7 Chapter -7 Pancakes and Dinner

I come out of the room. My face atleast washed and clear of the sweat.

He is sitting on the sofa, watching the morning share market news. His head turns slightly towards me. The chocolate pancakes are properly garnished and plated with chocolate cyrup on the table.

He waves at me and mutes the news. I sit on the sofa beside him.

He gets up from the sofa and brings Ben and Jerry's vanilla ice cream. Scooping it perfectly and placing it on top of my pancake. He hands over the plate to me.

I smile at him, the smell of chocolate, vanilla and pancakes. I feel like already forgiving him.

I take a spoonful of both in my mouth. It taste heavenly. The groan comes automatically out of my mouth. " It's so delicious, thank you."

He gives me a smile. Not the fake ones he give to his business partners and company heads. A real real smile. A smile which warms up my heart.

All my anger towards him subdues.

I sigh and move my spoon towards his mouth as an offering of peace. And his smile shows, he knows. He opens his mouth and licks it off.

I sit straight. " Why can't I make such fluffy and good pancakes like you."

He takes the spoon from my hand, and takes a spoonful of pancake and ice cream from my plate and offers it to me. I open my mouth and close my eyes because of the burst of flavours.

" Because I can make for you. " he answers.

" Yeah. And you make good."

" You are going to sunday cricket match with me and your father. Don't make any other plans."

" Okay. " I say eating and avoiding his eyes. I can't even look at him. Because I know what he is thinking.

" So you won't say yes. "

Here it is.

" No Kiyansh."

" May I ask why?"

I sigh. " Because you don't love me. And you just can't expect me to marry you. Because Sahana broke up with you."

" Why do you keep bringing her into this. I am not proposing you because of her."

" First of all you are not proposing me you are ordering me. Second of all, if you would have been in relationship with her would you be asking for marriage with me?"

" Okay. Do you know how do I know that I did not really love her. I liked her? Because I never once imagined marriage with her. I didn't. But with you, it's real. I can see you with me, with my family. And you don't have anyone else with you right? Not since that asshole. Who can be better for you than me."

I want to strike the plate on his egoistic head. So I say the thing which would irritate him. " Oh someone like Ahan. He seemed nice yesterday. "

In one second I see red in his face. " Do not talk about that shit. "

" He's no shit. "

He nods his head as if he got a puzzle right. Suddenly I see a gleam on his face. A dangerous smirking gleam. " Ahan isn't it?"

Oh my God. " No Kiyansh. No"

" Oh why not? He isn't shit right. We'll see. "

" If anything happens to his career and I mean anything. We are done. I promise you Kiyansh we are done. "

He stills. " Is he important to you that much? "

I wanna shout at him. And tell him. No he isn't important like that. No one can be important like that except him. Sometimes I feel like I am dealing with a kid. A stubborn irritating kid. I remember some days when we were kids, Kiyansh swore to not come out from his room for a week. I was the only one whom he let enter in his room.

" No Kiyansh he isn't. Not like that. But he is a nice person and you should respect that. He was a gentleman yesterday. "

"What did he do be a gentleman? Aren't I a gentleman? "

" No you are not. " I answer him bluntly.

" But you are more important to me than him. So you'll listen to me and not be stubborn. He doesn't have to do anything with me saying no to marriage. I have a career to take care of. My one movie is in editing process and I am in Delhi just to write script."

Lies. I would have said yes if you would have really loved me. I don't want to just be another girl for you. Atleast then I get be your best friend, I don't want to lose that.

" So I see, you have made points which can be solved." Before I can say anything else. He adds " you know me enough to know I don't give up. Specially not on you." And he smiles.

And the memories of one of the most beautiful day of my life invades my head. It's stark clear in my head. As beautiful as the juliet rose in his family home. I remember crying on my parents yard. Covered in dirt. Searching for Charlie, my pet rat. And I remember that small cute kid with brown hair and brown eyes. Crouching down in front of me. And asking me why I was crying. I remember yelling at him to go. That I didn't wanna talk to him. To anyone but Charlie. And I remember him covered in sand searching for Charlie with me whole afternoon till evening. When I cried he refused to go home with his parents and promised me when everybody would fall asleep we'll search again. And when that night we did. Charlie magically appeared in our yard. And from that day, I got myself the best, best friend in the world.

" We are not kids anymore." I sigh.

