Sugar and Spice And Everything Nice

You've Taken This Too Far, Amy

“Are these leasing papers?” Aunt Silloo sat opposite Amy on the table in the living room.

Amy silently nodded.

“For the bakery?”

Another nod.

“You had them?”

“Got them from the agent’s office.”

“Which agent?” Silloo frowned.

“The estate agent. Uncle had hired an estate agent to lease out the bakery. Don’t tell me you didn’t know this?”

“I did. But I didn’t think he’d gone ahead so far, especially when you started sitting at the bakery. I mean, you can’t sit at a bakery which is going to be leased out, Amy.”

“I didn’t know Uncle had leased it out! And now that guy wants me to clear out in a week! In fact, I have just four days now.” She silently added.

“He’s already leasing it?”

“Yeah. To some Danceworks company.” She said the name with a grimace.

“And there’s nothing you can do about it? Can’t you take back the lease?”

“Um… that’s what we’re trying to do.” Amy hesitantly answered. She didn’t want her aunt to think she was some criminal.

“Have you spoken to the agent about it?”

“He wasn’t very supportive.” She lied through her teeth. She wanted to get into Silloo’s face and yell ‘Of course I haven't spoken to the agent about it! He’s not going to take it back!’

But she remained in her seat, answering all the questions.

“Then you’ll just have to give up the bakery?”

Aunt Silloo didn’t sound very happy. On the contrary, she sounded pretty displeased. Finally some elder really cares about this!, Amy thought. She didn’t want to let that go. She didn’t want to antagonize her aunt, and she knew she’d have to tell her the truth.

“Actually, Aunt Silloo, there’s a catch.”

Silloo’s brow furrowed in confusion.

“I didn’t ask him. I just took the papers.”

The frown deepened.

Okay, here goes. This just HAD to happen. “I stole them. Actually, I got them stolen.”

“WHAT?!” Silloo almost flew out of her chair. “YOU STOLE THE OFFICIAL LEASE PAPERS?!”

“Uh.. actually Jagga did.”

“That boy who had come in the afternoon? He’s a criminal? YOU INVITED A CRIMINAL TO SIT ON OUR SOFA? What is wrong with you, Amy?!”

“He’s not a criminal, and it was a desperate measure, Aunty! Come on! Think from our perspective! You love the bakery too, I can see that! Would you want some stupid dance company to take it over?”

Silloo put a hand over her heart. “You’ve taken this too far, Amy. Way too far.”

And then, smacking the papers down on the table in the most dramatic way possible, Silloo left without another word.

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 “She’s pissed, isn’t she?” Zahaan sighed. Amy had walked into her room to find him sitting on her bed.

“Pissed would be an understatement of monumental proportions.” Amy shook her head.

“I didn’t follow everything. Very long words.”  Zahaan smirked, trying to lighten the mood. It worked, mildly so. A tiny smile formed on Amy’s face.

“You’re an idiot. Your mum’s on the verge of a heart attack!”

“She lived with Dad for twenty five years. The effects had to show up some day.”

That made Amy smile wider.

“You shouldn’t talk like that about dead people.”, She smacked his head.

“Oh Dad was the kind of person who never dies. Look at us, still cracking jokes about him like he’s alive.” His voice cracked at the end, and Amy knew how much Zahaan hated crying - alone, or in front of someone- so she didn’t push it.

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The next day when Amy arrived at the bakery, a different sight greeted her. The shutter was down and securely locked, as always. But today, on the shutter, there was a notice.

An eviction notice.

She fought hard against the urge to punch the shutter hard. Closing her eyes, she drew in a deep breath and counted to three. Then, she ripped off the notice from the shutter, crumpled it up, and threw it on the pavement.

The notice was put up again the next morning. And this time, a certain Aryan Malik was standing right next to it.

“You don’t happen to have seen this, Miss Shroff?” He asked her calmly.

“Indeed, I have seen it yesterday.”

“Do you also happen to know where the lease papers are?” He scrutinized her face for the slightest change. There was none. Amy had long since learnt how to keep a straight faced while lying. Living with Zahaan for six months had some bonuses.

"Am I supposed to?"

“They’re not in my office.”

“Should’ve given me a copy when I asked for it.”, She smirked.

“You’ve taken it, haven’t you?”

“How could I possibly have?” She said coolly.

He narrowed his eyes. “Look, Miss Shroff. This is a very viable property. And I have legal possession of it. I trust that you will not do anything too… rash.”

“Are you threatening me, Mr. Malik?”

“No. I’m warning you. Jail is a cruel place.”

“Hell is even crueler. I have put my whole and soul into this place. Don’t think taking it away will be easy. And on the day I’m supposed to vacate this place, if you don’t have the papers, don’t come. Now, if you’ll excuse me. I have a bakery to attend to.”

She started unlocking the shutters while the agent stood, silently seething.

“Oh, and keep this. I don’t give a shit about it.” She tore off the second eviction notice, and slapped it to his chest. And without another word, she walked into the bakery like she owned it.

Which she did, for now.

IT'S BEEN 10 DAYS HOLY SHIT I'M SORRY!

Okay, now that that's out of the way, I'll be updating a little slowly now, because I need to study.

Now, some serious stuff. Sugar And Spice was in and out of the charts for since the past 10 days. I want it to be IN. For good. So PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE tell all your friends, followers, everyone to read the book, because it means so much to me (and if you've made it this far, you must like it too :P). I want more people to read this, I want more people to like it, and I want more people to feel this book.

So yeah, please.

Thanks, Hera (: