After 3 hours of travel, we finally reached back to Delhi. She had been sleeping the whole journey, and I couldn't help but steal glances at her. How beautiful she looked, even in her sleep. My heart races so fast when she's around, and even now, I glanced at my wristwatch to check my heartbeat—it was at 120 bpm. I couldn't help but feel lucky to have her back in my life, but as we reached our destination, I was stuck.

How do I wake her up? How could I even touch her when she's not mine yet? After a few moments, she stirred, slowly opening her eyes.

"Pahunch gaye kya?" she asked, her voice still groggy from sleep.

I nodded, trying to act casual, "Hmm."

She stretched and said, "Ok toh chale andr, bhot bhook lagi hai meko."

"Haa," I replied again, my voice almost a whisper.

She raised an eyebrow, clearly irritated. "Sirf hmm aur haa hi karoge kya? Khair, tumse baat karna hi bekaar hai." She sighed, rolling her eyes. "Chalo, I mean park kar ke aajana," she added before stepping out of the car and heading inside.

How could I tell her? Tell her that I'm just lost in her presence? Words fail me when she's around, and my heart refuses to cooperate. Or maybe, I'm just too scared to admit how deeply she affects me.

As I murmured to myself, a smile tugged at my lips. "Tabhi toh sherni hai ye... meri haaye."

With that thought swirling in my mind, I parked the car and followed her inside.

"I hated how he just replied in 'hmm' and 'haa,' like some khadoos.

As soon as I entered, there she was—Shreya di! I hadn't seen her in so long. I ran straight to her, shouting, 'Shreya di!' and gave her the tightest hug. She hugged me back, smiling with teary eyes.

"Kaise ho bacche? Itne dinon baad mile!" she asked, tears welling up in her eyes.

I immediately pulled back, shaking my head. "Di, main bohot badhiya hoon, but please, yeh aansu matt lao yaar. Accha nahi lagta! Agar aap royi, toh hum kya karenge?" I said, trying to lighten the mood, gently wiping her tears away.

Before Shreya di could respond, Mr. and Mrs. Roy, who were standing nearby, chimed in with mock seriousness.

'Ahem, hmm. Humein kyun milengi ab aap? Aapko toh aapki bestest di mil gayi hai!' Mr. Roy said, feigning mock sadness.

I laughed, moving towards them. 'Arey uncle, aunty! Aise nahi hai na! Aap log toh best ho!' I said and hugged them warmly. Then, pulling Shreya di's cheeks playfully, I added, 'Meri bestest di hai yeh! I've missed her so much!'

"By the way, didu, Chutku kahan hai apni?" I asked curiously, already eager to see the little one.

Shreya di shook her head, chuckling. "Chutku nahi rahi ab wo! Jaa, dekh le, abhi bodyguards ko pareshaan kar rahi hogi."

"Hein? Sacchi mein?" I laughed and turned, already on my way to find her.

Just as I was about to leave, Mr. Roy asked, "Beta, Haris kahan hai?"

I rolled my eyes, 'Wo khadoos! Aayi hoga, car park karne gaya hai,' I said nonchalantly, not really caring. I then turned to Mrs. Roy. 'Aunty, bhook bahut lagi hai.'

Mrs. Roy smiled and said, "Theek hai, tum jao. Aashi se mil lo, main tab tak workers ko bolti hoon table set karne ke liye."and I hurried off to Aashi's room.

As I approached the door, I found Aashi pretending to be a teacher, scolding the poor bodyguards. I gestured to them to stay quiet as I watched her from the doorway.

'Ye kya hai! Aapko itna sa sum solve nahi karna aata?' she exclaimed dramatically, slapping her forehead. 'Kya karoon main in bachon ka?' she sighed, pointing her finger dramatically at them.

I crept up behind her, placed my hands over her eyes, and disguised my voice, 'Amm hmm... guess karo kaun aya hai?'

She thought for a moment, and then, with excitement in her voice, shouted, 'Partner!' She turned around and jumped into my arms.

"Yes, partner! Meri chotku kaise ho?" I asked, giving her a big grin.

She crossed her arms dramatically. "Ohooo, main chotku nahi rahi! Ab main itni badi ho gayi hoon!" she said, stretching her arms as wide as they could go. "Aur main bohot badhiya hoon! Partner, aap kaise ho?"she asked, giving me a high-five.

'I'm fine, partner!' I replied, giving her a high-five back.

We sat and talked about everything—how she'd been giving the bodyguards a tough time, what she's been learning, and how much she missed playing with me. Those bodyguards were finally freed from their "classroom punishment" and quietly left, relieved to be out of her grasp."

As soon as I entered the house, I heard her mutter, "Akdu aa hi raha hoga." Wait, did she just call me akdu? How do I explain to her that whenever she's around, my voice gets stuck in my throat? It's not my fault! I sighed internally and walked in.

