[12]
After more than a week had passed, on a serene Sunday, Shashwat, Akash and Reyansh were engaged in a conversation over the phone.
"Bhai aaj Sunday hai. Let's go somewhere." Akash said.
"Yes you are right." Reyansh also agreed with him.
"Mujhe padhai karni hai time waste hoga poora . Already ye function aur independence day ki wajah se thoda disturb hua phir November me bhaiya ki shadi bhi pad jayegi to aur disturb hoga isliye sab jldi jldi cover kar lunga." Shashwat said pouring a bucket of water on their plan.
[I have to study. I don't want to waste my time. Because of the function and independence day I have wasted too much time. And after sometime we have to go for bhaiya's wedding also so their will be more disturbance.]
"Yes I know you are right, par ek din me tu konsa top kar jayega?" Reyansh said.
[You will not top the class in one day.]
"Jisko time ki value hoti hai uske liye ek minute bhi keemti hai." Shashwat said while his friends rolled their eyes.
[ Each minute are prescious for the one who values time .]
"Tu na jada gyani baba ban ke pravachan mat suna." Akash said and Shashwat pouted.
[Stop your preachings now.]
"Come to my house..Papa mumma is going to a function." Reyansh said.
"Great!! I will come then. What about you Shash?" Akash asked Shashwat.
"What is this 'Shash'? My name is Shashwat to aise ulte seedhe naam se mat bula mujhe." He said making faces.
[Don't call me by these wierd names.]
"Tum dono ka naam hi itna lamba hai. Itna jada bolne me alas aati hai. So I will call you both Rey and Shash." He told me, grinning.
[Your names are too long. ]
"Chup reh tu!! And come back to the topic ." Reyansh said.
[Shut up!]
"Ok then I will also come, but only for two hours." Shashwat agreed.
"Haan to mai konsa yahan basne ke liye bula Raha hun!!" Reyansh said.
[So i am not calling you both to settle here.]
"Rey Siya ki friends ko bhi bula Lena..Akhir unka bhi to haq hai na masti karne ka. Akhir wo bhi to insan hain." Akash said and they rolled their eyes.
[Rey call siya's friends too. Afterall they are also human beings. They also wants to enjoy.]
"Yes yes I know why you are being so kind towards them." Reyansh said.
Suddenly Siya's voice echoed through the phone who just entered inside Reyansh's room shouting.
"Maar dalenge aaj tujhe ham!! Kutta kahi ka!! Hapsi..Kha gaya na meri chocolate?? Pata nahi kitna khana hota hai!! Pet nahi hai kuvan hai tere andar..Jitna bhi khata jaye bharta nahi kabhi. Bakasur kahin ka!!" She was shouting on top of her voice while Shashwat and Akash were silently laughing.
[I will kill you !! Bitch!! You ate my chocolate! Don't know how much you need to eat. Bakasur!!]
"Siya what are you doing? Can't you see I am talking to my friends." He said glaring at her.
"Byy bhai tu apni behen se pit ham jate hain." Akash said laughing.
[Bro you carry on .]
"Byy Shashwat, By Aakash !!" He said and disconnected the call.
Siya's anger turned into an audible gasp of realization as she discovered Shashwat's presence on the other end of the phone call. Embarrassment took over and in a flurry of movement, Siya hastily ran from the room.
After ending the call, Reyansh approached Siya, who was in the living room laying on sofa, and slapped on her head from behind.
"Are you mad Siya? Who shouts like that when someone is on a call? Tameez nahi hai bilkul??" He scolded her.
[Don't you have manners?]
"Then why did you ate my chocolate ? Hapsi kahin ka!! " She replied kicking on his leg.
He suddenly pushed Siya, and she tumbled from the sofa, letting out a dramatic cry that echoed through the room. His eyes widened in realisation as he heard his mother's footsteps approaching.
"Aaaaaaaaaaa!! Hamara hathhh!!" She shouted more loudly holding her elbow.
[My hand.]
"Arre why are you crying this much? Thoda sa dhakka hi to diya tha yaar! Chup ho jaa!!" He pleaded to her to stop her drama.
[I just pushed lightly. Please be quiet.]
"Mera hath tod diyaaa!! Hayee ab ham kya karenge??? Kahan jayenge iss toote huye hath ke sath?? " She cried more loudly while he kept his palm on her mouth.
[He broke my hand. Oh God!! What will I do now with this broken hand.]
"What's happening here?" They heard their mother's voice who was standing on the door.
"Mummy he broke my hand..He pushed me from bed causing me to fall . Andar se kuch toot gaya lagta hai." Removing his hand from her mouth she complained to her mother and she rushed towards her.
