Prologue 1

IZRA'S POV

"Thank you for flying with us. I hope to see you again soon," the flight attendant said.
I gave her a polite smile and nodded as I stepped out of the aircraft.

A new country... this should be a good start, I thought to myself.

It really was a new beginning. Getting permission from my parents and family had been a huge deal. But I’d always be grateful for the chance. The only girl in the family surrounded by brothers and now here I was, stepping into a new life.

I pulled out my phone and quickly called my parents.

"Hello! Yeah, I landed safely. Got my luggage too, don’t worry," I said, smiling brightly.

"Alright, listen," my father said, his tone firm but warm. "An old friend of mine will be picking you up. You’ll be staying with them for now, so make sure you behave."

"OH, AND IF ANYONE BOTHERS YOU, JUST TELL US! WE'LL MAKE SURE HE DOESN’T SEE THE NEXT DA—" one of my brothers yelled in the background.

"PLEASE! ANYONE WOULD BE TOO SCARED TO EVEN LOOK AT HER!" Izran, my older brother, shouted with pride.

I rolled my eyes, half-smiling. "Yeah, bye."

As I reached the exit terminal, I spotted a man standing with a kind expression. I vaguely remembered him. I’d seen him a few times in the past, but it had been so long  they’d moved away when I was five. What I did remember clearly was that they had a son. His name escaped me, but we used to play together all the time, while our mothers, best friends, would sit and chat for hours.

"Izra?" the man called out.

"Yeah, that's me," I replied, smiling.

"You’ve grown into such a beautiful young lady. I still remember you as a little girl with two ponytails," he said fondly, and I couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed.

"The driver’s waiting outside. Let’s go," Mr. Malik said, and I nodded.

I looked outside the window, watching the scenery shift  unfamiliar buildings, passing cars, the hazy outline of a skyline I didn’t recognize. Everything felt foreign, but not in a bad way. Just… different.

"I still remember how you and Zayan cried a lot when we were moving," Mr. Malik said with a chuckle.

I glanced at him, surprised.
So Zayan was his name...

A name buried somewhere in my childhood, now slowly surfacing.

"We both were really young back then," I replied, a small, sheepish smile forming. There was a hint of embarrassment in my voice that I couldn’t quite hide.

"I suppose you were," he said, amusement in his tone. "But still  you two were inseparable. Always running around the garden, refusing to eat unless the other one did. Zayan didn’t stop sulking for a week after we moved."

I smiled a little more at that. Something about the memory  even if fuzzy  warmed my chest.

"Does he… still live with you?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

"Yeah, he does. He’s home for the summer break. University’s been keeping him busy, but he’ll be glad to see you once he realizes who you are." Mr. Malik laughed softly.

Great.
I suddenly felt a flutter of nerves in my stomach. What if he didn’t remember me? Or worse what if he did, but I’d turned into someone unrecognizable?

The car turned into a quieter neighborhood, lined with neat houses and tall trees. Finally, we pulled up in front of a two-story home with a small garden blooming in front.

"We’re here," Mr. Malik said as the car came to a stop. He stepped out and I followed, clutching the handle of my suitcase a little tighter than I needed to.

The front door opened just as I reached the steps. A woman stepped out, her eyes lighting up instantly.

"Izra!" she called warmly. "Oh my goodness, look at you! You've grown so much!"

"Mrs. Malik," I said with a smile, walking into her embrace.

And just as we pulled apart, I heard footsteps inside.

A taller figure appeared at the doorway. Dressed casually in a t-shirt and sweatpants, hair slightly tousled like he’d just woken up from a nap.

His eyes met mine, puzzled at first… then slightly narrowed. Recognition flickered.

"Wait..." he said slowly, his voice lower than I remembered, "...Izra?"

I nodded.

"Zayan," I said.

His eyebrows lifted a little. "Whoa. You… actually remember me?"

"A little," I said, amused. "You were the one who always cried first, right?"

He scoffed, clearly caught off guard. "That’s so not true."

Mr. Malik chuckled from the side. "It absolutely is."

Zayan shook his head, trying not to smile but failing.

And just like that, something in the air felt a little lighter and a little more comfortable.