FROM DARE TO LOVE (Editing)✔

CHAPTER 69

'Aleesa, what is this?' Adnan asked sternly, angrily waving the newspaper. I gulped, I am too terrified to speak

'What will she say, another lie perhaps' Urooj says folding her arms across her chest.

'Urooj, let her speak.' Adnan says sternly.

'I am not here for this non-sense,' Urooj says and then she looks at me 'Didn't I say stay from my brother...You did this on purpose, right?'

'Shut up, Urooj. Not a word against my sister' Adnan says throwing the newspaper, I and Urooj flinched with his tone. Adnan then turns to me, he walks up to me and places his arm on my shoulder, I see his expressions soften.

'Riad tricked you again, didn't he? He published this? Isn't it?' Adnan says, I look at him, I see confidence and I felt ashamed of myself. Perhaps the most dreaded moment of my life has come.

'Adnan...' Urooj says marching towards us, Adnan looks at her and his expression turns stern again.

'Like last time she is the one framing Riad, he doesn't do schemes like this.... your sister does...'

'Shut up!' Adnan roars, Urooj flinches again nevertheless, she didn't move her gaze from him.

'Not a word against my sister, like last time, this time again it's your brother's fault. This time he has gone too far' Adnan says

Urooj shakes her head 'Always...Always it's my brother's fault and your sister...she is the most innocent person on the planet and always she is the victim.' Urooj says

Adnan fists his fingers tightly and glares at Urooj, she confidently looks back into his eyes. I can't bear this anymore. The piercing glares, the deadly venom brewing inside of the once I-love-you-I-can't-live-without-you couple.

'Bhai, we both are innocent' I say. This gets both their attention, now instead of glaring at each other they are glaring at me. I take a deep breath; I look at Adnan and then at Urooj and then back again at my brother.

'Bhai. I and Riad...we... (I gulped) we.... love each other' I say and closed my eyes. There is silence, this time the silence is even more deafening.

I tremble feeling Adnan's palm on my shoulder, I fear he will slap me. 'Alu... (he says gently and I relax) Bacha, you needn't fear anyone. I am there for you. You say, (Adnan looks at Urooj sternly) I will not spare the culprit.' He says. I shake my head.

'Bhai...Urooj is right...' as soon as I say this Adnan moves his hand from my shoulder. Urooj also shifts in her place, her expression of shock and confusion.

'What are you saying?' Adnan says, his voice stern. Looking into his eyes I decided, it's now or never. I look at Urooj, when Adnan unleashes his wrath on me perhaps then Urooj might save me.

I take a deep breath and look down at my feet and narrated everything, everything that happened that night. From Ruchi giving me the dare, to me luring Riad to the terrace and the kiss.

By the time, I am done narrating I am in puddle of tears, drowned in guilt. There is silence once again, I trembled when the door-bell rings. Yet, neither I, Urooj nor Adnan moved. My gaze is glued to the ground.

'Tell me, you are lying Aleesa...don't fear anyone your elder brother is with you....' Adnan says, this time his voice serious and not soft like how he usually speaks.

'I am not lying Bhai...I had lied, I...had framed Riad then...but this time...'

SMACK!

I stopped abruptly as I welcomed a tight slap from Adnan, my cheek burned. I held my cheek and squeezed my eyes tight.