[Dev's pov]

As I awoke to the commotion outside my window, the sight that greeted me was one of chaos—a scene unfolding in the early morning light that would set the course for the day ahead.

There she was, engaged in a heated exchange with a man whose intentions were all too clear.

"What's your problem, Kabir? We agreed to work together on this project, nothing more," she snapped, her voice edged with frustration.

But Kabir wasn't listening. " You think I'm just some tool for your success? What else do you need—money, status, all the things I can give you?" His words dripped with bitterness, his face contorted with anger.

"There's nothing more, Kabir. This project was a collaboration, nothing more, nothing less," she replied, her tone firm and resolute.

"You're just using me, aren't you? Pretending to care while you climb your way to the top," he accused, his voice rising in pitch.

My blood boiled at his words. How dare he speak to her like that? Without a second thought, I stepped outside, my voice firm.

"Hey, ease up, man. There's no need for that kind of behavior," I said, trying to keep my tone steady despite the anger simmering beneath the surface.

Kabir's gaze flicked to me, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. "And who are you supposed to be? Her 'boyfriend'?" he sneered, the accusation hanging heavy in the air.

Before I could respond, he continued his tirade, his voice rising in pitch. "Yeah, that's it, isn't it? You've been using me this whole time.I mean getting seen with the son of the college trustee does help in getting popular. That's it, isn't it? You're just using me to make yourself feel better, you whore!"

Her expression darkened at his words, and I could see the hurt flicker in her eyes. But she remained silent, her jaw clenched in defiance.

The slur against her hit me like a punch to the gut, igniting a surge of protective rage within me. Without another word, I stepped forward, my fists clenched at my sides, ready to defend her honor against his baseless accusations. 

The ensuing confrontation was tense, a battle of wills as we faced off in the early morning light. But amidst the chaos, one thing remained clear: I would do whatever it took to shield her from harm, even if it meant putting myself in harm's way.

"Not a word against her. It's better agar tum abhi yaha se chale jao." I said trying to calm down the storm inside me.                                                                                                                                                              " Dekho mujhe pata hai tum koi cricketer ho. lekin yeh delhi hai aur yaha meri chalti hai." He says flaring his eyes.

"Tum jo bhi ho, jaha se bhi ho Avi se dur raho." I say 

"What, you think you're some kind of saint?" he spat, his words dripping with venom. "Accusing me of things you know nothing about.Not like you are any different."

Is this guy, for real? Now he was testing my patience.Before I could even muster a response, Avi stepped forward, her voice cutting through the tension like a knife.

"WTF is you problem, huh? You have no right to speak to him like that. You don't know anything about him." Her words reverberated in the air.

"Bitch, let me tell you—" Kabir's sentence was cut short as her hand whipped through the air, connecting with his cheek in a resounding slap. Whoa, shit. Her patience was worse than mine, but i guess he deserved that.

Kabir stumbled backward, his eyes wide with shock, his words lost in the sudden silence that followed.

Her eyes blazed with righteous anger, as she said," Get the hell out of here."

Jake hesitated for a moment, his expression a mix of shock and defiance. But in the face of her unwavering resolve, he knew he had no choice but to comply.

With a scowl, he turned on his heel and stalked away.

See, this is what I love about her.  I couldn't help but feel a surge of admiration for her strength and courage. In that moment, she had asserted herself as a force to be reckoned with—a woman who refused to be cowed by the hateful words of others.

As I opened my mouth to respond to the intense situation that unfolded before us, she swiftly cut through the tension with her words.

"What was the need for that?" she asked, her voice laced with concern. "You could have been  hurt ."

Her interruption caught me off guard, the weight of her words sinking in as I struggled to find the right response. In her eyes, I could see a mixture of worry , a silent plea for understanding.

"I... I'm sorry," I stammered, my voice tinged with regret. "I just couldn't stand by and let him... say those things to you."

"Why? Kya  kar leta woh? Come on, we're better than this. Yaar, tujhe kuch ho jata to? Kyu panga lena inn logo se?" She rambled.

 Before I could stop myself, the words spilled out in a rush.

"I like you,"  I blurted out, the admission hanging in the air between us, heavy with the weight of unspoken truths. My eyes widen as I realize what I just did. That was supposed to be in my head.My heart pounded in my chest, my palms sweaty with nerves. What if I had ruined everything?

Her eyes widened in surprise, her features softening with a mixture of confusion and curiosity. "You what?" she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I mean... I mean..." I stuttered, my mind racing a mile a minute. "I didn't plan on saying this, it just sort of... came out. Jaisa tu soch rahi hai, waisa kuch nahi hai. Shit, I didn't want it to come out this way-"

" I like you too, since we were 14" Her expression softened, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips.

I let out a shaky breath, the tension draining from my body as her words washed over me like a soothing balm. I couldn't help but tease her, my nerves settling as a playful grin crept onto my face. "What was that? I didn't quite catch it. Could you repeat that?"

"You heard me the first time,Dev." she says, as her smile grows wider and a tinge of red covers her cheeks.

"Yeah, I did. But I want to hear it again." 

Before I could respond, a sound interrupted our moment, causing us to turn towards the source. And there, standing before us with a knowing yet teasing smile, was  Di.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" she teased, her eyes dancing with mischief. "Am I interrupting something?"

" Di, aap kab se ho yaha pe?" I ask, knowing that she has heard everything and i am going to be teased my entire lifetime, now.

"Jab se woh ajeeb lakda yaha se gaya. Though, it looks like I was right all along," she declared, her tone playful yet triumphant."But I do think Avi could have done better." She continues.

Avi chuckles a bit but turns it into a cough as I look at her feeling betrayed.                                               "You just love being right, don't you?" she teased, her tone playful.

My sister's grin widened into a triumphant smirk. "What can I say? I've got a knack for it," she quipped, before pulling us both into a playful group hug.

 As we stood there, caught up in our lighthearted banter, I couldn't help but feel a swell of affection for the two of the  most important people in my life. 

IF THIS WAS A DREAM, I NEVER WANT IT TO END.

*****

He said it, Ladies and Gentleman. 

I can't update a lot because of my exams. But I'll try to keep updating :)

This then, please keep commenting .

*****