[I think something broke from inside.]
"Show me..Is it too painful??" She asked in a concerned voice.
"Mummy jhuth keh rahi hai. I just pushed her lightly." Reyansh tried to defend himself.
[She is lying.]
"Hayee mummy!! Bahot dard ho raha hai." She said more dramatically.
[Mummy it's paining too much.]
"Mummy she...." Before he could complete his sentence he received a flying chappal and got beaten by his mother while she gave him a winning smirk.
"Ab thoda thik lag raha hai mummy." She said suppressing her laugh.
[I am feeling little better now.]
"Come with me." Tara said, taking Siya with her .
As their parents went for the function, Siya and her siblings were alone at home, settled in the living room, watching TV in the quietude of the house.
"Do you all want to eat kheer?" Ritika asked all of a sudden, gaining their attention.
"Neki aur puch puch?" Siya said with a huge grin while Reyansh and Divya also agreed.
"Siya, go and boil the milk and I will bring other ingredients from the market." Ritika said, searching for her scooty keys.
"Kheer hi to banani hai usme kya ingredients?" Divya asked.
[What ingredients you need for kheer?]
"I am talking about dry fruits. Mummy papa jo late hain har maheene wo to hamare hote huye bachta nahi hai." Ritika said, moving towards the entrance.
As Ritika moved outside to buy dry fruits for the upcoming kheer, she left the door ajar. Siya returned from the kitchen after setting the milk to boil. She sprawled on the sofa, lying on her stomach, retrieved her mobile and opened Shashwat's profile checking his highlights.
His highlights, predominantly filled with snippets from his studies and only a few glimpses of personal moments, revealed a dedication to academic pursuits.
"Haan Akash I just reached Reyansh place. Tu bhi jaldi aa." Shashwat said as he parked his bike outside of the house. He entered inside and entered the house. His gaze fell upon Siya, who was engrossed in scrolling through her phone while reclining on the sofa.
[You too come fast.]
Meanwhile, Siya, engrossed in her virtual exploration, heard someone's footsteps from the entrance. She sensed a presence behind her and assumed it to be Ritika .
"Yaar Ritika Didi ye Shashwat apni pictures kyun nhi post karte!! Ek hi picture upload kiye hain wo bhi acche se dikh nahi rahi." She said with a pout.
[Ritika di why Shashwat doesn't upload his pictures on Instagram. He has uploaded only one picture that too isn't clear.]
Shashwat, caught off guard by Siya's innocent inquiry and the mention of his name, felt a sudden rush of shyness. He suppressed his chuckle to her endearing habit of blabbering without looking at the person.
"Kyunki mujhe social media me itna interest nahi hai." Coughing slightly he explained, catching Siya off guard. Startled by the revelation, she jolted, losing her balance and tumbling from the sofa to the ground.
[Becaus I don't have much interest in social media.]
Siya, on the floor, looked up with a mix of surprise and shock.
"A..aap?? Aapne kuch suna to nahi?" She asked Embarrassed and cursing herself mentally.
[Y.. you? Did you listened anything?]
"Kyun? Nahi sunna chahiye tha?" Shashwat asked, slightly teasing a smile making her face reddened.
[Why? Shouldn't I?]
"Nhi.. I mean..Wo..Didn't Aarushi come with you?" She asked, trying to change the topic.
"She has gone to Richa's home. They both are coming together." He replied.
"Ohh..I will call Bhaiya." She said and swiftly ran from the room, leaving Shashwat chuckling at the amusing scene of her frequently embarrassing herself in front of him.
"Shashwat!! Where is Akash?" Reyansh asked came towards him.
"He is coming." He said as they settled on the sofa.
Meanwhile, Ritika returned with Arushi and Richa and Akash behind them. Akash went towards them and the girls gravitated towards Siya.
As a few minutes passed everyone settled together talking about some random things.
Amidst the lively atmosphere, Siya remained subtly embarrassed from the earlier encounter, stealing occasional glances at Shashwat.
Each stolen look, however, didn't escape Shashwat's notice, and he caught her in the act every time.
He was responding to her glances with a small smile which was only known to him.
Just then a sudden scent of something burning wafted through the air
"Is something burning?" Akash asked.
The realisation struck Siya like a sudden jolt as she remembered leaving the milk unattended on the induction.
In a flurry of motion, they all rushed towards the kitchen, the scent growing stronger as they approached.
As they reached the kitchen, the scene unfolded before them - the neglected pot of milk had not only boiled over but had also been left for too long, resulting in a burnt residue.
"Siyaaaaaa!!!! I will kill youuuu!!!" Ritika yelled, holding her neck.
