Eighteen Minus (COMPLETED)

Chapter 45

He kept looking towards the balcony I was peeping from and I didn't want to get caught so I quickly ran from there.

Trying to calm down my elevated heartbeats I tried to relax. I took a few deep breaths and then lay down on the bed. I was tired, I had a long day at work. The children here are really interested in learning things and it motivates me a lot to teach them English. Initially although I had second thoughts about taking this up as I was a professor and now I'm a school teacher but then gradually I realised that at the end of the day I'm still serving the purpose. Teaching and educating youngsters and it makes me happy as I see kids feel so excited when they discover the meaning of a new idiom, learn a new phrase and even try to talk to each other using the new synonyms they have learnt in my class. English although it is just another language, makes you confident enough to communicate with people. And I'm happy I'm just serving the purpose.

However now that he is here...I don't know how I am going to live peacefully. Oh God!!! Just please save me from this stupid guy!

✨

As the rays of morning sun pleasantly surprised me because I remember I had closed the screens last night and now I don't know how they are wide spread open making the Phulvaspura's sun who seems to be a little too fierce very early in the morning grinning at me,I knew I had no go but to wake up right away. I rubbed my face and tied my long hair into a high bun only to choke upon my saliva as my eyes fell on the side table. It had a huge packet of Chakkuli. I freaked out although I couldn't stay away from my favorite snack. I picked it up and with the whiff of coconut oil, I immediately knew that this came from Mangalore and with the very first bite I knew it was made by Anita aunty.

My eyes filled with tears recalling the beautiful memories I spent with her but then her stupid son screwed it all. How I wanted her to be my mother in law. If only she had another son because I'm not taking this one even if he's getting me dozens of packets of Chakkuli or that matter an entire bakery!!! Huhhh!!!

I angrily took another bite of the delicious snack but then it suddenly striked me.

Wait a minute!!! The curtains were wide open, the Chakkuli packet kept next to me???? Oh Shit!!! He was here???

What the-

I jumped out of the bed and slowly looked here and there. I didn't find him anywhere yet I was skeptical. I quickly took a shower and draped my Kolkata cotton saree and pinned it well and finally stood infront of the mirror taking a look at myself only to see someone had kept the Mangalsutra which I had removed and kept in the drawer right infront of my eyes.

The Mangalsutra also had other companions like a snake shaped ring, a pair of toe rings, a pair of jhumkas, few bangles were also kept along with the same. I gulped nervously and tried looking around me but he was nowhere to be seen. I royally ignored them all and picked my watch and wore it. I completed my look with a small red bindi and a pair of oxidised metal jhumkas. As I picked my books from the rack and placed it inside my handbag I suddenly felt someone's presence behind me. My heart raced and I shuddered as I felt the footsteps approaching me.

Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder but the moment Mukta Di's voice fell into my ears I gulped and took a sigh of relief.
I turned around and looked at her.

'Heyyyy are you ok? You didn't come down for breakfast yet, so I thought of getting your breakfast in your room!!!' She said and although I was in complete plans of exiting from the back door to avoid meeting this creepy man, I had a marathon of rats in my stomach. I was starving. So without any second thoughts I thanked her and lunged onto the plate. I think I was gradually falling in love with the Maharashtrian cuisine. Especially this tandlachi bhaakri ( flat bread made out of rice flour). It was turning out to be my second favorite. Of course my first love would always be the dosas made by my mom and Anita aunty. But then these Bhaakris were giving my tastebuds a tough competition.