The late afternoon sun painted the sky in soft hues of gold and orange as Alex made his way toward Aryan’s house. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, carrying with it the faint scent of jasmine. The familiar stone path beneath his feet led him to the place he had visited countless times, yet today felt different.
He rang the doorbell, rocking back on his heels as he waited. Within seconds, the door swung open to reveal Aryan, his best friend, dressed in his usual casual t-shirt and jeans, his hair slightly tousled.
“Took you long enough,” Aryan teased, stepping aside to let him in.
Alex smirked, shaking his head. “Patience is a virtue, my friend.”
The house smelled warm and inviting, a mix of coffee and something sweet baking in the kitchen. It was a familiar comfort, the kind of place that always made him feel at ease. He followed Aryan down the hallway and into his bedroom, expecting the usual setup—scattered books, gaming consoles, and a half-eaten bag of chips on the desk. But today, something was different.
A girl was curled up on Aryan’s bed, wrapped in a soft blue blanket. Her dark hair spilled over the pillow, partially covering her face. The gentle rise and fall of her breathing signaled she was still lost in sleep, unaware of their presence.
Alex stopped in his tracks, eyebrows lifting in surprise. “Uh… I didn’t know you had company.” Aryan chuckled, shaking his head. “That’s not company, idiot. That’s my sister.”
Alex blinked. “Your sister?”
Aryan sighed. “Yeah, Arushi. She’s three years younger than us. She studies at our school, but she’s always with her own friends, so I guess you never noticed.”
Alex frowned slightly. Now that Aryan mentioned it, he did recall seeing her at school—always surrounded by her own crowd, laughing and chatting animatedly. He had never spoken to her before, never really paid attention beyond fleeting glances in the hallway. But seeing her now, curled up and peaceful, was something entirely different.
Aryan stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Arushi, wake up. We have company.” She let out a sleepy groan and burrowed deeper into the blanket. “Mmm… five more minutes, Bhai please” she mumbled, her voice thick with sleep.
Alex smirked. “She’s really out of it, huh?”
“She always sleeps like this,” Aryan sighed, shaking her again. “Come on, wake up! You’re embarrassing me in front of Alex.”
At the mention of his name, Arushi stirred slightly. Her brows furrowed, and after a few moments, her dark eyes fluttered open. Sleep still clung to her gaze as she blinked at her brother before shifting her attention to Alex. The moment their eyes met, something shifted in the air. For a brief second, Alex felt the world slow down.
Her sleepy gaze, unguarded and soft, locked onto his. There was no pretense, no walls—just a fleeting moment of quiet vulnerability. Her lips parted slightly, as if trying to place him in her half-conscious state. Then, realization dawned in her expression. She pushed herself up, rubbing her eyes. “You’re Alex.”
Alex leaned casually against Aryan’s desk, his smirk lingering. “That’s me.”
Arushi stretched her arms above her head, her sweater slipping slightly off her shoulder before she pulled it back into place. She let out a small yawn before looking back at him.
“Aryan Bhai talks about you a lot,” she said, her voice still tinged with sleep. “You’re practically family. I should call you Alex bhaiya, right?”
The word hit Alex like an unexpected jolt.
Bhaiya?
Something about it felt… wrong. Too distant. Too final.
Before he even realized it, he was shaking his head. “Nope. Absolutely not.”
Arushi tilted her head, confused. “Huh? Why not?”
Alex straightened, crossing his arms. “Because I’m not your bhaiya. Just call me Alex.”
Aryan laughed, throwing a playful punch at Alex’s arm. “Wow, that was fast. What, don’t like the idea of being a big brother?”
Alex ignored him, keeping his gaze locked on Arushi. “You don’t have to call me that. Just Alex is fine.”
Arushi narrowed her eyes slightly, studying him with mild curiosity. “But I call all of Bhai’s friends bhaiya.”
Alex leaned in slightly, his voice quieter but firm. “Well, I’m not like Aryan’s other friends.”
For a moment, there was only silence. Arushi met his gaze, and something about the way he had said it—so casually yet so deliberately—made her pause. There was an unspoken weight in his words, something she didn’t quite understand yet.
But Alex did.
Arushi hesitated before giving a small shrug. “Alright, just Alex, then.” Aryan, still oblivious to the silent exchange, clapped his hands together. “Great! Now that we’ve settled that, let’s get something to eat before Alex finishes all the snacks.” Arushi chuckled, shaking her head as she got off the bed. She stretched once more before brushing past Alex on her way to the door. But just as she passed him, she stole another glance at him. Something about the way he had so quickly rejected the title lingered in her mind. She didn’t know why, but for the first time, she found herself wondering what made Alex different.
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