"Golden birds are not always born to be caged,
They are always born to fly away with the unseen rage."

♤

Huffing aloud she crouched near the door with her breaths all huffed and puffed.

"Today is my turn." Her voice came out as a screech as she ran to the living room where she found it empty.

"No, no, no." Her words came out frantic as she threw away her bag on the sofa. Her heart thudding aloud.

"Why are you crying like a dead cat?" Her brother came out from the kitchen with a bottle water in his one hand and his mobile phone in his another. His one eye rose at her dying rat's cry. She felt the wave of washing over her.

"I thought you left me!" She cried burying her head in her hands. Her face turned red with tears shining on her skin.

"Such a cry baby you are. And that was one time thingy. I would never do that again." He shrugged chugging down more water and throwing his phone on the one seater leathered couch.

"Hmmm." A hum of cry again echoed in the room making him wince and close his eyes.

"If you could just please be ready so, that we won't be late. And will be back before abba." He tried to sound polite and somewhat comforting but the words rushed out of his mouth, as if he was annoyed and tired from her dramatic behaviour.

"Are you annoyed with me, Marwan." Her straight voice question choked him, making him cough out water from his mouth and nose.

"One hell of a sister you are." Coughing roughly he said inbetween his gasps as she rushed to him and rubbed his back for comfort.

"Anyways, I will be back in two minutes." She smacked his back hard making him arch back in pain and wince with a burning pain sliding through his back, she didn't hit him that hard but he wore too thin cloth and she couldn't control her already thrown hand.

"I will get this back." He winced and settled on the couch.

True to her words she was back in just two and he hurriedly wore the black jacket before they flee out of the house on his brand new KTM RC 390.

Blood rushed in her veins with happiness as she explored the city again with her brother. It was a signed contract between them, when they were seven years old. They were twins and never left each other behind on anything. He promised her, whenever he will get his own vehicle they will roam around the city in the early sunsets; and she promised him whenever she will go shopping, she will bring him his favourite things, perfumes, t-shirts, new bomber jackets, army cargo pants.

Now, they were not two but four siblings. And she had to wait for total twenty one days for her turn. And today it was her turn for which they were late. They explored their lazy evenings in exploring abandoned places and parks around the city.

"How did the today's session go?" His voice cut through the rushing winds as he asked slightly bending his head to hear to her.

"That urdu teacher just blew my head, first he explained radif and then kafia. Then he himself was confused. And confused us too. My whole class just went with figuring out what is what." She rambled on through the gushing winds.

Her dark brown eyes taking in the world around us as she roamed her eyes here amd there capturing everything in her heart. She would never get tired of exploring her own city and at every chance would notice something new.

The dark hues descended on the earth conveying the message, that the night has finally come. A small smile spread onto her lips as she raised her hands in the air with winds hitting her niqab and making the refreshing feeling sparkle a life into her eyes.

Marwan wandered along the darkness with city lights guiding the route around the city. His own excitement of seeing new things, rushing through his eyes.

A comforting silence deepened between them as they explored the city with smile on their face.

But, the smile was soon wiped away from their face when the shrill ringing of his phone broke their reverie. His eyes widened as he fastened the speed making her shriek his name with colourful profanities following behind as he raced his bike through winds.

Their heart plopped in and out with every beat as the ringing got more louder.

"We are doomed." Her words flew out of her mouth making him yell back at her.

"Shut up." Her fingers curled around his jacket as she provoked him drive faster.

"If you didn't stop screaming, we might lose our lives." His sharp turn at they end of the road made her heart beat faster. She didn't know what was waiting for her at home.

"Looks like a good idea." Her voice came out with a pant. Their hearts racing with every horrifying thought occupying their mind.

Her lips parted, as she exhaled loudly when she saw the familiar street coming in her front view. Her heart stopping and then thudding aloud in her ears. Gulping she closed her eyes, and prayed,- "please manage it this time my Lord, I will be careful the next time."

His bike stopped with a screech and left the dark imprints of tyres behind.

They rushed inside the house. Their faces calm without any hard emotions as if they weren't dying the few moments ago.

Coming inside of the house they paid their salam and stood there for a while seeing the empty living room.

"Wa'alaikum assalam." The taunt came out louder than it was intended to, there stood their sibling with their mother's phone in her hand, Farah

"You!" Layla pointed at her accusingly and chased after her making her yelp with adrenaline rush.

Marwan let out a big sigh and plopped his body on the sofa.

The doorbell rang and he stood up keeping his calm. Before, he can attend the door Farah was fast and came before him to open it.

He narrowed his eyes at his sister and cupped her mouth close with his hand not letting her sleep.

"If you stayed quite then it will be good for you." Whispering he pushed her aside and opened the door to greet his mother.

Farah narrowed her eyes at him and went inside the kitchen.

"Open the door, you brat." Layla's loud voice rang through the house with the loud bangs.

"They again fought." Their mother shook her head at them muttering under her breaths.

He nodded and nudged Hammar. He glared at his older brother and opened the door to let her in.

"Ammi, please say your kids to stay away from me." Her threat was always taken lightly because she always had a soft heart for her siblings.

"Ay wy wy wy wy." Farah mocked her while making faces was soon met with a flying jacket of his brother. It wasn't Marwan who hit her, nor was it Hammar. And Layla would never hit her because in her language, hitting was the lowest kind of revenge anyone could get. And that didn't settled well with her.

"Ammi" a whining cry was heard from Farah's mouth as she looked at her Ammi who threw Hammar's jacket at her.

"Kids, tomorrow your aunt will be attending the wedding with, be polite and especially Marwan and Hammar keep your mouth as much close as you both can." Layla internally groaned at her mother's words. Attending wedding with her aunt was something she never liked.

Not, because her aunt always criticised her colours and and he jewellery choices but she despised been in her company because she talked alot, that to all about haram stuff. She was a back bitter and many times Layla and Marwan pointed it out but Marwan's way of dealing was way a lot ruder then Layla.

'I will not attend.' Marwan mouthed to Layla only to be answered by a shrug.

In between their silent conversation, her mother's eyes narrowed on Layla's wrist and she pointed it out.

"Where is your bracelet?" Suddenly the world around her faded and she could only hear the faint thud of her heart as the blood rushed in her whole body and the temperature grew a little hotter for her.

Yeah, it's your Author again.
I know it's not the best chapter but trust the process. My first chapters are not always best and this is not my finest work but I am still thankful to have you all. Just wait, till the story reach it's main part.