Nice To See You Too, Little Sis

"It is said that the eyes are the windows to your soul... If that's true, then, you have a beautiful soul, sunflower."

...

2 pm

"Could you not mention anything about the kidnapping to your parents?" Ayan asks from the driving seat in a hushed whisper, so that Tara, who is sleeping in the backseat, does not wake up.

It's Monday already, which means everyone had to leave for work today. Everyone else booked cabs to either their apartment or to workplace, saying something along the lines of 'it's better being late than not showing up at all'. Knowing that I wouldn't be seeing them for a long time and remembering how much fun we had last week, I can't help but miss these dorks.

I break out of my thoughts and turn to face him, a slight smirk forming on my lips, "Why not? Are you afraid that if they get to know, you won't be in their good books anymore?"

If my parents come to know of what all happened in Goa, I know for certain that they would go into protective mode, monitoring me 24X7 and never letting me out of their sight. I'm not going to confide in them irrespective of what Ayan tells me to do, but I can at least pretend to be sceptical about it, right?

Glancing at Tara's sleeping form in the rear-view mirror, I finally allow myself to wonder how my family will react to her. I can vividly imagine the first thing that'll come out of my mother's mouth: What will we tell others?

Ayan breaks the silence, tightening his grip on the steering wheel, "I just don't... I don't want them to feel that they made the wrong decision letting you come with me.

"I- Naira, if anything would have happened to you because of someone who is after me, I... I won't be able to forgive myself. So, when I say that it's none of your business, I don't mean to hurt you; I'm trying to keep you safe. I don't want to put you in harm's way. I'm sorry."

I didn't know he felt so guilty about it... Heck, here I was thinking that he's just a jerk.

I chew on my bottom lip, figuring out how to respond to him, "I... That's-well, uh, you don't have to- I mean... um, it's okay. Yeah, it's okay. Don't let it eat you inside... you couldn't have controlled it.

"And, um, I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have gotten so angry that day. Kicking you out of the room was a bit harsh. I should have instead let you sleep on the floor."

"That's one hell of an apology," he gives me a real smile before shaking his head a little, "You don't know how to apologise either, sunflower."

"Well, I ain't the one who keeps messing up," I give him a half shrug and change the topic, "So... um, how often are you going to visit Tara?"

He raises a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at me, his lips lifting up in a grin, "Don't you mean visit you?"

This guy-

...

3:15 pm

Pulling my seat back up, I tilt my head up when we reach my neighbourhood. I smile thinking of my bed that awaits me... the softness, the sense of quiet, the rest I'll get, and not to forget; the warmth, and cosiness.

Waving a hand in front of my face, Ayan says, "We've reached."

He parks the car, turning off the engine, and I unfasten my seatbelt before getting out of the car.

Addressing both Tara and Ayan, I demand, "I'm going in first. You both can enter when I ask you to. Don't come inside on your own. Is that clear?"

"Wh-" Ayan covers Tara's mouth and nods his head, "Okay, sunflower."

Facing away, I climb the steps and without knocking, open the door and go inside. Shutting the door behind me, I turn around only to be greeted with a very stressed out face of my mother.

"Where were you?! You were supposed to be home a day earlier. I was so worried about you!"

I furrow my eyebrows, looking at her in confusion. I had texted Ansh that I'll be back home today. "Ansh didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

Whoa, are you kidding me?

I walk past her, paying no heed to her million questions and rush upstairs to my brother's room. I ignore the sign on the door that reads 'Trash and Naira not allowed' and barge inside, glaring at him.

"YOU DIDN'T INFORM MOM THAT I WASN'T COMING HOME YESTERDAY?!"

"Nice to see you too, little sis," he mutters drily, not even bothering to look up from his phone, "I didn't know you'd be so enthusiastic to see me."

"I'm not your little sister!" I fume, "And don't try to change the topic. Why did you not tell her?"

"Because..." he gives me a half shrug, not diverting his attention from the screen, "I get a text. I read the text. I forget I got a text. And then, I move on with my life. So it's kind of your fault that you didn't call me, little sis."

I stomp towards his bed and grab his phone, hiding it behind me. He yelps, trying to catch it from my arm but pauses when his gaze falls over my face. In a light voice, he asks, "What-what happened to your face?"

I think he noticed my serious expression because the next moment, he snorts, "Fought over a boy? Again? Tsk tsk... How many times have I told you that it just makes you look desperate! You should start paying attention to my advice and stop engaging in such brawls."

I give him a flat look and open my mouth to retort, but my words get drowned by an ear-piercing scream that resonates within the whole house.

Ansh and I look at each other with wide-eyes before running downstairs, towards the direction of the voice.

I dash into the kitchen and am met with a sight that makes my jaw drop. Mom stands still, her hand placed above her heart while Ayan is in the corner, bent over, tears leaking out of his eyes from laughing too much, and Tara stands in the middle of the room, covered head to toe in...flour.