Safar (Book-2 Malhotra Sibling' Saga)

Chapter- 8

Radhika kept her gaze lowered as she stood in front of Mahir, who had yet to utter a word to her. She was embarrassed that her Bhai had heard about such a topic from them. With Arjun and Abhi, she was okay with them teasing her and discussing such topics, as they mostly filled the void of friendship she felt. But with Mahir, he was her Bhai-her mentor, her guide, and above all, her father in every sense. No matter how close you are to your father, how friendly he is with his daughter, or how much freedom he gives her, the slight tingling of hesitation or embarrassment is natural to feel-something she was going through.

Other than that, she felt anxious. For the past few years, she had become a bone of contention between her brother and his parents. Whenever Ronit or Sakshi behaved in a certain way with her, restricting her, her brother was always there to protect her like a shield. However, that did not lessen the guilt she felt in her heart. She wanted to step back or find a way out, but that only meant one thing: disrespecting her brother's love, something that felt like a sin to her.

Meanwhile, Mahir sighed inwardly and opened his arms to his little one. Without wasting a second, Radhika rushed to embrace him. Mahir wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer to his heart. He hated to see the guilt that swirled in her eyes every time he had an argument with his parents, but he also felt helpless. He tried talking to his parents and explaining the need to change their behavior and thinking towards Radhika, but in the end, he concluded that you can't change someone's absurd thoughts, especially those that are deeply rooted, nor can you force someone to change. Ultimately, he did what was necessary without an ounce of regret. He was firm and respectful when he spoke, keeping in mind that he was talking to his parents.

"Thik hai tu?" Mahir asked, pulling back.

Radhika simply nodded.

Mahir shook his head at her silence and made her sit on the bed before walking towards the study table to pick up the flowers he had brought for Sherya. He looked at Radhika, who was yet again lost in her own world. He walked back towards her and sat beside her, placing a pen and paper in her lap, startling her.

"Help me," he exclaimed, lying back down on the bed and setting aside the rose bouquet.

Radhika frowned and sat cross-legged, facing him. "With what?"

Mahir shifted to support himself on one hand and looked at her. "Today is Valentine's Day, and I have a date. I have flowers and a gift ready for my valentine, but the only problem is that I am very bad at writing my thoughts on paper. So, help me with that."

Radhika couldn't help but roll her eyes at her brother's amusing words. "You are bad at writing? Seriously, Bhai? What about those songs you sang? You wrote them all, and you're saying you're bad at writing?"

"Songs mai aur ek special note likhne mein fark hota hai, Radha."

"Kaisa fark? Dono mein aap apni feelings hi toh express karte ho."

Mahir chuckled softly. "Songs are different, Radha. They flow naturally when I'm singing, and I get to express my feelings through music and melody. But when it comes to writing a note, I feel like I need to be more precise and more personal, expressing each emotion I feel."

Radhika tilted her head. "Okay, I get it. So what exactly do you want to say in this note?"

"I want to tell Sherya how much she means to me, how grateful I am for her presence in my life, and how much I look forward to our future together. But I don't want it to sound cliché or insincere."