Zada was running towards the classroom for her second hour.
She was already late because she had been held back after the first hour by a certain drama queen, her self proclaimed bestiee.
She came to a halt when a six feet two inch trouble stepped into her way with a lopsided grin.
"Do you happen to have a band aid, babe??" He asked.
"Why?? What happened??" She asked with a little frown as she did a quick check out to see if he was injured somewhere.
"I just scraped my knees falling hard for you," he said, smirking at her, making her roll her eyes.
"Get lost," she said, side stepping so she could continue her walk to the classroom.
"Aww! Mirrie is angry" he pouted adorably.
Adorably?? How can a six feet tall macho guy with six packs be adorable?
Not that she has seen his six packs!
But she had heard a lot about it from her chatterbox bestie.
"Don't call me Mirrie," she gritted her teeth in annoyance.
"Is your name G****e?? Because you have everything I have been searching for," he said, the smirk intact on his face.
"Are you out of your mind??" She asked groaning at her fate to have to tolerate him in the morning.
"Maybe out of a heart!! I was wondering if you had an extra heart .Because mine was just stolen," he said, placing his hands over his heart.
"Does this really always work for you??" She asked, shaking her head in disbelief.
"What??" He asked
"These cheesy pick up lines from g****e," Zada asked, genuinely wondering.
"It's not from g****e," he said, frowning.
"Well Fredrick. I happen to have a brother who used up all these pick up lines when he was in High School." Zada said dryly.
"It sounds like your brother and I would get along very well" he said and that made Zada sober up.
What is she doing talking about her brothers to him?
"God!! I am late. All because of you" she said and sprinted across towards the classroom.
"Sir, May I come in?" she asked, already sweating, seeing the murderous glare of her Professor.
"I hate tardiness. Out" he yelled at her.
There is no use hanging around now. The professor is not going to let her in.
Dejected, she started walking away from the class.
She could go to the library.
She could work on her story on Phoebe and Mirrie.
The name Mirrie brought a smile to her face.
Not thinking about her magical horse!
But thinking about a certain someone who calls her Mirrie.
"Thinking about me?" As if her thoughts conjured up the man himself, she looked up to see Liam Fredrick leaning against the wall, with his hands in his pockets, grinning at her.
"No," she said in a defensive tone
"Aaha!! That sounds terribly defensive. Definitely thinking about me," he said with a satisfied smirk on his face, making Zada grit her teeth.
"I was not thinking about you," she said, crossing her hands across her chest and his eyes automatically traced the movement and settled there for more than necessary.
"Eyes up here" she snapped and he looked up with a sheepish smile.
"Eh! Got distracted. By the way, what were we talking about? Oh yeah, you daydreaming about me," he said, the smirk back in place.
"I was not daydreaming about you, you moron," she screamed at him.
"You were. Hot wet daydreams," he whispered in her ears, making her shiver in response.
She pushed him slightly and glared at him.
"Keep this two feet distance whenever you are near me," she warned him, perplexed at the tingling sensations she felt when he was so close to her.
"So you want me near you? You are not telling me to never come in front of you," he said, grinning at her and she threw her hands up in the air in defeat.
How could he twist all her words?
"Stop irritating me, will you? You have already caused me to miss a class," she said, walking into the library.
"When a girl says no, it's always a yes," he countered.
"When a girl says no, it is a NO. So just get lost," she said, as she occupied a seat in the far corner of the library away from the prying eyes of the librarian and the fellow students.
"So? Going to work on your story?" He asked and she looked up to see that his trademark smirk was not present on his face.
Is he going to make fun of her?
If he so much as says anything offensive, she would really kick him out of this library!
"What if I am?" She asked defensively.
"I was just asking. How did you get interested in writing?" He asked and looked serious enough.
Maybe he is capable of some serious talks apart from flirting.
"Babe, if you were words on the page ,it would be a fine print," he said, winking at her.
Well, he definitely is not capable of a normal conversation.
She huffed out a frustrated breath.
"Okay okay!! Jokes apart ,what led you into writing??" He asked genuinely curious.
"I always loved making stories," she said, recounting the number of stories she made when she was a kid.
