I never had it easy.
From watching my parents succumb to the horrors of a car accident to craving the healing presence of the man I love-my entire life-I had navigated through this messy maze I call my life with a shard of hope in my heart.
Every da...
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Aaryan blinked as Saboor pulled away the curtains with a loud swoosh, giving way to the early morning sunlight to light up the expanse of Aaryan's room, casting a soft glow over his sister's overly-enthusiastic figure.
He could make out distinct chirping through the double-glass windows and groaned, pulling a pillow over his face.
"Up, sleeping beauty!" Saboor said, striding to his bed and tapping his head.
Aaryan's voice came out muffled through the pillow over his face. "Get out."
"Why, it is such a beautiful day today!" Saboor exclaimed, pulling the pillow away from him. "Would you not like to go outside and stretch, smile at the birds, dance in the wind, prance about in meadows full of flowers and honeybees?!"
"Get out."
Aaryan chucked the pillow at Saboor, who only dodged the assassination attempt with expertise and stuck her tongue out at her brother, still in her pajamas while strands of her curly hair had released themselves from her braid and framed her face.
"It's Monday, Saboor. Nobody is this enthusiastic about a Monday." Aaryan murmured, turning on his side and pulling the duvet over him. Saboor had turned off the air conditioner but his skin was still tangy with the cold.
"Your mehbooba sure is!" Saboor laughed, sprawling over a bean bag. "She specifically called me up before Fajr and asked me to wake up. Early birds, I tell you."
Aaryan's lips twitched into an involuntarily smile that did not go past Saboor's notice. She quirked an eyebrow in question, but Aaryan was a goner by then, eyes trained on the ceiling.
"I admire early birds for their sheer willpower."
"But haven't you always admired her?"
Aaryan turned to face Saboor. "Have I even known her that long?"
Saboor's jaw grazed the floor, and she leaned over and tapped his temple. "Where did you drop the loose screws?"
Aaryan sat up into a sitting position on his bed, his eyelids narrowed courtesy of the overly bright sunlight. "No really Saboor, have I known her that long?"
Saboor withdrew her hand, biting her lip. "You sure you didn't acquire amnesia overnight?"
"I swear I didn't know she existed until two months ago. Why do you think I'm lying?"
"Because you've lived the past what, eight years alongside her? She was there at your graduation party? She brought a cake over when you were hired for your first job? She annoyed you to no end when you were away in America for a year? How could you just forget all of that?"
