Started Typing On - 17/03/2019
Chapter 79-Flipping Kiaan
~
Author's Pov:
On the seventh day-evening, more like night since it was past seven, Jaanvi sat on balcony gazing at the sky. In just a few weeks, her life had changed. From normal, to sour and bitter, than emotional and loved. And now she felt like it'll repeat in a cycle. She clutched on her phone, debating whether to call Aditi back or not.
Never once did Jaanvi hang up on Aditi. If she ever did she'll always call back to apologise for the argument they had or just check on her, see if everything was fine. Because of her husband's prank war she was embarrassed, really ashamed on how she'll explain herself to her.
From her shaky, worried fingers she pressed on her name, it hadn't even ringed when she cancelled the outgoing call. I can't. She put her phone faced down on the small wooden table sitting on the balcony, just sighing as she breathed in the fresh cold air.
"I don't know how to speak to her flower." She glanced at the purple flower sitting in the corner of the balcony, gifted by Nidhi to Kiaan. "I think you'll die when we leave." She whispered lowly to herself as if she didn't want the flower to hear it. They were leaving on Saturday night, reaching India on Sunday early morning. They weren't coming back-she thought. How will water it?
She stood up from her chair, ready to exist the balcony to get a glass of water to water the flower when her phone rang. She bent down to hold it into her hand but paused, her body tensing at her father's name popping up on the screen.
Am I prepared to talk to him? Probably not, but she answers the FaceTime with a smile. Sitting back on her chair, her smile widens seeing her Hero had worn a sweater which she gifted him few years back. He wrote 'To The Hero,' on it, with blank ink.
He purposely brought the camera closer to the chest part of the sweater so she could see what he wore. Drama king. She thought, rolling her eyes at him. "Hi Dost." (Friend) she chirped. "It's hot in India, take it off. Don't worry, I'm not angry anymore."
"Jaave." He pouted, embarrassed on getting caught by his daughter. He was trying to butter his angry daughter. He shook his head, shaking his free hand indicating 'No.'
"Oh please. I know you wore it so my anger would die down." She muttered in a matter-of-fact tone, couldn't help but roll her eyes at her father.
Her father looked around Jaanvi through the screen, trying to find Kiaan somewhere near. He was still worried about them. Do they still fight like before? Noticing who he was trying to find she informed him boringly, "He's in the shower."
Ansh's face turned into an understanding 'O,' nodding as he looked around his room, not making eye contact with Jaanvi.
"What did you do now?" She asked. Knowing his behaviours of by heart. Whenever he didn't make eye contact she knew something was up with him.
"C-chf--" He tried to say 'chef.' Jaanvi gave him a puzzled look, standing up from her chair walking inside the living room since it was getting cold. She closed the slide door, yawning a little walking slowly when she said,
"What chef?"
Her father pointed at her. "Oh yes." She face palmed herself. "-I forgot to inform him papa. But Kiaan told Rashi about it."
Ansh narrowed his eyes at first. He did? He respected Kiaan. For how independent and respectful guy he is for his age. Even though he lived outside of India for ten years he still took a lot of interest in the Indian culture, never once did he disrespect anyone or their view points. He didn't want to question his son-in-law. Ansh feared that Kiaan might take it in a wrong way and may lash out on Jaanvi. Though he knew Kiaan isn't like that but it doesn't take too long for relationship and people to change within seconds.
After a lot of thinking and silence he raised the finger by shaking his head. "Nhh." No, he meant. Telling or gesturing with his hands once he made the phone stand from the help of the pillows, that, 'He didn't.'
Kiaan would be immature at times but she knew he wouldn't lie. "No papa, I personally asked him to inform Rashi. And I'm sure he did." She stood on her ground. Slowing turning on the light once the curtains were closed. The bright light filled up the whole living room, taking time for her to adjust to the lighting. "Rashi is wrong papa. I know Kiaan." She doesn't know why but a little sentence by her dad pinched her heart.
And that's what he was worried about. He knew a wife wouldn't stay quiet if a finger was pulled on her husband, even if it was a small matter. He was aware of this behaviour because his wife, Ishaani was the same as Jaanvi. They were always the same.
Ansh started gesturing with his hands, using sign language to explain further on. 'Maybe I heard wrong then.'
Jaanvi was about to head into the kitchen when she noticed Kiaan coming out of the little hallway. She watched him, he had on his black Adidas track pants with white strips on them. His damped hair were an absolute mess like he just rolled out of the bed. The white-Oh, she hated white because of him-towel was wrapped around his neck as he approached Jaanvi shirtless. The water was still dripping down his neck to his chest. She diverted her eyes quickly, clearing her throat.
