Saniya's POV:

"Saniya Beta" As Chachi patted my shoulder, I came back to the present, but my mind kept replaying all of Sameer's actions from the evening like a movie, including the way he touched my hand, laced his fingers, and his lovable grey eyes. 

I know his actions were consequences of the heat of the moment. In reality, he is in love with someone else, and when I remember that, my heart just breaks. 

If things continue to go this way, it would be awkward to continue our friendship as well.

Mentally reminding myself that Sameer is just my friend and Bhai's best friend, I continued to give a brief of the boutique's work.

"I hope Neha becomes a member of our family; she is a very diligent and hard working girl." 

Listening to Chachi's words adds to my frustration more. Even though that girl is decent and diligent, I do not want her as my bhabhi. Just because she has the same name 'Neha' does not mean she can be 'Bhai's Neha'. I want at least Bhai to get his love in his life.

"Chachi I am not feeling well; I will forward this report and documentation to you tomorrow. Can I go to my room?" I asked Chachi, not wanting to deal with the anxiety infront of her.

"Ok Beta, you can go and take rest. Everything appears to be in order, you can just email me the report and document tomorrow." Chachi nodded

I said, "Thank you, Chachi," and left the room.

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Alhamdulillah, my fever is almost gone by morning. Yesterday, it was decided to stay until my condition stabilises, but now that I am well, we are leaving.

After lunch, Di, Jiju, and Chachi departed for Jiju's house in the afternoon. Oddly, I have not seen Sameer since the morning; he even had breakfast and lunch earlier.

Ignoring my nervousness, I went to the kitchen to assist Mamma. "Saanu make tea for everyone while I make some snacks, and Adil call Sameer to the living room; he has been busy with his work since morning." obeying, we followed Mamma's orders.

As the men arrived in the living room, I sieved the tea to serve, and Mamma took the freshly made cucumber sandwiches and went to serve.

After serving tea to everyone, I went back to the kitchen to get my green tea and sat far away from everyone, especially Sameer, who had his eyes down and was drinking his tea quietly. 

I think he was regretting what he did yesterday, but seeing him like that only made me feel more guilty. How I wished to be his life partner, and now seeing him loving another person and him getting regretful of being close with me makes me want to scream out and just run away from here. I guess after today I will be losing not only my first love but my friend as well.

I picked up the empty plates and tea cups and went to the kitchen to wash them. While I was doing so, I sensed someone's presence, and when I turned around, I saw it was Sameer. 

'Please don't. I am not ready for the talk, now'.

I washed my hands and was about to leave the kitchen, but he caught my hand and requested to stay for some minutes and listen to him.

'Now is the moment. Get ready, Saanu, he is going to end our friendship.' 

Mentally preparing myself, I sat on the kitchen aisle facing him and, with my hands folded, projected as much confidence as possible.

"Saanu, I apologise for the mess, but will you please forgive me and continue being friends? Please." When he asked forgiveness by holding his ears, I was unable to control myself seeing him in that state was the least thing to witness. 

I quickly left the aisle, took his hands off his ears, and smiled at him, knowing that he would believe me now and said, "Okay, give me some time and do not hold your ears for anyone; it does not suit you."

Deep down, I was knocked over seeing him like that, the way he was forgiving; it seems he genuinely loves the girl, which is why he is apologising—not to raise the hope in my heart. However, I am also relieved that he did not sever our friendship.

"If it is for you, I am ready to kneel as well if you want," he said and left out of the kitchen, making my heart and stomach churn over again.

Please, Sameer, do not make me feel any more vulnerable. My heart has already surrendered to you through your small gestures of kindness, and now when you come close and say these kinds of things, it skips a beat and gives up. If you continue doing this, my heart may become unbearable, and I will not be able to return to normal.

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Author's POV:

At around 7:30 p.m., everyone in the penthouse was packing last-minute items, indicating that the house was currently in a chaotic hustle with everyone running to and fro, clearing out spaces, and packing everything. Despite all of this chaos, one person was calm and unconcerned, simply smiling and occupied with his phone from the evening. That person was none other than Adil Raza.

