Love, Kajal, and Banana Chips.

It isn't eavesdropping if the door's open, is it?

The footsteps came to a halt outside the living room. Aziya heard voices from the other side.

'Wait a minute,' came the cute boy's voice.

'What?' came another, deeper one.

The door separating the living room and the entry hallway, which had been half open, was now closing shut. Slowly, and gently, as if someone was tapping it from the other side.

'What?' can't the deep voice again, nearly inaudible.

Aziya moved closer to the door.

'There's a girl in there.' Cuteboy was talking about her! She moved even closer, treading gently on the tiled floor.

'Come to see me?' said the deep voice.

'No,' came Cuteboy's voice, sounding a little exasperated.

'Then why?' came the other voice. Aziya assumed it was Cuteboy's older brother Hotboy.

'Did it ever occur to you that she might have come to see me?'

'Did she come to see you?' Aziya felt like smacking her head. Cuteboy walked straight into that one.

'She's here to see Dad.'

'See? Wait, what? Who is she again?'

'She's the girl across the street, remember dad used to work for them?' Oh, so he had worked that out then.

'Okay, okay, why are you telling me this?'

'Can you, possibly, refrain from hitting on her, please?' said Cuteboy, flatly. Aziya was oddly touched.

'Oooooooooh little brother's got a crush?' Aziya wished she could see the expression on his face.

'Just don't.'

'I'll try my best, but you never know.' She could hear the laughter in his voice.

'Can you not-'

'Okay, what's her name?'

'Uh-'

'You don't know? She's in our living room and you don't know her name? Man, you definitely got mad game, I'm telling you.'

'It isn't a game!'

'It is if she's hot!'

This had gone on long enough. Aziya had had enough of waiting for him to walk through the door, enough of being on the edge. If she was going to have to meet this guy, it might as well be in her own terms.

She pushed open the door, and said, 'It is if who's hot now?'