ADITI POV
Memories warm you up from the inside. But they also tear you apart.
Watching Paakhi huddling Maanya in her arms made me recall the day when I met Maanya for the first time.
Thinking about that day Maanya laying on the hospital bed, all alone and scared made me sob.
Because that day I saw a broken and scared girl who recently lost a child, crying in Paakhi's arm for support.
And the same situation right now made me lose control over myself and soon tears started brawling down like a stream.
Momentarily I felt a pair of arms around me and I bask in the comfort.
I didn't realize I'm showing my most vulnerable side to Mr.Jerk but his soft whispers and calming words made me hold on to him for a while longer.
Everyone departed from the cliff in Arhaan's car, leaving me to ride with Mr.Jerk.
I inhaled a deep breath anticipating Shaurya to make a joke about my emotional state a few minutes back. But surprisingly he didn't utter a word.
"So Ms.Sass Queen, how are you?"
Maybe I thanked God too soon.
"Don't utter a word about what happened earlier," I said defensively.
He looks at me perplexed and replies "Woah Tigress, calm down, I was just asking."
"Listen Jerk, What happened earlier, Don't mention it again. It was a weak moment for me that had passed now." I exclaimed.
"Firstly, I ain't jerk, and secondly, I was never going to mention it." He said softly as if I hurt his feelings.
I peeked towards him to see a forlorn look on his handsome face. And instantly felt guilty.
"I... " I want to apologize but can't find any words.
"Look Aditi, I might come out as outgoing, rude, or a jerk but I know the discrepancy between someone's emotions.
What I saw earlier was intense.
And would never make fun of it." He announced grimly.
Paakhi always tells me to never judge someone without knowing them entirely. But I never listen to her. But now for the first time, I'm regretting not listening to her.
"We're here," Shaurya announced and exit his car.
With a heavy heart, I followed him to the house.
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Author's POV
When Arhaan left the living room to see Maanya, Everyone in the room is silent, Lost in today's occurrences.
Paakhi peeks at the wall clock to see it's past 9:30 pm and everyone might be hungry. So she stands up and asks, "I'm preparing something to eat, I presume you guys are hungry as well?"
"No, No I will leave now, I have to return to the hospital for a case." Dr. Sinha declared, standing up and taking his leave.
Uncle Abhay too left with his friend, after wishing the girls goodnight.
Paakhi then looked towards the two men lounging on her small couch seeming to be so out of place, because one of them was wearing a three-piece suit and the other one was dressed in a leather jacket.
"I'm staying for dinner Cinderella." Shaurya looked up when he saw Paakhi waiting for their affirmation.
Paakhi nodded towards him and walked inside the kitchen to prepare Rice and Vegetable stew.
On the other hand, Maanya and Arhaan were having an intense talk, When Arhaan yelled at Maanya "That's it!"
His voice resonated in the whole house causing Aditi to leap up and rush towards Maanya's room. But before she could take a step, Shaurya said "He would never hurt her."
Aditi looked at him concerned, "Ms. Aditi, you may think we are disrespectful, arrogant, or anything, but our mother has taught us to always respect women and never lay a hand on them." Shaurya said angrily.
Aditi got a scare hearing this cool, funny guy talking to her like this.
She looks at Viren to see him looking at Shaurya surprised.
Aditi dejectedly returns to her seat with a heavy heart.
Viren can feel the tension in the air, so he excuses himself to go to the kitchen to grab a glass of water.
When he enters the kitchen he sees Paakhi moving inside the kitchen so elegantly.
He leans back on the wall and enjoys her rhythmic steps, he never thought watching someone cooking can be so enjoyable.
He is so engrossed in watching Paakhi that he doesn't notice that unconsciously he is leaning towards the side table in the kitchen where a pot is sitting and knocks it off.
Paakhi whirls around with a spatula in her hand to hit the intruder.
But when she sees Viren standing there she heaved a sigh of relief and said "You scared me! Do you need anything?"
Viren is trying hard not to blush because he is caught red-handed. So he crocked out "A glass of water please."
Paakhi nodded at him and fetched him a glass of water.
Viren slowly sips on the water trying to stall. Paakhi returned to her cooking but still kept an eye on Viren.
She is mixing all the vegetables in the pan, When from the periphery of her eye she sees Viren taking off his suit jacket and rolling up his sleeves.
When he is unbuttoning his top three buttons, Paakhi feels a shiver spike through her. For a moment she is startled, she never felt something like this happen before.
She closed her eyes and waited for the effect to wear off but Viren being there is not helping at all.
"Do you need anything else?" She asks adding some cheese to the mix.
Viren shook his head and exit the kitchen.
On the other hand, Aditi is startled by Shaurya's behavior. He is typing in his phone rather than cracking jokes, he would often do.
But what Aditi didn't know is that Shaurya is himself confused about, why he is hurt by what Aditi said. He always knew Aditi is not an allegiance type. Even he is not a commitment type, then why is he feeling these kinda things?!
Six people in this house with mixed feelings and vivacious emotions...
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Shaurya's POV
"How is she?" I ask Arhaan when he joins us at the dining table.
"She is...She is sleeping." He said thoughtfully.
I nodded at him and changed the topic to the new movie coming out next weekend.
Thankfully everybody started talking about it.
"Why not watch a movie together someday later?" I suggested, everyone glanced at me strangely so I added " It can be refreshing for Maanya."
Hearing Maanya's name, Arhaan perks up and immediately agree.
I rolled my eyes at my whipped brother and glanced at the girls, they both agreed too.
I then finally looked at Viren, waiting for his refusal but surprisingly my brother agreed to it. I mean who is he?
Both Arhaan and I simultaneously looked at Viren with a 'Are you for real' look to which Viren just scowled at us.
