Laced in Your Ruin

Chapter [I]

Inara POV

I groaned as the shrill, soul-piercing sound of my alarm clock shattered the peace of the morning. Seriously, who needs such cruelty before 9 a.m.? "What kind of monster invented this racket?" I grumbled, flailing at the thing like it was my mortal enemy. "I swear, one of these days, I'm chucking this blasted alarm off the roof!"

I squinted across the room at my sister, Anaya, peacefully drooling on her pillow like she had no cares in the world. "Oh, great. Of course, Sleeping Beauty here is still lost in dreamland," I muttered, glaring at her. "What in God's name is my precious sister doing? Probably dreaming of fairies or food."

"Anaya! Wake up, you lazy panda!" I bellowed, stomping over to her bed and shaking her like she was a maraca. "It's 9 o'clock! You've already missed the school bus, you little moron!"

She didn't even flinch. Her level of commitment to ignoring me was truly impressive. I sighed dramatically. Time for Plan B. "Anaya, darling, I know you're dreaming about me," I teased, pitching my voice to a sweet, sing-song tone. "Admit it—you couldn't stop staring at me yesterday during math class."

To my utter shock, she mumbled, "Oh, I love you too, Asad," in her sleep. I froze. Did I hear that right?

"So," I mused, smirking. "The little drama queen is dreaming about her school crush. How romantic." I decided to take mercy on her and shoved her out of bed—because that's the kind of loving sister I am.

"What the—?! Where's Asad? You traitor!" she yelped, glaring at me like I'd committed the ultimate betrayal.

I crossed my arms, adopting my most dramatic villainous tone. "Oh, my sweet sister, wait until Dad hears about what you've been up to in school. Should I call him now?"

Her eyes widened in panic. "You wouldn't dare!" she gasped, clutching at my arm like her life depended on it.

"Hmm," I tapped my chin, pretending to think. "Buy me a pizza after college, and I might keep my mouth shut."

"Fine!" she groaned, flopping back on the bed like I'd just asked her for a kidney. I smirked. There's nothing quite like being the elder sibling sometimes.

Now, let me properly introduce myself. I'm Inara. Inara Alawi. Kind of like James Bond, except replace the tuxedo with ripped jeans and a black kurti. I'm 19, Muslim, and stuck in the middle-class madness of Delhi with a family of lovable maniacs.

Today, though, is a big day. My first day of college. Excitement and dread are doing the tango in my stomach, but I'm determined to make the best of it. I've handled bullies before—some loud-mouthed rich kids who thought money could buy everything. Spoiler: it can't. Intelligence, confidence, and sass? I have plenty of that.

But then I glanced at the clock. "8:35?! What the—?!" I screeched. "Inara, you absolute genius! You prayed Fajr, went back to sleep, and now you're late on your first day. Bravo, girl. Just brilliant!"

I bolted to my wardrobe and grabbed my go-to outfit: a sleek black kurti and my favorite ripped jeans. "Not bad, Inara," I said, blowing a kiss at my reflection. "You look like you have your life together." A total lie, but hey, fake it till you make it, right?

Makeup? Nah. "I'm not one of those girls who claims she doesn't know how to apply eyeliner," I admitted, chuckling at myself. "But today? Not the day, darling. I'm going for the effortlessly cool vibe."

Now, the real challenge—getting to college. Public transport was an option, but why suffer when you have a dad who can drop you off? "Oh, Dad! My knight in shining armor! My savior! Please drop me off at college," I begged dramatically as I burst into the living room.

He looked up from his newspaper, unimpressed. "First day, and you're already late? No breakfast either? What kind of nutcase skips breakfast on her first day?"

"Your daughter, apparently," Mom chimed in from the kitchen, shaking her head. "This girl is hopeless. Can't even wake up on time."

"Please, Dad," I pleaded, ignoring Mom's disapproving glare. "Anaya broke the alarm yesterday—total sabotage. I'm innocent. Please drop me off before it's too late!"

He sighed, but I could see the smile lurking beneath his stern expression. "Fine. Just this once. Next time, don't expect any favors."

I grinned triumphantly. "Love you, Dad!" I called as I grabbed my bag and followed him out the door.

The 20-minute ride to college was a mix of Dad's sage advice about "behaving like an adult" and me mentally preparing myself for the day ahead. When we finally pulled up to the college gates, I took a deep breath.

"Alright, Inara," I whispered to myself. "Let's see what this place—and fate—has in store for you."

With one last wave to Dad, I stepped forward, ready to embrace the chaos, the excitement, and whatever wild adventures awaited me on the other side of those gates.