Author's pov
"So mr. Shams Fadel Qureshi,would you like to tell us the secret of your sleep?" Maseera asks, holding an imaginary microphone and looking at Fadel.
"There's no secret, I just didn't sleep all night, and why are you sitting in my car with me?" Fadel says.
"I did tell you I was coming to your house," Maseera says.
"Yes, but why?" Fadel asks.
"I don't know, mom and dad are also coming, maybe they have some work," Maseera says. Fadel nods and sighs, looking out the window.
"Why didn't you sleep all night though?" Maseera asks.
"Practice," Fadel replies without turning to her.
"You and your handball game," Maseera says, crossing her arms.
Fadel suddenly turns towards her and corrects her "it's basketball."
"Yeh yeh, basketball, the same thing," Maseera says.
"If we play with our feet, it's called football, and if we play with our hands, why isn't it called handball? And if we call basketball 'basketball,' then why isn't football called 'netball'?"
Maseera says, as if stating the most logical thing.
Fadel is shocked by her words, but then starts laughing loudly a few seconds later. The sparkle that sometimes appears in his eyes is there today because of Maseera. Realising this a smile appears on her face
"Oh Maseera, you have a point in what you're saying," hi said between his laughs.
Their car stops in front of a house as Maseera unbuckles her seatbelt and says,
"Why didn't you let that new student sit beside you today?"
"What?" Fadel says, shocked.
"What, what?" Maseera says as she gets out of the car.
Meanwhile, our sleepy boy was lost in his thoughts in the car.
"Fadel," Maseera calls from the entrance of the house.
"Yes, coming," Fadel replies as he also gets out of the car.
"As-salamu alaykum, Uncle," Maseera said as she entered.
"Walkum-salam, beta, how are you?" Mr. Ahmed Qureshi asked.
"Alhamdulillah, I am fine, uncle. How are you?" Maseera replied.
"I am doing very well. Where is Fa" Mr. Qureshi is interrupted by Fadel
"Assalamu alaykum, Abba," Fadel said with a stern face.
"Walkum-salam," Mr. Qureshi replied with a nod.
To break the awkwardness, Maseera asked,
"Have mom and dad arrived?"
"Not yet, go freshen up first," Mr. Qureshi said to Maseera with a smile. He then turned to Fadel and said with an expression less face,
"And you, too."
"What is going on here?"
Fadel said as He knows that Mr. and Mrs. Baig don't visit their house without any reason. But for Maseera, their house is like a second home. She has spent most of her childhood there.
"I don't know why this prince don't keep himself informed about his surroundings," Mr. Qureshi said with a disappointment tone
"Uncle, it was a surprise" Maseera said in a low voice.
"Yes, you and your surprises," Mr. Qureshi said.
"Yes, I understood. Salim Bhai has come, hasn't he?" Fadel said and rushed towards his brother's room.
"How did you know?" Maseera asked and followed him.
"Just like that," he replied without turning to her.
"Lier, tell me how you knew," she was annoyed by his response as her plan, which she had been working on for so long, was now ruined.
"Bhai"
With a low voice and With a sense of fear, he opened the door, wondering if this was a dream and if his brother had left him again like before.
as soon as he saw his brother who is sitting on sofa with his laptop
"Bhai"
he shouted and gave his brother a tight hug. His brother chuckled at his younger brother's reaction and hugged him back
"I missed you," Fadel said, his voice shaky as he tried to control his tears.
"I missed you too, champ," Salim said, patting Fadel's back.
"But tell me, how did you know?" Maseera said, unable to tolerate it anymore because her efforts over these days had gone to waste.
"The bike that was in the garage for 4 years, why was it be outside today?" Fadel said as he broke the hug and stood straight.
"Couldn't you wait a bit bhai , was it necessary to ride the bike as soon as you arrived"Maseera said, as she had told Salim to stay in his room since he had arrived in the afternoon.
"Oh, I just wanted to share some love-filled moments with my love," Salim said.
Both gave him questioning looks.
"I mean, my bike is my first love.." Salim clarified.
Maseera glared at him.
"Now go, I need to talk to my brother," Fadel said, pushing Maseera out of the room.
"This is not right, Fadel. Now you're ignoring me when Bhai is here. Listen..."Maseera was turning back to talk further when Fadel shut the door on her face.
"Fadel what is this behaviour " Salim said as soon as Fadel turned around after locking the door
"Don't worry Bhai she will be fine her".