"Talk to papa, he's on the phone." She said in a calm voice though inside her heart was thumping at his appearance as well was wondering, did Kiaan really informed Rashi about the chef? She wished she was right. But she still wanted to make sure.
Kiaan who was in a good mood, ready to kiss her stopped as he covered his face up with a knowing expression. He walked over to her, taking the phone from her hand not before his little wet fingers brushed into hers. She looked away quickly, still furious at his prank. Walking into the kitchen, she started preparing dinner. Her brain still filled with confusion.
He greeted his father-in-law with a smile, "Namaskar" (Hello) He nod since he couldn't join his hand in a respectful way because he was holding the phone.
Ansh nodded in return. Now worried on how he'll communicate with Kiaan. I can't speak. He wanted to shake his head at his daughter. Kiaan has seen the discomfort Ansh had every time they came over. Of course he would. He couldn't speak. His close ones understood his sign language but other's couldn't. Seeing Ansh's expressions turn a bit embarrassed and smiling at him awkwardly, Kiaan murmured.
"Hold on papa. Let me get your assistant on the line." He joked, trying to lighten up the mood. He walked inside the kitchen, seeing Jaanvi putting the wheat dough into a bowl, and now taking out the chopping board. "We're here papa, now explain what you mean." He indirectly informed Jaanvi that he needed her help. No drama in front of her dad.
Hearing his voice Jaanvi cursed herself. Right! He doesn't understand sign language. She pushed away the chopping board, taking the phone from his hand. "Repeat everything again papa." She said, watching as he explained everything with his fingers.
She kept her eyes on the camera, looking at her father as she spoke to her husband. "Papa said Rashi's still worried about the Chef for Tuesday. Didn't you inform her that I haven't spoken to Jetin yet?" Came her flat voice. Seeing her father raise an eyebrow for the way she spoke to Kiaan with a bored tone, and not looking at him while talking she stiffed. Shit.
She turned to face Kiaan who looked a bit pissed and confused. "I did. That's the first thing I said to her after greeting her." He was partly lying. He didn't greet her at all. He came into the frame, standing behind Jaanvi, looking at his father-in-law's face. "I swear I did papa. And she even said 'ok'" He left the part where he had taunted Rashi. Papa won't understand anyways.
Ansh pointed at him through the screen, meaning, 'you did?' Kiaan understood this much, I mean, it was common sense. He nodded in return. "And Rashi even said she'll cook everything on her own." He informed, his voice showing how annoyed he was. "Why is she lying?" Feeling the raising voice of his daughter's husband Ansh dropped the topic, face palming himself.
He pointed at his head, shaking it in a form of 'crazy me.' He used sign language once again meaning, 'Oh I got it all wrong.' He heard right. But he didn't want to piss Kiaan off, after all he was his daughter's husband. His only child's life partner. He didn't want to be the cause behind their misunderstanding.
"Are you sure papa?" Jaanvi asked, looking dead serious. Ansh nodded, smiling weakly. "We'll reach India on Sunday, we'll talk then." She hang up on him not before she and Kiaan muttered a 'Namaskar.' Ansh did the same before turning his phone off and rubbing his temple. I pulled her buttons.
(Namaskar can be used as a Hello and sometimes a Bye also.)
"Jaanvi he's lying. He heard them right. H-he's just trying to cover up so my ego doesn't get hurt." Kiaan tried to explain, walking behind her like a lost puppy as she kept chopping the vegetables once her phone was out of sight.
"Does it matter?" Came her irritated voice after a long silence. She dropped the knife on the chopping board, turning around to be greeted by Kiaan's close presence. "He won't change! I've learnt it. Late." Her voice quietly trailed off like music does when it's finishing off. "He's c-created this barrier, t-th-this wall of accepting mistakes which aren't even his! He's learnt to give up so easily ever since mum died! I've never seen him stand up for himself Kiaan! Can you imagine how much it hurts?" She didn't want to shout but she felt it was all her fault.
"Even now he chose to declare himself 'stupid,' rather than standing up with his god damn point! Because he's always worried to offend someone! He hates breaking other people's heart! He was worried that you'll twist his words around and probably fight with me! Why did my mum even marry him?" She said the most hateful words about her father. Instantly regretted it. Her father use to say 'You're exactly like Ishaani, but you have worse temper than her.'
She realised she does.
"Hey," his voice came out in a warning way but somehow calm and soothing, despite the fact how much her words that hurt him. The person she loved so much, she spoke ill about him. "-learn to control your mouth when you're angry. You don't mean it, I know. But others don't." he whispered, his hand caressing her cheek.
