Chapter 40: Chapter 40

Zian walked into the cafeteria during the lunch break and found his gang already there.

He took a seat next to his brother who was scrolling through his Instagram page.

"Liam. Is seven alright with aunty?" Zian asked and Liam looked at him in surprise.

"What are you talking about?" Liam asked in confusion.

"The dinner," Zahir said as he tuned into the conversation, keeping his phone aside.

"What dinner?" Liam asked, totally clueless.

"Your mom invited us for dinner tonight. She said you mentioned Zada and it seems she is excited about meeting her." Zian said with a smile.

"What about Zada?" Liam asked in dread.

Did his mother let the cat out of the bag?

If yes, how come he is still alive? He should be six feet under the ground already.

Zahir and Zian rolled their eyes.

"That we are not just twins, but triplets." Zian said in a duh tone.

"Oh, that!" Liam sighed in relief.

"Why? What did you think it was?" Zahir asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

"I didn't think anything. I don't remember telling her anything about Zada. That's why I got confused." Liam covered up quickly.

"Hey guys," Emil sat next to them.

The twins were wearing similar dresses so it was difficult to differentiate between them.

The trick was not to let them know that you are confused.

If Zahir realises that you are confused, he will play up to confuse them more.

Emil being the innocent boy, didn't know the trick yet.

"Ok guys. You gotta tell me who is who." Emil said with a chuckle and Liam groaned.

The twins looked at each other and smiled.

"I am Zian," said one of them.

"No, I am Zian," said the other one.

Liam hissed furiously. Now he is also getting confused. Who was who?

"You shouldn't have asked that buddy," Liam said with a shake of his head.

Ten minutes later, even Liam got confused as to who is who.

"God damn it. This is getting on my nerves. One day soon, I am going to give one of you a permanent scar so that you both can never play this game again." Liam cursed angrily.

Right at that moment, Zada and Emma walked into the cafeteria.

"Zi ,is my drawing ready?" Zada asked as she sat next to Zian after shooting a discreet look at Liam.

"It's not done, darling. A little bit more work to do," the other one answered.

"I am asking Zi. Why are you answering for him?" Zada asked with a frown on his face.

"Because I am Zi," Zahir said with a Zian like smile.

"Oh yeah. And I am Angelina Jolie," Zada shot back her usual retort when the boys tried to fool her.

"I am Zi," Zahir said stubbornly.

"If you have forgotten, let me remind you. I shared a womb with you two for nine months. I can say who is who even when I am unconscious." Zada said, shooting a bored look at him.

Zahir made a face at that.

“You are just jealous that you cannot play this game with us even when you are one of us.” Zahir said grumpily and Zada shot a stink eye at him.

"So you are Zahir and he is Zian." Emil said, looking at both of them,

"Why do you have to be such a spoilsport?" Zahir grumbled at Zada, making her roll her eyes.

Liam held her hands under the table making her eyes widen in horror.

She turned to look at him and saw him sitting there coolly.

Zada tried to wiggle her hand out of his hold, but he tightened his hold.

"Move," Emma asked Zahir to exchange seats.

"Why?" Zahir asked.

"I want to sit with Zi-Zi," Emma said without any filter.

"Why?" Zahir asked again.

"Because I like Zi-Zi," Emma said openly, much to Zian's shock.

"Why?" Zahir asked again, much to Emma's frustration.

"What why why? How many why-s will you ask? I don't want to talk to you anymore. Zi-Zi, come and sit here with me." Emma ordered and Zian happily obliged.

"Henpecked." Zahir teased earning a kick from Zian.

Izzy came with a set of brochures.

"What is it?" Zahir asked curiously.

"The brochure for the upcoming inter college fest." Izzy said and she handed over the brochures to everyone.

"Zi. There is a photography contest. Are you participating in it?" Zada asked as she looked through the brochures.

"You like photography Zi-Zi?" Emma asked in excitement.

"Yes," Zian said with a smile.

"OMG. I too love photography. In fact I have even won prizes for it. Last year, there was a contest held by a club in my town and I won the first prize for the competition." Emma said proudly.

"Really? I didn't know you were interested in photography." Zian said, happily surprised at that information.

"Wait, I will show you the photo for which I won the prize." Emma said and scrolled through her phone in search of the picture.

"Here it is," Emma said and gave her phone to Zian.

Zian looked at a picture of Emma, with a pout on her mouth and her hand making a victory sign.

"This photo?" Zian asked in confusion.

"Yes. It was the best selfie in the whole competition." Emma said proudly.

"You mean a selfie contest?" Zian asked, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

"Yes, yes. It was a photo taken on my birthday a few weeks before the contest. And I was wearing the same dress on the contest day too. We were asked to take a new selfie for the contest. But then I was wearing the same dress and I sent them this picture. They didn't realise it was not new. I fooled them, Zi-Zi. Aren't I smart?" Emma crowed happily.

Zian looked at her in disbelief.

Why should such things surprise him is totally beyond him!

He should be used to these by now.

"Verita, the Roman God of Truthfulness, is in love with a girl who so happily admits that she lied" Zahir murmured to Zada and they hi fi ed each other earning an eye roll from Zian.

"Actually I would have taken a new selfie. But there was a kebab eating competition too. I participated in it. I lost third place for one kebab. Can you believe it? One kebab. If I hadn't had that caramel pudding my momma made at home, I would have been able to eat more kebabs. I would have even won first place. But you know, my momma makes the best caramel pudding in the whole world and I couldn't resist. And I had to finish it before Mila comes home and sets her eyes on the sweets made by my momma. If she wants sweets, she can very well ask her momma to make it. Why would I let her eat sweets made by my momma? As if I will ever let that happen. If she thinks -" Emma was cut off between her ramblings when Zada cut her off.

"You were telling us why you couldn't take a new selfie, Emma." Zada reminded her dryly.

"Exactly! I was saying that only, right?" Emma complained.

"Emma. We are going for dinner at Liam's home tonight. I asked aunty if it is okay to bring a friend with me. Do you want to go with me?" Zian asked sweetly.

"Yes yes yes. I will go anywhere with you Zi-Zi." Emma exclaimed happily.