... Year 2009.

Afreen, 5 years old.

Fahmid, 8 years old.

The early morning sun painted the schoolyard golden as children in colorful uniforms frolicked about, some chattering excitedly, others tapping their feet restlessly. Among their ranks was a small girl, tightly holding onto the straps of her pink bunny backpack. Afreen, who turned five a month or so ago, looked around with her big, curious eyes. 

She had always been excited about school, especially because her Fahmid Bhaiya aka her Lion-ie studied there too. But when she walked into the kindergarten section, she sensed something was not right. The other kids were bigger than she was, louder than she was. And a few of them... were not very nice. 

A group of three boys, a bit taller and older than her, noticed the new girl standing by herself. One of them, a chubby boy with a sneer, elbowed his friend and grinned. "Hey, look at the little girl! She's like a baby!"

Afreen frowned. Little? Baby? No, she was not a baby! 

The second boy laughed loudly. "Yeah! I bet she still sleeps in with her mommy!"

Afreen's clenched her tiny fists. No, she did not! But before she could say anything, the third boy poked her backpack. "What have you got in there? Dolls? Play with dolls, baby?"

She edged back, her lower lip quivering. She would not cry! She was not weak! She was tough! But they were making her feel small, and she did not like it.

But then— 

"OI! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?"

A loud, familiar voice thundered across the playground. The boys jumped in surprise and turned around—only to be confronted by an eight-year-old Fahmid charging toward them like a raging lion.

His black school bag slung over one shoulder, his uniform creased from running, and his once doe eyes were then sharply blazing at them with pure fury.

The tallest of the bullies swallowed. "Uh... We were just talking..."

"Talking?!" Fahmid crossed his arms. "You think I didn't see what you were doing? Bullying my Afreen angel?"

Afreen's tearful eyes widened. My Afreen?

The boys' mocking smiles faltered. They knew who Fahmid Bilal was. He was not merely any senior student—he was the senior student. Though he was just in Grade 3, everyone in the lower grades knew him well enough. He was a nice guy, jolly, and always stood up for others. And at that exact time? He appeared livid.

"I-I... we were just joking..." one of them stammered. 

The eight-year-old boy moved in on them, towering over them despite being just a kid himself. "Joking? Do I look like I’m laughing? You better say sorry to her right now!"

Afreen looked up at him with her tear-wreathed big eyes still shimmering with moisture, but behind the tears stood something else, a glimmer of respect.

The boys looked at each other, then again at the small girl they had just teased. Her small hands clasped her bunny backpack, but she was no longer weeping. Instead, she stood at Fahmid's side, looking at them with an expression of—trust and determination.

Realizing they had no chance, the bullies muttered, "S-sorry..." before running away.

Fahmid puffed out, still scowling at their backs until they were out of sight. Then he turned to Afreen. His angry expression immediately melted into something softer. "Hey... Are you okay?" He crouched to her level, gently wiping a tear from her cheek. 

Afreen sniffed but nodded, pouting as she whined, "They called me a little baby..."

Fahmid chuckled while poking her nose tip. "You are indeed a little baby. But you're my little baby."

She gazed at him with wide, innocent eyes. "Your little baby?"

He grinned, ruffling her hair. "Yeah! My little angel. And don't fret, Angel. No one will ever pick on you as long as I’m here. Got it?"

Afreen's lips slowly curled up into a small bunny smile. She nodded again, confidence radiating off her. "Okay, Fahmid Bhaiya!" And from that day forward, Fahmid Bilal had become Afreen Hadid’s knight.

...Year 2014.

Afreen, 10 years old.

Fahmid, 13 years old.

Afreen was sitting on the ground of their school garden and just sobbing and huffing out while murdering Fahmid in her mind. "How dare he do that?! How could he? He never said anything to me whenever I asked, but he complimented her!" Yes, the little bunny was jealous because of her Fahmid Lion-ie. Why? Let us check it out.

— FLASHBACK —

The school's most popular girl, Niha, walked along the corridors with her minions; her face was beaming with happiness. The reason you might ask was that she was getting all the attention and eyes from top to bottom from guys and girls. Soon her 'pick me' behavior came to a halt when she noticed that Fahmid was not even looking at her. She went and tiptoed in front of him, facing his face. "Omg! Fahmid, you seemed to forget my face—boohoo!" She tried to get attention from the male.

Fahmid nervously chuckled and uncomfortably stuttered, "Oh, Niha, hey, there..."

