CHAPTER 6

He tapped his foot against the marble floor in the kitchen as he awaited her response. It was coming too late as he had sent the text almost thirty minutes ago. Knowing fully well that his sister was an excellent judge of body language, he straightened his back and puffed his chest, putting on a casual look. Meanwhile, Fatima glanced at him from the corner of her eye while her hands busied themselves chopping carrots for their dinner.

"Aren't you going to join me to prepare dinner today?" She asked him with a cool voice.

Ilyas knew what that tone meant when it came to his sister; Fatima. She was a very easy person to read, atleast in his perspective. He bit his lips and walked with calculated steps closer to the kitchen counter. Not before placing his phone on the dining table, fpr safety reasons.

Picking up a knife, his mind couldn't help but wander to her. This was unlike his new friend. She was quick in responding to his messages. Was she in trouble? Sick? But they had conversed via phone call in the morning. What-

" are you going to chop off your fingers too?" Fatima shrieked.

The knife dropped on the cutting board with a thud as his eyes widen in partial shock.
" Oops," he murmured.

Fatima squinted her eyes at him and continued chopping the vegetables. " are you going to tell me what's running in that brain of yours?"

"No... there's nothing wrong".

" if you say so," she shrugged.

Sixty seconds later, his hands paused from chopping the spinach. Fatima barely spared him a glance as she knowingly anticipated what was coming next.

Ilyas bit his lips while stealing glances at his sister from the corner of his eyes. However, she barely paid him any attention as her hands expertly worked on the cucumbers now.

" Is there a reason why a girl would ignore any guy's message?"

" What's that?" Fatima snapped her head in his direction as her hand froze against the knife. " You've got a girl's problem?"

He winced at the sharp tone in his sister's voice. " I'm old enough to be having one, aren't I?"

However, his sister didn't appreciate the sarcastic tone underlying his words as she narrowed her eyes at him. He let out a puff.

" Okay, that was-" he stared at her with a sheepish smile. " what I meant to say was, yes. It's a girl's problem ".

" That's what I also thought," Fatima said under her breath, and moved to the kitchen sink.

" so, what's the issue? She's ignoring you?"

" I don't think so. I've not done anything that warrants being ignored," he wiped his hand against the cotton fabric hung on his neck.

Pots clanked against each other as Fatima searched for the right pot for the dish. She hummed in reply, encouraging him to say more.

" is it normal for girl's to do that?" He asked, a frown plastered on his face.

" it depends on who the girl is, who the guy also is, and what's the connection between them". She turned to him, a large pan in her right hand, and a spatula in the other. " who is she to you?" She pointed the spatula at him.

" a friend," he burst out almost immediately, his voice betraying him as made it sound quite the opposite. It hinted at more than just that.

Luck was on his side as Fatima didn't acknowledge that, either she didn't notice the tone in his voice or pretended not to. She just went on with her cooking rituals, placed the pan on the cooker and continued cooking.

" Well?" He prompted.

Fatima cleared her throat, her gaze intent on the pan before her. " If that's the case, I have absolutely no idea as to why she could probably be ghosting you. Is it Bunmi?"

" no, it's not," he was quick to interject. "Her name is Ameerah ".

Fatima quickly racked her brain to check if she had heard of any 'Ameerah' who was her brother's friend but couldn't come up with any. She must be a new friend then, which also sounded odd, as the Ilyas she knew wouldn't be thinking of why a girl was being cold to him. He'd rather be ditching the slow or uninterested ones, and flirting with new girls who matched his standards.

" Does she live close by?" That was the next question she fired at him. Ilyas was a fan of making friends with girls who were available and lived nearby.

" no," he said. Refusing to give her more hints.

Fatima nodded her head. "I see".

His phone pinged at the very moment, notifying a new message and it took him alot of self-restraint not to lunge at it.

" I'm guessing that it's from the Ameerah". Fatima said as she caught the look on his face for a second before he masked it.

Ilyas cleared his throat. " you're right. She had a nap, that's why the reply came in late. Anyway, thanks for your response".

Fatima hummed in her signature response to 'thanks', stirring together the ingredients in the pan.

Ilyas couldn't wait to get dinner over with as he shot Dayesha a short text requesting a video call with her probably later on at night. He dropped his phone back on the table, and joined Fatima in preparing dinner, all the while feeling giddy.

" She's just a friend right?" Fatima asked as they both sat down across each other at the dining table. It was just the two of them, and they had long learnt to accept their fate. They were siblings, parents, and spouses to eachother. As they were little to no similar facial features, most people usually mistake them for couples.

Fatima found it unusual the way her younger brother's actions and body language appeared to be more than he was letting on. She refused to believe that there was nothing but friendship between the so-called Ameerah and him. It just didn't settle well with her. However, she knew not to meddle with his relationship issues as it never ended well.

" Oh yes," he answered with a mouthful of pasta, nodding simultaneously.

"Alright, " said Fatima. Her hands twirled the fork around the pasta and resumed eating.

Dinner was over and after clearing the plates and washing them, Fatima approached her brother who was drying the plates with a towel and arranging it on the rack.
She twisted her hands, unconsciously playing with the emerald ring on her index finger.

" I'm going to have a conference call in five minutes. No matter what you do, please don't make too much of a noise. Please".

Ilyas knew how her attitude changes on occasions similar to this. The never-ending subconscious counting with her right hand and the repetitive patting of her chest was more than enough signs to know that her anxiety was at the peak.
" Sure tee. I'll be going for a walk, so be rest assured that your meeting would go well," he raised his voice slightly, grinning to calm down her nerves.

" o-kay". She walked away to her room leaving Ilyas in the kitchen drying the last of the plates they had used for dinner. After doing that, he washed the towel and hung it to dry.

"Perfect timing," he muttered as the phone vibrated in his pocket. It must be Ameerah, he mused.

Not wanting the conversation to seem awkward as this was the first time they'd be conversing via video call, he hurriedly put on his sneakers and went out of the front door, making sure to shut it in the most silent way possible. He wouldn't want to jeopardise his sister's new job. She had been through a lot lately, and all signs points out the fact that her new boss was not part of the human race.

The street was filled with less cars than usual as most people were yet to arrive back from their respective workplaces. Ilyas walked on the sideways, then he pulled out his phone to read the message. Subconsciously pushing some stray strands of hair back, he tapped on the message sent by Dayesha minutes ago.

Ameerah: Alright. I'll be free in fifteen minutes.

Quickly calculating the time that had passed, he assumed that it could be fifteen minutes ago when his phone had vibrated, announcing him of a text message from 'his friens' Ameerah. Sliding his finger against the call button, his breath hitched as he waited for her to pick up.

And yet again, for the second time today, he felt squishy inside like a teenager with a new crush. Scanning the environment, he strides to a nearby bench and sat down. The call came to an end. She didn't respond.

Pushing aside the slight disappointment, summoning the little courage left in him, he dialled it again after weighing the pros and cons. He had done this before, with different girls from different backgrounds and ethnicities. There was nothing new in this. It was a matter of acceptance, and he wasn't a guy to whine about rejection. It was a game, the one he was well familiar with, and he had had his fair shares of success irregardless of what the obstacle was. Ilyas was a pro when it came to this, he wasn't tagged 'ladies guy'for no reason.

His thoughts came to an abrupt end as his phone suddenly rang, the screen lighting up.

She picked up. It wasn't a hallucination.

Ameerah picked up his video call.

She picked!! Hurray!!
What's going to happen now?

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See you in the next chappie
    Much love,
                     Midha...