"I think we should leave now!" Viren announced standing up.
I too stood up and thanked Paakhi for such a delicious meal.
"Arhaan? Can I talk to you for a moment?" Paakhi asks Arhaan as we were leaving.
Arhaan prevailed back and walked towards the balcony with Paakhi.
We walked towards the elevator to wait for Arhaan.
While waiting, I glanced at Aditi standing there looking outside the corridor window, she seems to be one tough woman but her eyes they say something else.
We have fucked each other once and till now I'm unable to find that passion I shared with her with anybody else. She is fire, and I'm a firefighter.
She is something I'm fascinated with but in the end, I know she is something dangerous for me so I have to extinguish it.
"D?" I heard someone behind me.
I turned to see who it is when I see a young handsome guy walking towards her.
Aditi looks perplexed but immediately regained her manner.
That guy lunged towards her for a kiss but Aditi stepped back before their lips could touch.
"Neel?" She said and backed away.
"Babe where were you? I have been calling you, texting you! " he asked stepping towards her.
Who is he? And why is he calling her babe?
These questions are running in my mind.
"Neel, I was I'll, so I was on bed rest " Aditi replied.
I know she's lying because I have seen her a few days back at Navratri Pooja at my house.
Seeing her making excuses, I knew she is not interested in conversation with this dude, and an unknown feeling of satisfaction and contempt leaped through me adding confusion to my already unknown feelings.
"Let's go!" Arhaan calls strolling towards us.
Aditi and the dude stepped back and turned towards us.
"Thank you so much guys for helping us today," Paakhi confessed.
We just nodded at her and walked inside the elevator waiting for us.
In the elevator, everyone was quiet when my phone started buzzing.
I retrieved it from my back pocket to see my mom calling.
I tilted my phone towards my brothers and asked "What should I tell her?"
"Tell her we are coming home and will talk to her there," Viren replied walking towards our car.
I nodded and accepted the call while sitting at the back, "Mom?"
"Where are you guys? what happened? Why are Arhaan and Viren not receiving my calls?" She bellowed.
"Ma we are coming home and will tell you everything there" I repeated Viren's words and hung up.
"Did you just hung up on her?" Arhaan asks amuse.
"He definitely did." Viren laughed out loud, causing Arhaan to join him.
"Bro, it was nice knowing you" Arhaan adds.
Now I realized what a mistake I did. She is going to kill me for sure.
Rest of the Ride both Arhaan and Viren were busy making fun of me and talking about what to tell everyone.
But My thoughts were stuck on some feisty sassy girl.
When I first saw her I knew she is my type, feisty, fun, adventurous, and a person who just wants a good time and not a relationship.
When I met her in that boutique I was amused by her swaggering attitude.
And then her mischievous behavior at the cafe when I accompanied Riya for her food tasting.
From there I knew I need to have her once so that I can forget all about her. But that wild sex of ours made me more interested in her.
Maybe one time was not enough, I need her one more time to end these stupid feelings.
"Bro?Not good!" I heard Viren mumbling.
I peeked outside the window to see mom standing at the door, with her cheeks puffed out.
"Is it my last day on earth?" I asked terrified.
"Maybe." Both Viren and Arhaan said simultaneously.
I scowled at them and consciously stepped out of the car.
I see mom walking towards us and prepared myself for a good scolding.
"Never do this to me again." She yells.
I'm looking down but when I hear a yelp beside me I jerked my head up to see mom rolling Arhaan's ear causing him to yelp.
I laughed in relief but unfortunately that gains mom's attention and she turned my ear too with her free hand.
I yelp in pain but she didn't let go.
"Both of you don't talk to me from now on okay? I was dying with worry but none of you called me," she said and walked back inside the house.
I caressed my ear to regain its blood flow.
"So let's change first and do what we always do to make her forgive us." Viren notified walking inside.
I nodded and went to my room to get ready for baking. Yup baking, we siblings always bake mom a cake when she's angry with us and growing it was too often.
I changed into my sweats and walked towards the kitchen to see my brothers taking out utensils.
I walked towards the fridge and took out an egg tray, milk, and butter.
"As usual, I will prepare the batter, Viren will prepare the frosting, and Arhaan you will decorate. " I announced.
Everybody got back to work and commenced doing their task.
"Did you talk to Maanya about her attack?" Viren asks shortly.
Arhaan kept silent for a few seconds but then said, "ya, she told me everything about her past. It was a shocking revelation to me but now I respect her more. I feel blessed to have a girl like her." He said.
I smiled at hearing his reply and said " I'm happy for you Bhai, she is a nice woman. I like both her and Paakhi. It would be awesome to have them as my sister-in-law ."
"Again? Paakhi is not my girlfriend." Viren bellowed.
"Okay, when did I say she's your girlfriend?" I joked.
"You called her as your sister in law?" He said as if I'm an idiot.
"Ya sister in law, she doesn't have to be your wife," I said casually, I know I'm irritating him but it's fun.
"Then how the hell is she going to be your sister in law? " he asked curiously.
"I'll set her up with one of my friends," I announced happily.
"The fuck those morons will touch her." He shouted and harshly thumped his spatula.
I looked at him with a 'what is your problem' look and he just shrugged and walked out of the kitchen.
"Why do you pull his leg?" Arhaan asks proceeding with Viren's work.
"I just want him to take a step forward before someone else sweeps her off ."
It's true, I can see how happy she makes him. After so long I'm seeing my big brother himself. For most of these past years, he was lonely, angry, upset but now I see that excitement back.
I just hope they realize it soon.
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Yup, I'm alive! Just got a little bit busy😭
Sorry for being busy, I hope you didn't forget me.
I need your love and support always ❤
So how is the update?
Special thanks to JagathiKrishna
For waiting for this update❤
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