"When did you write your first story?" Amar asked.
"When I was five," she said.
"Five? You were really able to write stories at five? I must have been just learning alphabets at five. Talking about alphabets, if I were able to rearrange the alphabets I would put U and I together," he said, the smirk making its way back to his face.
She took in a deep breath and started counting from ten to one
"Okay okay, couldn't help it, " he raised his hands in surrender.
"So tell me about this story you wrote at five," he asked/
And she recounted her version of the Indian epic, Ramayana to him and by the time she finished he was laughing like a hyena.
"Stop it, will you? This is a library," she hissed at him.
She was annoyed.
How dare he make fun of her.
Everyone in her family did like her story.
She was just five then after all.
"Hulk?? Really??" He laughed again.
"It's not that funny" she said and stood up collecting her things to leave.
She is not in a mood to write anymore.
"Heyy, I am sorry. I didn't mean to laugh like that," he said, softly wrapping his hands around her wrist
"Let go" she said, trying to wriggle free her hands, only for him to pull her closer.
"I wasn't laughing at you." He said and she stopped struggling for a moment
"I was laughing at the story" he said making her glare at him
"Sh*t!! That came out wrong. What I meant is that the story was quite funny. I was laughing at the humor in it" he whispered slowly as he wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her closer.
"Let go" she whispered
"Don't say that. It just makes me want to pull you closer" he whispered looking into her eyes.
She was breathing heavily due to the close proximity.
He traced his fingers along the side of her face and she shivered.
"What are you doing??" She whispered, feeling a tingling sensation along the path he traced.
"Hell if I knew," he whispered as he leaned forward his eyes fixed on her lips
"Well well well, what do we have here?" They sprang apart from each other as they heard the mocking tone and she saw Liam visibly stiffening.
"Well well well, what do we have here?" They sprang apart from each other as they heard the mocking tone and she saw Liam visibly stiffening."Hughes" Liam gritted his teeth as a form of greeting and Zada furrowed her eyebrows.Where had she seen this guy before? And the name Hughes did strike familiar. She tried shuffling her brain cells to come up with the answer for her question."Fredrick. I didn't quite believe it when I heard that you were seen walking into the library. Seems like there is a slight change in your taste recently," the guy drawled lazily, giving Zada a leisurely once over, making her squirm.Liam pushed Zada behind him in a swift move surprising all three of them."F*ck off Noah," Liam warned, taking a step towards the other guy."Woah. Liam Fredrick is being protective over a girl. What has this world come down to?" Noah mocked tilting his head sideways to get another glimpse of Zada."What have you done to the f*ck boy, sweetheart?" Noah asked, looking at Zada m
Zada balled up yet another paper and threw it into the trash can near her study table.She had been cooped up in her hostel room for a few hours now, trying to draw Mirrie the mythical horse. Emma had come to her room twice and she had thrown her out both the times. She took another paper and tried to bring into the paper what she had in mind.When yet again she failed, she decided to call her brother.She knows she is good at art, but Zian is better. He is the one who inherited that talent of their father completely. She and Zahir could draw to an extent, but Zi excels in it. "Hello little sister," came the voice from the other side of the phone and she rolled her eyes"I am only ten minutes younger than you. That doesn't make me little, Zahir" Zada said dryly."I am Zian," came the prompt reply from the other side."And I am Angelina Jolie" Zada retorted sarcastically "God!! There is a limit to dreaming baby. Angelina Jolie is a tall order" the sibling banter went on"Don't yo
Zada gaped at Emma who was gobbling her breakfast as if this was the last day of her life. "Emma. Are you fasting for a month?" Zada asked in confusion seeing the way Emma eats."I am dieting from today onwards, Zada. I need my energy." Emma said swallowing the food hurriedly."This is how you diet?" Zada asked in disbelief. "I am eating only breakfasts from today. I need energy until tomorrow morning" Emma said, with a mouthful of food making Zada look at her in disbelief. "Why this sudden dieting plan?" Zada asked, confused because Emma is such a foodie."Yesterday that brat called me fatty. Her nerve!" Emma huffed in annoyance."Which brat??" Zada asked in confusion."A brat in my neighbourhood. I was on a video call with my momma and this girl had to be there with momma. That itself is so irritating. I mean doesn't she have her own momma. Why come for mine? I always hated her. Ever since she was born five years ago, she had been my nemesis. She always wants to be the centre of
