18 16. The flying cockroach

SID'S POINT OF VEW

The chain I gifted Preeti, it looked more beautiful on her than a showroom. Today she cooked one of my favorite Indian brunch. Keerti must be told her about that.

After mummy, keerti and Neeta maa left to the market Siddharth and Anshul start decorating fairy lights on the roof. I was in the lawn, collecting flowers and leaves for the garlands.

I really love to do the preparation for Diwali. This is my favorite festival. I mean who don't love making rangoli, garlands and decorate the whole house with lights, flowers and candles.

I took a needle and white thread and started making flowers Garland.

In whole family mummy is closed to me. We don't share relationship where I can share my thoughts with her but she is always there for me when I failed in any exam or papa scolded me without any reason.

I never share my thoughts with anyone and no one like to share their thoughts with me or they thought I am not mature enough to give any kind of advice to anyone. So I make my distance to anyone. I am self reserved kind of person.

My family loves me and I love them too but at some point I find myself alone. May be the lack of confidence or I didn't do anything to make them noticed me like Shivani di and Anshul.

No one knows how hard my high school for me. No one knows I got bullied with my own cousin and her friends. No one knows what happened with me at my prom. No one knows how it's feel to being judged without doing anything wrong.

No one knows how much I cried when I watched '13 reasons why' when I found myself at Henna Baker. How my high school affect my college life and may be my whole life.

No one knows these sides of my life, not even kshama. I don't want to share this to anyone.

I was very embarrassed when mummy scolded me in front of Siddharth. What will he think about me that I forgot such a small thing. This is the first time when I encouraged myself to like someone who may be like me the same way as I like him. When we talked first time and he told me everything about him without caring that I could be judge him. I liked his honesty and I don't know why I feel like Siddharth will not judge me for my stupidity.

But I don't know what will he think after today. I facepalmed myself and groan.

"Preeti...Preeti..." My chain of thoughts broke by Anshul when he shouted my name from terrace.

"What..?" I replied from lawn while piecing the flower and slide it down on thread.

"Come to the backyard.." He shouted again from the tarrice.

I put garlands on the table and walk to the backyard pf our house. I looked up from the ground. Siddharth is standing beside Anshul. He was leaning to the railing while putting his both hands on it and looked at me.

We both looked at eachother. Our eyes locked holding each other's gaze. His face glowing more under the sunlight. I don't know how longer we both looked at each other until Anshul called me again.

"Preeti...Preeti" Anshul shouted my name.

I looked at him with a jerk.

"Huh..what.." That was all I managed to say.

"Where are you looking at. You can drool Sid jiju later." Blood rushed to my face.

He caught me red handed. This is so embarrassing.

hhhuuuhhh....

Siddharth turn his back to me to hide his smile.

"I'm going to switch on the lights and tell me which one isn't glowing." He said to me and then went to switched on the light.

Siddharth turned his face again to my side and looked at me but this time I tried hard not look at him but his gaze boring holes in me.

Few minutes later lights glow. Anshul walked back to the railing and looked at the lights.

"Which one...?" Anshul asked me.

"Third one from your left side and last from right side." I said looking at the lights.

"okey." Anshul said.

I look at Sid and he is also looking at me but I turn my gaze because I know if one more minute I looked into his eyes I got lost in them. His eyes are so deep and intense that anyone could be get lost in them easily. So I leave from there immediately.

........................................................................

There is always a thought in my mind what will Siddharth think about me when he came to know about my high school. Will he also judge me like everyone or will he understand me.

I know one day I have to tell him everything and I want to tell him. He didn't hide anything from me and I also wants to tell everything about me. He is my life partner and he deserves to know that but not now, may be after marriage I will tell him. We both are in a initial stage of our relationship. We didn't even talked properly.

There is a lot of things which I didn't know about him and he doesn't also know about. I want to understand him, what he likes, what's he hates everything about him.

I like him may be more then like. I think I am falling for him. I know it's too early to say anything but my heart wants me to fall for him without thinking much. The way he look at me, my soul shakes every time.

I was in a lawn arranging garlands when I feel his presence beside me. He started fledging with garlands.

