Chapter 56
Kabir's Perspective
"You're late!" she declared, her voice carrying across the driveway as she stomped her foot for emphasis. "I said 10 PM, and it's almost midnight!"
I exchanged a glance with Aditi, who sighed and shook her head in exasperation. "Anaya, you're not my boss," Aditi muttered under her breath, though the affection in her tone was clear.
I couldn't help but laugh softly. Anaya had always been a bit of a mini dictator when it came to Aditi's schedule, taking it upon herself to monitor her sister's comings and goings like she was some kind of guardian. It was endearing in a way, even if it drove Aditi a little crazy.
Before we could reach the door, Anaya marched up to us, her hands still planted firmly on her hips. "And you!" she said, turning her attention to me now, her eyes narrowing in playful accusation. "You didn't take good care of my sister tonight!"
I blinked, confused. "What? What do you mean?"
Anaya pointed dramatically at Aditi's neck, where—unbeknownst to me—there was a faint but visible red mark from the soft kisses I'd trailed earlier in the car. "Look at that!" she said, her voice a mix of mock outrage and amusement. "You hurt my sister!"
Aditi's eyes widened as her hand instinctively flew up to her neck, her cheeks flushing bright red. "Anaya!" she exclaimed, clearly mortified. "It's not what you think!"
But Anaya was having none of it. She stomped her foot again and balled up her tiny fist. "Jiju, you're in trouble now!"
Before I had a chance to react, Anaya swung her fist in my direction, aiming right for my arm. I let her punch land softly, feigning a wince for dramatic effect. "Ouch!" I teased, rubbing the spot where her fist had connected. "Wow, that's quite the punch you've got there."
Anaya grinned, clearly pleased with herself, but I wasn't about to let her have the last word. With a playful smirk, I lightly tapped her arm in return. "But you know, I've won a couple of medals in boxing. So you might want to be careful before challenging me to a fight."
Her eyes widened at that, and for a moment, I thought I had her. But Anaya, being Anaya, wasn't one to back down easily. She puffed out her chest proudly and grinned. "Well, guess what? I have a rainbow belt in boxing!"
I couldn't help but burst out laughing at the sheer confidence in her voice. "A rainbow belt, huh? That's impressive. You might actually beat me one day!"
Aditi, who had been watching this whole exchange with a mix of amusement and embarrassment, finally spoke up, tugging at Anaya's arm. "Alright, you little troublemaker, that's enough for tonight. It's way past your bedtime."
"But I wasn't finished!" Anaya protested, though her tone was more playful than serious now. "I need to make sure Jiju knows not to mess with you again."
I grinned, reaching down to ruffle Anaya's hair. "Don't worry, I got the message loud and clear. I'll be on my best behavior from now on."
Anaya smirked, clearly satisfied with herself. "Good. That's what I like to hear."
Just as Aditi was about to drag her inside, the kitchen door creaked open, and we all turned to see Aditi's mom, Mrs. Sharma, shuffling into the living room, rubbing her eyes and stifling a yawn. "What's all this noise about?" she mumbled sleepily, her gaze falling on Anaya, who was still standing by the door.
"Anaya!" Mrs. Sharma scolded, her voice filled with mild frustration. "What are you still doing up at this hour? You should've been in bed hours ago!"
Anaya pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "But Maa, I was waiting for Aditi didi! She was late, and someone had to keep an eye on her."
Mrs. Sharma raised an eyebrow, looking from Anaya to Aditi and back again, before letting out a tired sigh. "Aditi is a grown woman, Anaya. She doesn't need you staying up and worrying about her. You're just a little child—you need your sleep!"
"I'm not a child," Anaya muttered under her breath, but the pout on her face told a different story. She wasn't too happy about being scolded in front of me, and I could see the gears turning in her head as she tried to think of a comeback.
"Off to bed, now," Mrs. Sharma said firmly, giving her daughter a pointed look. "And no more arguments."
Anaya glanced up at me, her lower lip jutting out in a dramatic pout, clearly hoping for some kind of support. But I just gave her a sympathetic smile and a small shrug. There was no way I was getting between her and her mom on this one.
Grumbling under her breath, Anaya finally relented, turning on her heel and marching toward the staircase. "Fine, fine. But next time, I'm setting an alarm to make sure you're home on time," she called over her shoulder, casting one last mischievous glance at Aditi and me.