Zada groaned and looked behind her to see Liam Fredrick smirking at her."Don't even think about making me miss another lecture." Zada warned"Oh you want to miss me instead. So that you could realise the depth of your feelings for me" Liam said flirtily"You know what. I am not going to respond to your silly pick up lines and waste my time. Goodbye Fredrick" she said and stalked awayZada entered her literature class and took her window side seat in the last cornerShe took her text book out of her bag and placed it on her desk when she felt someone sitting on the seat next to her"That was rude sweetheart. Walking away from the love of your life without so much as a goodmorning kiss. Mean Mirrie" Liam complained and Zada pursed her lips in annoyance"What are you doing here? You are not in this class" Zada said"Who cares??" He shruggedBefore she could respond, their professor Mrs Rachel entered the class roomEveryone stood up to greet her. Well everyone except The great Liam Fred
The morning rolled by and it was lunch time already.A very very hungry Emma is standing in front of the cafe, looking inside, drooling over the pizza kept in the glass case.People usually have a fight between their heart and brain and Emma is having a fight between her stomach and the brain.Her brain keeps reminding her of Mila's taunts and her stomach urges her to go in and grab the pizza.Pizza, the love of her life!Who is more important?? Mila or Pizza?? It definitely is Pizza, but then she couldn't erase Mila's taunts as well.Her brain formed an image of Mila wearing nothing more than underwear and holding a pitchfork, an evil smirk on her face."Stop drooling over the pizza. If you are hungry, go inside and eat." Emma looked at the direction of the voice and saw one of the twins "Heyy, you" she greeted without much enthusiasm earning a frown from the boy"What happened? Why do you look so depressed?" Zian asked. He doesn't know the girl well. Have only seen her once, but
Zada was tying her hair in a tight bun looking in the mirror.She missed dressing up.She always loved dressing up ,even when she was a kid.She was generally the off stage kind of girl, leaving the stage for her brothers. She loved to create her own stories and characters ,and loved drawing too.She was almost a nerd. But unlike other nerds, she loved dressing up and wearing light makeup.But now that she is in disguise, she can't do that.She was still in her thoughts when Emma barged into her room without knocking. Zada rolled her eyes. Emma would never knock. She looked at Emma from head to toe.Emma was wearing a denim capris and an oversized t-shirt. And her eyes look dull. More sunken. She looks sick."Emma?? Are you alright?? You look sick. Are you having a fever or something??" Zada asked, concerned only to earn a grin in return."I really look sick don't I??" Emma asked, throwing a fist pump in the air victoriously."What?""I am going to bunk today's classes. But I don'
Emma was sulking.CSK lost the match and she was on the verge of tears.Most of the students have left the cafe except Emma ,the twins, Liam and Izzy. Liam was in a hurry to leave once the match got over and Zian wondered why."It's just a match Emma. There would be more matches. Don't cry over this please." Zian said and Emma's lips trembled."You are going to brag aren't you. Your team won," Emma pouted.Zahir who was watching this exchange lazily took some of the leftover popcorn in his hands and threw it at her.She jerked in his direction and he grinned mischievously and took a little more popcorn in his hands.Emma is fast to retaliate and she took some popcorn in her hands and threw it at him which he expertly caught them with his mouth."How did you do that? Once more once more please," Emma said excitedly and took some popcorn and threw it at him again, already forgetting IPL and CSK.Zahir caught it in his mouth and winked at Zian saying this is how you cheer up a sulking g
