Check if you've read the previous update
Two nights had passed since Sana caught a glimpse of Sidharth at the petrol station across from her house. Unbeknownst to her, he had been following her to the park every evening, acting as a silent guardian. However, Sana was well aware of his presence.
Before jumping to conclusions and assuming he was stalking her, it's important to note that he was simply being protective of his dear friend, who happened to be heavily pregnant with his child.
The more she saw him, the more questions arose in her mind. As he worked at the station, she observed him from time to time, hiding behind the curtains and pondering over his reasons for being there. What about his studies? Why didn't he go back? Perhaps he sought forgiveness for his past mistakes because he felt guilty. Was she ready to grant him that forgiveness? No, she wasn't prepared to let go of the pain he had caused her in the past or the challenges she would face in the future.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a kick from the little one growing inside her womb, successfully grabbing her attention.
"What do you want, baby?" she asked sweetly.
She was no longer alone. Throughout the day, she would converse with her baby, in addition to keeping an eye on the father of her child, even though she received no answers.
"Hmmm... I'm hungry too. What do you feel like eating?" she inquired.
The conversation reminded her of the food she had cooked earlier. Her culinary skills were limited and far from commendable. She despised her cooking, which she had taken up to avoid starving herself to death. To distract herself from the dreadful thoughts of savoring dishes she made, she was once again interrupted by a kick from her baby bringing her back from the brink of a suicidal thought of eating it.
"Oww!! I know, it's terrible. I hate it too. Anyway, thanks for saving me from the thought of eating it," she said with a downtrodden expression.
As she gazed outside, she noticed Sidharth diligently washing cars.
"Does he ever eat? Of course, he must, otherwise how would he survive? But what does he eat?" she muttered absentmindedly, staring blankly at him.
Flashback:
"Eww... How can you eat that?" thirteen-year-old Sidharth asked, looking at his only friend, Sana, with a disgusted expression as she ate Roti (Indian flatbread) and bottle gourd curry.
"Stop making faces, idiot. I know you hate Lauki (bottle gourd), but that's your problem. I love it, and if you continue making such faces, I'll inform Shashank Bhaiyya to make bottle gourd for you every day," she threatened.
"Arrghhh... I don't need an enemy when I have such a great friend," he exclaimed in frustration.
"Yeah, same to you," she teased, sticking her tongue out. He glared at her annoyance. To further irritate him, she brought a piece of bottle gourd near his face before diverting it to her mouth.
"Ummmm... Divine!" she moaned in pleasure as she relished the taste.
"Rrr... Stop annoying me, Sana. I'm famished, and I can't eat your favorite food. When are you planning to share your lunchbox with me? After recess?" he asked, snatching her bag.
"Oh! I almost forgot..." she giggled.
"What's in it?" he asked excitedly, pulling out her lunchbox from the bag.
"Bottle gourd curry," she replied nonchalantly.
"What?" he exclaimed, looking at her in shock and dismay. He had lost his appetite before even opening the lunchbox.
"What's wrong? Don't you want to eat? Aren't you getting late?" Sana bit her lip to control her laughter at his reaction.
"Shut up!" he cried out in frustration.
Sana burst into laughter, causing him to frown even more.
"Open the box, Siddhu," she commanded, still chuckling.
"No thanks, I've lost my appetite. And I hate you..." he grumbled, placing the box on the table and crossing his arms, exhaling forcefully.
"Abracadabra... woooosssshhh..." she waved her hands over the lunchbox, as if casting a magic spell.
"He he he he he..." she faked a devilish laugh as she opened the box, savoring the aroma that wafted out. Sidharth's mouth was left agape when he caught a glimpse of the food from the corner of his eye. It was his favorite Aloo Paratha (Indian flatbread stuffed and rolled with spicy mashed potatoes).
"What? You liar... Give that to me!" he pounced, attempting to snatch the lunchbox from her hand.
"No, no, no..." Sana sang in response.
"Why?" he whined.
"Because you hate me," she said, causing him to pout sadly.
"Sana, I'm hungry," he wailed.
"Nope..." she smirked.
"You ate my lunch. I'm going to complain to the teacher," he threatened.
"What would you say? I'll simply tell her I saw you eating your lunchbox a few minutes ago," she said cunningly.
"What? Cheater!! When did I eat? I didn't. You did," he protested.
"Where's the proof?" Sana raised an eyebrow.
"Sanaaa?" he whined.
"Say you love me..." she demanded.
"Rrr... okay. I l..." The recess bell rang, interrupting him and signaling the end of the lunch break. He glared at her angrily. Sana's eyes widened in shock; she had lost track of time while teasing him.
"Siddhu..." she cried out innocently.
"Don't... I hate you," he yelled angrily before walking back to class. She quickly packed up the lunchboxes and followed him.
"Siddhu, sorry..." she lamented regretfully, but he paid no attention and entered the classroom. Instead of taking his usual seat next to her in the front row, he went to the last bench, next to another boy. Sana followed him to the back.
"Siddhuuu... why are you sitting here? Come to the front," she whined, but her pleas fell on deaf ears. The boy sitting next to Sidharth glanced at Sana.
"Switch seats," Sana glared at the boy and commanded.
"What? No, I don't want to sit in the front row. I haven't done my homework," the boy refused.
"Did you just say you don't want my notes for the whole year?" Sana smirked.
"Huh?" The boy looked at her in shock and gulped before quietly vacating the seat for her.
Before Sidharth could get up and leave, the teacher entered the classroom.
"Good afternoon, Teacher," the class greeted in unison.
"Good afternoon. Put your homework on the table. I'll inspect it at any time," the teacher ordered.
