"Inder."
The soft light of dawn filtered through the lace curtains of a cozy living room, filling the air with the aroma of freshly prepared snacks.
Despite the inviting sll, the boy lying on the sofa remained untouched, his breath ragged and sweat pouring down his forehead.
His brows knitted together, his face contorted in uneasiness as if plagued by a nightmare.
"Qais, wake up,"
A girl urged gently, her raven hair cascading over her shoulders as she shook him.
His brows relaxed, but his eyes stayed closed.
"Sigh..." Senara sighed, sitting on the sofa facing him.
She leaned forward, her face close to his ear. "...If you don't wake up, I will do sothing really bad again."
As she leaned back, Inder stirred, his eyelids fluttering as he returned to consciousness.
He opened his eyes to find Senara's face so close that he could feel her breath.
Startled, he jerked forward, his forehead colliding with hers.
"Ouch, ouch."
Senara whimpered, massaging her forehead as she glared at him.
"Can't you wake up quietly?" she complained as he sat up, rubbing his head.
"You were the one so close," Inder protested, glaring back. "Why are you blaming ?"
"Is it swollen?" she asked, showing him her forehead.
"No," he replied, shaking his head as she removed his hand to check.
"Yours looks fine as well," she mumbled softly. "Now co here... I don't want to fight with you."
Inder did as she asked, bringing his head close to hers.
She gently bumped her head against his.
"Sorry," he apologized as she stood up from the ground, still rubbing her forehead.
"Leave it!" she exclaid, smiling brightly before asking, "How do I look?"
She wore a beautiful white gown that touched the ground, the fabric flowing around her like a cloud.
It was elegant yet simple, fitting her perfectly.
She smiled, smoothing her dress as she waited for his praise.
"It's alright," was all she got from him.
Her smile vanished as she walked towards him her eyes filled with annyonace.
"What are you doing!! Hey!!" Inder jerked back on the sofa as she reached, pinching his arm.
"Can't you say sothing nice?" she asked, forcing a smile. "...like you look gorgeous or beautiful."
"But you always look really beautiful!!" Inder complained, glaring at her.
Senara froze, her grip loosening as she slowly moved back. "Ahem... I see."
"...Why is your face turning red?" Inder asked in confusion, rubbing his arm.
"Because it's hot today," she replied curtly, fanning her face with her hands.
"...It's winter vacation now, right?" Inder asked, tilting his head in confusion.
"It's still hot though," Senara grumbled, glaring at him.
Inder just quietly nodded, not wanting to argue further.
"By the way, you should use lipstick like mother does. That will look good on you," Inder advised, looking at her.
Senara frowned. "...I have already applied it, Inder."
"...You have not," he replied, shaking his head.
Her brows knitted together in confusion until her gaze landed on his lips.
"Inder, do not move!!" she exclaid, quickly grabbing a towel.
"Snacks are here!!!" a cheerful voice echoed in the room as two mature won walked in with trays in their hands.
Like a cat, Senara jumped back in terror as she looked back at her mother.
Inder's mother quickly placed the trays on the table and looked at her son.
"Hmm?" Her brows raised in surprise, looking at him. "...Why have you applied lipstick?"
Inder rubbed his lips, noticing the redness on his hand.
"And didn't you apply lipstick?" Senara's mother, who looked like a mature version of her, asked, squinting her eyes. "...Where did it go?"
"Fufufu," Senara laughed cutely but awkwardly. "...It was a prank. I pranked him...."
Her words trailed off as her mother extended her hand.
"Ouch, ouch, mommy!! Mommy!!" Senara cried in pain as her mother grabbed her ear, twisting it.
"...What type of daughter have I given birth to?" her mother grumbled, glaring at her.
"A innocent, kind and beautif—Ouch mommy!!"
"Aww, she is taking advantage of my son," Inder's mother mumbled, smiling as she removed the lipstick with a towel.
"Huh? What do you an?" Inder asked, oblivious to what had happened. "Doesn't she always prank ?"
"Poor boy," Senara's mother mumbled as she sat on the sofa, leaving her whining daughter. "...getting entangled with my pixie-like daughter."
Inder's mother chuckled softly before shaking her head. "...No, he deserves soone like her; otherwise, he will remain naive."
"Okay, for all her mischief, ask anything you want," she offered, a bright smile adorning her face.