"How do I look?" Niha asked as she blinked 'prettily'.

"Uh... Nice? Yeah, you look nice!" The black-haired male huffed out nervously, trying to move her out of his face. Niha happily clapped her hands and went away with a 'thank you' for the compliment.

As the girl went away, the male let out a sigh of relief. As confident, humble, and kindhearted as Fahmid was, he really never liked interacting with other girls much. He would always feel an unknown weird feeling and get nervous around them. He just needed his Angel at that moment, or else he would go nuts. Soon, he went on to find his favorite angel girl.

Unknown to him, the said girl was standing in a corner of the corridor with tears in her eyes as she just witnessed her Lion-ie compliment the so-called queen of the school so nicely. The poor girl got hurt because her Lion-ie's sole subject of attention was always her. Also because Fahmid did not even see her and just went away while she was waiting for the male to notice her.

— END OF FLASHBACK —

Since then, Afreen was sulking in the garden, and on the other hand, Fahmid was going crazy in order to find his angel. Finally, the older came, huffing hard as he put his hands on his knees in front of Afreen.

Afreen saw the male, but rather than helping him, she crossed her arms over her chest and turned to the opposite side. Fahmid noticed the disinterested look of the other and immediately got the signal that his best friend was upset with him. But why, he wondered. Without any delay, the thirteen-year-old went to the young lass and firmly yet gently turned her towards him and placed her on his lap.

"Why is my Bunny upset over Lion-ie? Did Lion-ie do anything that made my angel angry?" Fahmid asked while lifting her face, and soon his heart clenched seeing tears in the glamorous bambi eyes of the girl.

"Oh my, my! Angel, what happened? Why are you crying, Bunny?" The boy was very worried and confused.

Without giving any answer, Afreen started to hit Fahmid with her fists in tiny, "Why are you here now, you monkey? Go, go to your bootifool Niha! YoU lOoK nIcE." The brunette sarcastically asked the older, doing an imitation of him earlier.

Fahmid was, at first, confused but soon understood what the little one was talking about. And he knew how much Afreen disliked him giving attention to someone else but her. "Oh, God! Angel, you don't know how forced it was! Trust me, baby, I never wanted to say that to her. But she was just standing in front of my face. So I just faked a compliment. It was not real, Angel! I swear on you!" The black-haired male was trying his best to justify himself. He did not want to have a misunderstanding with his favorite person.

However, the said girl was one hell of a stubborn one. "No, you complimented her. But never did to me. You even did not notice me and just went away. I hate you. I hate you. And I am very angry with you!" Afreen kept throwing her tantrums and little punches, but the older was not at all fazed by all that. He would never get tired of the little brunette. To him, it was like a little bunny whining and expressing her jealousy in the form of anger. It was a cute sight for Fahmid.

The young male finally held the other's fists, making her finally stop, who still had tears in her eyes, and it was heartbreaking for Fahmid yet an adorable sight. The younger's face became completely red, making her semi-puffed cheeks puffier. Even though it was a mesmerizing view, Fahmid could not have tears in his Bunny's eyes; thus, soon he wiped the tears and kissed Afreen's eyes.

"Listen, Angel. No matter what, no one can take your place or be you. Don't compare yourself with her. I complimented her just to keep her heart. And you, I don't even need to compliment you. Because every compliment is less for you. Rather, you yourself are a compliment. You are my angel. And angels don't need praises and adjectives. They are a praise themselves. Understood? You are above any praise to me." Fahmid made the girl understand and again kissed her eyes along with her cheeks, nose, and forehead.

Afreen felt content after hearing her Lion-ie and getting the kisses as she giggled loudly. "Okie, I won't get mad about this thingy, and I also forgive you. But you did fail to notice me, so now you have to give me a piggy ride on the way back home and also treat me with ice cream and—"

"COTTON CANDIES!" Both of them said it together and loudly giggled within themselves. No matter what, both of them could not be angry with each other for so long. They were each other's missing pieces. One was incomplete without the other. They would fight, quarrel, and curse each other to hell. But they loved each other even more than that. They could never leave each other's side. They were, after all, each other's fated ones.

Assalamu Alaikum, Moongems. The second chapter is up! Hope you enjoy, love and support me. Do read, vote, and comment your suggestions. I will be back with a new chapter soon. Till then stay safe and sound. Have a great day ahead. Take care. Allah Hafeez. Fi'amanillah.

── Author Ezzie.