[10]
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
"Fabulous beta!! You both did outstanding performance. And the intensity in the dialogues was something else." Monica said, hugging Siya tightly.
"Thank you ma'am" They both said.
"Shashwat you always act so well but today your acting was looking natural. Matlab itni intensity ke sath tumne pehle kabhi act nahi kiya." She said looking at Shashwat.
[You acted with too much intensity.]
Shashwat looked at Siya who was already looking at him. She quickly shifted her gaze and he also looked down.
"Pehle Siya nahi thi na sath me." Akash murmured, earning a smack from Shashwat.
[Siya wasn't his partner before.]
It was the time of afternoon rays of sunlight dance through open windows, casting patterns on the floor.
"Baccho lock the door properly from inside and don't open the door without checking. We will return at night to koi agar zara bhi badtameezi kiya ya ladai jhagda kiya to dekhna. I have made lunch wahi khana bahar se order mat karna." Tara warned them and they nodded like obedient children.
[Don't do any kind of mischievous act and if i get to know you all fought in my absence than you will see.]
"Aur padhai karo baith ke." Harsh said and went out of the house.
[Go and study now.]
"Let's order something!!" Ritika said, grabbing her mobile as Siya switched on the TV.
"Which movie do you all want to watch??" Siya asked, standing near the TV.
"Let me bring chips to eat." Divya said, running towards the kitchen.
"Not now. Shashwat is coming home .. We have to study together to mai movie nahi dekh paunga. He asked me to prepare some notes so I am going to my room." Reyansh said and Siya snapped her head towards him .
"What?? He is coming?? Really??" She asked in an excited voice.
"Yes, But why are you getting too excited??" Reyansh asked with suspicious eyes and she gulped.
"Wo..Aru will also come na ." She said playing with her fingers and he nodded before moving towards his room.
"Siya siya..Wear something beautiful. Aise chudail ban ke mat reh." Ritika said with the same excitement.
[Don't go in front of him like a witch.]
"Yes I will wear that kurti which papa has gifted me on my last birthday." She said.
"Which one?" Ritika asked.
"Arre that.. wait let me bring that one." She said running towards her room.
"This one." Siya said coming back after taking the kurti.
"Oooh this.. Yes this is good." Ritika said, taking the kurti from her hands.
"Where is Reyansh bhaiya?" Divya asked coming there with chips packets.
"He is in the room." Ritika replied.
"Ye kurti kyun nikala hai?" Divya asked, as Ritika kept the kurti on the table.
[Why did you take out this kurti?]
"Tere jija ji ke liye." Siya said shyly.
[This is for your brother in law.]
"Hein? Shashwat bhaiya ye kurti pehnege?" She asked in a confused tone and they both hit their forehead.
[Shashwat bhaiya will wear this kurti?]
"Arre he is coming home today that's why I will wear this." She said and Divya nodded.
Just then they saw Reyansh came there with a pickle box in his hand eating the pickles.
"Why are you roaming with this pickle box? Pregnent hai kya?" Ritika asked, making her sisters laugh out loud.
[Are you pregnant?]
"Ham bua ban gaye." Siya said in between her laughs.
[I have become aunt.]
"Shut Up!!" He said glaring at them.
"Pass me the box ." Siya said and he forwarded the box but it fell on her kurti ruining her kurti.
"S..Sorry." Reyansh said and gulped looking at Siya who was giving him death glare.
"Tera to game bajana padega." She said picking up the slippers in her both hands running behind him and he also ran to save his life.
"Galti ho gayi yaar." Reyansh said standing behind the dining chair.
[I have made a mistake.]
"Ab hamse bhi ek galti hogi." She said coming towards him.
[Now I will also make a mistake.]
Just then Shashwat entered inside with Arushi and looked at the scene. Siya was running behind Reyansh with her Messy open hair wearing loose top and shorts holding sleepers in her both hands.
'This girl doesn't leave a chance to embarrass herself in front of bhaiya.' Arushi thought mentally face palming herself.
"Siya yaar mujhe maaf kar de." Reyansh said, running around the dining table.
[Siya please forgive me.]
"Hum tumko maaf nahi saaf kar denge." She said.
[I will kill you.]
"Hii Siya." Arushi said in a loud voice, gaining everyone's attention. Siya looked at the entrance and found Arushi and Shashwat standing there. Arushi was glaring at her and Shashwat was looking at them with blank expressions. She quickly threw the slippers on the floor and ran towards her room.
"Hii Shashwat." Ritika said, smiling widely.
"Hello Didi." He replied with a soft smile.
"Arushi come, let's go to Siya's room." Ritika said to Arushi and they went towards her room.
"Thank you yaar bacha liya tune." Reyansh said, hugging Shashwat and he chuckled.
[Thank you for saving me.]
Meanwhile Siya was lying on the bed crying while Arushi, Ritika and Divya were consoling her.
"Hamare sath hi kyun hota hai? Kisi aur ladki ki uske crush ke samne itni beizzati nhi hoti hogi jitni hamari hoti hai." Siya said, hiding her face from the pillow.
[Why this happens with me always? No one embarrass themselves in front of their crush like I do.]
"Arre don't worry baba..jab mera crush hoga to mai bhi uske samne apni aisi hi beizzati karvaungi. Khush??" Ritika said and Siya looked at her.
[Don't worry. I will also embarrass myself in front of my crush. Now happy?]
"Pakka?" Siya asked and she nodded.
[Are you sure?]
"Now get up ." Arushi said, snatching the pillow from her hand.
" It's all your fault. You should have told me that you are here." Siya said glaring at Arushi.
"Accha? Maine kaha tha tujhe surpanakha jaisi harkat karne ke liye? " Arushi asked, folding her hands on her chest.