His phone rings. He motions one second to me and picks up the call. " Yeah, I'll see you in the meeting. Oh they gave up. You know how I can make people listen to me. Don't worry we'll win in the end. " All while talking on the phone, his eyes points at me.

I feel try to not look at him, knowing his talk is somehow directed at me too.

" Yeah." He says and cuts the call. " I have to go in a meeting. See you evening? "

" I am writing my script. " I quip.

He raises his eyebrows but doesn't say anything.

He heads towards the door and opens it turning towards me. " Finish your pancake. " He orders and closes the door behind him.

I miss his presence instantly. I put on Netflix and start watching Money Heist to deviate my mind off him.

It's afternoon when I am in the middle of my script when my mind doesn't want to cooperate with me. I almost bite myself dur to frustation, so I shift my notes and pages away. And just lie on the bed staring at the wall. When I feel like I have stared enough to poke a hole on the ceiling , I gather up the courage and get up cartwheeling to the kitchen, it's fun.

" What should I eat? " I say out loud to myself. The instant my phone rings. Groaning I pick it up from my bed.

Mom. It says.

I know if I don't pick up she'll continue to call. So I pick it up. " Hi mom."

" Hiii Shanvi, how are you kiddo? " My mother calls me that when she is on full mode wanting something from me.

" Mom what do you want"

" Huh what?" she gasps as if I have said the most ridiculous thing in the world. But then I hear the smile in her voice, " okay okay you win. Come to Maya' s home for dinner today, she wants you to have proper dinner with them. She feels as if you ran from that party because you were uncomfortable yesterday. "

" Mom I have script to write. And I did not ran from the party. Something urgent came up. " Like Kiyansh suddenly proposed to me so I ran away. And I don't want to be near Kiyansh right now. And I know Mrs. Singhania will invite him too if she's inviting me. That's the tradition, so No.

But I can't tell that to Mom. She'll go berserk.

" Shanvi Maya is so worried , you know how she is. And since that seen with girl Sahana she is bothered even more. On top of that, you ran away from that party so..."

" Mom." I gasp, " did you just tell Mrs. Singhania about Sahana?"

" Ofcourse not. " She says in hard tone.

" You know our secret is ours. Gotta go kiddo , people are waiting. She'll be calling you soon I guess. Think about her."

I sigh. Emotional blackmail. We all have been pretty serious regarding Mrs. Singhania's emotions since she has had brain tumour. Even though it's fine right now. But from time to time she has to go to the doctor's and gets panic and anxiety attacks because of that. Just as I am thinking about her, my phone rings and her caller id shows up.

" Hello Mrs. Singhania. " I smile.

" I have always told you to stop calling me that. It sounds so formal. How are you? " She says in her kind voice.

I love that about her. She is so different from her husband and my mother. My mother is strong resilient believe ms in action. But Mrs. Singhania is completely opposite almost like my father kind, emotional, caring.

" I am good. Tell me about you? "

" Oh I am good too." There's a pause as if she's thinking about it but I already know. So I wait. " Would you like to come for dinner Shanvi , if I am not bothering you, I mean." She asks so softly, so hesitantly as if it bothering her.

My mother was right, so I say " Ofcourse. But I want your handmade cheese macaroni. " I say to lighten up her mood.

" Oh Yes, yes ofcourse, anything you say" she says in a flustered and happy voice.

" Okay ,see you at the dinner. "

" See you " she chirps and cuts the phone.

"He's going to be there. He's going to be there. " I murmur to myself when I am dressing up in the evening for dinner. I chose a violet silk satin bow top and a plane black denim. I wear my white vans. And then call up my editing team in Mumbai to check upon the process. I don't realise as an hour passes and I get Ashraf Kaka's call.

" Okay, it all seems good. Inform me out on the teaser cut as soon as it happens. And the film cuts are good. Bye. " I wave at them then close my laptop. Picking up the call and informing Ashraf Kaka that

I' ll be down in a minute.

I sigh and look in the mirror my blue eyes stare right back at me. I inhale a deep breath then exhale. " You can do it. " I say to myself and head down.

Ashraf Kaka doesn't say much when I am in the car with him. Just as we are about to reach. He clears his throat and croaks a small " thank you" at me.

" Hey kaka, Thank You. It wasn't your fault that day you know. It wasn't. It's okay. " I say and he just shakes his head.