Neither he said anything nor I spoke. There is a comfortable silence between us. We stood there for sometime.

Sometimes he looked at me like he can directly look into my soul and can touch my spirit. It feels like he understand me without me saying anything. Sometimes he let me read him without saying a single word. I feel protected and safe around him.

"Maa always complaint to dad that he didn't give much time to her. Keerti and I are also busy in our works. It's been a long time when we all went for a holiday. Coming here and celebrate Diwali with you it's like a family vacation for us.....Thank You.." Siddharth whispered.

I turn my head and looked at him, he is already looking at me with unknown emotion which gave me a warm feelings.

How could a person gave me a credit of his happiness. He gave m a lots of credit, which I think I don't deserve. I didn't do anything to deserve his Thank you. Every time he makes me feel special. No one did that before me. This is all new for me. I don't know what to say. I don't have any words. So I just keep quit and gave him a small smile.

"Can I ask you something? " I asked him while fledging with my Garland.

We both our talking in a very low voice that it just came out in a whisper. Only we could hear our conversation.

"You can ask me anything. You don't need my permission. You are my life partner Preeti and you have every right to ask me anything. " He said.

I look at him and he is also looking at me. He respects me. He respects everything between us and a girl wants a respect from her husband which Siddharth is giving me. He make happy without realizing.

I turn my attention again to the Garlands.

I don't know how to ask him. I feel very nervous., but these questions are eating my head.

"Why had you say yes to me for marriage. I mean you live in New York. You studied in the top most business school, and you have a good looks that any girl would ready to marry you then why me? Why do you want to marry me, a simple ordinary Indian girl." I whisper while lowering my head.

I regret asking him. I should not ask him this. But it's too late to take my words back.

"Maybe you are a simple ordinary girl but you are the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. I said 'yes' to you because you are the first girl who understand me in a very first meeting. May be those girls are beautiful but they are not you." Siddharth said in a very low voice.

I looked at him with a jerk and he looked at me. Our gazed locked to each other. His eyes are looking deep pike a ocean and I want to drawn myself in them.

"Thankyou.." I whispered while looking down at the garlands.

"for what.."He asked me while looking at me.

"For giving me such respect." I said and turned my head to look at him.

"I said the truth Preeti Which I feel from my heart." He whispered looking deep in my eyes.

My cheeks turned into red shade and I smiled looking at him.

"Can I ask you something Preeti?" He asked me.

I nodded my head as yes.

"Don't you have any boyfriend in past." He asked me.

I didn't say anything just keep looking at the garlands and fledging with them. I wanted to tell him that he is first person I have very strong feelings.

"You are beautiful and it's hard to believe that you were not in a relationship in past. Boys must be head over heels for you." He asked me mischievously.

I shaked my head as 'no'. I think I should tell him about my crush in school. He told me everything about him and it's my time to tell him.

"I had not have any boyfriend in past but I had a crush on a boy. He was in my school." I said and took a deep breath for calming my heart beat when I remember that incident.

"You had not ask him to go out or to be your boyfriend." He asked me mischievously.

I can see his smile at the corner of my eyes.

"I was very shy to ask him but he found out."I said him with a serious face.

That was one of horrible day of my life.

"Then what he did?" Siddharth asked me seriously when he looked at my serious face.

The mischievousness in his eyes gone and he looked at me to say further.

"My cousin is in same grade of mine and she was his girlfriend. She found out my crush for him and told him everything. He made fun of me in front of whole class and said that I'm not beautiful enough for him." I controlled my tears.

He fisted his hand but didn't said anything listening me carefully waiting for me to continue. I keep looking down on the garlands.

"Later my cousin told everything to my parents with few fake stories. No one believed me. That day I got a slap from my mother." I said while fisting a flower garland in my hand tightly, try to control my tears.

It's really don't matter me now but I always got bullied for that and I am used to hear that I'm not beautiful.

I turned my head to look at Siddharth. His jaw is clenched and his hands are balled in a tight fist. When he noticed I am looking at him. His eyes soften and he looked at me with sadness in his eyes.

