Zada tied her hair in a tight bun and looked at her reflection in the mirror before wearing the thick framed clear glasses which is an essential part of her disguise.
She is wearing a beige coloured dress which is two sizes too large for her. She wanted no attention on her. For that, she has to look unattractive. And this look would achieve the purpose.
She looked at her reflection in the mirror with a satisfied smile.
Perfect!!
Fake nerd alert! She thought to herself and grinned at her mirror image.
No one would see past the ugly glasses and baggy clothes.
She is tired of being under her brothers' shadow. Girls would want to befriend her to get to her brothers. Boys would want a trump card against her brothers. She is fed up of that cycle.
At the same time she can't get through without having them around.
So this is the best option.
Today onwards, She is Zada Dupont.
"Zada, will you come out this year? We have been waiting for ages" she heard Zahir complaining from the other side of the door.
"I am coming" she said loudly
They are staying at a hotel suite for the day. Her parents would go back to Zidra after dropping her at college. Zahir and Zian have an apartment here in London. She could have shared the apartment but that would make it difficult to keep her secret. So she is going to stay at the university hostel.
Zada opened the door and stepped out only to hear the collective gasp of her family.
"What have you done to my daughter?" Aveline screamed looking at Zada's clothes and hair style.
"Momma, I told you I don't want to be known as the popular guys' sister. So I am gonna blend in. God knows how many people would want to make friends with me if they know who I am. I want genuine friends" Zada said, throwing a dirty look at her brothers who were both gaping at her.
"But I will warn the boys off. Don't complaint" Zahir said
"Do I look like Femma fatale to you in this?" She asked in a mocking tone which made Zahir frown.
"If you take off that ugly glasses and put your hair down, you do have a pretty face sister" Zahir said
"Oh my my. Are you, my lovely brother, complimenting me?" Zada asked, grinning at her brother.
"I am just stating the facts. But then you do have my face. Just a feminine version. You ought to be pretty" he said winking at her
"Of course. I should have known. You are the most arrogant, self praising, narcissistic...-" Zayed cut in between his daughter's list of character assassination.
"There there. Stop you two. You are not five anymore. Grow up for heaven sake" Zayed said, throwing his hands up in frustration.
"That's what we want to tell you too. Grow up and stop making babies" Zahir warned, pointing a finger at his father and Zayed gaped at his son.
"What the!!"
"Last time, your excuse was me and Zian leaving for college. The result is there sleeping on Zian's chest now" he pointed at two year old little Zera snuggled against Zian.
"Exactly!! The next person to give birth in our family would be me. Not you!!" Zada added looking at Aveline
"This coming from you who spoils her crazy" Zayed muttered
"We love her. But that doesn't means you keep on making more" Zada said shaking her head
"Yeah, learn something from Uncle Salim. He stopped at one" Zian who had been silent all this time added quietly so that he wouldn't wake up little Zera.
"Oh fudge!! Anya and Zaif would be waiting for my call" Zada said, already calling her siblings.
Anya is Salim and Camille's only daughter.
Zaif is the triplets' younger brother who couldn't join them as he has exams going on at school.
Yes!! They are a Z family.
Once the call was over Zada heard Zahir's phone ringing.
"Who is this L??" Zada asked
"That's our best friend, Liam. We are leaving. See you at college" Zahir said, picking up his bag.
"Why is his number saved A? What has he saved your number then? You both are Z!!"
"I am Z and he is Zi" Zahir said
"You let him call you Zi?? How dare you!! How dare he!! That's my name for you" Zada yelled at her brother.
Zi is something Zada started calling Zian when they were younger to make Zahir jealous, and it kind of stuck.
"Come on. I told him my sister doesn't like anyone else calling me Zi and he just laughed it off" Zian said with a casual shrug.
"I am already hating your best friend, " Zada said looking at her brothers.
"That's good!! He is not someone I would want my sister to like," Zahir said, approving of his sister's dislike for his best friend.
"You mean, he is someone like you??" Zada asked crossing her arms across her chest
"Something like that little sister" Zahir said ruffling her hair and she swatted his hands away.
"I am not your little sister. I am only ten minutes younger to you" she said, narrowing her eyes at him.
"Still you are little, my dear little Zada" he said and walked out of the room after dropping a kiss on little Zera's head.
"See you at college. And if there is anything you need, anything at all, come to us. Okay?" Zian said and walked out.
"Aww. I am gonna miss my babies" Aveline said, hugging Zada, making her roll her eyes.
"We are not babies anymore momma"
"You will always be my babies" Aveline said, blinking back her tears.
"If you don't want to be a baby anymore, Zada, we would be forced to have more babies. You know we love babies, don't you??" Zayed said seriously, making Zada gape at him.
"No, no. Absolutely no. I am your baby, papa. I am your baby, momma." she said, hugging both her parents.