Ishq Wala Love

Chapter 13: Friends?...Family!

"Mallika! Sabah!" Bua called from somewhere downstairs, making me and Sabah flinch, just as Sabah began to descend the stairs cautiously.

"Almost done!" Mallika yelled back, taking two chips and pushing them into her mouth, then lowering her voice for me and saying, "Too much work just because we don't want to go somewhere!"

I laughed briefly with a nod, keeping my gaze fixed on Sabah, who climbed the steps so carefully that even she wouldn't tumble.

"She's not going to fall like that!" I remarked as I glanced at Mallika.

"I know!" She replied, pushing five chips into her mouth and dusting the crumbs from her fingers. "She wasn't supposed to, to begin with!"

My brow furrowed with confusion, but without any explanation, she ran down the steps in her stiletto heels hastily and quietly. Then she grabbed Sabah's shoulders from behind and pushed her down. Sabah yelled loudly in surprise as she sat on the steps, and Mallika hurriedly kneeled beside her as everyone raced after hearing the sound.

"How many times have I told you to be careful when you take the stairs?" Mallika exclaimed at Sabah with tugged brows, while Sabah looked at her perplexed.

"Kya hua?" Chachi inquired, peering between them.

"Aur kya hoga, Chachi!" Mallika spoke slowly and had a thick British accent. "She fell and sprained her ankle. Again!"

"Tujhe dekhna chahiye na tu kahaan ja rahi hain, Sabah!" Maa said, and I silently snorted. "Ab Qais ki haldi mein kaise jaegi?"

Sabah looked down sadly with pressed lips, but I caught her looking at Mallika out of the corner of her eye. I shook my head, grinned at their drama, and ate chips from the can.

"Bahut zyada lagi hain kya?" Bua inquired, her gaze drawn to Mallika, who looked at Bua with pinched brows as if she had been insulted.

I smothered my laughter and, before I could stop myself, exclaimed, "English mein bolo, Bua! Mallika ko itni hindi nahi aati!"

Mallika turned to me with a glare as everyone looked up at me while I ate the remaining chips, and I flinched when Bua yelled at the top of her lungs, "Toh tu upar baith kar kya khaa rahe hain? Neeche aa, donno ki madad kar!"

I straightened up and stood to my full height, pursed my lips slightly as I dropped the container nearby before taking the steps to Sabah and Mallika.

"Aunty, Bua, you all leave! I'll stay back!" Mallika said a little dramatically as I feigned to pull Sabah into her feet.

"Tu nahi aayegi?" Bua asked with raised brows. She just said that!

Mallika glanced at us as I pretended to hold Sabah upright, then turned to Bua and shook her head before saying, "You guys enjoy."

After they departed half an hour later, Mallika closed the door, and I stood where I was pretending to apply ointment to Sabah's left ankle while she was half lying on the sofa.

"Gaye?" I inquired as I dropped the ointment tube on the table.

"Why are you speaking in Hindi? Mujhe toh itni Hindi nahi aati na?" She asked in the same accented voice, her brow wrinkling.

"Haan toh it's true na! You-" I paused when I noticed she was removing her stiletto heel from her left foot, and my eyes widened. "Kya kar rahi hain?" She hurled it at my head, wasting not another second, but I dove just in time to avoid it.

"Pagal ho gayi hain kya?!" I yelled, wide-eyed, as I stood up again. "Andhi ho jaungi main!"

"What are you doing, Mal?" Sabah cried loudly as she nestled deep in the sofa to avoid any attack, her eyes tightly clenched. "This time, I'll sach mein get hurt! I'll break all my bones! Allah!" Sab ko bas apni apni pari hai!