Aadhira

I was working in my room after the most awkward dinner of my life. When I heard a knock on my window. Who the heck is trying to enter through my window?

I grabbed my knife from my pouch, I usually keep it for safety. Who knows when I get a chance to kill someone?
I guess I got it today. Oh, my overthinking skill considers everyone a threat.

I position my knife away from the window, opening it carefully, preparing myself for any invasion. As I opened it, I sighed in relief...there he was. Giving me the most sheepish smile still on those wooden so-called stairs.

"You-" He cut me off by gesturing me to keep quiet and immediately I lent him my hand to help him to climb through the window.

I was about to speak again when he placed his hand on my mouth and held me by my waist, holding me close to himself. That's when I heard several footsteps indicating that someone was outside my room.

As the footsteps seized, he closed my window. Sighing in relief. "For lord's sake, hum pakde jaate Aadhira aur fir tere bhai mera Bharta bana dete unki behen ke kamre me aise isss time par ghusne ke liye"

"Unhe koi farak thodi pdta" I rolled my eyes at him while he took the knife out of my hold and kept it on my study table.

"Pdta h farak unhe bas tujhe dikhta nhi" He answered and I snarled at his reply, " Tujhe bada pta h"

"Woh humare business clients h, saalon se. Bahut acche se jaanta hoon unhe" He said making me shocked. I didn't know that.

"Really?"

He nodded looking concerned," Mai tujhe yahi btane aaya tha. Sambhal ke rhena unke samne. As far as I know, Mr.Dev won't like his daughter being involved in this"

"I am not his daughter aur yeh baat Tu bhi apne dimaag me clear krrr le" He held my hands in his hold, asserting me a little closer to him.

"Kyu krrr rhi h apne saath aise Ira? Mujhe yaad h kaise tu har Raksha bandhan pe sirf apne bhaiyon ko rakhi bandhne ke liye tarsti thi. Kaise yeh Jaan Krrr ki Shanaya ke papa usse princess ki tarah treat krte h, tu kitna roti thi apne dad ke liye. Kaise tu apni maa ko miss krti thi. Mat krrr Ira apne saath aisa." He cupped my face by the end of the sentence, looking directly into my eyes.

I said huffing, "That was all childish. Bacchi thi mai tab"

"Tu abhi bhi h. Isliye keh rha hoon ek chance de de unhe." He poked my nose and I snorted. He sometimes can be annoying but he is still great in my eyes.

I rolled my eyes at him again: Tujhe ye baat krni h toh chala jaa. Waise hi unn namuno ne mera dimaag kha liya h.

He sighed, he knew I wouldn't change. "Chal chhod yeh" He held me by my shoulders and made me sit on the bed saying, "Aur ye kha" That's when I noticed he had ice cream in his hand. Oh god, I love it so much.

But to my annoyance, there was a knock on my door. Can't even have my ice cream in peace.

I told him to hide in the washroom and that I'll handle the great personality outside.
As he was in the washroom, I made my way towards the door, "Who is it?"

It was Shaurya, truly a great personality indeed. "Get aside Ira, Who's in your room? Maine kisiki awaaz Sunni"

"First of all, it's Aadhira for you and woh kissi mai hi thi so now get lost," I said irritated. As I was about to close the door, he pushed it open and I let him because if I didn't then his hand would surely get hurt.

"Who the fuck is there? Come out right now" He yelled but to my luck, no one else heard it cause no one barged in.

He opened the window and I said, " Kam sunai pdta h kya bhaisahab? Kamre se Bahar jaane ko kaha tha andar aane ko nhi"

He turned his face towards me with that sick smirk plating on it: "Tum room me akeli thi toh ye seedhi(wooden stairs) Kahan se aayi madam?"

"Mai kud ke bhagne ki practice Krrr rhi thi, ab thik?" I taunted with an emotionless face.

"I am asking you something Ira! Answer me"

"It's Aadhira for you" I again reminded him.

"I'll call you Ira, Tum meri behen ho aur mai tumhe kuch bhi bula skta hoon" he was irritated as fuck. Did he wake up on the wrong side of the bed today? An hour ago he didn't care and now all of a sudden he was in his overprotective brother mode.

"Mai apki nhi behen hoon" I started again as a matter of fact.

He smirked again saying, "Kaun mera kya lgta h isse jaane ke liye maine apki rai nhi maangi madam. Meri marzi mai jisko jo chahe bulaun" Savage brother!

He literally repeated my sentence in front of me. Damn Savage! No one ever did that to me. Well, who am I kidding we share the same blood no matter how much I deny it.

Before I recovered from my stupefaction, he opened the door of the washroom. I face palmed myself mentally regretting hiding him there.

