Note: Please do read the previous chapter before reading the new one
Shakhi TS Oui, Chef
Part II | D |
Later that day, when Shaurya walked inside FIKA, he saw the waiting staff getting up from their seats and arranging the table. Shaking his head, he walked inside the kitchen and found everyone, including Anokhi chatting around. On seeing him, everyone scattered but Anokhi stayed by Kanchan's work station and ate a carrot piece.
Anokhi looked at Shaurya with a smug smile and winked at him. He averted his gaze quickly with a stern look and walked inside the chef locker room. He placed his things inside and put on his chef coat.
"Himmath toh dekh uski! Mujhe dekh ke aak maar rahi hai!" Shaurya muttered under his breath, "Kisi ne dekh liya toh kya sochenge!"
Shaurya buttoned up his coat as he muttered under his breath, "Shaurya! I know how professional you are once you step inside the kitchen but dyaan rahe. Uss Anokhi ko kuch math keh dena. Warna patha nahi voh kya kar ke beitegi!"
Once done, Shaurya took a deep breath and opened the chef locker room door. He saw Anokhi in front of him with her hand raised gesturing that she was about to enter.
"Arrey areey boyfri-" Anokhi started excitedly but got cut off in middle when Shaurya exclaimed and pulled her inside before closing the door.
"Hey! Boyfriennnddd-"
"Areey yaar! Pehle yeh boyfriend boyfriend chilana bandh karo!" Shaurya exclaimed, "Koi sunn lega!"
"Sunn lega toh kya?" Anokhi rolled her eyes at him but then with a teasing smile, she asked him, "Waise aaj meri boy friendeyy toh acche mood mein dikrahe hain"
"Hey! This is just a lie we cooked up. There's no need to bring it in our workplace. Agar tu chilaoge toh koi sunn lega. If you are going to call me as boyfriend then hum dhono kudh problem mein" Shaurya explained.
"Ohh, now that you have put it this way, teeekkk haiiiAnokhi said leaning closer to Shaurya and whispered, "Samaj gayii boyfriendddd"
"Pehle aese boyfrienddd bulana bandh karo!" Shaurya said with a glare.
"Nope! Mujhe aese aapko bulana pasandh hai. Bina commitment ke ek boyfriend rakhna toh kubh mazedhar hai, boyfrienddd" Anokhi grinned.
"Hey! Mein teri boyfriend nahi hoon!" Shaurya exclaimed.
"Boyfriend toh nahi par ex-crush toh hai" Anokhi shrugged and added suggestively, "Dekhthe hai ki aaj kitchen mein kaise pesh aayenge. Ho saktha hai ki ex-crush toh wapas crush mein badal jaaye"
Shaurya shook his head in disbelief.
"Dekh! When it comes to my kitchen, I'm very serious. Mujhe apni gusse par control nahi rahega. Aese wink karna, boyfriend bulana, yeh sab kitchen mein math kiya karo!" Shaurya said in a stern voice.
Anokhi listened everything with a smug smile and took a step closer to Shaurya making him step back instinctively. Biting back her smile, she took a step back.
'Hareey wah. Lagtha hai yeh sirf kitchen mein kadoos hai. Outside yeh toh dummy hai. Hmmm, Anokhi, isse aasanise chodo math' Anokhi thought with a smile.
Shaurya cleared his throat on getting no response from Anokhi who's staring at him with a smile.
"Madam, aur kithni dher aese hi hasthe rahoge. Hato" Shaurya broke her trance.
"Hehehe, sorry boy friendddd, voh mein aap ko check out kar rahi thit oh apni thoughts mein ko gayi thi" Anokhi grinned at Shaurya who shook his head.
"Tum hamesha ladko se aese openly bath karthi ho?"
"Ladkon se aese bath karthi hu, yeh toh nahi patha par aap se aese bath kar sakthi hoon. Patha hai, I have lot of celebrity crush. Real life mein dekhenge toh school time mein ek crush tha and ithne saal ke baadh ab aap meri crush ho. Toh aap special toh hai, boyfrienddd. Now you tell me, how many girls are lucky to get their crush as boyfriends?" Anokhi enjoyed the way Shaurya's face changed on listening to her.
Of course, Anokhi's being an open book but teasing Shaurya was fun too.