"Did anyone found out the truth?" He asked me still looking furious.

"No one talked about it after that day and I also didn't want to discuss it with anyone." I said while shaking my head as 'no'.

"But I'm happy he rejected me otherwise I could not get a handsome husband." I said try to change the topic.

"Trust me..He was really a bad choice. Later I found out he didn't even shower for days." I said and chuckled softly.

Siddharth also chuckled but I can see he is hiding his anger behind his smile.

"So you find me Handsome..huh.." He asked me mischievously.

I looked at him with wide eyes. blushed and turn my head to the other side to hide my blush. I took my lower lip between my teeth to hide my blushing smile.

It's true he is most handsome man I had ever seen and I am happy he has a kind heart too. I clutch the flower garland to control my blush.

"Aaahhh..." I winced in pain when a needle pierced in my fore finger.

A drop of blood came out from my finger.

"What happened..?" Siddharth asked me while coming closer to me.

He is looking at me with concern.

"Nothing..needle pierced in my forefinger." I said while pressuring the skin on tip of my forefinger and more blood came out from it.

He took my hand and looked at my finger. I gasped when he put my finger in his mouth and sucked it while looking directly into my eyes. His tongue is feeling hot and wet on my finger.

My heart is beating fast and blood rushed to my face. He keep looking at me and didn't even blink while sucking the tip of my finger.

After a while he let go of my finger and looked at me intensively. My lips parted a little and his eyes fell on my lips. He looked at my lips and then my eyes.

I turn to the other side when didn't took his intense gaze more. My heart is beating with its maximum pace and it's feel like my heart is going to explode in any moment.

He came closer to me decreasing distance between us. He is only few inches away from me. I lowered my head and looked down. He make me turn by my shoulders to face him and lifted my chin with his forefinger.

My heart beat increased rapidly ready to come out from my chest and my face is all beetroot red due to the blush. There is silence around of us that I can hear his heart beat too. His heart is also beating faster like mine.

He moved his hand from my shoulder to my arms and put his both hands on my waist and pulled me closer to him by my waist that our foreheads are almost touched.

A gasped escaped from my mouth and I put my both hands on his shoulder to balance myself. My eyelids are lower because I can't afford to looked into his deep intense eyes. My knees are becoming week under his touch and I only standing due to his support.

He started leaning in and my heart started running in marathon as the distance between our faces are decreasing.

Siddharth leaned more and I took a sharp breath when I feel his lips on my right cheek. He kissed me on my right cheek. His lips felt so soft against my skin.

"You are most beautiful girl Preeti. " He whispered in my ear and took my earlobe between his mouth and give it a light suck before letting it go.

That's it...

I could not take it more and I hugged him tightly and hide my face in the crook of his neck. He hugged me back and hide his head in the crook of neck. His heart thumping very fast like mine. It feels so good to be so close to him. It feels like my whole world is in his arms. I feel protected and carefree.

We both stood there for sometime holding each other closely in each other arms.

We both jerked apart when we heard sounds of footsteps coming towards us.

"Someone is coming, I should go." saying this I ran away from there leaving Siddharth standing there alone.

I looked back and Siddharth was smiling to himself. My lips curled into a smile and I walked towards the kitchen.

After leaving Siddharth standing in a lawn, I came to kitchen. Smile did not leave from my face. I'm all red because of his previous act.

When I told him about my crush on a boy from high school I saw jealousy in his eyes but when I told him whole incident I saw concern in his eyes. The look his eyes hold for me is not a jealous, it was a look he wanted to be there with me, to protect me from the heartless people.

I looked at my engagement ring and kissed on it. First time he hugged me, I can feel his arms around me till now. All these feelings are new to me, I can see the respect in Siddharth's eyes hold for me whenever he look at me. He make me feel that way which I never felt to anyone before.

I was grinning when my eyes fall on the wall clock and it shows 5:00 p.m of the evening.

Oh! shit. Mummy will be going to kill me. It's already evening and didn't start the process of sweets.

........................................................................

It took me two and a half hour to make all sweets. I made kaju barfi, gulab jamun, mung dal halwa (pudding ),and chocolate barfi. It's already a dinner time so I started doing preparations for dinner.

