Noor flinched as her aunt's shrill voice echoed through the house, slicing through the silence of early morning like a blade.
"Get up! Make breakfast, lazy girl!"
But Noor didn't move. Her eyes remained shut, her body curled beneath the worn-out blanket. Maybe she was dreaming? Maybe it was one of those rare moments where peace held her in a warm, safe illusion?
Her lips twitched slightly. A shadow of a smile appeared. In that fragile dream, no one yelled at her. No one made her feel unwanted.
But reality came crashing down — literally.
The door burst open with a loud bang. Heavy footsteps thudded against the floor, and before Noor could even process the noise—
SPLASH.
A full glass of cold water hit her square in the face.
She gasped, jerking upright as if electricity had shot through her spine. Her blanket dropped to the floor. Her hair clung to her wet cheeks. Her breaths came in sharp and shaky.
And standing over her — eyes blazing, hands on hips — was her aunt.
"How many times do I have to yell, huh? It's already late!" her aunt snapped, voice dripping with venom. "My son has to leave for work! The other two are getting ready for university! What the hell are you still doing sleeping?"
Noor blinked, still dazed. But as her aunt's words rang in her ears, her heart dropped.
University...Oh no...
Her mind finally kicked in. She remembered.
She had an important lecture. A surprise test. She couldn't afford to miss it.
Noor scrambled out of bed, her feet hitting the cold cement floor of the tiny store-room-turned-bedroom she called home.
"I'm sorry, Aunty," she whispered quickly, lowering her gaze. "I'll go make breakfast right now."
Her aunt muttered under her breath and stormed out, leaving the door wide open behind her.
After quickly freshening up, Noor didn't waste a second. She wrapped her dupatta tightly around her head and rushed toward the kitchen.
The house was already buzzing with noise — clinking dishes, running taps, hurried footsteps, and her aunt's never-ending complaints echoing in the background.
Noor moved silently. Efficiently. As if her entire existence depended on staying invisible.
She began preparing breakfast like she did every morning — quietly, obediently.
First, she made the tea then she tossed slices of bread into the toaster, frying eggs alongside them while keeping her eyes low, her heart racing with the tension of the ticking clock. She knew she was already late for university — but they came first. Always.
Her aunt's eldest son, Taimoor, was already seated in the lounge with his briefcase beside him, scrolling through his phone with an expression that could curdle milk. At 26, he worked a government job and treated the house like a hotel, barely acknowledging Noor's presence unless it was to complain about something she hadn't done.
Next was Musa, 23, tall and cocky, in his final semester of university. He often left a mess behind him — plates, shoes, books — and Noor was expected to clean up silently like a maid on standby.
And then came Ayesha, the 22-year-old daughter. Pretty, sharp-tongued, always dressed in pastels and always acting like Noor's existence was a personal inconvenience.
She's the orphan. The burden. The unpaid servant who's lucky to have a roof over her head.That's what they all believed. And Noor had stopped correcting them a long time ago.
She lined their plates carefully — two eggs each, toast, tea, butter on the side. No one said thank you. No one even looked at her. They just sat, ate, and left their mess behind. But Noor didn't complain. She never did. Noor stood near the dining table like she did every morning — quiet, alert, and invisible. A silent observer in her own home, she waited patiently like a maid, ready to jump at every command, every glance, every sigh of disapproval.That's what she had become. Not a daughter. Not a guest.Just… the help.
Taimoor, Musa, and Ayesha ate without acknowledging her presence — but Noor's eyes stayed on their plates, her ears tuned to their voices, ready to serve.
And then it came.A demand — as casual as a breath.As entitled as ever.
"Noor," Ayesha said, without even looking up from her phone. "I want kehwa. Now."
Noor blinked, her heart sinking a little more.
Kehwa? Now?But she didn't argue. She never did.
She simply nodded and turned to the kitchen, her slippers dragging against the floor as her mind screamed at her —You'll be late.You'll miss your lecture.You'll miss your test.You can't afford this.
But along with the panic, there was a strange gratitude that whispered in the background.
At least she's allowed to study... even if it comes after kehwa and kitchen chores.
She prepared the kehwa quickly, trying not to spill the boiling water as her hands shook slightly. The clock ticked louder in her head than it did on the wall.
She returned to the dining area, placed the cup in front of Ayesha gently, and finally… finally gathered the courage to speak.
"Aunty," Noor said softly, keeping her eyes respectfully lowered, "May I leave now? I have a very important lecture today… and a test too."
Her voice was hopeful. Fragile.
But her aunt didn't even look at her.
Instead, she took a slow sip of tea, clicked her tongue, and said sharply:
"No. You're not going anywhere today."
Noor's heart froze.
"The entire house needs to be cleaned. The storeroom is a mess. The lounge windows are full of dust. And I'm not going to do it myself."
Noor opened her mouth to protest — just a little. Just one sentence. Just a—
"I said no, Noor. You're not going to university today. Housework comes first."
And just like that, the hope Noor had held all morning — shattered.
She stood there, motionless, the kehwa tray still in her hand, her chest tightening as if the walls of the house were physically pressing in on her.
She simply whispered, "Okay, Aunty"
Noor quietly got to work, her hands moving mechanically as she began cleaning the house — dusting shelves, sweeping floors, and organizing the mess left behind.
One by one, the house emptied.
Ayesha and Musa left for university.Taimoor headed off to work, slamming the door behind him.And her aunt, after barking her final instructions, disappeared into her room to sleep, leaving Noor alone with the silence… and the weight of everything left undone.