[Did I asked you to act like Surpanakha?]
"Now get up Didi. Wear something else." Divya said and she sat on bed.
"But if I wore a pretty dress now then he will get to know ki ham unke liye achhe kapde pehen rahe hain. I will wear simple lower and top." Siya said, combing her hair.
[He will get to know that I am getting ready for him.]
After a few minutes they came to the living room and found Shashwat and Reyansh discussing something.
"Aap chai lenge ya cofee?" Siya asked, looking down, coming towards them and Reyansh looked at her with a shocked expression.
[What will you have? Tea or coffee?]
"No thanks. I do not drink tea or coffee." He said with a smile.
"Hein?? Zinda kaise rehte hain!!!" She exclaimed loudly but covered her mouth with palms realising.
[How are you alive?]
"I am sorry..hamare muh se nikal gaya." She said.
[I am sorry!! My tounge slipped.]
"It's all right." He said with a smile and again looked at the notes.
"Ho gaya? You should have asked me before embarrassing yourself again. Stupid!!" Arushi said in a low voice as Siya went back to her.
" At Least serve him water now. Let's go to the kitchen." Ritika said and they went inside the kitchen.
Siya poured water in a glass and started walking outside but Ritika pulled her back.
"Where are you going?" Ritika asked.
"Pani dene . Apne hi kaha tha na." Siya said and they slapped their forehead.
[For giving him water. You only asked.]
"Stupid girl!! Aise kon pani deta hai. Divya take out the pastries from the fridge." Ritika said and Divya takes out the pastries. She served it on a plate and handed the plate to Siya.
[Who serves water like this?]
"Now go and serve him the pastries with a beautiful smile. I am coming with water." Ritika said and she went outside with the tray.
She placed the tray on the table in front of him and he looked at her .
"Thank you." He said sweetly, smiling at her, making her heart flutter and she kept looking at him holding the tray.
As his eyes met hers, a sudden shyness washed over him, causing his cheeks to flush and his gaze to falter. The intensity of her look left him momentarily speechless, a subtle flutter of butterflies dancing in his stomach.
"Ahmm ahmm!!" He coughed looking down, breaking her terrance and she suddenly left the tray.
" Guys I am ordering pizza for us..Shashwat what should I order for you??" Ritika asked, sitting beside Reyansh and Siya also went beside her with Arushi and Divya.
"There is no need Didi." He said.
"Arre aise kaise no need!! Ritika Di order pizza for both of us." Reyansh said and Ritika nodded.
Finally today school opened after a three day holiday. In the silent echoes of those two days, I discovered the quiet symphony of my own resilience. I know how hard these two days went without his one glance.
Our first period was going on and we three were eating our lunch secretly because Richa had brought Aloo paratha and we couldn't wait for lunch. Just then Sanjay sir, Shashwat's class teacher entered in our class. We quickly closed the tifin and Richa kept it back inside her bag.
"Hamare teacher in law yahan kya kar rahe hain?" I asked in a low voice.
[What is my teacher in law doing here?]
"Teacher in law??" They both asked with confused expressions.
"Arre like Shashwat's father is my father in law, his mother is my mother in law aise hi ye unke class teacher hain to uss rishte se hamare Teacher in law huye na." I explained to them and they were still looking at me with confused eyes.
[Like Shashwat's father is my father in law, his mother is my mother in law so his class teacher is my teacher in law.]
"Leave it!! Tum log nahi samjhogi." I said looking at my teacher in law and they shook their heads.
[You won't understand.]
"We will continue this in the next class." Teacher said as the bell rang for lunch.
"Jaldi se lunch kar ke neeche canteen me chalte hain. I want to eat samosa." Arushi said as they went towards the water tap for washing hands.
[Let's go to canteen after eating lunch.]
Siya was going to wash her hand but she saw another hand beside her.
She looked at the person and found Shashwat who was already looking at her.
He quickly takes his hand back and actioned her to wash her hand opening the water tap for her.
She washed her hand, controlling her shy smile.
After washing her hand she walked away looking down and he just smiled.
After eating lunch they went to the canteen.
"What will you both have? You both go and take seats I will bring ." Siya said .
"Samosa." They both replied.
"Oohh I will have bread pakora." She said and went towards the canteen.
"Uncle two plate samosa and one bread pakora." She ordered.
"Beta we have this last piece of bread pakora and he has already ordered this." The man said and she looked beside her finding Shashwat.
"It's ok you can take it." He said smiling.
"Nahi nahi.. Actually I needed samosa. I said "bread pakora" by mistake." She said with a smile.
"Uncle three samosa." She said and he gave her samosas.
"Tujhe to bread pakora chahiye tha?" Richa asked, raising her eyebrows.
[You said you wanted bread pakora?]
"Khatam ho gaya tha." She said , taking her seat opposite Arushi and Richa.
[There was no bread pakora left.]
"Aru!!" They heard Shashwat's voice and saw him coming towards them.
"Haa bhaiya?" Arushi asked.
"Actually, Wo..Haan I want to ask, do you have my English book ?" He asked, bending a little on the table.
"Aapki book mere paas kya karegi?" She asked.
"Ohh haan. Ok then." He said and left from there .
Siya looked at the table and found the bread pakora near her .
"Jhuthi!! Tune to kaha tha ki bread pakora khatam ho gaya?" Arushi asked, looking at the bread pakora.
[Liar!! You said that there was no bread pakora left.]
"Samosa jada khana hoga na..Lalchi kahi ki. Give us half - half samosas." Richa said and she gave them half - half samosas and ate the bread pakora with a shy smile.
[She wanted to eat more samosa. ]