There You Are- A Novel

Tranquility 

Kais, Michael, and I watched as the golden sun stretched its warm embrace across the vast skyline of New York, setting the city aglow in hues of amber and honey. The river, once a silent wanderer, now shimmered under the sun's affectionate touch, its gentle ripples dancing like molten gold.

The air was crisp and clean, carrying with it the scent of the earth, the faint brine of water, and the distant hum of life. It was one of those rare, perfect moments where time seemed to pause, allowing us to simply exist within its beauty.We sat on our bikes, our helmets cast aside, surrendering ourselves to the gift of the morning. There was no need for words—just the unspoken understanding that this was something to be felt, to be absorbed.

"It's so beautiful," Michael murmured, his gaze shifting to me.I nodded, unable to disagree. It was captivating—so much so that it reminded me of her.

Ayah.

My Ayah, who embodied every ounce of beauty I had ever known. No sunrise, no river, no sky ablaze with light could compare to the radiance she carried within her. She spoke often of her ultimate goal—paradise.

She longed for it with an unshakable determination, as though it were etched into her very soul. She would do anything to reach it.But how could I tell that fool that while she chased the paradise she could not see, I stood before mine every day? How could I explain that my heaven was not some distant dream, but a living, breathing reality—a girl with eyes that held constellations and a heart that pulsed with magic?

She bewitched me in ways I never thought possible, in ways I never thought real. Loving her wasn't just a choice; it was an honor, a privilege, a miracle I would cherish for as long as the stars continued to burn in the sky. Whenever I breathed in the fresh morning air, I imagined I was breathing her in—Ayah, as if her very essence lingered in the atmosphere, wrapping around me like an invisible embrace. It was an unconscious longing, a desperate attempt to hold onto something intangible, something no living being could offer me. She was everywhere, yet nowhere at all. Did she know I still needed her?

Of course, she did. Otherwise, she wouldn't have sacrificed the career she loved so dearly just to be with me.A love like that—selfless, unwavering—was not meant to be taken lightly. And yet, despite everything, there were days when I still wondered if I deserved it.

The moment of silence was broken when Kais spoke, his voice cutting through the tranquil air. "Michael, I was thinking about something," he mused, his tone casual yet laced with mischief. Michael sighed, exasperation already settling in before Kais could even finish his sentence.

"Don't bother me with your thoughts," he muttered, clearly not in the mood for whatever nonsense was about to spill from Kais' lips. But Kais, as always, remained unfazed. He thrived on irritation—especially when it came to Michael.

"I was just wondering," he continued, a slow smirk creeping onto his face, "what it would be like if I pushed you off this bridge?"The way he said it—so matter-of-fact, as if he were genuinely contemplating the idea—made the statement even more ridiculous. There was a glint in his eyes, a playful wickedness that suggested he was far too entertained by the thought.

Michael's eyes widened, not in fear or shock, but in sheer disbelief at the absurdity of the question. His gaze flickered to Kais, then to the river below, before returning to the boy who was at least a few years younger than him but apparently just as deranged."You absolute menace," Michael finally muttered, rubbing his temples as if Kais' very existence was giving him a headache.

And just like that, the serenity of the moment dissolved, replaced by the usual bickering between the two—a familiar, chaotic contrast to the peace we had been basking in only moments ago.People often ask if we are brothers. The truth? We are. Not by blood, but by something deeper—an unbreakable bond forged through time, trust, and the kind of loyalty that doesn't waver.

Sometimes, I think we're even closer than real brothers. It's almost surreal how three people who were once strangers have become inseparable, moving through life side by side as if we had never known a world without each other."As much as I'd love to stay here and enjoy this moment, I have a job to do," Kais announced, flashing his signature smirk. He gestured toward me with a teasing glint in his eye. "I have to interview this winner right here. And besides, I have a gut feeling that Hayat is going to be absolutely livid if we don't head back soon."

With a practiced flick of his wrist, he checked his watch—a million-dollar timepiece that gleamed under the golden light. That was Kais for you. Just as I had an affinity for collecting cars, he had a relentless obsession with watches. Each one he owned was a statement, a symbol of status, of precision, of the meticulous way he viewed the world.And then there was Michael.

Michael was different. Detached. A presence that was there but always a step removed, like a shadow that chose when to be seen. He didn't indulge in material fixations like Kais and me. He was something else entirely—calm, unreadable, a fortress of secrets.But I knew one of them.Or at least, I thought I did. There was something lurking beneath his composed demeanor, a truth that I had nearly grasped but couldn't quite pin down. And the more I thought about it, the more I felt the urge to unravel it.Maybe tonight.Maybe when the right moment came.Or maybe, I'd just ask him outright. No games. No hesitation.Just the truth.