"Kaha chupaya h tune usss insaan ko?" I looked back at him with wide eyes, while he came near me.

"Maine kaha tha koi nhi h. Kanpur me hartal h aapke? ab jaiye yahan se" I growled at him and held his hand pushing him out of my room.

"I'll find him for sure Ira", he yelled as I closed the door on his face. Why didn't I just pushed him out before, at least he hadn't roasted me with his savage skills.

I opened the washroom door again knowing well he ran away. This guy!
I dialed his no.

"Kahan h Tu?"

He replied," Shaant meri sherni, mai bas khidki se bhaag gya jab tu apne bhai ke liye darwazza kholne gyi thi. mujhe tere bhaiyon se pitne ka koi shauk nhi h. "

"Meri ice cream" I whined to him. He could have left it na. Shaurya, you are so dead!

"Kal khila dunga maharani, 8 baje office aa jaiyo" He reminded me. "Sure!"

"Take care" Was all he said before I replied the same and the line beeped indicating he hung up.

I again got back to work without any further delay. Wasted lots of my time.

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Author

Harshil descended the stairs, wanting to see his sister first, after his long gym session. Last night, He wanted to sneak into his sister's room just to check on her, to make sure that she was still there with them.

But he couldn't cause when he reached her room, the lights were on. Indicating that she was still awake and it was 3 am. He left from there making a mental note of talking to his sister about it.

Yesterday was all like a dream for him and he still couldn't believe that his 'darling' was back to him. He was determined to restore their ruined relationship. No matter what it takes.

"Good morning" He greeted Aadhira cheerfully, who sat alone at the dining table, scrolling through her phone.

She glanced at him and turned her attention back to her phone speaking, "Subah itna khush kaun hota h?"

"That's bad Aadhira, you could at least greet back" he huffed in fake annoyance, which wasn't missed by Aadhira.

"You know it's worse than that to annoy a person, early in the morning" She smirked back saying.

"I was just greeting you" Harshil retorted in defense, going to make his protein shake. "You were annoying me" Aadhira
rolled her eyes at him.

He shut his mouth knowing well that this conversation would not lead them anywhere. He didn't wanted to fight with his sister. Though a part of him was happy that at least she talked to him.

"Fine, I am sorry grumpy sis. Waise Tu itni raat tak kyu jag rhi thi?" He sat down in front of her, interlocking his fingers and giving her a wide smile.

"Nothing that matters to you. Morning to you too" She rolled her eyes and was about to get up when Harshil held her wrist.

"Bhai se itna gussa h ki dhang se baat bhi nhi kregi?" His eyes glistened with hurt and it somehow pained Aadhira's heart to see her brother vulnerable like this but she has toughened her heart. She is not going to forgive them.

"Baat toh sunn le bhaiya ki"

Nonetheless, she sat down beside him on the chair as he cupped her face, which she wanted to resist but couldn't, "Tu toh mera Hira h baccha, bhaiya ko maaf krde. Mai jaanta hoon, hum sab se glti Hui h. Par apne aap ko door krke hume saza na de. Please hume ek chance dede baccha."

Tears flowed through Harshil's eyes as he removed his hands from her face and held both of her hands in a gentle grip, kissing her clasped fists. Aadhira wanted to wipe those tears away but she couldn't. She held herself strengthened. Aadhira knew that it took a lot for Harshil to apologize because as far as she knew him, This man never apologized to anyone, even to their own father as well.

"Nhi krr skti aapko maaf, Kabhi nhi"She just yanked her hands away. She got up from her chair and ran back to her room. Slamming the door closed. She leaned on the doorframe, reminding herself of how they just threw her away from themselves, how she begged them but they did not gave a fuck about it. They did not deserve her forgiveness.

When her tears never made a difference to them, then why did his tears bother her?

Harshil cried his eyes out sitting alone in the dining hall, silently sobbing. He really wanted to seek her forgiveness.
It's been years since he shed his tears and now his sister's return was just a trigger.

When a pair of arms were wrapped around his shoulders.

He hugged the person tighter, seeking into his warmth more. He knew it was his bhaiya only who could comfort him this way. Aditya just patted his brother's back in order to soothe him.

"Sab thik ho jyega Harsh" He said to his brother to which Harshil nodded saying, "Mai usse aise gussa aur hurt nhi dekh skta bhaiya. Hume sab thik krna hoga isse pehle wo humse firse door chali jaaye"

Aditya scoffed thinking, 'Door toh wo humse already ja chuki h Harsh... Kafi door'

Aditya hummed in response while Harshil stayed in his brother's embrace. Because it's rare to have hugs from Aditya Singh Rathore.

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