"Ya Allah! You are still not ready, Adil. Your Baba and Abbu are calling everyone, and the boy is still in his pyjamas, engrossed in his phone. Adil GET UPPPP," Arshiya startled to see Adil lying on the bed and carelessly chatting with someone.

"Aunty, he has been on his phone since the evening, and you know what, Aunty, he did not even pack his clothes. Like a good friend, I packed his clothes." Sameer said, adding more drama to anger Arshiya Aunty, and he was successful.

"My Phooooooneee!!!" Adil finally got up from his dreamy land and came back to reality when Arshiya grabbed his phone from his hands.

"You will get this phone after reaching Bangalore. " Arshiya took the phone and kept it in her purse, shocking both boys. Sameer's eyes widened, and he laughed internally as he saw Adil's condition, which looked like he had been sentenced to life imprisonment.

"Aru Mamma, it is unfair. Please give me the phone, please," Adil pleaded haltingly, but Arshiya refused to give it back and left the room.

As soon as Arshiya went out of the room, Sameer started to laugh on seeing Adil, who was literally sulking like a child who was snatched from eating candy. "Aww, Adil you are looking so  adorable," Sameer pulled Adil's cheek, adding fuel to his state.

" You are the one who told Mamma right. I won't leave you; wait." Adil was looking here and there to find the suitable weapon to beat him.

"Au...Aun...ty is ca...lli...ing me," understanding his secret is out, Sameer dashed out of the room. 

Indeed, it was Sameer who complained about Adil's behaviour to Arshiya. When Sameer noticed that Adil had been engrossed in his phone since evening, he became curious and tried to snitch his phone, but Adil saw it and immediately hid it, which intrigued Sameer more. He attempted his best to obtain the details but was unsuccessful. Then, he got an idea and complained to Arshiya, believing that in this process he may take Adil's phone and see the person's name whom Adil was texting. However, this plan backfired, and Arshiya took the phone, leaving the mystery still unresolved.

On the other hand, Adil, whose conversation was interrupted by Arshiya, is restless in his room, thinking about plans to retrieve his phone back.

"What would she think about me, for abruptly ending the conversation?" Adil was rambling on about the other person.

" Who will think about you?" When Saniya entered the room to call Adil, she questioned him.

"No one, no one, I will freshen up and come," he told Saniya and dashed to the washroom to avoid more questions, leaving her perplexed.

"What happened to him today?" she wondered and went out of the room.

An hour later

Everyone was waiting for the bus at the bus stop, but the Bangalore bus has not arrived yet,  frustrating all of the Bangalore passengers.

"There is no sense of time here. "We have been waiting here for the bus for thirty minutes, and it is already twenty minutes past its arrival, but there is no sign of the bus," Khalid Uncle began his typical tirade about everything being delayed.

"Please give me the phone, Mamma." Adil, who was freshly showered wearing a grey hoodie and olive-coloured trousers, was just pestering Arshiya and asking for his phone back, like a toddler. He didn't care about anything around.

Saniya became irritated with Adil's behaviour and yelled angrily, "We are waiting for the bus here, but Bhai is only interested in his phone."

"I am asking for the phone for that sake only; there are bus contact details in my phone ." Adil retorted back sternly. Although it was only half truth—Adil did have the contact details, but it was least of his concern, he needed his phone for another reason.

Listening to Adil, Arshiya took out her purse and was about to return him the phone, but the sound of the horn of the bus halted her and everyone started to rush towards it; leaving Adil empty handed. 

Another unsuccessful attempt to get his phone back.

"Worst bus, this one also had to come now," Adil said, stomping his leg as he picked up the bags and proceeded to the luggage area of the bus.

"Seven bags, that's it right. " The bus attendant who was dumping the luggage asked Adil about the luggage.

After checking all the luggage, Adil replidd, "Yes, that is it," and boarded the bus to take his assigned seat.

