When the sun and moon collide

Guess who's coming to dinner?

Asir POV

The kitchen was silent except for the soft clink of the teacup being set down on the counter. The house was hushed and peaceful, but the sudden loud clang of a pot in the kitchen shattered the tranquillity. I could hear my mum's footsteps and the sound of her cooking in the kitchen.

"What are you doing?" I asked. My mother was bustling around the stove, stirring the eggs in a pan and prepping the tea on the other burner. The eggs sizzled and bubbled in the pan. I could smell the aroma of sizzling eggs and freshly brewed tea. The familiar scents of breakfast being cooked filled my nostrils and made my stomach growl.

"I'm making breakfast for your abba."

The conversation continued to flow, and one thing led to another until the invite Farhad had mentioned earlier popped up in my mind. "Do you know Farhad Malik, son of Amir Malik?"

"Hmm." Sounded somewhat interested.

"Well, he invited us over for dinner at his house. I need to get more details from him, but if you're interested, I'll let him know."

"That's very kind of them. I'll call his mom and see if she's comfortable with it."

"I'm not usually one to accept dinner invitations, but I do miss Farhad's mom's samosas. It's been years since I've had them." I spoke.

Today was the day - a so-called occasion that called for appropriate attire. As a brown-skinned person, I didn't have to worry about meeting any specific dress code; as long as I didn't look like an idiot, I would be fine. So, I opted for a loose black salwar and kameez, a traditional outfit that exuded elegance. But since it was going to be cold outside, I layered on a blazer for both style and functionality.

As the clock neared 5:30pm, we had all prayed Maghrib. I anxiously waited for my younger sister Malaikha to finish getting ready. At just 17 years old, she had a tendency to take her time with everything. She had just returned from college and was now primping and preening in front of the mirror. Meanwhile, our father patiently sat in the living room, ready to leave whenever we were.

Finally, Malaikha emerged from her room and joined us downstairs. Just as we were about to head out the door, our older brother Yusuf appeared with his wife Meera and their lively 3-year-old son Kamran. The little boy excitedly shouted at us to hurry up while bouncing up and down in his mother's arms. Together, we made our way outside where the chilly evening air greeted us.

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Maha's Pov

Alhamdulillah. Triumphant and relieved, I couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. The gruelling test was finally over, and I had passed with flying colours. My two friends and I were now officially black belts in Taekwondo, our hard work and dedication paying off. As if that wasn't enough, we had also mastered various self-defense tactics, ready to protect ourselves and others at any moment.

Still riding the high of success, I made my way back to the café but it was shut. Strange. With a shrug, I turned towards home, the sense of accomplishment still coursing through.

The sky darkened quickly, even though it was only 6 PM. When I entered my house, I found my younger brother Aaryan playing with my package. He ran up the stairs when he saw me.

"Oi you littl-" With a loud grunt, I stumbled after him, my feet pounding against the hardwood stairs. I could hear his high-pitched laughter echoing through the house as I chased him, my heart racing with adrenaline. Suddenly, I tripped on the middle step and went sprawling face-first onto the plush carpeting. The impact took all the air out of me, leaving me gasping for breath and feeling utterly embarrassed.