Sunehri Kahani - Between the Lines

Zaara stared at her phone, reading the message for the fifth time as if the words might somehow change. Her best friend Priya had just informed her that she wouldn't be able to attend the summer camp due to a sudden viral fever. The timing couldn't have been worse-just a day before they were supposed to leave.

"Zaara! Toiletries pack kiye?" Viren called from the living room.

"Haan, Bhaiya!" she replied automatically, her mind still processing Priya's absence.

She flopped onto her bed, phone clutched to her chest. The summer camp had been all she could talk about for last few days. Now, without Priya, everything felt different. Viren had only agreed because Priya would be there—her responsible, level-headed best friend who Viren trusted implicitly.

Lost in thought, she didn't notice Veer leaning against her doorframe, observing her with amusement.

"What's with the face?" he asked, entering her room without invitation. "You look like the tortured Cinderella."

When Zaara didn't respond, Veer plopped down beside her on the bed. "Earth to Zaara? Hello?"

She turned to face him, her lower lip jutting out in a pronounced pout. "Priya can't come to camp. She has viral fever."

Veer's eyes widened in mock horror. "Oh no! Duniya khatam ho gayi! How will you possibly survive without your partner in crime for two whole weeks?"

"It's not funny, Veer Bhai," Zaara muttered, her pout deepening.

Veer tilted his head, studying her face with exaggerated concentration. "You know what you look like right now?"

"What?" she asked, curiosity momentarily overriding her disappointment.

"An orangutan," he declared with a straight face.

Zaara's eyebrows furrowed. "A what?"

"Orangutan," Veer repeated, his lips twitching with suppressed laughter. "You know, those orange primates with the pouty faces?"

"I don't know what that is," Zaara replied defensively.

Veer's eyes lit up with mischief. "Well, there's a simple solution for that. Jao, mirror mein dekh lo apna chehra."

"Veer Bhai!" Zaara grabbed her pillow and swung it at him, which he easily dodged.

His laughter faded when he noticed genuine distress behind her annoyance. "Okay, okay. What's really bothering you? It can't just be that Priya's sick."

Zaara sighed, hugging the pillow to her chest. "Bhaiya only agreed because Priya would be there. Agar unhe pata chala ki woh nahi aa rahi hai, they'll never let me go alone."

Understanding dawned on Veer's face. "Ah, so that's what this is about."

"Please don't tell him," Zaara pleaded, grabbing Veer's arm. "I've been looking forward to this camp for days! Maine kabhi bhi aap logon ke bina kahin nahi gayi."

Veer's expression turned serious. "You want me to lie to Bhaiya?"

"Not lie exactly," Zaara backpedaled. "Just... don't mention it?"

Veer ran a hand through his hair, considering. "Zaara, you know how Bhaiya is about safety. He's not unreasonable-he's protective."

"I know, but this is different. I'm fifteen, not five. Main dhyan rakhungi, I promise." Her eyes were wide and imploring. "Please, Bhai. This means everything to me."

After a long moment, Veer sighed. "I won't volunteer the information, but agar woh directly puchega, I won't lie. Deal?"

Zaara's face lit up. "Deal!"