"I can't stay quiet when I know he's getting crushed over there! Don't you get it? He's suffering in between us. Between me, his daughter, his only reason to live and them. His brother's family who he somehow think is his responsibility but they aren't! Why isn't he selfish? Like them?" She held his towel, wrapped around his neck. "Why isn't he blunt and rude like me?"
Kiaan sighed, shaking his head. "You're not rude. You're just hurt. You're too emotional to keep it all inside you, and that a good thing. Storing only increasing the hate." His fingers lightly skim her cheeks, and then he smiles. The soft smile which eased down her anger which was radiating from her skin to him. "He's a good man. He doesn't want to hurt others because he doesn't want to look like the bad guy. I know," he whispered, pulling her into a tight embrace.
Her face touching his wet chest as she snaked her hands around him, closing her eyes shut. Breathing lightly to calm her anger down. "-it hurts. I know. I can't-I just can't imagine someone being rude to my parents. My mum. I'm super close to her, if she was in your dads place and I was in your shoes I can't imagine how I'd react." Felling her breaths coming out steady and calm he joked, "Probably end up in the jail for murder charges. I've got pretty bad temper issues as well."
She giggled into his chest. "Doesn't seem like it."
He released a humourless chuckle, almost a dark warning type. "That's because you haven't given me a reason to snap at you." Yet. He thought. Pulling away from the embrace, he looked into her eyes. "I honesty did tell her. I swear. She muttered a low 'y-y-yeah.'" He mimicked her, gaining Jaanvi's laughter in return.
"I know."
~
She was still a little down, her mind still occupied with what Aditi had to say and why Rashi had lied to her dad. She was WhatsApping Jetin, the chef when Kiaan asked her what was up.
"Oh, I'm just calling Jetin to inform him about Tuesday's plan." She answered causally, boring into her phone. She scrolled to the bottom of her chats to find his name, she was just up to the letter H when Kiaan snatched her phone away from Jaanvi. She narrowed her eyes at him, her eyebrows shooing up unpleasingly.
"Rashi is twenty-four, turning twenty-five, don't you think she should learn how to cook for family events? I mean, you can't possibly be thinking that she'll marry someone who lives alone. How would my amazing sister-in-law learn how to cook for large amount of people unless she tries?" Sarcasm dripping through his harsh words which Jaanvi didn't notice.
She just shrugged, "She can't cook that much. Definitely not for, what? Twelve are us, our family and dad's. How knows how many the groom ones are bringing. We can't afford to ruin the food Kiaan. I don't want a bad stomach." She joked towards the end, holding out her palms in front of him.
"We're actually thirteen. I've invited Aditi." Kiaan informed, looking through Jaanvi's Instagram following. "Uhh, not following Lili Reinhart." He knitted his eyebrows, upset. "I'll do it for you."
"Wait what?" She asked, completely shocked. "No-no we can't. Aditi would feel like a third wheel. She won't come, she hates attention."
"Who's showering her attention?" He asked, searching up Lili's Instagram.
Jaanvi's mouth flung open. Offended. "She beautiful ok?"
"I didn't mean it like that." He muttered, following Lili from her account. "I mean like why would she feel awkward? She should come. She's your friend and Dhruv's." She has to come. He thought, scrolling through Jaanvi's followings once again.
"Fine." Jaanvi shrugged. I hope Rashi doesn't pull a stunt seeing Aditi there. "Pass my phone, I need to ca--"
"Who's this Yuvraj Gupta?" His eyes turned small in jealousy. He attempting to sound calm and normal but he was nowhere near that reading Yuvraj's comments on Jaanvi's pictures. 'So beautiful Jaanvi.' What the fuck?
Who said only 'I love you,' were the only three letters to make us feel something? Certainly this three word compliment had made Kiaan feel a lot more things then he intended to. Kiaan looked thoroughly pissed reading all his comments on his wife's picture.
"He was in my class, pass the phone. I need to call Jetin." She shrugged, getting impatient.
"I don't remember any stick looking fella in our class. Or our school." He was practically shouting, making Jaanvi narrow her eyes in confusion. What's wrong with him?
He wasn't like Kiaan. People's attention would usually draw into Kiaan for his appearance, even when he was in school. His hair were always messy, unlike other guys who gelled it up or fixed it with their fingers. Kiaan would always leave it messy, giving him the bad-boy look. The pictures of Yuvraj weren't drawing any attention to Kiaan. Maybe because Kiaan wasn't a girl
He looked at the normal sized guy. He didn't look well-built like himself but Kiaan couldn't ignore that fact that he looked fit. Skinny to me. He scoffed, scrolling through his others pictures. The guys smiled in every picture, a happy and satisfying smile showing how frank he must be in real life. He didn't look like a quiet guy, like Kiaan. Yeah, Kiaan isn't a quiet person at all but he keeps to himself. He can't communicate with new people fast, that's probably the reason why he has small number of friends. Close friends though.