Once she was out of earshot, Aditi let out a long sigh, rubbing her temples. "She's impossible sometimes."
I chuckled softly, stepping forward to lightly touch her arm. "She just loves you. In her own way, she's trying to look out for you."
Aditi smiled, though I could see the exhaustion in her eyes. "I know. It's just... she can be a bit much sometimes."
Mrs. Sharma, who had been watching the whole interaction with a fond smile, stepped forward and patted Aditi on the shoulder. "You're doing fine, beta. Anaya's just going through that phase where she thinks she's in charge of everything."
I smiled, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, she's quite the little leader. But I have a feeling she'll mellow out once she gets a bit older."
Mrs. Sharma chuckled softly, then turned her attention to me. "Kabir, thank you for bringing Aditi home safely. You should be heading home now too—it's quite late."
I nodded, stepping forward to touch her feet in a gesture of respect. "Thank you, Aunty. It was my pleasure."
As I straightened up, Mrs. Sharma gave me a warm smile, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "You're always welcome here, Kabir. But don't let Anaya boss you around too much, alright?"
I grinned. "I'll try my best."
With that, Mrs. Sharma gave Aditi a quick hug and headed back to the kitchen, probably to finish her late-night tea. Aditi and I exchanged a glance, the weight of the evening slowly settling between us. I could see the tiredness in her eyes, but there was also a warmth there, something that made me feel like I could stay here forever, in this moment.
We stood on the porch, the soft night breeze gently ruffling Aditi's hair as she tucked a loose strand behind her ear. I'd always loved how natural everything felt between us—no need for grand gestures or endless words. Just quiet moments like this, where the world seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of us.
"Let me walk you to your car," Aditi said, her voice low but steady, as if she wasn't quite ready for the night to end either.
I smiled and nodded, not wanting to argue. As we descended the steps, the gravel crunching softly under our feet, I couldn't help but glance over at her, her silhouette glowing in the pale moonlight. She walked close beside me, our arms brushing slightly, but neither of us moved away.
The car was parked a few feet ahead, bathed in the dim light of the streetlamp. We stopped just beside it, neither of us in a hurry to break the spell of the moment. I turned to face her, leaning casually against the car, and she looked up at me, a soft smile playing on her lips.
"Thanks for tonight," she said, her eyes warm as they met mine. "It was fun... despite Anaya's best efforts to drive us crazy."
I chuckled, nodding. "She's a handful, but I think I'm starting to get the hang of her tactics."
Aditi laughed softly, her eyes crinkling at the corners in that way that always made me feel like I was the only one in the world she was smiling for. "She likes you, you know. That's her way of showing it."
I raised an eyebrow. "By threatening me and punching my arm?"
Aditi shrugged, her smile widening. "It's her signature move. Consider it a rite of passage."
We stood there for a moment, the laughter fading into a comfortable silence. There was something in the air, something unsaid, but neither of us felt the need to fill the quiet. It was enough just to be here, together, under the stars.
Just as I leaned in to kiss her, a voice rang out from the doorway.
"Don't kiss my sister!!"
We both froze, our lips inches apart, before bursting into laughter. Anaya stood at the top of the steps, her hands cupped around her mouth as she shouted at us, her face a mix of annoyance and amusement.
"Anaya!" Aditi groaned, burying her face in her hands as she giggled. "Go to bed!"
Anaya just grinned mischievously, waving at us from the porch before disappearing back into the house. I shook my head, laughing softly as I turned back to Aditi.
"She's really something else," I said, my voice full of affection.
Aditi smiled, leaning in to press a soft kiss to my cheek. "Yeah, she is. But I wouldn't trade her for the world."
We sat there for a moment longer, just enjoying the peace between us, before I finally pulled away. "I should get going," I said softly, though every part of me wanted to stay.
Aditi nodded, her hand resting gently on mine. "Drive safe, okay?"
I gave her a soft smile, squeezing her hand before pulling away and stepping out of the car. As I climbed into the driver's seat, I glanced back at her, standing there on the porch, watching me with that same shy smile that always made my heart skip a beat.
And as I drove away, the sound of her laughter still lingering in the air, I couldn't help but feel like the luckiest guy in the world.