Chapter 18
Kabir' Perspective
After Anaya scrambled out from under the bed, I rolled out as well, grinning at the playful chaos we'd just escaped from. Raghav was still teasing me about getting caught hiding under the bed, but I just shook my head, smiling to myself. My mind was elsewhere, replaying the moment I'd shared with Aditi—my Frosty—under that bed. There was something about being so close to her, something that made the world seem a little bit brighter.
As I walked back into the living room, I spotted Anaya near the pizza boxes, her little face scrunched up in concentration. She looked up at me with those big, curious eyes of hers and said, "Bhaiya, aap mere pizza ki sabzi Didi ke pizza mein daldoge kya?" Her innocent request caught me off guard, and I couldn't help but chuckle.
"Arre, teri Didi ne agar mujhe racket se maara to?" I teased, imagining Aditi's reaction if she found out.
Anaya shook her head vigorously, her pigtails bouncing. "Nahi, Bhaiya! Unhe sabzi pasand hai, mujhe nahi!"
I laughed, unable to resist her logic. "Alright, Anaya. As you command." I carefully moved the toppings from her slice to Aditi's, all while chuckling to myself. What a strange little request, but if it made Anaya happy, who was I to say no?
Five minutes later, Aditi finally emerged from her room, her face freshly washed, her skin glowing slightly pink, still showing signs of the blush that had crept up earlier. She settled down beside me, reaching for her pizza. The evening light from the window hit her just right, and for a second, I couldn't tear my eyes away. She looked peaceful, content—and completely unaware of the fact that I'd just tampered with her pizza, thanks to Anaya's strange request.
"Everything okay?" I asked, trying to sound casual as I took a bite of my own slice.
"Yeah, just needed a minute to freshen up," she replied, her voice light. But there was a glimmer in her eyes, a slight curve at the corners of her mouth that made me wonder if she'd noticed anything unusual about her food.
As we continued to eat, the front door swung open, and Aditi's parents walked in. The room filled with greetings and laughter as we all stood up to welcome them. They exchanged warm smiles with everyone, their presence instantly adding a comforting warmth to the room.
Soon after, Raghav and his family decided it was time to head home. There was the usual hustle and bustle as everyone gathered their things, saying their goodbyes. As Raghav and his family walked out the door, Aditi turned to me, her eyes bright with curiosity.
"How are you planning to go back?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern.
"By e-rickshaw to the bus stand then I'll walk home," I replied, shrugging as if it was no big deal. But I could see the small frown forming on her face.
She hesitated for a moment, then offered, "I can drop you at the bus stand on my Activa. I need to pick up some stationery from a store nearby anyway."
I smiled, leaning in closer and whispering, "As my Frosty says."
Her cheeks turned a delightful shade of pink at the nickname, and without another word, she ran inside, shouting, "Mai abhi aai!" I watched her dash off, a grin spreading across my face. She was back in no time, holding her Activa keys and some money in her hand. She stuffed the money into her pocket before handing me a helmet.
Once we were both settled on the Activa, with her in the front and me sitting behind, I couldn't help but feel a little nervous. It wasn't the ride—it was the fact that we were so close. I could feel the warmth of her back against my chest, and it took everything in me not to overthink every little movement.
As we rode towards the bus stand, the streets were quiet, the night air cool and refreshing. After a few minutes of silence, I finally worked up the nerve to ask, "You and Raghav, you know, you two talk a lot. I haven't really seen you talking like that with anyone else."
She didn't turn to look at me, but I could hear the smile in her voice when she replied, "You seem to notice me a lot, huh?"
"Haan, aur nahi toh kya? Dushman ki har chaal ka pata rehna chahiye," I teased, trying to keep the mood light. "Aur ab tum notes dene se rahi, toh churane ki planning ke liye tumhe notice toh karna hi padega."
But as soon as the words left my mouth, Aditi suddenly stopped the Activa, pulling over to the side of the road. Her expression was serious, a little panicked even, and I immediately regretted my joke.
"Tum bhi yeh sab mere notes ke liye hi kar rahe ho, na?" she asked, her voice tinged with something I couldn't quite place. Was it hurt? Worry?
"Arre, nahi re," I said quickly, placing a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to reassure her. "Main mazaak kar raha tha, don't panic. Your notes aren't going anywhere, Frosty. They're all yours."
The words were meant to be comforting, but there was something else I didn't say—along with my heart. It was a thought that had been simmering beneath the surface for a while now, but I wasn't ready to say it out loud. Not yet.
Aditi seemed to relax a little at my words, and she started the Activa again. But my mind was racing. Why did she say 'bhi'? Was there someone else before me who had been interested in her notes—or more? Maybe it was Jai. But they had been together for a year after they changed streams. But that was over now... wasn't it?
I needed to ease the tension, to shift the focus away from whatever had just passed between us. "You didn't tell me about being so talkative with Raghav," I said, trying to sound casual.
She snapped back, her tone sharper than I expected, "Did I point out you talking to that witch Priya throughout the lessons? Even when ma'am was teaching or asking you to do questions? On the other hand, Raghav and I only talk when ma'am isn't teaching, and he only bothers me when he needs help with questions."
I blinked, taken aback by her outburst. Was she... jealous? The idea filled me with an unexpected warmth. Maybe, just maybe, she felt the same way about me as I did about her. I couldn't believe it. Could this really be happening? I wanted to jump for joy but managed to keep my cool.
"Awww, Frosty, are you jealous?" I teased, my voice soft, hoping to lighten the mood.
"Why would I be jealous?" she retorted, but there was a slight tremble in her voice, one that made me think she wasn't as unaffected as she pretended to be.