"Oh god," She put her hand on her head, rubbing it, clearly annoyed. What's the point? Is he going to employee Yuvraj? "I met him after school."
"WHAT." It came out as a shock to her. She leaned back on her chair, not liking the tone he was using. He was loud, sorta angry and demanding. Demanding for an answer. Of what? If his temper could touch heights, it would-least right now it would. She had to be careful with her answer, the smallest thing could and probably would have him flying into a rage, yelling, and spitting out words he wouldn't want to say.
Yup, his mum was right. Temper issues. She straightened up her posture, scared from inside but showing a confident, brave side of her. Don't stutter. She shook her head a little, putting both her hands on the dining table which they sat on after finishing of their dinner. She cleared her throat, looking up to meet his intense roaring angry eyes.
"After school as in, college." She explained. Thrilled and proud that she didn't stutter or show how much his anger was scaring her. "Can I have my phone? I need to ca--"
"You said you don't have friends." Ouch. That hurts.
"I never said that. I said I only have one friend." She corrected, her voice cult and strong.
"Same thing." Not it isn't. "Why is he commenting on all your photos?" He went back to square A.
"Because he knows him." She answered in a 'duh' and annoyed tone. "He's just a friend. You're acting so weird. Did I ever say anything about Tina commenting on your pictures?" Now it was her turn to turn the tables.
He scoffed, leaning back on the chair watching her with blank face. "That's because Tina and I are good friends. We've all known each other since we were ten Jaanvi. Don't try to question me on my friendship." He murmurs, his gaze intense when it meets hers. His voice dead serious, offended as well. "Answer the question." He asks, his voice tight.
"Sometimes it's not about the period of time but the depth of the friendship and relationship we have with our friends. Yeah, very well, we all know Tina since we were ten but look at our friendship. Anyone can tell it's fake. Even you and her. She had, and probably still has a crush on you that's why she comments on your pictures! Yuvraj was just someone I met during college, he's just someone I know. If we like someone picture and know someone we tend to compliment them, then why can't he?" Jaanvi says gruffly, her body practically vibrating with frustration.
She stood up from her chair, putting her hands on the table as she pushed her weight up. "Maybe I was right. You aren't perfect." Before when she confessed she did say 'you're not perfect,' but that was in a positive way. This wasn't. "You can go through my chat history with him if you want. Maybe it'll make you feel secure." He's frowning by the time she finished speaking.
She moved away from the dining area, walking into the hallway, into the room when she stopped remembering something. "And you are not sleeping the same room as me." His gaze dropped as she walked away. He let out a frustrated sigh. I fucked it up.
He wasn't insecure about his relationship with Jaanvi. He wasn't when they weren't even a couple, now they are so there's no chance of insecurity. He just felt a little hot, boiling hot when he saw the heart emoji's next to Yuvraj's comments. He felt irritated because he couldn't ever comment on her pictures. Not even when he stalked her. Pretty obvious why he didn't. And now, he wants to but she doesn't post any pictures. He just felt left out, and his temper has always been his weakness.
He turned her phone of, putting it on moon-mode so it wouldn't ring or buzz at night with notifications. He walked down the hallway to see his bedroom door locked. Great. He sighed, lowering his head before walking back to the living room to sit on the couch and watch a movie.
He expected her to cool down and call him but she didn't. Of course, she wouldn't. He glanced up at the clock sitting right above the TV to see it's twelve twenty-two. I've been out here for two hours. He turned the TV off, rubbing his sleep eyes, making his way to his room. She was stubborn and so was he. He opened the door quietly to see Jaanvi hugging a pillow.
Wow. She'd use a bloody pillow to hug at night rather than call me? Definitely stubborn she was. She had taken the two large pillows from his parent's room, putting them both on top of each other on his side of the bed. Her one arm was under the pillow, pulling it closer-exactly what she does when he sleeps beside her-the other hand was above the pillow, resting in the middle surface.
And her leg. Oh, her leg was also above the pillow, her knee touching her elbow. Stubborn Cat. He thought, closing the door as he came inside. He noticed that she was basically sleeping on his side of the bed so he laid on her side. Her back facing his face. He hugged her from behind, relaxing instantly as he was close to her. "Sorry Ariel."
Married My Enemy