"Ask !!" Senara shouted from behind.
"Aye!! Girl!!" her mother yelled back, rubbing her eyes. "...What's up with all these children nowadays?"
Inder's mother just laughed at her words while her son fell into deep thought.
"Can I ask that later?" he asked politely, earning a look of surprise from her.
"Sure," she nodded in agreent before turning to his mother. "...What about his nightmares? Is he still having them?"
Inder's mother sighed, nodding her head. "...Yeah, we have already consulted a lot of doctors, but nobody could tell what's wrong with him."
"You got no lead?" she asked again, her voice filled with concern.
"We did..." she whispered softly, rubbing Inder's hair, who had his mouth stuffed with snacks. "...One of them theorized that his subconscious might be forcing him to see those dreams."
"Why, though?" Senara's mother questioned, looking even more confused.
"We don't know that," she replied, shaking her head. "...The doctor said that he might get rid of them when he reaches adulthood, maybe at the age of 24 or 25."
"I see," she nodded, leaning back on the sofa.
"Does Inder wet his bed?" Senara asked mischievously, smiling at him.
"Cough...Cough..."
Inder choked on the snacks, glaring at her.
"Who are you to ask?" Senara's mother questioned, pinching her cheeks and stretching them. "...You did the sa a while ago, rember?"
"I didn't!!" she replied, jerking her hand away, a blush creeping on her face. "...It was water that fell on the bed."
"Whatever you say," her mother replied, smiling at her.
"It's snowing," Inder mumbled, looking out the window where small snowflakes started to fall.
"Yeah!! My favourite part of winter is here!!" Senara quickly got excited, rushing towards her room. "...Wait for , Inder. I will change in a minute."
"Let fetch so warm clothes for you real quick," his mother mumbled as she stood up, moving towards the closet.
"Despite all of her mischief, Senara isn't a bad girl," she said, her voice rough. "After her father died... it was really hard to look after her and work at the sa ti."
Now, only Inder and Senara's mother remained in the living room.
"Inder," she called him, her voice a little tired.
"Yes?" Inder asked, looking at her.
"Despite all of her mischief, Senara isn't a bad girl," she said, her voice rough. "After her father died... it was really hard to look after her and work at the sa ti."
Inder quietly listened without saying anything.
"...And I am really grateful that you were there and took care of that whiny little brat," she whispered softly.
"You should be, aunty," Inder replied, not hiding his annoyance for once.
She chuckled before continuing, "...A selfish request, but I hope you will take care of her in the future as well."
"You are saying it like I have a choice in this matter," he grumbled, knowing what the future might hold if she remained close.
"Let's go!!" Senara called, now properly dressed, with Inder's mother beside her.
"Wear this," she said, making him wear all the warm clothes she could find.
"Hehe, you look fat," Senara comnted, grabbing his hand as soon as he was ready.
"Bye."
They both bid farewell before rushing towards the park.
After walking for five minutes, they arrived at the park, where a layer of snow had already ford.
"Qais, catch this!!" Senara shouted, throwing a ball of snow at him.
"Qais?" Inder asked, frowning. "Why do you keep calling that?"
"Hehe, I always wanted to give you a nickna, and I found a nice one," she smiled brightly, making another snowball.
"But what does that an?" Inder asked, making a snowball as well.
"Hehe, that's a secret," she replied, throwing the ball.
Inder was about to throw his snowball, but he halted, his gaze landing on a doll-like girl sitting on a bench.
Her hands loosely held an umbrella, shielding her raven black hair from the snow.
Her crimson eyes stared at Inder.
"I-Inder?" Concerned, Senara asked as Inder grabbed his chest, his breath becoming ragged.
"Are you alright?"
she asked again, her concern growing as he knelt down, his breath becoming weaker with each passing second.
But...
Throughout all this, his gaze never left that girl.
Senara also noticed this and rushed towards the girl.
"Who are you!!" She asked, glaring at her, making her glance at her.
"I live nearby," the girl replied, her voice soft like that of a child.
"Huh? But I've never seen you here," Senara questioned. "What's your na?"
On the other side Inder calm down, his breath beca steady but even then his eyes never left the girl...Not for a second.
The girl looked back at Inder one last ti before walking away, replying to Senara,
"Delilah."
User Comments
0 comments from readers