The Girl Behind The Door

Part 16 - You Need To Earn My Trust

Mayuri's POV

A young girl stood behind an old tea shop in her white shirt and navy blue knee length skirt. Her hair was neatly tied into two braids with bright red ribbons at the end, her one hand clutched her water bottle and the other the straps of her hand me down backpack. Her eyes were wide and she had a horrified expression on her face as she looked at the boy kneeling down on one knee in front of her

(Tum sach mein sundar ho aur main tumhe pasand karta hoon...)

"You are really pretty and I like you, will you be my girlfriend?" The 11 yr old boy asked me holding out his palm which held a handful of eclairs.

"What no... babuji wont allow it" I stammered as I turned to leave.

( Please mein waada karta hoon aap ke babuji aur bhaiyo ko pata nahi chalega)

"Please, I promise your babuji and brothers won't know" he pleaded grabbing my hand

I sharply gasped at his sudden touch " let go... what if someone sees" I panic as I dart my head around trying to free myself.

(Theek hai... Kya ham kam se kam dost ban sakte hain)

"No..." he continues holding my hand tighter " okay fine... can we at least be friends" he asks looking at me hopefully

I look at his hopeful expression and look back down and the chocolates in his one hand the other holding my wrist. "No" I reply softly as I jerk his hand off, running back home

...

(... Kya ham kam se kam dost ban sakte hain)

"... Can we at least be friends"

He looks just like a kid standing there in his torn jeans and white shirt with water spilled on it, his messy hair pushed back with a wire headband. I couldn't help but give a slight smile seeing his expectant and hopeful expression as he stood there looking at me with his head down, his one hand holding his ear like a kid that knew he was going to get into trouble, and the other handing me the dairy milk both as a bribe and as repentance.

I slowly slipped the chocolate out of his hands "yes, we can be friends" I replied slowly.

Even before I finished my sentence his face lit up and he flashed his thousand watt smile

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, ... I was so scared you would hate me" he exclaimed as he let out a relieved sigh and clasped his hands together looking at ceiling as if thanking god, it seemed as if he was about to jump of and down in excitement and I chuckled seeing his reaction.

(Haan hum dost ho sakte hain lekin... Mujhe ab bhi aap par bharosa nahi hai...)

(Mujhe pata hai ... Aur chinta mat karo main karoonga)

"Yes we can be friends but... I still don't trust you" I quickly added " You broke my trust once so you need to earn it back again" I continued sternly and although his face dropped a little hearing my words he quickly gathered himself and replied "I know... and don't worry I will'' with so much confidence that it almost restored all my trust then and there.

"So..." he walked over to the bed and sat down making himself comfortable, his legs extended and leaning his back against the headrest. "I only have 45 minutes left, what do you wanna talk about" he continued as he patted the space next to him signalling me to join him.

"Hmm... I don't know" I replied as I walked over and sat myself on the edge, still maintaining a respectable distance.

"Why aren't you eating the chocolate.. Don't you like it" he asked, looking at my hands which were fidgeting with the chocolate packet.

(Nahin nahin... Aisi koi baat nahi hai, mujhe koee aapatti nahin hai... Baad mein kha loonga)

"No no... it's nothing like that, I don't mind anything... I'll have it later" I replied quickly as I placed the chocolate on the table and he hummed in response.

"I actually didn't know how I could make you forgive me and so I asked my friends and they told me that girls usually like chocolate and that's why I got it" he stated and this time it was my turn to hum in response.

I twisted the pallu of my saree around my fingers as we sat in the awkward silence that followed, I was looking at a blank spot on the bed occasionally stealing glances at Bhavik who seemed to be busy observing the room although a couple of times we made eye contact and quickly addressed it with a smile before glancing away increasing the awkwardness by ten fold.

(Are haan... Main tumse poochhana bhool gaya, shaashvatee ne kaha bhaiya ne use daanta, kya tumane?)

The overhead fan seemed to be louder than usual and the rustling of the sheets seemed to be magnified in the silence that prevailed until I decided to speak up. "Oh yeah... I forgot to ask you Shashwati said bhaiya scolded her, did you?"

(Kya nahin, maine use daanta nahin. Maine usse kaha ki use is umr mein pyaar aur aisee cheejon ke baare mein baat nahi karna chahiye. Ho sakata hai ki mainne thodee sakhtee se baat kee ho aur yah nikala ho jaise ki main use daant raha tha)

"What no, I didn't scold her. I just told her she shouldn't be talking about love and such things at this age. Maybe I might have spoken a bit sternly and it came off as if I was scolding her, I hope she's not sad" he replied

(Vaise bhee achchha hai agar aap use daantate hain ki, vah aajakal bahut shararti ho rahee hai aur kisi ki nahi sunta hai. Woh sochte hai ki vah sab kuchh jaanatee hai)

"Oh okay" I replied smiling "anyway it's good if you told her that, she's been getting so mischievous nowadays and doesn't listen to anyone. She thinks she knows everything" I complain

He gives a slight chuckle " Can I ask you something" he turns to face me sitting up straight suddenly serious.

"Yes"

(​​Shashwati yahaan kaise aayi... Mera matlab hai ki vah bahut choti hai)

" How did shaswati get here... I mean she is so young"

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How do you think Shaswati got there?