"Sorryyyy." Siya said in a more loud voice.
"Ek kaam diya tha wo bhi nahi kar payi ye ladki!! Agar mummy ne dekh liya na ye jala hua bartan to doodh ki jagah hame baitha degi induction pe." Ritika said, slapping on her forehead.
[This girl can't do one work properly. If mummy would see this she will make us sit in this induction.]
"You were the one na who was dying to prepare kheer!! Aur bana lo kheer." Siya said earning a smack on her head from Ritika.
"Let's clean this all first. Uske baad jaldi se packet vala doodh laa ke isme palat ke boil kar dena . Kisi ko pata nahi chalega." Arushi gave an idea.
[ We can buy milk from market and boil that. No one will get to know anything.]
"Reyansh wash the pot." Ritika said glaring at Siya.
"Why should I? She is the one who burned this." Reyansh said.
"Bhai tu hi saaf kar sakta hai aise bartan. Please dhul de." Siya pleaded.
[Bhai you can clean the utensils properly.]
"I will clean the kitchen platform." Ritika said.
As Ritika diligently cleaned the kitchen platform, Shashwat and Akash joined in the efforts .
"Arre!! Why are you both doing this? I can cleen this alone." Ritika said trying to stop them but they didn't listened to her .
Siya, caught in a moment of admiration, found herself staring at Shashwat. His willingness to contribute to the cleanup added another layer to his persona in her eyes, deepening her feelings for him.
"Abbe baad me taad lena pehle chal ke kaam kar le." Arushi said in low voice breaking her terrance.
[You can stare at him some other time.]
" Let's go and buy the milk." Siya said and they went towards the entrance with Richa.
As they rushed to head out , their hands on the doorknob, the entrance door swung open to reveal an unexpected sight. To their shock, Tara and Harsh stood at the threshold.
"Namaste uncle, Namaste Aunty." Arushi and Richa greeted them and Reyansh gulped.
"M.. mummy papa. You guys were supposed to come late." Siya asked.
"Your father was having a headache that's why we came early." Tara said and he smiled nervously.
"Why are you standing here ? Move aside and let us enter." Harsh said and they moved aside.
"Where were you three going?" Harsh asked raising his eyebrows.
"N..nahi to. We were just playing pakdam pakdai." Siya said.
"Your half yearly exams are going to start. Concentrate on your studies." Harsh said looking at them.
Their eyes got widen as they saw Tara moving towards the kitchen and they also went behind her.
As they found Tara coming towards them ,they positioned themselves facing her, strategically covering the pot behind them.
While Ritika hides the mop cloth behind her standing covering the induction with Akash.
"Namaste Aunty." Akash and Shashwat greeted her smiling.
"Namaste beta. What are you all doing inside the kitchen ?" She asked confused.
"Wo.. Mummy I thought to prepare tea for them so they just came for giving me company." Ritika said with a nervous smile.
"Ok. Move aside I will make tea for everyone." Tara said coming towards them.
"Why?? I mean I will do it." Ritika said.
"Aree Let me prepare." She said but again Divya stopped her.
"Mumma you must be tired na? Please take rest. I will bring tea for you both inside your room." She said making Tara frown.
"What happened to you all suddenly?" She asked raising her eyebrows.
"Nothing mummy. Aap jao na rest karo." Siya said.
"Ok then." She said and moved towards her room while they sighed
Seizing the moment as she headed towards her room , they swiftly purchased the needed milk and efficiently cleaned up the aftermath of the kitchen mishap.
"Now go and sit in living room. I will prepare tea for you all." She said and they headed towards the living room.
The unexpected sequence of events, from the burnt milk mishap to the covert clean-up operation, morphed into a shared memory for the group.
The next morning at school dawned with a sense of freshness and anticipation as Siya walked in the corridor.
Siya found herself stealing occasional glances at Shashwat, who was already present at corridor talking with Akash. The memory of his helpful and caring nature during the cleanup resonating in her thoughts.
I quickly entered inside the class taking Akash with me and it's feels like I am running from something I don't even know.
"Shashwat..I need some help." A girl said coming near me.I think she is from my class. Urghh!! I don't even know most of the girls from my class.
"Yes." I replied with a smile and she moved more closer which I didn't liked at all.
"What help you want?" I asked moving five steps back from her.
I felt a subtle discomfort as she tried to close the gap between us.
This scenario, a daily recurrence, had become a routine I didn't relish - unknown girls seeking help and attempting to bridge a personal space I preferred to keep.
As an introvert, my inclination was to maintain a distance, yet my innate sweetness deterred me from expressing my discomfort overtly.