"She is your childhood friend." Salim said
"She's not a childhood friend, she's like my dadi amma. 'Fadel do this, Fadel do that, Fadel study, Fadel do homework, blah blah," Fadel said, rolling his eyes.
Salim just sighed at his words.
"Well, now that you're here, you have to play basketball with me, understood?" Fadel said in an authoritative tone.
"I'm busy, tomorrow is my first day at the office so I need to prepare for that," Salim said in one go.
"I knew you never have time for me. Fine, you do your office work," Fadel said in anger and left Salim's room, slamming the door shut.
"Agaye sahabzade". Mr. Baig said (Maseera's father). When Fadel enter in dinning room
"Bhaisahab, you are lucky to have two sons, they will help you in the business," Mrs. Baig (Maseera's mother) said with a smile.
"If only he could spare some time from his basketball."
Mr. Qureshi said with a straight face.
"Assalamualaikum aunty and uncle," Fadel said, with a tone that revealed his feelings. (Which are I don't give a damn about your thoughts)
Mr. and Mrs. Baig shared a look with each other, and Mrs. Baig squeezed her daughter's hand under the dining table to calm her nervousness.
"Assalamualaikum to all," Salim entered the dining room.
"Walkum salaam, MashaAllah, looking like a real man, son," Mr. Baig said with a big smile.
"Thank you, uncle." Salim said with a tight liped smile because he knew that how he is always taunting his brother.
After that, dinner passed in silence, and Fadel was the first to seek permission to leave. All the elders went to discuss in the hall. When Maseera called Salim, he was about to leave.
"Bhai"
"Yes, beta"
"Bhai, I wanted to say something about Fadel."
"That He doesn't focus on his studies right?," Salim said.
"How do you know?" Maseera asked, amused.
"Just like that," he said with a chuckle.
"It's not just about studies, bhai. Besides basketball, he's not interested in anything else. Do you know he practices all night and sleeps in college all day? I don't understand how he passed the 10th grade."
Maseera said in one go.
"When a person has no one to share their thoughts with, and when they felt alone, they keep themselves busy with such things because they don't want to face the realities of the world," Salim said with a sad smile.
"But I am there, right? I mean I am his friend" maseera said with hesitation.
"No, Maseera, you won't understand. I'll talk to him, don't worry ."he said with a smile, patting her head, and then got up.
"By the way, Maseera, thank you for taking care of my brother."
Maseera just smiled at him.
er's reaction
"Hey brother, you're playing all alone", entering the garden, Salim said to Fadel.
"Why are you here ?go do your office work," Fadel said without looking
"Don't be like a baby and pass me the ball," Salim said.
"You know the ball isn't given, it's earned," Fadel said with a grin and started tapping the ball against the floor.
And both started playing, an hour passed by, and both sat down tired.
"You know Bhai, today I am very happy," Fadel said with a big smile.
"Why only today? Why not every day?" Fadel asked curiously.
"Because every day you weren't here, Bhai," Fadel said as tears collected in his eyes.
"Don't worry, I am here now," Salim said, placing his hand on Fadel's shoulder.
Both brothers sat in silence, then Salim's phone started ringing.
Salim looked at Fadel.
"It's okay, Bhai, you go. It's enough for today," Fadel said.
"Okay, but you go to sleep now," Salim said.
"Yeah, just a little more," Fadel said.
Salim left with a nod.
After finishing his work, Salim went to Fadel's room but he wasn't there. Then he made his way towards the garden.
"Fadel, you're still not asleep?" Salim said in amusement.
"just a little more," Fadel said while playing.
"Come here, sit down," Salim said in an authoritative tone.
"Look Fadel, I know you like playing basketball. You should definitely play, but you also need to pay attention to your health and studies. After all, how will I manage such a big business?" Salim said.
"Bhai, you know I have no interest in all this, and you are older, so you should handle it," Fadel said.
"But bacche, anything can happen anytime, who knows if something will happen to me ?"
Fadel didn't let Salim continue.
"Brother, don't say that," he said in anger.
"Okay, forget all this. When you grow old and can't play basketball, what will you do then? Life is very unpredictable, we always have to face its challenges," Salim said, drawing from his experiences.
"Bhai, you are truly speaking like a real man," Fadel said, totally impressed with his brother.
Salim just chuckled at his brother's reaction
πππππππ
So how's the chapter?
What are your thoughts about Fadel?
What do you think is wrong with the Baig family?
Did you like the bond between these two brothers?
Don't forget to comment and do vote also
Until then, keep the pages turning.
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