Before FOL (The Prequel)

Brothers

The out-of-tune strumming of guitar made the sixteen-years-old boy stop in his tracks, eyes widening.

Frowning, he leaned over the railing and stared down at the school ground below, where a familiar, tall and lanky student is trying unsuccessfully to play the instrument and sing a romantic song.

"No bloody way!" Fawad Ali grinned, pushing his almost black hair away from his forehead as they were getting into his eyes. "Arhaan!"

His lifelong best friend had been into this girl Shanza, and had asked for his advice into telling her how he felt. Fawad had just joked that he should play the guitar and sing a song, but that idiot actually did it.

"Fawad Ali!" The strict voice of Mr Shahid, the Deputy Headmaster, made him turn in the airy corridors of the school. "Why aren't you in class?"

"Well, I..." Fawad cleared his throat. "I have a note from the teacher. I need to get some books from the library."

"You lost your way to the library?" The teacher said. "Or..." He frowned as he peered down into the grounds of the school. "Oh! That's why you're loitering about! Arhaan Sheikh!" His loud voice seemed to echo in the entire school, and Arhaan almost dropped the guitar, looking up sheepishly.

Ammi is going to kill me. Fawad winced.

****

"Why?" Dr Afreen Sheikh looked weary. "Where did you even get a guitar?"

"The music room was empty." Arhaan looked at Fawad discreetly, causing him to almost smile.

A glare from Dr Fatima Ali made that smile disappear.

"Why are our sons like this?" Dr Ali looked at her friend, shaking her head.

"It's almost end of school year, Ammi." Arhaan protested. "Nobody does anything in class except fall asleep."

"So you bunk and play the guitar?" His mother asked.

"I wasn't bunking!" Fawad told his own mother.

"No, you were just enjoying the free concert." Dr Ali rolled her eyes.

"No wonder it was free." Fawad muttered. "It sucked."

Arhaan discreetly gave him the middle finger.

"Arhaan, you're grounded." Dr Sheikh said. "And no more seeing Fawad for a while. I think you encourage each other's bad behaviour."

"Agreed." Dr Ali lightly slapped her son on the back of his head. "They're meant to set good examples for their siblings. Instead..."

"They can still be examples." Arhaan's mother shrugged. "For what will happen if any of them misbehave."

Arhaan and Fawad exchanged a look. They were both boys, and they'd never admit it, but they were going to miss hanging out. They were both like each other's brothers, especially for Fawad, who didn't have an actual biological brother- just a little bratty sister, who was a pain in his backside.

"Love is dangerous." Fawad said to his friend, only loud enough for him to hear, as they were about to leave. "That's why I keep telling you to stay away from it."

"I'm a romantic at heart, Bhai. What can I do?" Arhaan grinned.

"Well, enjoy being grounded, Romeo." With that, Fawad followed his mother out.

****

"Bhai got in trouble! Bhai got in trouble!" Ahad and Jasmina were singing as Arhaan walked into the kitchen in the evening.