Sana playfully nudged Sidharth's arm, but he responded with a glare. Her sad pouts failed to have any effect on him. While the teacher continued her lecture at the front of the class, Sana slowly opened her lunchbox and nudged her elbow into Sidharth's arm again. He purposely avoided looking at her, though his mouth watered in anticipation.
"Sorry, Siddhu," she whispered. His efforts to resist temptation were futile as a small smile formed on his face, causing her own lips to curve with happiness. Sidharth discreetly broke off a piece of paratha and quickly consumed it, while Sana's smile grew wider with each bite he took.
"Sidharth, what's the difference between an agro-based industry and a mineral-based industry?" the teacher suddenly asked, startling Sidharth. Sana immediately grabbed the lunchbox from his hand so that he could stand up and answer the teacher.
"Ummm...," Sidharth stuttered, hastily swallowing the food in his mouth.
"What were you doing under the table?" the teacher inquired, approaching closer. Sana swiftly pushed the lunchbox into the desk compartment.
"I... I was picking up a pencil that fell down," Sidharth replied nervously.
"Show me your homework," the teacher ordered, peering at him. Sana discreetly slid her open book in front of him just as the teacher reached his desk. The teacher picked up the book and inspected it without noticing the name written on the cover.
"Hmm, good! But writing isn't enough. You should also be able to explain orally. Please sit down," the teacher said, her eyes scanning Sana's desk, which was empty.
"Where is your book, Sana?" the teacher asked.
"I forgot my book at home, ma'am," Sana mumbled apologetically as she stood up.
"I thought as much, considering you're a front bencher who's sitting at the back. Can you explain the difference between an agro-based industry and a mineral-based industry?" the teacher questioned her.
"Agro-based industries use plant and animal-based products as raw materials. Examples of agro-based industries include food processing, vegetable oil, cotton textile, dairy products, and leather industries. On the other hand, mineral-based industries are primary industries that utilize mineral ores as raw materials. The products of these industries serve as inputs for other sectors. Iron, made from iron ore, is a product of mineral-based industries, which is used as raw material for manufacturing heavy machinery, building materials, and railway coaches," Sana explained confidently.
"Excellent! You've clearly understood the concept and have completed your homework. Please have a seat," the teacher commended before returning to her own desk. Sidharth and Sana breathed a sigh of relief, sharing a smile between them.
The flashback ended, and Sana couldn't help but giggle as she reminisced about the incident.
She stole another glance at Sidharth, who sat wearily on the pavement, wiping the beads of sweat from his forehead, before retreating into the kitchen. As she absentmindedly moved the spatula through the food, her thoughts drifted back to Sidharth. Instead of serving the food onto her plate, she securely placed the lid back on the bowl and stepped out of her house. Standing at the signal, waiting for the pedestrian lights to turn green, she looked at him, who was surprised to find her.
"Sana..." A faint smile appeared on his tired face as she approached him.
"You're not leaving, are you?" she asked.
"I... I want to take respon-" his words were cut off by her.
"Yeah, I've heard your broken record before. Come with me," she said.
"Huh?" Sidharth couldn't believe his ears. Sana rolled her eyes before marching back to her home, with Sidharth trailing behind her. He stood along the nature strip, contemplating whether he should cross the boundary and enter her gate. Her piercing gaze made it clear that he should keep following her. Gathering his courage, he hesitantly followed her to the main door of her house.
She once again shot him a dagger-like look when his steps halted at the threshold of the house. He looked down, filled with fear and contemplation.
Was he allowed to enter, or should he wait at the door like a stray animal, hoping for her mercy?
"What are you waiting for?" she asked.
"Aaa... ummm... I... May I come in?" he asked, seeking her permission. This was the first time he had ever needed to ask to enter her house. He had never needed it before, at least not until he made that innocent yet forbidden mistake that had snatched away their adolescence and forced them into adulthood before their time.
"No, wait! I will get a symphonic band to perform a show to welcome you inside," Sana took a dig at him.
He shook his head, denying the need for such a spectacle, and crossed the threshold, still keeping his head down in guilt.
"Did you say that you would do anything I asked you to do earlier?" she inquired.
He nodded in agreement.
"I want to eat bottle gourd curry. Make it for me," she ordered, surprising him.
"The kitchen is over there. The bottle gourd is in the fridge, and you can find the rest of the ingredients yourself," she smirked, hoping that he would revolt against her request. But to her surprise, a small smile crept onto his face. He nodded in agreement and went into the kitchen, leaving a shocked Sana standing there.
What's with the smile? Does he even know how to cook?
She wondered as she waited in the living room, staring at him searching for ingredients in the open kitchen. It took him around three-quarters of an hour to return to her with a plate filled with her favorite bottle gourd curry and rice. When she looked at the plate he offered, her mouth hung open in disbelief.
"Eat," she commanded, but she refrained from touching the plate.
"Huh?" He looked flabbergasted.
"I don't trust you," she said, her words stinging him somewhere deep in his heart. He nodded, biting his lip, before mixing a small portion of curry with rice and eating it. It was yet again her turn to be surprised when she saw that he ate the bottle gourd without making any disgusted faces or throwing tantrums. If only she knew that his travel experiences in that metal box had taught him to respect all types of food.
Snatching the plate from his hand after he had taken three spoonfuls, she said, "Get another plate for yourself. My baby and I are famished."
"It's fine. I... I already had lunch," he stuttered in response.
"What?" she probed.
"Huh?" He looked at her, confusion etched on his face.
"What did you eat?" she asked.
"Aaa... a sandwich?" He lied.
"Yet, I want you to eat bottle gourd. It's my order," she said firmly.
"Hmmm..." he nodded and sauntered back into the kitchen to grab another plate of food.
_________
To be continued ❤️❤️