Mr. Roy was clearly waiting for me. "Kaise ho, Haris beta? Bade dino baad mulaqat hui," he greeted warmly.

"Ji Mr. Roy, main theek hoon. Aap kaise hain?" I replied, trying to keep my voice calm and collected.

"Main bhi theek hoon," he said, smiling. Then I asked, "Baaki sab kahan hain?"

He replied, "Mrs. table ready karwa rahi hain, aur Shreya shayad room mein hai. Tum fresh ho ke aao, khaane pe milte hain."

I nodded, saying, "Ok," and headed to the guest room to freshen up. I changed into a casual tee and joggers that were already in the wardrobe, feeling a bit more relaxed. As I came downstairs, I noticed Fiza sitting at the table, already freshened up. She was wearing a grey tee and joggers, looking effortlessly beautiful. 

Then I spotted a familiar face—Aashi. Wait, is that her? I looked more closely, and yes, it was her.

"Aashi!" I almost shouted in excitement. She turned around and screamed, "Haris chachu!" She came running, and I sat next to her at the table.

"Kaise ho bacche?" I asked, patting her head.

"Oh come on, chachu! Bacchi nahi hoon main," she said, pretending to cry.

I chuckled, "Accha accha, jaanta hoon. Thik hai?"

She smiled, "Haan waise main badhiya hoon. Aap kaise ho? Aur chachi milegi ki nahi humein?" she said, pouting dramatically.

At that moment, Fiza, who had been sipping water, almost choked. She tried to cover it up, but I noticed. I immediately got up and went to her side, patting her back.

"Aram se, Fiza! Kya kar rahi ho?" I asked, concerned.

She caught her breath and shot me a quick glance, "Dikh nahi raha, paani pee rahi thi. Waise, thanks."

Aashi, seeing this whole interaction, burst into laughter. Meanwhile, Mr. and Mrs. Roy arrived at the table, and we all sat down for dinner. Shreya di joined us as well, and I greeted her warmly, catching up after what felt like forever.

It was 7 p.m. by the time we sat down to eat. Dinner was light, filled with easy conversation and laughter. After dinner, everyone headed to their rooms. I glanced at Fiza one last time before heading to mine, still thinking about how effortlessly she stirred my emotions.

I went to my room after dinner, and I don't know why, but my heart was aching. It felt heavy, and before I could even comprehend it, tears began to fall. I was crying, unable to control the emotions rushing through me. That's when Haris entered the room.

He saw me crying and rushed to me, concern all over his face. "Are are, Fiza... kya hua? Kyu ro rahi ho aap?" he asked softly, his voice laced with worry.

I couldn't bring myself to respond immediately. All I could do was hug him tightly and cry harder, as if all the pain I had bottled up was breaking through. "Baba, Haris... baba ne mujhe yaad kiya tha..." I managed to say through my sobs. The memory of my brother(Assistant) telling me that Baba had remembered me, kept replaying in my mind. It was overwhelming, and I felt like a child again, longing for my father.

"Meko baba ko dekhna hai, Haris... unse milna hai," I cried, clutching his shirt as if it was the only thing grounding me.

Haris held me close, patting my back softly, comforting me. "Accha accha, aap roye mat. Hum chalte hain na milne unse," he reassured me, his voice calm and soothing. "Aur waise bhi, aap bhool gayi? Aapki cousin danger mein hai, hume aaj jana hi hoga ghar. Tab aap dekh bhi lena unhe," he added gently, reminding me of our need to go back home.

His words brought me back to reality, and I started calming down. I wiped my tears and nodded, agreeing with him. After taking a few deep breaths, I took out my phone and called Baba's assistant to check if he was home. I told her that I needed to see my dad, and he agreed to let us come over.

Haris and I both left for home in our casual clothes. As we were leaving, Mr. Roy noticed us and instructed his bodyguards to follow and make sure we were safe. They quietly trailed behind us as we made our way to my father's house.

The drive felt surreal, my mind racing with emotions, but I felt slightly more at peace with Haris beside me. I just wanted to see Baba, and I knew Haris would be there, no matter what.

After reaching the Qazi mansion, Fiza called her brother, who was also their father's assistant, to ask how to come in. He instructed them to wait for a bit, and so they stood outside, waiting quietly.

Suddenly, they heard her cousin scream from inside the house. Fiza's heart skipped a beat, but then she heard her cousin shout in horror, "Lizard!" Haris smirked and said, "Ek lizard se darr gayi tumhari behen? Mein to nahi darta inse, disection kiya hai bhai inka."