Papa and Akhil dad already came from the shop and sitting in the living room. Mummy, Neeta maa and Keerti also came from market and sit in living room with everyone. Keerti heping Anshul and Siddharth to decorate the house.

Fairy lights are shining outside our house which Anshul and Siddharth put at evening and now our backyard and front yard is illuminating under the fairy lights. Our house is little bigger then our neighbors because having front yard with backyard also is difficult to find in this locality. My tau ji (paternal uncle)helped Papa to build the house in this locality.

I took out a salt box from the rack and tried open the lid but it seems stuck. I sandwich the box between my stomach and arm and tried to circulate its lid around the cap rings. My jaw is clenching when I tried again but it's all gone in vain.

I turned towards the kitchen gate, still focused to open the salt lid.

"Do you need help?" I jumped on my place and hasped escaped from my mouth when I heard his voice.

Siddharth is standing in front of me with all his glory. Blood immediately rushed to my face and heat was coming out from face. I didn't even hear his footsteps coming inside the kitchen.

"May I.." He asked while pointed his finger on salt box.

I looked at the salt box and then him. My mind stops working whenever we both breath in a same air and my heart started running in a marathon, this kind of a effect he has on me.

I came to my senses back and stretched my hand forward to give him the salt box. He took the box from me opened it without any effort that it makes me doubt on my strength. His eyes were on me when he opened the lid easily, boring holes in my skin.

"Thankyou.." I whispered while taking the box from him when he stretched his hand to give it back to me.

At my peripheral vision I saw his lips curled up into a very small yet beautiful smile. I could miss it if I didn't focus.

I turned to the kitchen counter and put the salt box aside. He is still in the kitchen. I could feel his presence at my right side.

To divert my attention from him I took the tomato from the basket and started chopping it in round shape for a salad.

I know he looking at me right now. I can feel his heated gaze on me. His eyes are following every action of mine.

We were alone in the kitchen. I didn't dare look at his side because whenever he looked at me with his those deep eyes my mind stops working and I am too shy to match his gaze because of our intimate session at lawn.

He is just a few steps away from me and his eyes are still on me.

"Water.." He whispered coming close to me.

"huh.." I looked at him like a stupid.

"Can I get water..Please. " He said a simple sentence to me and I blushed that hard, I wonder what will happen to me when he will do many things to me except talking.

Hell Preeti... how could you think like that. Pull your mind out of the gutter. Since when you started thinking that way.

I took a glass from dish rack and fill it with water. I stretched my hand to give him the glass. He took glass from me and in that process our hands brushed to each other. A wave of spark pass through my spin when his skin brushed to mine.

Our eyes met and and we both lost in our own world. I looked deep into his deep coffee brown eyes and I can see my reflection in it. It's just not the eyes meeting it was like our lips our sealed and we both our talking each other through our hearts. It is so easy for me to get lost in his coffee brown eyes. They are so beautiful and so deep that anyone wants to sink in them.

"You both never leaves a chance to be alone huh.." Keerti siad with a smirk.

Our gaze broken when we heard keerti's voice. Our heads snapped to her direction and she was looking at both of us with a mischievous look.

Siddharth and I looked at eachother again then lowered my eyelids and looked down.

"What do you want Keerti..?" Siddharth asked her with a glare and drink a water from his glass.

"She doesn't want anything Sid, I send her to call Preeti, we want to spend some time with Preeti. Only this is the time to get to know her batter because after marriage you will not let her leave the room for months doing dirty stuff and busy to give me a grandchildren." Neeta maa said with a smirk.

My head snapped to Neeta maa as soon as the sentence leave from her mouth.

Siddharth chocked on a water. I looked down and blushed hard due to embarrassment.

"Maa.." He said little bit loudly when he get back his breath again.

His ears turned into a red shade going down to his neck like mine but mine was darker than him. He is also blushing with Neeta Maa's bold comment.

"what..?"

Maa said like he didn't say anything to put Siddharth and I in embarrassment state and shrugged her shoulders.

