Dayesha

6-Ilyas

CHAPTER 6

He tapped his foot against the marble floor in the kitchen as he awaited her response. It was coming too late as he had sent the text almost thirty minutes ago. Knowing fully well that his sister was an excellent judge of body language, he straightened his back and puffed his chest, putting on a casual look. Meanwhile, Fatima glanced at him from the corner of her eye while her hands busied themselves chopping carrots for their dinner.

"Aren't you going to join me to prepare dinner today?" She asked him with a cool voice.

Ilyas knew what that tone meant when it came to his sister; Fatima. She was a very easy person to read, atleast in his perspective. He bit his lips and walked with calculated steps closer to the kitchen counter. Not before placing his phone on the dining table, fpr safety reasons.

Picking up a knife, his mind couldn't help but wander to her. This was unlike his new friend. She was quick in responding to his messages. Was she in trouble? Sick? But they had conversed via phone call in the morning. What-

" are you going to chop off your fingers too?" Fatima shrieked.

The knife dropped on the cutting board with a thud as his eyes widen in partial shock.
" Oops," he murmured.

Fatima squinted her eyes at him and continued chopping the vegetables. " are you going to tell me what's running in that brain of yours?"

"No... there's nothing wrong".

" if you say so," she shrugged.

Sixty seconds later, his hands paused from chopping the spinach. Fatima barely spared him a glance as she knowingly anticipated what was coming next.

Ilyas bit his lips while stealing glances at his sister from the corner of his eyes. However, she barely paid him any attention as her hands expertly worked on the cucumbers now.

" Is there a reason why a girl would ignore any guy's message?"

" What's that?" Fatima snapped her head in his direction as her hand froze against the knife. " You've got a girl's problem?"

He winced at the sharp tone in his sister's voice. " I'm old enough to be having one, aren't I?"

However, his sister didn't appreciate the sarcastic tone underlying his words as she narrowed her eyes at him. He let out a puff.

" Okay, that was-" he stared at her with a sheepish smile. " what I meant to say was, yes. It's a girl's problem ".

" That's what I also thought," Fatima said under her breath, and moved to the kitchen sink.

" so, what's the issue? She's ignoring you?"

" I don't think so. I've not done anything that warrants being ignored," he wiped his hand against the cotton fabric hung on his neck.

Pots clanked against each other as Fatima searched for the right pot for the dish. She hummed in reply, encouraging him to say more.

" is it normal for girl's to do that?" He asked, a frown plastered on his face.

" it depends on who the girl is, who the guy also is, and what's the connection between them". She turned to him, a large pan in her right hand, and a spatula in the other. " who is she to you?" She pointed the spatula at him.

" a friend," he burst out almost immediately, his voice betraying him as made it sound quite the opposite. It hinted at more than just that.

Luck was on his side as Fatima didn't acknowledge that, either she didn't notice the tone in his voice or pretended not to. She just went on with her cooking rituals, placed the pan on the cooker and continued cooking.