"What help do you want? Come here I will help you." I sighed as I heard Akash's voice. He always save me from these situations.
"No I want help from him only." She said throwing sharp glares at him.
"He is not a Google to help everyone in the school. He is a volunteer and he has so many responsibilities. Now excuse us!! We have to go for morning assembly." He said with a tight lipped smile and dragged me with him.
"Tu kuch keh nahi sakta unn ladkiyon se?? Chuii muii jaise behave karta hai. Vaise to bada head boy banta firta hai!" Akash scolded me as we reached at the assembly ground.
[Can't you say anything to those girls. ]
Amidst the hustle and bustle of the morning assembly, as students streamed towards their classes, I took my position as a volunteer,checking their identity cards. The routine task felt mechanical until I noticed her in the crowd.
A subtle shift in her demeanor caught my attention. As students without their ID cards huddled near me, I saw Siya swiftly secretly keeping something inside her skirt's pocket but I ignored it as it's doesn't matter to me.
"Where is your I'D card?" I asked not finding I'D card around her neck.
"I forget at home." She replied and and I, in turn, directed her to join the cluster of students without ID cards.
What surprised me was the unmistakable joy and a happiness that danced across her face.
After a brief moment I suddenly realised that these students used to get a nice scolding from our sweetest PT teacher. The mere thought of Siya receiving admonishment stirred an unexpected discomfort within me, a sensation of unease that I couldn't easily dismiss.
"You all can go to your classes." I said , choosing to shield Siya and the others from potential scolding. And the students brimmed with happiness but Surprisingly, rather than expressing relief or happiness, Siya appeared saddened as she moved towards her class.
"Pagal ladki!!" These words escaped from my lips unknowingly.
[Crazy girl.]
"Shashwat where are the students without I'D card?" I saw out sweet PT teacher who moved towards me.
"Sir..they...today there were no Students without I'D card." I lied to him and with a surprised expresion he left from there.
I LIED TO TEACHER TO SAVE SOMEONE!! FOR THE FISRT TIME!!!
As I walked towards my class, a cascade of thoughts engulfed me, questioning the deviation from my usual principles.
Shashwat Rajvansh, known for his unwavering honesty and steadfast commitment to duty.
'SHASHWAT RAJVANSH ' who never lied to teachers unless it's necessary, who never betrayed his duty, who had always championed the idea that getting scolding for the mistakes was integral to growth, had now bent the truth to shield someone from the impending scolding.
The contrast sharpened as I recalled instances where even my closest companions-best friends and siblings-had not been granted the shelter of my protective actions .Why had Siya, of all people, become the exception?
First time, I had prioritized someone's well-being over my commitment to duty.
But I found myself not in the clutches of guilt but rather enveloped in a different kind of happiness which I can't understand.
Carrying the weight of contemplation and unanswered questions, I stepped into the familiar realm of my classroom.
"Good morning Kanji Ankhhh!!" Arav rolled recognising the owner of voice who sat beside him.
"How rude!! Atleast wish me na." Ritika said with a pout but he didn't said anything.
" Have you completed your assignment??" Not getting any reply she again asked taking out her notebook from her bag.
"Tum mere sath hi kyun baith ti ho? You have your friends na? You should sit beside them." He finally said looking at her.
[Why do you always sit with me?]
"Yes I have my friends but I like sitting beside you." She said with a smile and he looked at her for few seconds processing her words.
"Listen Ritika stop sitting beside me and following me everywhere. Everyone here are judging us as couple." Arav said .
"So what? Kya pata ham kisi din sach me couples ban jayen." She said with a mischievous smirk making his eyes widen at her flirty line.
[Who knows, maybe someday we too will become a couple.]
"Shut up!!" He said looking at his books while she giggled.
"Good morning Ma'am." Students greeted as the professor entered inside the classroom.
"Class I am here to announce that two projects have been selected for science exhibition from the projects you all submitted for science exhibition." Teacher said making the students nervous and excited.
"Ritika Malhotra and Arav Rajvansh your projects are selected for science exhibition. Now you both have to prepare a project together for National science exhibition which will be held after two weeks and science exhibition is going to held at Lucknow.
As the announcement of the science exhibition partnership reached Ritika and Arav, a mixture of emotions played across their faces. Ritika, with a mischievous grin, looked thrilled at the prospect of working closely with Arav. In these days staying near him she started liking his company .
On the other hand, Arav's expression shifted from disbelief to shock, eyebrows furrowing as he absorbed the unexpected news.
"So partner, Are you ready to work with me?" Ritika asked playfully hiting Arav's shoulder.
"God why me!!" Arav whined and she giggled with teasing glint in her eye as she continued to enjoy their banter.