"Mein teri boyfriend nahi hoon!" Shaurya managed to say and the latter part, it was more like he telling himself rather than to her, "Aur tumne kudh kaha ki mein teri ek crush hoon"
"Whatever. You please don't get tensed inside the kitchen, Head Chef. Already sab aap se gusse hain. You can get the work done by being soft also. I don't want them to hate you. I understood that you are grumpy, angry and make faces only inside the kitchen. The others don't know that and you need to give them space to understand" Anokhi sincerely said and added, "That you aren't a serious piece but actually a dummy"
Shaurya who was actually listening to everything Anokhi said patiently glared at her for the last part making her giggle.
"Teek hai, teek hai, dummy nahi. Aap ek acche, soft hearted person hai and they have to know that. Give them a chance so that they give you one" Anokhi said with a smile and moved aside paving way for Shaurya to walk out.
Shaurya gave a nod and walked out while Anokhi walked to her locker.
Later that day Shaurya checked every ingredient, sauces and soups before they started work. He was assertive but wasn't too harsh yet stayed strict. Anokhi realized that he's trying and smiled as she worked.
After busy restaurant hours, everyone packed up to leave after they had group dinner save for Shaurya who had his in his cabin. Anokhi made excuses to Kanchan and went to Shaurya's cabin.
"Tum ab tak yeha kya kar rahi ho?" Shaurya asked looking at time before looking at Anokhi.
"Bas nikal rahi thi. Socha ki jaane se pehle apni boyfriend se bathake jaathi hoon" Anokhi said leaning on the chair opposite to Shaurya, "Chalthi hoon boy frienddd"
Shaurya rolled his eyes at Anokhi.
'As if you'll stop calling' Shaurya thought to himself.
"Its late. Dyaan se jaana"
"Teek hai, teek hai. Meri saas ko bhi meri taraf se good night keh dena" Anokhi said in a teasing smile before walking out.
Shaurya gaped at Anokhi's words. Just as she left, an unknown smile crept on his lips. He recalled how she said about him being her crush part and that she understood his nature in a very short time and wanted others to understand him and not hate him.
His mobile rang pulling Shaurya out of his thoughts. It was from his mother. He shook his head with a smile.
"Iss saas bahu ko manage karke karke mein kudh pagal ban jaoga!" Shaurya mumbled before attending his mother's call.
Aastha enquired Shaurya when he would be home. He replied her, finished with the stock details he was going through before leaving to home, smiling.
~ * ~
Anokhi walked inside her house with a smile on her lips. She recalled how her day went and thinking about Aastha mam and Shaurya, her smile widened. But her smile turned into a frown when she heard loud shout heard from upstairs.
With her heart in her hand, Anokhi quickly climbed the stairs to see her father struggling to hold down her shrieking brother. Tears stinged her eyes as she watched her brother screaming his father to let him go.
Anokhi's eyes fell on the syringe on the floor nearby her brother's arm and understood the situation.
"Anokhi, isse pakad!!"
"Ayyy! Anokhi! Papa se mujhe chod ne ke liye kaho!" Her brother screamed.
Anokhi blinked her tears and quickly took the syringe from the floor and injected it to her brother careful not to hurt him. Within a minute, the medicine kicked in and her brother fell unconscious.
Krishnan managed to drag his son to the bed. Anokhi wiped her tears and pulled the duvet over her brother before she and her father walked out of the room. Her father locked the room from outside, placed his hand on her shoulder before walking away.
It has been four years since her mother died in an accident. Her brother Karthick was also part of the accident. Their mother died but he survived. Post that accident, Karthick was never the same. Trauma of the accident, witnessing mother's death in front of him all those pushed him towards alcohol and drugs.
Anokhi and her father Krishnan had no clue about Karthick's state. They were mourning themselves. By the time they came to know, it was too late for he became addicted to alcohol and drugs. They tried to help him but he pushed them away and so, they tried to get him treated from home for years. He would be good for a while and then go back to the same addictive pattern. He's growing more and more violent.
Wiping her tears, Anokhi went to her room after checking up on her father. She may look like a happy go lucky person on outside but only she knows the scars she carries around. She only knows about the struggles she faces every day.
Anokhi already ate at work. So, she changed her clothes and laid herself on the bed. As she closed her eyes, she could hear her brother's screaming ringing in her ears. That night, she cried herself to sleep.
~ * ~
Thank you for reading,
Nan ~