One Cuppa Chai

•9•

Kabir chuckled. "Yeah. That's it. But I guess it depends on what you want to be for me. So that we all will know how exactly to treat you."

I should have just been satisfied with my stirring. I fake coughed. Moved the spatula idly.

Saloni's head popped into the door. "Shyla!"
That was too much excitement for seeing me just last night.

And I was unarmed when she pulled me with her to the living room for her regular updates.

We had dinner in front of the television and my sister told me that we should maybe leave.

"The food was delicious.Thanks." I told Kabir who was standing at the doorstep.

He wordlessly came forward and turned his face slightly.

I let out a breathy chuckle. "What?"

"You can thank me with a good night kiss."

"You realise that your sister is behind you right?"

"Ah, is she?" He grimaced.

"Yeah.Good night Kabir."

"Night, Shyla."

I don't know what was with his eyes. You couldn't stop gawking at them once you had that kind of eye contact. His long lashes outlined his eyes and there was this very tender way his irises softened when he was looking at me. Like then.

I held his gaze for an extra moment and nodded.

I could sense the smirk in his eyes now.

He imitated my gesture.

What was I doing? Idiot.

"Bye," I whispered unnecessarily and turned away.

Yes, skip two stairs at a time. He probably thinks you're shy. Good job.

My sister was waiting down the stairs, pissed.

"Can you be any slower?"

"Sorry."

"Your friend called."

She gave her mobile in my hands.

I examined the call list. Sanya.

I pressed the call button and heard her landline ring thrice before she picked it up.

"Hello?"

"It's you? What happened? You never call!" I said teasingly.

"You don't remember, do you?"

"Okay, what?" I browsed through my mind and nothing useful popped up.

Her voice dropped an octave, "Tomorrow's the day we're bunking! Hello? We spoke about this on Friday."

"Yes, we did," I replied obediently while I walked home. I couldn't mention "bunk" and "exam" in the same breath before my sister so I replied in positive phrases.

"At my house before 10 tomorrow?"

"Oh, please. I'll be there at the first bell 8:15."

As promised I was at her apartment doorstep at the said time, a bag full of DVDs and Pineapple wafers.

I rang the doorbell and used the time to remove my shoes and socks.
I pushed it near the wall with my toes.

I heard the door open and before I could flounder in, I encountered the unfamiliar face of a woman in her mid-forties.

"Namaste," I said, half recovering. "I'm Sanya's classmate."

"Hmm. Pooja is going on. Take left and go to her room."