" If only I did not go that washroom that day. I am sorry. " He says in a pained voice.

" Kaka No. " I sigh and think about that day. If only had not Ashraf Kaka came on time. I shake my head to clear out that image and manage a smile. " But you came on time and saved me right. So it's all okay. "

He sighs and drops me at the house. I smile instantly when I see the juliet roses on the pavement. Even though it's dark, the light underneath sparkles it like magic. I move through the wooden styled barn gate and smile when I reach the giant open doors to the living room where my parents, and Kiyansh's parents are sitting. Thank God he is not here.

Everyone's head turn in my direction and at once they all smile at me. I feel happiness bubble inside me and I smile back at them. " Come Come " Mrs. Singhania stands and gestures me to come where everybody is sitting on the sofa.

I pass the wooden floor and hug her. Her cinnamon cloudy perfumes smells good. And she looks beautiful in casual denim jeans and white top.

" Now me " my father stands up from the sofa excitedly opening his arms.

" You sit down. " My mother says dragging my father down from the waist of his jeans. " Behaving like a kid." My mother scoffs at him. And my father's gapes at her in childish anger. Everyone laughs.

" Oh he's here." Mrs. Singhania says and without turning my head I know whom she is taking about.

My breath falters when he comes and stand beside me, in a three peice blue suit. His gold cuff links shimmer just like his eyes. And I try to maintain neutral breathing when he gives me a soft smile. " Mother" he says and kisses Mrs. Singhania on cheeks. "Father " he nods his head. And shakes hand with my parents.

" Both of you sit, sit." his mother softly pushes us on the leather futon sofa under the enormous chandelier. He sits beside me and turns towards me eyeing me with curiousity. " I thought you weren't free. "

" For you. " I add.

He shakes his head as if I just told a joke.

" You have become a stubborn baby. "

" What? " I can't stop the heat flaring on my cheeks. Did he just call me baby?

" So you like me calling you that. Note taken. "

" Shut up. " I literally want to shove at him but I remember we have company. Shit. Did they just listen to us?

But as I turn my head. Our parents are busy talking to each other. I exhale. Thank God.

" Have some wine Shanvi." Mrs. Singhania gestures towards a server holding a tray with flutes of wine.

" She likes watermelon juice." Kiyansh announces from behind me.

" Oh oh sorry I forgot. " Mrs. Singhania stands up and takes the tray from server putting it on the table. "Bring her a glass of watermelon juice." She smiles at him.

" Don't bother. It's fine. I will have a glass of wine. "

" She'll take juice." He says taking the glass of wine from my hands and putting it on the table.

Everyone stares at us. Then the server flusteredly walks away from the living room. Everyone continues to stare maybe wondering what the heck did just happen. But I know he is doing it to irritate me. So I just smile at everyone.

" He is in the bother mood today. " I exclaim and everyone just laughs. Continuing with their previous talk.

I listen bits of conversation between our parents while trying to focus on drinking the watermelon juice. They are talking about some takeover from a company in spain. As I am drinking the watermelon juice I am side glaring at Kiyansh who just smirks at me.

My phone rings and I see the caller id.

Sahana.

I look at him. And his eyes is on my phone. Just to get back at him. I pick up her phone and excuse myself. He gets up with me before I can argue. So I pretend to ignore him and gesture at my phone to our families and move out toward the swing beside the garden.

" Hello " I say.

" Oh thank God you picked up my phone. I thought you won't. "

I don't know what to say to her. But I feel a bubble of anger rise up inside me.

" What do you want Sahana ? " I ask her directly. Just at the same time. Irritated Kiyansh finds me.

I can't comprehend the reaction on his face. But I know for sure he is irritated. I almost feel guilty for picking up her call.

From the other end, Sahana starts blabbering up about how much sorry she is , and how she can't sleep. At the end she says, " would you talk with him for me please. Please Shanvi." I feel angry at her. At him.

" I am not talking to anyone. It's between you both. You both solve it or not. " Just as she is trying to say something , I interrupt her, she hurt him and I won't forgive her for that. Even though I know what I am saying will only add up to the ego of the stupid beautiful man standing in front of me. But I feel relieved when I hear myself saying, " You don't deserve him." And I cut the call.

A ghost of smile passes on his lips but he continues to stare at me. I shake my head at him and drag him inside where the dinner is set shushing him when he opens his mouth.