Before I could push further, we reached the bus stand. She pulled over and turned off the engine, staring straight ahead as if avoiding looking at me. I took a deep breath, knowing this might be my last chance to say what I really felt.
"Yea, why would my Frosty be jealous when she's not around me? She's in my mind. And when she is around me, I can't see anything else because all my attention is on her," I whispered, my voice low and sincere.
She didn't respond immediately, still looking straight ahead. But then, in a tone that was almost too calm, she said, "Bye," without even glancing at me.
I could see her cheeks turn pink, but there was a certain coldness in her voice that made me hesitate. I leaned in slightly, trying to catch her eye. "Look at me," I urged gently. "Else I'll think you didn't like having me over."
Finally, she turned to face me, her eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made my heart skip a beat. Her tone was cool, almost challenging, as she said, "Tu jaa raha hai ya main?"
I grinned, unable to resist the playful challenge in her voice. "Aur tum kya kar logi, batao?" I asked, my tone light.
"Pepper spray ki pichkari maar kar, marker se andha kar doongi fir," she shot back, a small smirk playing on her lips. "Look at me, look at me karte phirna."
I laughed, the sound echoing in the quiet night air. "Acha, Frosty, toh main chalta hoon," I said, pretending to be scared in a friendly way.
She finally broke into a smile, albeit a small one. "Bye. Good night," she said, her voice softer now.
I watched her ride away, feeling a strange mix of emotions—relief, excitement, confusion. As I started walking towards my house, I couldn't help but replay our conversation in my mind. Did she really feel something for me, or was I just imagining it? And what was all that about Jai? Was there something more that I didn't know about?
But as I walked, one thing became clear: I couldn't get Aditi out of my mind. She was there, in every thought, every heartbeat, making me smile for no reason at all. And I couldn't wait to see where this was going.
As I walked into the house, still replaying the evening's events with Aditi in my mind, I was greeted by the familiar hum of activity. The aroma of dinner wafted through the air, mingling with the sound of the television playing in the background. I barely had time to settle in when I heard my Chachi's voice.
"Arre, Kabir! Aaj kaafi der lag gayi, haan?" she called out, her tone dripping with playful suspicion. She was sitting on the sofa, knitting in her lap, but her eyes were twinkling with mischief. She already knew the reason behind my late return, and I could tell she was eager to tease me about it.
I tried to keep my expression neutral as I kicked off my shoes and walked over. "Haan Chachi, bas thoda late ho gaya," I replied casually, but I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks. I knew she wasn't going to let me off that easily.
She put her knitting down and leaned forward, her smile widening. "Late ho gaya ya kisi ke saath zyada time guzaar diya?"
I chuckled, shaking my head. "Chachi, please, bas tumhi ko sab kuch pata hota hai. Aapko toh sab maloom hai."
She laughed, clearly enjoying my discomfort. "Haan haan, maloom toh hai. Bas yeh dekh rahi hoon ki tum kitna batate ho." She gave me a knowing look, and I knew I was in for more teasing.
But before she could continue, little Arjun came rushing into the room, his tiny feet slapping against the floor. He stopped in front of me, his arms crossed, and gave me the biggest pout he could manage. "Bhaiya, aap mujhe kyun nahi leke gaye?" His voice was a mix of frustration and betrayal, and I suddenly felt a pang of guilt.
I knelt down to his level, trying to explain. "Arjun, wahan sirf study karne gaye the. Tum bore ho jaate."
"Nahi, mujhe jaana tha!" he insisted, stomping his foot in a way that was both cute and serious.
Just then, my mom entered the room, drying her hands on a towel. She looked at me, then at Arjun, and immediately sided with him. "Kabir, Arjun ko kyun nahi le gaye? Bechara yahan itni der se wait kar raha tha."
I sighed, knowing there was no way out of this one. "Maa, next time pakka le jaunga, okay? Promise."
"Promise?" Arjun asked, his eyes hopeful as he held out his little pinky finger.
"Promise," I said, hooking my pinky around his. The pout on his face was replaced by a wide grin, and I couldn't help but smile back at him.
Chachi, watching all of this unfold, couldn't resist one last jab. "Are koi na, kabhi kabhi Aditi ke saath time spend karna chahiye."
I shot her a look, trying to hide my grin. "Chachi, please," I said, but I couldn't keep the amusement out of my voice.
Mom caught the tail end of that and gave Chachi a questioning glance. "Kya chal raha hai yahan?" she asked, suspicious.
"Arre, kuch nahi Bhabhi, bas Kabir ki khushiyon ke baare mein baat ho rahi thi," Chachi replied with a wink, making me groan inwardly. I could see where this was going.
Mom smiled, but thankfully, she let it go. "Chalo, sab dinner table pe aao. Khana thanda ho raha hai."
As we all gathered around the dining table, the usual family banter resumed, with Arjun clambering onto the chair next to me, still eager for attention. The conversation flowed from one topic to another, with Chachi occasionally throwing in a teasing comment about Aditi that made me roll my eyes and laugh.
Despite the teasing and the usual chaos, I couldn't help but feel a warm sense of contentment. This was home—full of love, laughter, and the kind of teasing that only family could get away with. As I sat there, surrounded by the people who knew me best, I realized just how lucky I was.
But even with all that, one thought kept creeping back into my mind—the way Aditi had looked at me when she dropped me off, the blush on her cheeks when I called her "Frosty." There was something there, something unspoken between us. And as I listened to the laughter around the table, I couldn't help but wonder what the future held.
Whatever it was, I knew I'd face it with a smile—after all, I had my family, and maybe, just maybe, I had Aditi too.