Zada walked out of library in search of a quieter place where she could continue working on her bookHer usual spot in the library was occupied by a couple who were too busy making out, that they didn't even notice her walking in on themShe was passing through the corridor when she spotted the indoor games room.It seemed pretty empty.Ofcourse, all the sports freaks would be in the cafeteria watching the IPL.She walked into the empty dark room.The only lights in the room were the overhead lamps on the tennis table and billiards table.She dropped her bags near a love seat and walked around the room inspecting everything with fascination.She had never been interested in sports unlike her brothers, who were both sports freaks. Zahir would tease her saying it's because she doesn't like doing anything that requires moving her lazy butt.But that's not true.She loves to work out ,not regularly though. But she has never been interested in sports and games.She used to give company fo
"I, Zahir Ahmed al Zidra, hereby accept my role as the ruling Sheikh of the Sultanate of Zidra. I shall continue to preserve, and build upon the royal legacy and shall reign with righteousness for the benefit and happiness of the people forever." Zahir vowed, as he stood on the podium, with his right palm over his chest and his eyes staring straight ahead at the people of Zidra.It was the coronation ceremony. Zahir Ahmed al Zidra was getting felicitated as the next ruling Sheikh of Arabian Nation if Zidra!"I invite everyone here to share my determination and work together for the nation’s prosperity and the people’s happiness as the ultimate goals," Zahir added, his voice resonating with passion, instilling a sense of hope and anticipation among the people of Zidra.His brothers and sisters were standing on either side as he made his vows to his nation and his people.The security has been strengthened as there were many people attending the ceremony, including dignitaries from the
Though Zian and Emma were recently married, they had fallen into a comfortable rhythm together, their lives woven in a way that complemented each other. Zian now led the Ahmed family’s business side with his characteristic calm and precision, steering it toward expansion with a confident hand. Meanwhile, Emma had tried her hand at a few things, but as Zian often teased, she had the attention span of a toddler. Her parents, relieved that she’d at least completed her education, had stopped expecting her to settle into any traditional career.Knowing her gifts lay elsewhere, Zian suggested she join the Ahmeds’ charity organisation. Rather than dealing with finances or administrative work, he assigned her something more hands-on. Three days a week, Emma visited palliative care homes and orphanages, spending her time cheering up the residents with her infectious charm and boundless stories. Zian knew she could lift anyone’s spirits with her words, and she eagerly embraced the chance to
FEW YEARS LATERLiam and Zada are thriving both in their personal and professional lives. Liam, now the CEO of an international technology solutions firm, stands confidently at the helm of his father’s company, overseeing its global expansion. His hard-earned MBA and years of dedication have paid off, establishing him as a respected leader in the field. Meanwhile, Zada has become a celebrated children’s author, her debut book ‘Mirrie the Mythical Horse’ marking the start of her rise to fame. Inspired by her storytelling talents, she continues to capture young readers' imaginations with her enchanting tales and thoughtful messages. Her latest book, praised as a classic in children’s literature, reflects her journey and growth over the years.Sunlight streamed through the windows of their cosy home, casting a warm glow over the morning routine as Liam and Zada hurried to prepare their daughter for her first day of kindergarten admission.Liam knelt beside his daughter, smoothing out t
One month later, the sun was beginning to set, casting a warm, golden glow over the campus as the group gathered on the sprawling lawn. The last month had been an unforgettable journey, filled with laughter, embarrassment, bonding, and countless challenges. But tonight, they had all agreed, was for celebration—a proper farewell to the antics that had drawn them all closer.Liam, of course, had been the master of ceremonies for this whole ordeal, and he looked especially smug as he watched Zahir and Zian reluctantly serve drinks, their expressions caught somewhere between exasperation and amusement.“You know, I think I am going to miss this,” Liam said, taking a glass from Zahir and winking. “Seeing you two bow down to me—it’s been... enlightening.”“Trust me,” Zahir shot back with a grin, “you have enjoyed this way more than anybody did. But don’t get too used to it, Liam. As soon as today ends, we are going back to normal.”“Oh, really?” Liam laughed, leaning back in his chair. “I d
