Beyond Control

Shot 49

The whole squad had gathered near the university main ground early in the morning. They were starting by seven in the morning and it was just an hour drive from here to Mandoli and another twenty minutes to reach Neha's house.

"So, what are we waiting for? Shall we start?" Neha asked excitedly. She was thrilled about taking her friends to her home. She had texted her parents a list of items that should be prepared for breakfast, lunch and dinner while they were there.

"Amar will reach now. He is on his way." Zian said and Zada's face brightened up at that.

"Amar is coming? He said he had some other engagement, right?" Vansh asked in confusion.

"He changed his mind it seems. He called me a while ago and told me that he would be joining us after all." Zian said and Zada was too happy at that news.

The last few days, Amar had stayed out of her sight, never attending her phone calls. It had driven her mad.

Zahir stared at Zada's bright smile suspiciously. All his protective brother antennas were on alert.

"Why are you smiling so much?" Zahir asked suspiciously and Zada mentally groaned at her over possessive and over protective brother.

"I am smiling because I am excited about going to Neha's home." Zada said, gritting through her teeth, but Zahir still stood suspicious.

"You knew we were going to Neha's home for a few days. Why the sudden bright smile. That's what I am asking." Zahir said with a scowl on his face.

"I suddenly had a vision of little Pihu clinging to Zian while we were there. And I was trying to guess how Neha was going to react. And that made me smile." Zada said, coming up with a quick lie. Zahir's frown relaxed and a small smile appeared on his face, envisioning what Zada just said.

"It would be fun to watch." Zahir said with a chuckle.

Zada sighed in relief, having effectively distracted Zahir from his suspicions.

"And it actually is fun to watch the drama you stir up every time your sister, so much as breathes.." Kushi quipped sarcastically, taunting Zahir's possessive behaviour.

"I just know that you love watching me, Kushi." Zahir shot back, a sardonic grin playing on his lips. The exchange of taunts seemed to come naturally to the two of them.

"Well, bad boy, considering how entertaining a joker you can be, it's hard not to watch," Kushi retorted with a smirk, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Zahir's eyebrow twitched as he leaned in slightly, his eyes locking onto Kushi's.

"Entertaining? Coming from you, showbizz, that's quite the compliment."

"Oh, please, Zahir. I could write an entire play based on your over-the-top reactions alone," Kushi fired back, her voice laced with mockery.

"Sure thing, Kushi. I will be sure to buy the front row tickets to your next dramatic production," Zahir retorted with a dismissive wave of his hand.

The tension between the two was palpable, and the rest of the group exchanged glances, unsure whether to intervene or let the verbal duel play out.

Zian, sensing the escalating tension, attempted to lighten the atmosphere.

"Alright, you two, let's remember that we are on a fun trip. No need to turn it into a battle of wits."

Kushi smirked, unyielding in her teasing.

"Oh, don't worry, Zian. Battles of wits are Zahir's specialty, but unfortunately for him, I happen to be a skilled opponent."

Zahir's jaw tightened, his patience wearing thin. "Skilled in drama, maybe."

Fortunately, Amar's car pulled up to the university ground.

Zada's heart raced. She had missed him dearly over the past few days, and seeing him again sent a wave of relief through her.

Amar stepped out of the car with a casual smile on his face, his eyes lighting up when they met Zada's. But he was quick to mask it.

Her mistrust had cut him deep.

Ever since he had laid his eyes on her, it hadn't strayed from her for even a second. After that collision on the corridor on her very first day in the university, Amar hadn't been able to keep himself away from her. Neither had he been able to look at any other girl. It was as if no one else existed for him.

He had been very open and vocal about his feelings towards her. He had even confessed to her that he was in love with her, without any hesitation.

She had kept her identity a secret from him, hiding the fact that she was his bestfriends' sister. And he had come to know of it because of an incident that happened in the university. Else, she wouldn't have told him.

Even when he came to know of the truth, he had stood by her, prioritising his relationship with her over his friendship with Zahir and Zian.

Even after all that, she doesn't trust him. A few off handed words from Heera and she readily believed that he cheated on her.

It was something he found very hard to forgive. He knows she loves him and he loves her very dearly. But the lack of trust will always be an issue between them.

As he neared the squad, he noticed the tension radiating from Zahir and Kushi.

"What's going on between these two now?" Amar asked, totally ignoring Zada's hopeful eyes on him.

"As always, the never-ending sitcom with these two." Zian quipped.

Amar's arrival seemed to momentarily shift the focus away from the ongoing banter between Zahir and Kushi. The tension in the air eased as the group greeted him and exchanged warm welcomes.

"Hey, Vedu bhai, good to see you here," Neha said with a smile, her voice a welcome distraction from the brewing argument.

Amar returned the smile, trying to project a sense of normalcy despite the turmoil swirling beneath the surface.

"Hey, cutie. Thanks for having us over."

Zada watched as Amar exchanged a few words with the others, her heart racing at the sight of him.

But her excitement was tinged with guilt and regret.

She knew she had to address the trust issues between them, and she also understood that it wouldn't be an easy conversation.

As the group settled into the car, preparing to begin their journey to Neha's house, Zada caught Amar's eye and offered him a tentative smile. He returned it, but there was a hint of sadness in his gaze that she couldn't ignore. He quickly averted his eyes, much to Zada's disappointment.

"Hey, everyone, how about we play a game? It's a beautiful day, and we are here to have fun." Zian said cheerily.

The group exchanged smiles, realising that Zian was right. They were all friends, and letting a few taunts ruin the trip was not worth it.

As they began playing a lively game of charades, the laughter gradually started to drown out the lingering tension, leaving them happy and relaxed.

A/n

Here goes the next shot!

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Love,

SF ❤️