Snippets of the Past - A ShiVi Drabble Series

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"Kuch nahi. Phuski hai, zara si baat pe rona aa gaya usko." Raj chided, and Shiva glared at him for that comment.

"Accha, aisa kya? Kya bola tune usko?" Shiva crossed his arms, the anger reflecting off his face, which seemed to intimidate Raj, since the only person he truly was afraid of, was Shiva Pandya. So intimidated, that he was fearful of the reaction Shiva would give had he been told what he just told Raavi.

"Agar mujhe pata chala, ki tum logo ne usse kuch bola hai, toh muh tod ke rakh dunga sabka." He threatened Raj and his friends, resulting in them scampering away from the merry-go-round.

Shiva turned back around to look for Raavi, but she was no where in sight. He had told Mami that he'll bring her back along with him, and it was almost time for them to leave.

Walking at the edge of the playground for a better view, he squinted his eyes to catch a glimpse of her, wondering where she disappeared, when he heard a ruffle from the bush behind him.

Shiva stepped into the space, and found his chipkali; sitting on the ground, her legs crisscrossed and tucked under her, staring at the stones in front of her while she wiped her tears with the back of her hand.

"Tu yaha baithi hai? Mai tujhe dhundh raha tha sab jagah." Shiva said, standing in front of her.

"Mat dhundh." Raavi said glumly, looking away.

Shiva sighed, holding her by her arms, making her stand up. "Dekh, koi bhi aata jaata insaan tujhe kuch bhi bolke chala jaaye, toh tu aise royegi kya? Aisa bhi kya bol diya usne?"

"Mere mazaak udaya usne kyunki mere mummy papa nahi hai." She cried, silently shedding more tears and looking at her feet.

Shiva looked at Raavi, his anger and irritation dissipating. He didn't know what it felt like to live in a world without his parents, he was lucky enough to have them both. But Raavi, unfortunately, wasn't. Which is why he always found her at his house, fluttering around Suman and Darshan, very explainably the apple of their eyes, and she loved the attention they gave her, something she had always craved for.

Yes, she had Mami and Mama, but he could see it in her behaviour that she always felt more comfortable at Pandya Niwas, especially around his father, because he spoiled her like she was his own daughter.

"Dekh chipkali." Shiva said, tapping her shoulder, "Tu aise sab logo ke baat pe dhyaan mat de. Samjhi? Woh sirf jalta hai kyunki tu MERI best friend hai, uski nahi."

"Sacchi?" Raavi asked innocently, looking at Shiva, her eyelashes dampened with tears.

"Aur nahi toh kya? Chal ab, aansu poch!" He pointed at her eyes, and she wiped them immediately, but was still not convinced, her mood still off, the words of that boy ringing in her ears.

Shiva took one look at her face, and knew she was still sad since she hadn't yet resumed her favourite hobby of eating his head.

So he dragged her out of the bushes and asked her to wait there, running off and returning 5 minutes later with something enclosed in his palms.

Before he could open his enclosed palms, Raavi shrieked and jumped back, staring at his palms, "Tu... Tu kahi se cockraoch uthake laaya hai na! Door rakh!"

"Nahi-"

"TERE HAATH MEIN CHIPKALI HAI?! DOOR HATT MUJHSE SHIVA!" Raavi shooed him away with his hands, making him roll his eyes.

"Abe dhakkan!" Shiva said loudly, catching her attention, "koi cockraoch-chipkali nahi laaya hu. Dekh toh!"

Raavi peeked over, and he opened his palms to reveal many periwinkles in the colours of the sky, sun, moon and evening sunset.