"huugghh...you are unbelievable." Siddharth groaned and looked at Neeta maa and Keerti with his fake glare.

I looked here and there except any of them tried to hide my embarrassed yet blushed face and ran from there.

Oh! god, Is this day could be more embarrassed.No, not a chance.

My family never been so happy before as they are now.

heck! I had never been felt so happy like now.

I know at first I don't want to marry but seeing Preeti's photo I want to marry her that instant. Because she is first girl I felt different after long time. At first it was her picture I fell for but when I came to India to meet her about our marriage proposal, I fell for her inner beauty. I fell for her heart.

She is the first girl I felt a urge to know her more. She is the first I want to give priority before my career. I want her beside me when I will in my way to achieve my dreams. I want to be the one with whom she can share her dreams. I want to be the reason when she can feel carefree under me. I want be the one who fill vermillion in her hair and be my wife. I want to be the father of her kids.

Our kids...

I alway want to become a pop star but when I see dad working hard to spread our business I wanted to help him. So when I was only in eleventh grade I started get training in our factories, in a very young age. I wanted to ease the burden from Dad's shoulders. I studied hard and got admission into a top business school in London.

Sure, I was a playboy in my high school and college but I never let any girl come between me and my career. I never dated anyone they were just a one night stands or holiday flings. But I always make sure not to hurt anyone's feelings. I respects women and I will always do because this is what my parents taught me.

I was so dedicated to my career that I don't want anyone's disturbance in my life. But Preeti is different. When it comes to her it felt easy to achieve my goals.

When I first saw her in a picture I was mesmerized by her beauty. I always curious how is that possible that boys didn't get into their knees to make her their girlfriend.

Hell..to them I will break their 32 teenth if someone tried to get closed to her.

I felt a ping of jealousy just a thought of her with another guy which was not me.

But I was always curious that how Preeti had not have any relationship before. It's not like that I have any problem with that but I just wonder how a girl like Preeti,who is so innocent, so pure, so naive to her own good, any boy could be had over heel for her, didn't try to get into a relationship with her.

But when she told me about her crush in school, I was shocked that how could a boy not fall for her innocence. felt anger and fisted my hand when she told me that boy made fun on her infront of whole class and embarrassed her. I wanted to beat the shit out of him if I met him in a future, not because he rejected her, because to humiliate her in front of whole class. How could her own cousin wanted to humiliate her and got her slapped with her own mother.

I want to let Preeti Know that she is the most beautiful girl in the world. I want to tell her that she is the reason behind my fasten heartbeat. Every time I saw her, my heart skipped many heartbeats, my eyes just wanted to see her and try to reach her soul. I want make her feel special and wants to show that how is she important in my life.

These are the most beautiful moments in my life. I do not want to ruin these moments. This is so pure and so innocent.

My eyes fell on her picture, hanging on the wall. She is looking like a goddess in white saree. But I didn't ignore the hurt look on her face when she was looking at this picture. I can see she was holding her tears back like something bad memory was related to this picture and I want to know what was that.

I was laying on her bed looking at her one and only picture. There are few more pictures but they are of her family.

Her room is simple, not a girly type that anyone can adjust here without difficulty. She is evey where in the room. This room is filled with her scent that makes me helps to sleep in night. It feels like she is sleeping beside me, in my arms. I don't know how these days passed without her and she will be finally my wife and sleeps beside me, in my arms, every night.

I took out my phone and looked at the phone background of my phone. It has her picture. It's from our engagement. She was looking adorable in golden lehenga. I got up from the bed and walked to the wall where her picture was hanging.

I turned on the camera of my phone and and clicked the photo of her picture. Now I also had this picture of her in my phone.

I know it's creepy but I can't help it. She is looking adorable in white saree.

I was grinning looking at her picture when I saw my picture on the bedside table. I was wearing a black suit in it.

Whenever I looked at my picture there I feel so happy. She kept my picture on her bedside table means she also missed me after our engagement. When i was away from her and can't able to phone her because I don't have her contact number. Which is I still don't have.

I wanted your phone no. Preeti. I wanted to talk to you and text you at nights and this time I will get your no. anyhow tomorrow morning.

