contract I signed up for, no matter how long it takes for it to get completed. The 70% of work is done and they won't pay up until I complete the remaining 30%.
So kinda stuck I am.
I swear their policies are so strict, too many corrections needed no matter how perfect I try to keep the articles.
And pictures!
Oh dear.
Finding HD pics is a real hassle for certain topics.
Especially if the topic is being repeated in different phrases.

Because hey! I can't repeat the pictures twice but the company can definitely repeat the topics.
What a nice game :)

Well, the good part is, I OFFICIALLY EARNED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE!

I'm so glad I met him.
So so glad he offered me the work.
So so soo glad he pushed me to do the work despite my whining. 

No more whining.
I'm so ready to do the work now lol. 

You know the more juicier part?
I can finally talk to him on call freely at home. My parents officially know his existence!
Yippeee!
Well it's a different thing that they just know its work related stuff.
But still.
That's a HUGE thing for me, 'talking to a guy freely in front of brown parents without any suspicious eyes towards you'.
Well of course I can't flirt in front of them. Gotta stay civilized.
But at least my mind would be at ease if he called or messaged me behind my back, you know? Plus he is getting into the good books of my parents.

Yeah a responsible guy who actually paid for the work he promised for lol. 
(Especially in the era of online scams)

Another good part is, we are talking more often on calls.
As he gives instructions on calls more often, I can call him up anytime I want too. Usually for work, and sometimes just because I want to *shrugs* (mostly when my brain freezes and want to light up my mind).

When he is in full business tone while giving me work, I try sooo hard not to drool over his voice but concentrate on his words. 
He just sounds so.....sexy.
(I can't help it)

Well, I don't wanna get scolded by him for not paying attention, so I keep slapping myself mentally to focus on his words. He may sound sexy but he is super strict too when it comes to work. So yeah.

It feels like a dream sometimes.
Truly.
A surreal dream.
And I have no words to describe it. 

Who would have thought I would be not only dating Murat, but also be working with him.
Wow.
Just.... wow

Oh, Janab is calling me.
Must be work
Let's finish this diary entry some other day....

See yaaaa

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*********