The Unexpected Match

Chapter 12

My phone buzzes in my hand. I quickly flip it over to check the caller ID and in the next moment I answer it. "Hello, Mr. Smith, I was just about to call you." I say but his voice doesn't seem to reach me clearly. "Hello?" I repeat.

"I guess it's just a network problem, give me a couple of minutes." I make my way to the lawn, hoping for a better signal. "Yes, now I can hear you. So, as I was saying, I'm planning a small meeting to discuss the interior and everything..." I pause for a moment, as I catch a glimpse of Aleena sitting there with my sister.

I quickly refocus on our call and continue discussing the remaining details before wrapping it up.

I look back at Aleena and propel myself towards her. Even though I should probably be heading back to my room and getting some work done. But it was her who told me to trust my heart's instincts. So, I guess I'm just going with the flow. And work can wait right?

As I approach them, their conversation gradually becomes clearer to my ears.

"I gotta tell ya, the Mehedi night was freaking awesome! Like, how much fun we had last night!" Sara exclaims.

"Indeed. I miss it already" Mubashira Apu adds.

"I hope I'm not interrupting something" I plop myself down on a chair nearby.

Mubashira apu chuckles. "No you're absolutely not"

"We were just talking about last night. Wasn't it an incredible time?" she asks.

I nod, unable to resist stealing glances at Aleena. And she's gazing right back at me, her eyes fixed, as if she's lost in a world of her own.

"Aleena, you seem so lost," I say.

My words, spoken innocently in front of Sara and Mubashira, carry a hidden meaning that only Aleena can decipher. And I know exactly how I make her feel.

"Umm... No... I'm totally okay," she replies, forcing a smile.

However, the moment soon comes to an end as Mubashira apu speaks, bringing up another topic. "Listen, remember when we came here last time and witnessed that breathtaking sunrise? Let's go and watch it again!"

"Count me in," I reply and Sara also nods in agreement.

I turn my gaze towards Aleena, waiting for her response, hoping that she'll have the same answer as the rest of us.

"Umm, you all go ahead. I'm not sure if I'll join or not." she hesitates.

"Why, Aleena? Hear me out, Chattogram is a city of hills, you know there are a lot of stunning sunrise spots. You really should see them," Sara insists.

"Come on, it'll be so much fun!" Mubashira apu adds.

Aleena looks back at me once again, and I can tell she understands what I'm silently asking of her.

Please say you're coming with us.

Please say you're coming with us.

"Okay, I'll join," she finally says. And then her eyes shift from me to Sara.

I smile, wide enough for her to notice it.

As the conversation comes to a close, we make our way back into the house. I walk up the stairs, with Aleena right in front of me and Sara right next to her. Suddenly, a strong grip seizes our wrists, swiftly pulling us into a room. As our eyes scan the surroundings, we realize we're in Sara's room. And there she stands, arms folded, gazing intently at me and Aleena with her piercing eyes.

I arch my eyebrows. "What's the matter, Sara?"

But she just stares at us, her eyes going back and forth between me and Aleena, like she's trying to figure out some crazy riddle. "I should be asking you both: What's happening between you two?" she asks.

I shift my gaze to the side, stealing a quick glance at Aleena. With my arms folded, I try my best to suppress the smile that threatens to break free.

But Aleena just stands there, frozen and wide-eyed. But then she manages to let out an awkward laugh. "Sara, what are you talking about?"

Sara shoots her a sarcastic smile. "Come on now, don't try to pull the wool over my eyes. I'm a psychology student. I can read your expressions like an open book. That expression on your face and the tremble in your voice give it all away. But still, I want to hear it from both of you."

I awkwardly smile, as if the woman standing before me is no longer my younger sister, but my mother. "Sara, what made you think like that?"

Sara's eyebrows shoot up with a proud expression as she turns her gaze back to me. "I've been observing everything. Since day one. My bestie really gets lost into you a lot. I mean, it's so obvious."

"I-I- just remembered something. I gotta go." The words tumble out of Aleena's mouth, and before Sara can stop her, she hastily makes her way out of the room, leaving the us alone there.

I sit on the edge of the bed, ready to answer Sara's questions. I know evading her inquiries is futile. Besides, I want to be honest with her about my feelings for Aleena.

Sara scrutinizes my expression until she finally decides to ask. "Do you like her?"

My eyes briefly meet my sister's, a mix of emotions rushing inside me, before I avert my gaze, unable to find the answer within myself. "It's complicated," I answer, my voice barely above a whisper.

Her arms loosen from their folds, falling straight to her sides. "What do you mean, Bhaiya? Look, I don't know what's going on inside you, but Aleena... she is my best friend, and I don't want to see her heartbroken because of you."

I sit there in silence.

"What's really going on with you, Bhaiya?" Sara asks.

I tilt my head down ever so slightly. "I don't know what it is, but when I catch a glimpse of her, all I want to do is keep staring at her. When I hear her voice, it's like my heart is embraced by a gentle warmth. When I see her with another man, it's like a thousand tiny blades piercing my heart, tearing me apart from the inside. Just the mere thought of her leaving fills me with a sudden fear. Even when she is not around me, she still lingers in my mind, a constant presence that I can't escape."

There is a brief moment of silence, and then I look up at my sister.

Her eyes widen. "No way!" she mutters and then smiles slightly. "It's...It's called LOVE, my brother."

She takes a gentle step forward, closing the distance between us, and settles herself beside me. "I have seen it in your eyes when you spoke of her. I've heard it in your voice, the way it trembled with emotion,"

"But.. We just met. It hasn't been that long."

"Love doesn't play by the rules of time. If she is truly the one for you, time just becomes irrelevant. Sometimes all it takes is a single encounter that can turn your whole world upside down," she pauses before continuing again. "I might not have any experience with falling in love. But this is something I strongly believe."

I steal a quick glance at my sister, and a soft chuckle escapes my lips. "It's kinda weird, you giving me advice,"

"Come on, bhaiya, there's nothing wrong with it," she says and I chuckle along with her.

"At the end of the day, it's your life and Aleena's. Whatever decision you make, I hope you stick to it and never have any regrets." she adds.

I remain silent and then nod slowly.