No, I can't wait for morning. I wanted to talk to her now. I wanted to see her now. I wanted to know her more.

........................................................................

Preeti's point of view

I and Keerti are in our room. I was studying for my promotion and Keerti doing some work in her laptop.

It's 11:00 P.m of night and we both are in our pj's. I wore a white crop top with spaghetti step with matching pajama and keerti wore a blue nighty. Sleep is nowhere in our eyes so I decided to study and Keerti decided to watch some web series.

"You look cute bhabhi on those spectacles." Keerti said while gesturing to my spectacles.

I gave her a smile while solving my question.

"I know..but they irritate me sometime." I said looking at her.

"Why..? You don't like them, bhabhi?" she asked me.

"I do.. but I hate when someone call me double battery or chashmish." I said with annoying face.

"Aww..That's cute.." keerti cooed.

knock..knock..

Someone knocked at the door..

"come in it's open." Keerti said.

Anshul barg into the room.

"hii..Keerti.. hii battery.." He said.

I frown and said, "Why can't you just call me by my name."

I narrowed my eyes on him.

"I just called you by your real name." he smirked.

I frown in irritation. Keerti laughed by holding her stomach.

"Watching your siblings fight, is really fun." Keerti said between her laugh.

"What do you want? " I asked him annoyingly.

"Give me your earphone, I need them." He said.

"Why do you want them?" I asked

"I need to attend online lecture of my class."he said while sitting on the bed.

"It's your holiday right.. then why are you studying." I asked while putting my hand on my waist.

"Wowowo..I become a doctor soon women. I need to study hard." He said in a dramatic way.

"I don't give it to you. I gave my new airpods to you last time and you didn't give them back to me. So No, a big fat no." I said.

"So you are not giving to me?" He asked.

I shake my head as "No."

"Think once again." He smirked at me

"No, I don't give them to you. What will you do huh.."

"If you don't give your earphone to me then I will tell all your funny names and all your secrets to Sid jiju" he smirked at me.

Coloured from my face is faded and I looked at him with my horrific eyes. From which life he is taking a revenge from me.

"No, you are not going to do such things." I looked at him with wide eyes.

"Watch me.."

"Hugh.. fine.." I groaned in anger.

I gave my earphone to him.

"Okay sister..bye for now..if I need anything I will annoy you again..bye keerti." he said while walking towards the door.

"You guys are such a fun." Keerti said between her laugh.

"He is annoying." I pick my book again from the table and start reading again after closing the door.

Knock...knock...

"I think he wants something again." Keerti said.

"Yeah..I think so,..Now what he want." I said while opening the door.

I was shocked to see Siddhartha standing at my room's door all fresh and handsome.

I always wonder how he always manage to look all fresh and handsome even in night.

He looked at me from head to toe. I followed his gaze. His eyes move from my eyes to my lips, followed by my bare neck, my breast and then my navel and back to my lips. I feel shy under his heated gaze and I bit my lower lip unconsciously. His eyes never leave from my lips and He gulped a lump under his throat and my eyes followed his adam apple movement. He checked my every single movement and drooling me openly.

"Hey..." I said disturbing his gaze.

"Hey.. What are you doing?" he asked me in a soft and firm voice.

"Noting.. just study."

"Sorry..for disturbing. " he said very politely.

"No..I just finished it." I lied.

He nodded. Silence crept between us. None of of us said anything for sometime.

"You want something?" I broke the silence.

"Yeah..actually I want to ask you something." He said.

"Yes.." I said.

"Actually preeti.."

"I want..I " he looked here and there try to find words to put in a sentence.

"I want.. I want your..." he hesitated.

He took a deep breath and sings deeply.

"Preeti.. can i have your contact number?" He whispered looking into my eyes.

"I could ask keerti and Maa but they teased me to death so i don't ask them." He said and looked apologetic.

I nodded my head in understanding and gave him a small smile.

He forward his mobile phone to me. I take it and type my mobile number in it and then give back to him. We both standing there looking at each other.

