"From Rivals to Forever: A Journey of Love"

Chapter 56

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Kabir's Perspective

"You're late!" she declared, her voice carrying across the driveway as she stomped her foot for emphasis. "I said 10 PM, and it's almost midnight!"

I exchanged a glance with Aditi, who sighed and shook her head in exasperation. "Anaya, you're not my boss," Aditi muttered under her breath, though the affection in her tone was clear.

I couldn't help but laugh softly. Anaya had always been a bit of a mini dictator when it came to Aditi's schedule, taking it upon herself to monitor her sister's comings and goings like she was some kind of guardian. It was endearing in a way, even if it drove Aditi a little crazy.

Before we could reach the door, Anaya marched up to us, her hands still planted firmly on her hips. "And you!" she said, turning her attention to me now, her eyes narrowing in playful accusation. "You didn't take good care of my sister tonight!"

I blinked, confused. "What? What do you mean?"

Anaya pointed dramatically at Aditi's neck, where—unbeknownst to me—there was a faint but visible red mark from the soft kisses I'd trailed earlier in the car. "Look at that!" she said, her voice a mix of mock outrage and amusement. "You hurt my sister!"

Aditi's eyes widened as her hand instinctively flew up to her neck, her cheeks flushing bright red. "Anaya!" she exclaimed, clearly mortified. "It's not what you think!"

But Anaya was having none of it. She stomped her foot again and balled up her tiny fist. "Jiju, you're in trouble now!"

Before I had a chance to react, Anaya swung her fist in my direction, aiming right for my arm. I let her punch land softly, feigning a wince for dramatic effect. "Ouch!" I teased, rubbing the spot where her fist had connected. "Wow, that's quite the punch you've got there."

Anaya grinned, clearly pleased with herself, but I wasn't about to let her have the last word. With a playful smirk, I lightly tapped her arm in return. "But you know, I've won a couple of medals in boxing. So you might want to be careful before challenging me to a fight."

Her eyes widened at that, and for a moment, I thought I had her. But Anaya, being Anaya, wasn't one to back down easily. She puffed out her chest proudly and grinned. "Well, guess what? I have a rainbow belt in boxing!"

I couldn't help but burst out laughing at the sheer confidence in her voice. "A rainbow belt, huh? That's impressive. You might actually beat me one day!"

Aditi, who had been watching this whole exchange with a mix of amusement and embarrassment, finally spoke up, tugging at Anaya's arm. "Alright, you little troublemaker, that's enough for tonight. It's way past your bedtime."

"But I wasn't finished!" Anaya protested, though her tone was more playful than serious now. "I need to make sure Jiju knows not to mess with you again."

I grinned, reaching down to ruffle Anaya's hair. "Don't worry, I got the message loud and clear. I'll be on my best behavior from now on."

Anaya smirked, clearly satisfied with herself. "Good. That's what I like to hear."

Just as Aditi was about to drag her inside, the kitchen door creaked open, and we all turned to see Aditi's mom, Mrs. Sharma, shuffling into the living room, rubbing her eyes and stifling a yawn. "What's all this noise about?" she mumbled sleepily, her gaze falling on Anaya, who was still standing by the door.

"Anaya!" Mrs. Sharma scolded, her voice filled with mild frustration. "What are you still doing up at this hour? You should've been in bed hours ago!"

Anaya pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "But Maa, I was waiting for Aditi didi! She was late, and someone had to keep an eye on her."