The Definition of Beautiful

Chapter Twelve

Nidhi's POV

"Now Nidhi and I are going to make fudge brownies." Di said.

"Hopefully Nidhi makes them taste better than yours." Bhai said.

"Akhil! You won't get a crumb!" Aashna di said and stormed off into the kitchen. Akhil bhai went after her to console her. Randhir walked over to me.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"I don't know how to thank you Randhir. You have brought me to the most kindest people who have taken me in as their own. I can never thank you enough for that." I said.

"There is a way." Randhir said.

"What?" I asked, willing to do anything. He moved closer to me, his hot breath fanning my neck. I could feel waves of emotion pass through me at his close proximity.

"Bring me the first one." he whispered near my earlobe and smiled at me.

I smiled at him and walked into the kitchen where bhai was still trying to convince Aashna di. I signaled that I would take care of it so bhai left in defeat. After he left, I turned to di.

"Come on di, he didn't mean it." I said.

"Mean it? I don't care. He needs to be nice to a pregnant and hormonal women. I will get revenge for the insult of my brownies!" Di said, raising her spatula.

"So, how are you going to do that?" I asked.

"I am going to put salt in the brownies!" she said, giggling uncontrollably. Yep, it was the hormones.

"Sounds like a plan Di, but could you please make a separate batch? I promised Randhir the first one." I said.

"No problem." she said and we got to work on mixing the batter. Right when Di was putting in the salt, Randhir strolled in.

Oh no! If he saw then our entire plan would go to waste! I did the last thing I could think of.

I threw flour at him!

"You are so going to get it from me!" Randhir said and chased me around the kitchen with a handful of flour. I dodged his attempts but he finally caught me and put it in my hair.

"Randhir! I just washed my hair!" I whined.

"You should have thought of that before throwing flour at me." He said with a smirk.

"Randhir! Please accompany your brother in watching black letters. Nidhi and I need to put fudge icing on these." Di said. Randhir strolled out.

"Watching black letters? Is that a movie?" I asked.

"No dummy, Akhil is reading right now." Di said. Ohhh! I got it! Di and her craziness was infectious.

I worked on putting the fudge icing on the good brownies when Di did it on the salted ones. Then she pulled out a carton of vanilla ice-cream and set the brownie and ice cream in a bowl.

"Give the good brownie to Randhir first and then give this one to Akhil." Di said, handing me different colored bowls. The blue bowl contained the good brownie and the yellow one contained the salted one.

I walked out into the living room and handed the blue bowl to Randhir. "Here you go Randhir." I said.

He tasted it and looked in heaven. "Bhabhi, Nidhi, this is outstanding! It tastes so good!" he said Bhai also looked eager and Aashna di stifled her giggles from behind. I have bhai his bowl. He hurriedly plopped a piece in his mouth.

He chewed slowly and had a hard time swallowing it. I could see a vein popped in his forehead from the effort.

"How is it Bhai? Awesome na?" Randhir asked.

"It was made specially for you Bhai." I said, barely composing myself.

"It's...um...good!" Akhil bhai said. That was all it took for Aashna di and I to laugh.

"You pranked me?" bhai asked.

"Oh, my sweet hubby. Think twice before you insult your wife's baking." Di said pinching Bhai's cheeks.

Randhir looked very confused. After explaining the entire story, he joined in the laughter and we had a jolly time.

I looked at Di and Bhai's sweetness and couldn't help but long for someone with whom I could share this kind of relationship with.

Then Randhir clapped his hands together. "Let's watch a movie!"

"Oooh! How about Sanam Teri Kasam?" Di asked.

"Nono, let's watch Race 2!" Bhai said.

"How about Paa?" Randhir asked.

I watched their excited chatter in amusement. Then Bhai proposed an idea.

"Let Nidhi choose the movie. Paa, Race 2 or Sanam Teri Kasam?" he asked. I was planning on watching Sanam Teri Kasam with Kirti and the plan itself made me want to cry, but I still wanted to watch it.

"Sorry Randhir and Bhai. Today we are watching Sanam Teri Kasam!" I said with a smile.

"Awww...no!" The boys chorused in annoyance. They didn't want to be stuck in a romantic tragedy but we made them sit through the entire movie. Di was sobbing her eyes out the entire movie and Bhai was focused on comforting her. But I felt like I could relate to how the female character felt in the movie. I was often judged in the inferiority of my looks compared to my sister.

After the movie ended, everybody left to their own rooms to sleep. But I was awake, thinking of many things. Why was I judged so much? Why did people think me as inferior?

Then I got Neel's call. "Nidhi?" he asked.

"Hey Neel. Sorry, I couldn't make it to today's meeting. What is our next goal?" I asked.

"We are doing some research project on STEM cells. But Meera told me everything. Are you ok?" he asked.

"I am perfectly fine. In fact I am staying with Randhir's bhai and Bhabhi right now. They are so kind to me Neel. and Randhir is very happy." I said in happiness.

"That is great news! But I have something else to share with you. The school's annual culture fest is coming soon and we need you to do a romantic duet song with Randhir." Neel said.

"A romantic duet? Sounds good." I said but before I knew what was happening, my phone was taken out of my hands and thrown on the bed. It was Randhir.

"Romantic duet? How dare you?' Randhir said, pushing me to the wall. We were so close to each other that I could feel his breath on my face.

"Randhir, you are misunderstanding." I said.

"Misunderstanding what Nidhi? That you are going to do a romantic duet with someone and I, your best friend will watch you in happiness?" he asked.

"Why does it matter to you? I can do romantic duets with anyone Randhir. You are not the boss of me." I said.

"Nidhi Balasubramanian. I am a possessive person and if you want to do a duet with anyone, it has to be me." he said and let go of me abruptly. Then he left the room.

What was wrong with Randhir? Why was he behaving this way? He didn't even let me explain that it was going to be with him. He was possessive, and I found that cute. But he was being way too possessive now. I needed to talk to him.

Wait, why should I apologize? He misunderstood me so if anyone has to say sorry, it has to be him. Mr. Randhir Singh Shekhawat, it's time for you to experience the power of the silent treatment.

Sanam Teri Kasam, Race Two, Paa: Indian Movies