𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟒

                                    

                                          

                            

                                
                            
                              
                                  
                              
                              
                                
                                  
                                  
                                
                              
                             
                            
                            
                          
                          

                            

                                
                            
                              
                                  
                              
                              
                                
                                  
                                  
                                
                              
                             
                            
                            
                          
                          
"Hush, I came to check on you because I couldn’t visit you at the hospital. How is my love feeling?" Saim whispered, his playful smirk earning him my death glare.
Before I could retort, Kasim barged in. "Api, yeah lafanga ander a gaya! (Sister, this pervert barged in!)" he shouted, storming in like a protective knight.
Saim, as usual, remained unfazed. "Kia matlab meri bandi hai! (What do you mean, she’s my woman!)" he shot back with a teasing grin.
I sighed in frustration. "You and your humor, Saim. I’ll kill you one day."
Saim didn’t seem to care. Turning to Kasim, he said, "Tum to jao bahar dekho koi agaya to phir rona. (Go check outside and see if anyone is coming)." Kasim reluctantly nodded and stepped out, leaving me alone with my annoying but caring younger brother.
"Alright, tell me what’s going on. Kasim told me everything, and I can tell you’re hiding something." Saim crouched on his knees after carefully lifting me up and placing me on a chair near the changing room. His sudden maturity caught me off guard.
I stared at him, my little brother who used to be carefree, now acting responsible and considerate. He had carried me to the chair just to avoid the water puddle near the pool. I couldn’t help but smile.
"Hai mera muna, bohot bara ho gaya. (My baby has grown up)," I whispered, pride evident in my voice.
"Ji, api, aapka muna bara ho gaya. (Yes, sister, your baby has grown up.) Now tell me, is there something wrong?" His words were gentle, his gaze protective.
My heart swelled with love for him, but I decided against telling him anything. He didn’t need to share my burdens. I planned to gather evidence, confront Fariha privately, and ensure she stopped engaging in anything inappropriate. This wasn’t something I wanted to trouble my brothers or parents with.
"Nothing, everything is fine. Tell Kasim there’s nothing to worry about either. If there’s ever an issue, I’ll let you both know first," I assured him, brushing his hair affectionately.
Saim sighed, nodding. "I know you’re strong, but I’m your brother. Please, don’t hide things from us. Call us if you ever need help."
I smiled, grateful for him. "I will, my dear."
As he walked out, responding to Kasim’s nervous call, I sighed in relief. But my peace didn’t last long.
"Caught you, Miss," a familiar voice called out. I turned sharply to see Mahir standing there. His gaze flickered to me, then down at my soaked pajamas, and something strange crossed his expression. I flushed, suddenly self-conscious, and turned away.

                            

                                
                            
                              
                                  
                              
                              
                                
                                  
                                  
                                
                              
                             
                            
                            
                          
                          
After the store room incident, I couldn’t stop thinking about her. My mind felt clouded, so I decided to head to the basketball court to clear it. But as expected, Shameer and Ali were practicing, and a few girls were cheering them on.
The Durani name carried its own fame, and I didn’t want to draw unnecessary attention. I quietly shut the gate and changed my course toward the swimming pool.
An hour of swimming passed, and I retreated to the changing room for a nap. But sleep was short-lived.
I woke to the sound of voices and peeked through the circular window on the door. There she was, Aena, swimming in the pool. Even in her modest pajamas, she moved with a strange elegance. I chuckled softly at her attire compared to her friends in swimsuits, but my laughter quickly turned into something else.
Why was I even noticing her? She’s my enemy. But as her friends left, and she emerged from the water, her soaked outfit clung to her figure. My heart stuttered, and I cursed myself for reacting like this.
When a young guy entered and hugged her, my blood boiled. Isn’t she the one preaching morals and stopping her sister from meeting me? Hypocrite.
Then another guy burst in, and I realized she might be a two-timer. Good. It serves her right. Yet, a part of me itched to confront her. When the second guy finally left, leaving her alone, I seized the moment.
Opening the door, I walked in. "Caught you, Miss," I said, watching her turn.
Her face flushed, and she immediately turned away. My gaze betrayed me, traveling down her figure before I pulled myself together.
"A player worried his sister might get played," I mocked, sitting down and leaning back.
She turned back to me, disbelief in her eyes. "It’s none of your business," she snapped, trying to walk away.
Before I could stop myself, I grabbed her wrist. What was happening to me? Why did I care?
"That’s my little brother," she said firmly, clearing the misunderstanding. "Didn’t your girlfriend Fariha ever mention her family?"
Relief washed over me, and I hated myself for it. "I’m not dating her. My brother is," I clarified quickly, wanting to avoid further confusion.
She blinked, processing the information. "W-what? Oh... so she is dating someone!" she muttered to herself, clearly frustrated.
I watched as she started searching frantically for her phone. "Where is it? Where is this damn—no, don’t curse, stupid!" she scolded herself under her breath.
The sight was... endearing. My lips twitched into a smile before I forced myself to stop. What was wrong with me? Before I could embarrass myself further, I walked out, leaving her alone with her thoughts.
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