“I am not a bloody playboy…” Zahir screamed at the end of his wits, leaving everyone in the room other than Zian, Zada and Izzy shocked by his declaration.“What???” It was Liam’s voice that rang out more loudly. Zada gave him an elbow jab asking him to shut up.“Listen, Emily. I am not a playboy. I have never been one. The only girl in my life is you. When I was five, it was only you. And now when I am twenty, it is only you.” Zahir said, looking earnestly into Emily’s eyes.She looked at him suspiciously.“Stop lying.” Emil said coldly.“He is not lying, Emil.” It was Izzy who spoke. “What?”“He is not a playboy. He is plain stupid. He has this dumb belief that if he has this playboy image, it would make him more popular. He is only dumb, not a playboy.” Izzy said and Zahir glared at her.“What? I am only telling the truth. Who would do such stupidities like you do?” Izzy asked with a shrug.“What makes you so sure?” Emil challenged and Izzy smiled.“Remember the truth or dare game
Silence filled Emily’s room as she lay curled up in Zahir’s arms, savouring the warmth and closeness between them. They had finally let their walls down and the silence that hung between them now felt intimate, peaceful."If you say that this doesn't mean a thing..." Zahir trailed off, his voice a low, warning murmur as he brushed a hand through her hair, his eyes locked onto hers.Emily laughed softly, resting her head on his chest. "You are mine, Emily Langston," he whispered possessively."And you are mine, Zahir Ahmed," She whispered back, equally possessive.Zahir smirked, a glint of satisfaction in his eyes. He loved how she was never intimidated by him, always ready to challenge him, push back, stand toe-to-toe. They lay there for a moment, wrapped up in each other, enjoying a rare, unguarded moment. But suddenly, the sound of the front door opening and footsteps approaching the living room startled them out of their reverie.Emily quickly pulled the blanket up, her eyes wide
The months seemed to fly by, drawing Zada and Liam, Zian and Emma, and Izzy and Emil closer together. Each of their love stories blossomed, surrounded by the easy warmth and laughter of new romance and friendship. But for Zahir and Emily, it was a different story. Their undeniable attraction was as strong as ever, but neither would admit to the feelings simmering beneath. Yet, every chance they got, they would find themselves in each other's arms, their moments of intimacy full of tension and passion. And each time, they would pull away, murmuring the same words: ‘It doesn’t mean anything.’One evening, they were at the apartment the girls share after a gettogether. The others had left in couples, for some ‘couple time’, leaving Emily and Zahir alone. The air was thick with an unspoken tension, an electric charge that always seemed to grow whenever they were alone."Are you seriously going to that party with that guy?" Zahir asked abruptly, his voice laced with irritation. Emily shot
“By the way, Mr Ahmed, what shampoo and conditioner do you use?” Madison asked, looking admiringly at Zayed’s slightly long hair.“MOM!” Liam exclaimed in shock. He turned to his mom with pleading eyes.“What? I just wanted to know..” Madison said innocently. “Please keep a control on your tongue, mom. Don’t scare them away on the very first day.” Liam whispered to his mother in a pleading tone, earning a glare in return.“LIAM FREDRICK! How could you say that to your Momma? The momma who carried you inside her womb for nine months? The momma who changed your dirty diapers when you were a kid? The momma who kissed your boo boo’s away?” Madison asked, hands on her hips. She was fired up.Liam closed his eyes in disbelief. They were supposed to impress the Ahmeds. Not scare them off.Zayed and Salim exchanged a glance.“How the hell did we land here? Now there would be nothing stopping Cami and Ava. This woman seems just like them. They are going to get on like a house on fire.” Salim
The air was buzzing with anticipation as Liam paced the living room, stealing quick glances toward the front windows. The Ahmed family would be arriving soon, and he could already feel his nerves bubbling up. Outside, Madison Fredrick was bustling around the backyard, setting up for the barbecue. With her usual over-the-top excitement, she darted from one setup station to another, adjusting tables and setting out colourful plates.Madison, practically glowing with enthusiasm, called out, “Liam! Have you checked if the Ahmeds have landed yet? Oh, this is so exciting! Imagine having all of them over here!”“Yes, Mom, they landed just a bit ago. Zada, Zahir, and Zian went to pick them up and they have a stop by to freshen up after the long journey.” Liam chuckled at his mom’s energy. “Perfect!” Madison clapped her hands, her gaze already scanning the backyard. “We have the best setup! Michael is handling the grill, Chloe’s setting up the drinks station, and I have already got everyone