Fiza raised an eyebrow and teased, "Accha?" Testing him, she mischievously added, "Oh no, lizard!" Haris, who had just been boasting, immediately jumped behind her and anxiously asked, "Kaha? Kaha?"

Fiza couldn't help but laugh. "Aye bade disection karne wale," she teased.

Haris couldn't help but smile, his heart melting as he watched her laugh. Her fierce exterior softened, and in that moment, she was his "sherni" who could make him feel lighter just with her smile.

Just then, Fiza's phone pinged with a message from her brother, saying they could come in. The two of them snuck through the door, carefully avoiding everyone, hiding behind pillars and trying to remain unnoticed. Fiza rested her back against a pillar while Haris stood in front of her, keeping an eye on their surroundings.

Fiza whispered nervously, "Main baba ko kaise dekhungi, buddhu?"

Haris, trying to think quickly, said, "Oh," and switched their positions. Fiza peeked around the corner, finally catching a glimpse of her father. The sight of him made her tear up instantly. Haris, who had been standing close, couldn't take his eyes off her. There was something about seeing her so vulnerable that made him want to protect her even more.

Noticing his gaze, Fiza rolled her eyes, "Ghurna band kroge tum?"

Startled, he looked away awkwardly, muttering, "Mein kaha ghur raha tha?"

"Jhoot mat bolo," she shot back playfully, and Haris grinned, caught red-handed.

Just then, they overheard her father speaking to her cousin, "Ek lizard se darr gayi aap bacche?" He chuckled.

"Sorry, chachu," her cousin mumbled.

"Accha, koi nahi, jao." He waved it off.

Her cousin quickly added, "Chachu, wo friend ki birthday party attend karni thi..."

He sighed, already knowing there was no point arguing. "Accha, chale jao," he said, and she hurried off to get ready.

Fiza and Haris, hearing this, took the opportunity to sneak out again, taking one last glance at her father. As they reached outside, Fiza frowned in confusion. "Hamaare kapde? Aise party mein entry nahi milegi!"

Haris grinned, "Tum tension mat lo, hum mall chalke change kar lete hain."

With that, they hurried to the mall, instructing the guards to follow her cousin and send them the party's location once she arrived.

We quickly changed into our party outfits. Fiza slipped into a stunning black dress that hugged her figure perfectly, leaving me utterly speechless. She looked breathtaking, and I found it nearly impossible to take my eyes off her. As for me, I wore a casual shirt and jeans, and to complete the look, I added a jacket. We were finally ready for the party.

The guards sent us the location, and we arrived at the club in no time. The moment we entered, we were on high alert, taking in every detail around us. After a bit of exploring, we settled down near the bar. Fiza ordered a soft drink, but instead, she accidentally grabbed a glass of wine that was left unattended. The bartender quickly informed me about her mix-up, and I couldn't help but chuckle.

As she took a sip, I watched her eyes widen in surprise. "Oye, khadus! Tum mujhse ladte kyu ho, Haris?" she slurred, confusion evident in her voice.

"Me? Ladta? Kab?" I replied, raising an eyebrow.

Pointing at my chest, she continued, "Ha tum akdu kahi ke! Jab mile the tab ladte the, aur jab bhi baat karte ho, rude karte ho. Aaj se tumhara naam 'Akdu' nahi hoga!"

She paused for a moment, deep in thought, then snapped her fingers excitedly. "Hmm... ha! Tum na, aaj se 'Angry Bird' ho! Ye tumhara nickname hai!"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "Angry Bird?" I repeated, a grin spreading across my face.

She continued, her drunken state making her antics even cuter. "Huff! Agar kuch zyada bole na, gulel se fui uda dungi tumhe, Angry Bird game jaise!" She made an exaggerated shooting motion with her hands, bursting into laughter.

I was floating on cloud nine—wait, did she just give me a nickname? I quickly pulled out my phone to record everything for proof. This was a memory I wanted to cherish.

But then, Fiza started to mess around and made her way onto the dance floor. The scene quickly became awkward, and I knew I had to get her out of the bar. I reminded the guards to keep an eye on her cousin as we moved toward the exit.

"Oh wow! Khuli hawa, kitna accha lag raha hai na!" she exclaimed, continuing to babble as we stepped outside. Suddenly, without warning, she became unsteady and fell unconscious.

In a split second, I caught her in my arms, holding her close as I rushed back to the car. My heart raced with concern, and I could feel the weight of her body against mine as I gently laid her on her bed once we got home.

I was about to leave, but she unexpectedly grabbed my hand, holding on tightly. I couldn't resist the urge to stay, so I sat on the edge of her bed, admiring her peaceful face. As I watched her, my eyes grew heavy, and before I knew it, they slowly closed, surrendering to the exhaustion of the night.

Chapter Aesthetics

The casual outfit they were wearing

The Party Outfits They Changed 

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