I sat on my office chair going through some documents when my brothers banged on the door. "Bro, let's have a party, yay!" Nikhil walked in with Deep, who looked at him with a done face.

"My office is not your club, Nikhil," I said in a stern tone, trying to glare at him. But, of course, who am I kidding? He is the only person in the family who has this much energy despite being scolded.

"Chill, bro, I was just joking to lift the mood. It's deadly, you know," Karthik said before making himself comfortable on the sofa.

"Bhai, Abhi is returning today, you know that, right?" Deep said, reminding me of my best friend's return.

"Yeah, I know. He will land around 4:30 pm, and as usual, I have to go and pick him up." I sighed, not that I hate the idea of picking him up, but he has people to do that.

"Umm, if he is landing at 4:30, then I think you need to start running," Karthik said, looking at his watch. I looked at him confused.

"And why is that?" I raised my eyebrows at him while he smiled devilishly.

"Because it's 5:56 right now." Shit, I knew I should have kept an alarm. Getting up, I quickly gathered my things and walked out of my office, leaving my brothers in their small talk.

I got into my car and instructed the driver to take me to the airport. It's not that far, so I would reach there before 4:30.

As I walked inside the airport, I stood in the area of arrival, looking at the time. It was 4:27. Just then, someone tapped my shoulder. I turned and was embraced by a strong hug. Yep, this is my best friend.

"Yo, man, I didn't think you would actually come," he said, smiling widely and hugging me tightly.

"Yeah, well, I thought to not come and pick you up since you're a nuisance, but I had something to discuss, so here I am," I said, trying to get out of his hug.

"Oh, and here I thought you came because you missed me." He broke the hug and pouted. Oh, how I wished to punch him right now.

"Please, stop with that pouting. You look ugly as a donkey," I said, making a disgusted face.

"Hey, now that's not—" He was cut off by a scream from behind. Looking back, I saw a lady sitting on the ground and yelling at a man who was running away with her bag.

"Please, someone, anyone, catch the thief!" she pleaded, crying while still sitting down.

"Abhi, go and help the lady. I will catch that bastard," I commanded him while he nodded. I stepped towards the guy, but from the crowd, a girl swiftly approached the thief. She kicked towards the thief's stomach with a smooth turn and a fast leg movement. 

Her kick hit him hard, making him stumble back in pain, holding onto his belly, stopping the thief without hurting him badly.

She then kicked his leg, making him fall to the ground. As he fell, she pulled both his arms behind him and pressed his head down to the ground, not letting him have a chance to escape.

"Security! Stay still, you idiot!" she yelled for security while holding him tight. A few security guards came and took him away. She stood, took the lady's purse, and went towards the lady.

"Thank you, thank you so much," the lady said, taking her purse back and helping her to get up. She said something and then left from there.

"Man, I never knew a girl could be this feisty," Abhi said, but I wasn't focusing on him. She consumed my thoughts. It was as if she had implanted herself in my mind. As I was thinking about her, a hand waved in front of my face. I looked at Abhi, who had a confused look.

"Dude, where are you lost?" he asked. usake khaayalo mein. "Nowhere. Let's go; we have work to do." Saying that I dragged him from the airport and headed towards home.

(In her thoughts)

As we reached home, Abhi, like the monkey he is, jumped and hugged my maa. She laughed at his antics and hugged him back. "Finally, you came back! I thought you would never return to India."

"Me? Leave you forever? That is not possible, my dear maa." He smiled wider and hugged her more tightly.

"Hey, leave my maa. You'll break her bones with that hug, and she is my maa, not yours," I said, punching him away from her.

"All right, you two, don't start here. Come inside; I made your favorite dish," she smiled and went inside. I went straight to my room, knowing he would invite himself over. After a quick shower, I sat down on my bed with my laptop on my lap.

But my focus wasn't on work. It was on her. She looked so beautiful, it took my breath away. It was the first time my heart skipped a beat just by seeing someone. Who is she? She didn't do much, yet she captured my heart.

While I was lost in my thoughts, I heard a knocking sound on my door, bringing me back to reality. "Bhai, can I come in?" I fixed myself, knowing I looked like a teenage boy madly in love. "Yeah, come in."

Asha came in with a smile on her face and two cups. "Sorry, did I disturb you?" she asked, eyeing the laptop.

"No, no, I was just about to finish my work." I closed the laptop while Asha sat down in front of me. "Here, I brought hot chocolate for you." I chuckled, taking the cup from her.

"You know it's not good to drink too much hot chocolate," she pouted and whined.

"Now you don't start." I shook my head, knowing she wouldn't listen.

"So, did you need something from me?" Asha looked at me and then placed the cup on the nightstand.

"Bhai, I... um... I don't want to join the festival," she said in a low tone, which I didn't quite catch.

"Asha, say it clearly."

She looked at me nervously and said, "Bhai, I don't want to attend the festival." That shocked me. Asha loves writing stories. It was her dream to become an author. Then why did she not want to go to the festival? This was her chance to make that dream come true. So why?

"Asha, what are you saying, is everything okay? you love writing stories so why this?" I asked concerned if something happened. 

"no, it's just that I found out that writing stories was just a hobby it was not something I wanted to do in my future" Well that took me by surprise Asha never hesitates or gets confused. 

"Then what do you want to become in the future there must be something that you want to do" She looked at me with those hopeful yet hesitant eyes.

"umm....computer science" 

"computer science? but you showed no interest in those at all"

"I was interested in them but I didn't think it was ok to say out loud"

"really and when did you develop this interest"

"umm.....two months ago" She is lying, yep she is lying Asha is good at lying that's her skill but that wouldn't work on me. I don't take this matter too far if she wants to do something in computer science then who am I to stop her?

"right I will talk to Maa and Baba" She smiled and hugged me shaking me in that process "Yaaayyyy thank you, thank you, thank you so much i love you Bhai you the best"

"Alright, alright now stop shaking me" She pulled back from the hug and smiled at me "may god always keep you happy like this" I then kiss forehead, she may not be a blood sister but she is our sister our light, and our sunshine. 
to be continued........