Suvarna's POV
"I won! I won!"
"You cheated."
"I did not! You lost because you are a slow poke." I said sticking my tongue out at him.
Of course I had cheated! I kept running right in front of him so that he could not overtake me in this over crowded street. But I am not going to ever accept that.
Shishir just scowled at me and did not reply. The over confident smirk on my face got quickly replaced by a soft smile when I looked at him. He folded the eye mask neatly and kept it in the pocket of his shirt. Right next to his heart, I thought happily.
I looked away, not wanting him to see my expression.
I kept my eyes firmly on my dish as Krishna Uncle started serving us.
All would have gone well, if Uncle had not referred to him as Shamboo again. I stifled a giggle as I heard Shishir mutter something under his breathe.
I however could not help nut burst out into laughter when Shishir brought into himself to ensure Uncle gets his name right. He went right on to explain Shishir meaning winter.
It was sheer entertainment hearing the two of them discuss it. Shishir was stubborn to remain on the topic of 'extreme cold weather' Shishir and Krishna Uncle kept deflecting to the miracles of God creation of all weather.
Good for me. Uncle was used to serving while chatting so kept on doing it, but Shishir was not used to eating while chatting. Or rather while trying to emphasise on something. So I helped myself from his dish without him noticing.
"I am full." I announced.
"Already?" Shishir asked frowning, knowing very well how I can stuff myself on these delicacies.
"Uh huh." I said avoiding the details.
"Have two more each of you then twelve plates will be served completely." Krishna Uncle said.
"Twelve Plates!" Shishir erupted. "I had only four or five pieces!"
I shrugged. "Uncle serve him the rest."
He eyed him with narrowed eyes realising where his share had gone. "Pig." He muttered.
"Thanks for the compliment." I said smugly.
"Compliment??" He raised an eyebrow.
"Pig, Pretty Indian girl."
"Haha-" He said rolling his eyes.
As always both of us fought who would pay.
"Shishir don't you dare! I will pay."
"Nope!" He said catching both my hands effortlessly in his one large hand.
"Listen, you are a guest and I am the host-"
"Guest?" He said quietly as his grip on my hand tightened.
"Well you stay in London so-"
"So the distance will make Shishir Suvi's guest?" He asked softly.
I went completely still. I watched quietly as he paid. We smiled at uncle and moved away.
Shishir's POV
Guest? Is that what I am now? I know I have been away for almost ten years, but for me this is homecoming. I may be visiting for now, but this is my home! And no matter where I am, how can Suvi think I am a guest for her?
Have we strayed so far apart from each other? I felt a sharp pang in my heart even as this thought occurred to me.
My nose twitched as strong smell of chocolate invaded it. Looking down I saw a cone of chocolate chip ice cream held right under my nose. I smiled, knowing already what this meant. And sure enough! Suvi was holding a plain vanilla ice cream cone in her other hand.
This used to be our childhood to apologise if one of us ever hurt the other, without actually saying sorry.
Chocolate chip ice cream for the one whose feeling was hurt and plain vanilla as a punishment for the offender.
And the deal was the offender would not take even a bite from the chocolate one.
I felt light in the head with sheer happiness as she smiled and gave me the cone.
The bond, the memories all are there. Distance may have made us outwardly more defensive of our respective stance but Shishir and Suvi's childhood bond remains unscathed.
Both of us ate our ice creams in a complacent silence, which was broken by the ringing of my mobile phone.
"Yes Paresh?" I heard as he said I need to come home as someone was coming to visit and would want to meet me. "Okay I will be back in sometime."
I looked as Suvi and caught her slightly disappointed look just before she masked it with a smile.
I felt oddly happy. If she is disappointed then it can only mean she is also as eager to spend time with me as I am to be with her.
"I will drop you home." I told her as I finished the last bite of the cone.
"No. I need to go to the garage to pick up my car, so I will take an auto rickshaw. It is quite close from here."
"You have a car?" I asked as an idea began to form into my mind.
"Yes. I have sent it for servicing."
"Don't fib."
"Why would I fib about my car?" She sounded indignant.
"Prove it. Show me the receipt or the spare key.
I could feel her fuming as she fumbled into her purse. "Here." She said as she took out a paper and the keys.
I took them from her and kept them in my pocket.
"What are you doing?"
"I need a car to drive while I am here. So I will use yours." I said as I turned to sit on the bike. I could almost feel her eyes narrow on me. Of course I did not need her car! My family had enough of them, and she knew it.
This was actually my excuse to go to her place. I would drop the car and that would serve my purpose. It does seem odd I need an excuse to go to her house, but it has been so many years and I cannot keep turning up at odd hours on the pretext of meeting her family!
***
I parked the bike as I reached home after dropping Suvi home. She did not ask when we would be meeting next! Luckily I have her car to deliver. Of course we never had these formalities about talking when to meet but still-
"Oh God Paresh!" My thoughts were interrupted as Kamya Chachi's shrill voice pierced the air.
"But Mummyji he is so cute!" Varsha bhabhi, My older cousin, Vikram bhaiya's wife piped in.
"How can Suvi hold something like that and take it in front of the family?" Chachi said with a disgusted look.
Suvi's friend's video! All my happy thoughts evaporated in one instance. For once, me and my Chachi seemed to share similar feeling. I quietly walked away from there heading towards the stairs to go up to my room.
"Oh my God! His tail is so long." Varsha Bhabhi exclaimed.
I increased my pace before halting a few steps later.
Tail!?
I almost ran down the steps I had ascended.
"Oh hey Shishir." Varsha Bhabhi chirped as she saw me. I smiled and sat down. Now they have already put away the phone.
Why is Paresh not asking me to see the video again? I thought as my heart pounded crazily.
I barely managed to keep up with the senseless chit chat, my mind totally on the video. And he has put away the phone on the table!
I cannot ask to see it! I looked in alarm as Paresh got up to leave from there picking up his phone from the table.
"Paresh! Your phone-" I blurted in a rush. "I just want to check it's features."
Lame! Since I had gifted him the phone. But right now the situation was too desperate for my own peace of mind.
I took the phone, trying my best to seem casual. I found the video and clicked on it, remembering to put the volume down.
I stared at the screen stupefied for a few seconds. A rat?? I had been jealous of that long tailed plague delivering ball of flea? Is it possible to feel stupid and happy at the same time?
I laughed out loud, my head thrown back, not caring as my family stared at me. 'Suvarna Sharma you are in so much trouble.' I muttered to myself as relief flooded through me.
&&&
Shishir knows now! And he will not let this go without teasing Suvi suitably *wink*
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Love from me to you.:)