Arshiya interrupted him when he got close to her and handed back his phone, sparkling Adil's attention. Observing his actions, Arshiya simply ruffled his hair and grinned at him.

'Sorry for not responding sooner; we are actually heading back to Bangalore. So got busy in packing'

Grabbing his phone, he quickly texted the other person to apologise for abruptly ending the conversation. Later, he proceeded towards his seat, which was next to Sameer.

'Tring', his phone rang, indicating that he got a new message while he was climbing onto the sleeper bus's upper berth.

"So you got your phone. At least tell me now to whom you have been chatting since evening." Sameer, who was already lying close to the window seat beside Adil's seat, heard the notification ringtone and asked mischievously.

"Shut up." Adil chose to ignore his best friend and lay on his side, unwilling to take his phone yet because he knew Sameer would take it from him if he did.

"Haha. Bro Really." Understanding Adil's intentions, Sameer began to laugh, causing Adil to roll his eyes. 

"I am sleepy," Adil said, disregarding Sameer's laughter. He then pulled out the blanket, covered it from head to toe, and turned so that his back was to Sameer, preventing the Sameer to even have a single glance at him.

Seeing Adil in that state astounded Sameer; thinking of taking revenge equally, he began watching the film.

Giving a slight glance towards Sameer, Adil slowly took his phone from his pocket and checked the message sent from the other side.

'I am sorry. I had no idea that you were going back... Happy journey and Good night😀'

'Thank you and Good night to you too 😀'

When he saw the other person's response, he was delighted and promptly thanked, and then put the phone under his pillow and went to bed.

On the other side, Saniya, whose seat was beside the boys, just having a distance of a pathway to walk, witnessed the whole drama of the boys.

She gave Adil a glance again; he was sleeping soundly now with a small smile on his face. She is pleased to see him that way, but he had been acting strangely since the evening, making her wonder.

She then looked at Sameer, who was watching a movie, and later turned to face the window and closed her eyes.

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Next Day

It is around 9:30 a.m. in the morning, the weather was pleasant, the pigeons were chirping on the window railings, and the people were hurrying to get to the office on time. However, Neha, who was wearing a white jumpsuit with white threaded embroidery and a similar kind of blazer, was still in her room, running around trying to find everything she needed and berating herself for sleeping late at night and not waking up in time.

It was unusual of her but yesterday was an exception.

She hastily wrapped a cream-coloured hijab, put on a golden bracelet stacked with pearl bracelet, and wore nude sandals before hurrying downstairs and saying "Salaam" to everyone and left for the studio, ignoring her mother's entreaties for breakfast.

"Good morning, Priya. Brief me on your schedule for today." Neha called Priya as soon as she arrived at the studio and asked to brief the schedule.

As Priya was telling out today's agenda, Neha received a text message.

Halting her task, she checked her message box.

'Good morning... reached just now and
getting ready for the office 😢'

'Have a nice day 😀'

Seeing the text made her lips turn upwards and she clicked on the keyboard to reply back.

'Good morning...Have a nice day to you too 😀'

She replied back and turned towards Priya to get back to the work.

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At night

Salma Dadi also attended the dinner at night, indicating that there would be a significant discussion at the table.

"Neha beta," as Ali called Neha, everyone stopped eating and turned to face him.

"We three feel Adil is a nice boy and can be a suitable match for you. What do you think, Beta?

"It is totally upon you, we will not force you." Ali reassured Neha before she could respond.

"Pappa, as you all wish. I am fine with getting married to him," Neha replied, making everyone happy.

"I will talk with them then. Alhamdulillah, if they are okay, we can proceed. After Ali said Ruksana stood up and gave Neha a heartfelt forehead kiss, glistening both the parents eyes.

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What would be Adil's reaction when he gets to know about Neha's approval for the marriage?

I am sorry for not updating on time. Due to the holiday season going on, I was busy with my cousins, and I kind of forgot to keep track of time.

Hoping this chapter would make up for the late update and compensation *finger crossed*

Do let me know about the chapter in the comment section

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