"Ooho... bhayi you don't have patience to see bhabhi in morning. If you are like this before marriage then what will happen to you after marriage." Keerti teased him.

Siddharth glared at her.

"What.. why are you looking me like that?" Keerti said with confident.

"Bye the way, what are you doing here at this time." She asked putting her hand on her waist.

"Wo..Actually..I want..I want" siddharth stammering.

"He need a mobile charger.." I cut him off in mid sentence.

Siddharth looked at me, I looked at him also.

"yeah charger....I need a charger, mine isn't working. " He said and gave me a smile.

"Oh! I don't think so.." keerti narrowed her eyes to him. Sid gave her a glare.

I went inside the room and took my charger from socket board near the bed and walked towards the door.

"Here.." I said while giving him to a mobile charger.

He took a charger from me and looked at me.

"I think I should go." He said while stretching his lips jn a thin line.

"Yeah.." I said looking at his beautiful face.

"So... good night. " Siddharth said looking at me.

"Good night..." I replied and closed the door slowly.

I lean back to the door and try to calm my heart beats which is beating insanely. A smile came on my face to recall conversation between I and Siddharth. He came to my room at this time to ask my contact number. I think he is restless like me.

I don't know what's this feeling is. This is not just liking this is more than that and I really like this feeling. I wanted to feel this feeling every minute and every second.

After Siddharth leave I closed my book and lay down on the bed.

........................................................................

Next day went in a blur doing all house chores. I didn't get a time to sit for a minute and didn't even realize when evening has come. Mummy gave me so much work that whole day took me to finished it.

Everyone is sitting in a lawn playing cards and caram except Siddharth and I. He is in his room doing some office work in his laptop. Who works that much in their holidays. He is in his vacations and but it seems like he can't leave without his work. He locked himself in his room since morning. I didn't even have a single glimpse of him. Well it's not totally his fault I was also busy in my work that I also don't have a time to raise my head from work.

I took Anshul's wet shirt from the laundry bucket and spread it on the aluminum string for dry under sun. Well it's evening now but I don't get a time to do laundry before.

I picked the next shirt and it was Siddharth's. My mind automatically drifted in his thoughts.

Last night he came to my room especially asking me of my Phone number. Even at night he was looking fresh and handsome. The way he is ogling me from head to toe in my night dress, it gave a chill to my whole body. He is doing different things to me which I never felt before.

I sniffed his shirt and closed my eyes in delight when his fainted cologne hit my nostrils. Though it washed but it still have his fainted sent in it.

What are you doing to me Siddharth?

"Preeti...Preeti.." I heard mummy voice. She is calling me from downstairs.

"Yes mummy coming.." I hurriedly yet carefully spread Siddharth on aluminum string along with his others clothes and walked towards the stairs.

As I come closed to Siddharth's room, the door of the room suddenly opened and Siddharth stepped outside from the room.

I halted in my steps and looked at me. He turned his face to me and our eyes met.

I am seeing him after hours and it felt like it's been a while since we both had seen each other. Non of us said anything just keep looking each other and talked through our eyes. My heart is beating fast and I forget to take breath when he looked at me like he wanted to touch my soul.

Words are not enough to tell what I am feeling right now. I feel a different kind of attraction towards him whenever I see him. It's not physical it's a emotional feelings and his deep coffee eyes which pulls me towards him.

I didn't realize we both keep looking each other without a blink. Non of us looked away or said anything, like silence is the best way to talk to each other through our eyes.

"Preeti....Preeti.."

Our gaze broke with mummy's calling. We both looked here and there to clear our head. I felt hotness is realized from my face and it turned into red. Without saying anything I walked from there.

.......

"Preeti make evening tea for everyone with some snacks."

I and mummy standing in the hall and she is instructed me about the evening tea and snacks. I was talking to mummy and asked her what should I cooked for evening snacks when Siddharth walked inside the hall. Our eyes met again and he hold my gaze with him.

My mind blocked what mummy was saying and only focused on him but soon I broke our gaze and slowly lower my eyelids not to lost in his deep coffee brown eyes.

After getting a instruction from mummy I walked to the kitchen and pulled out a tea pan along with the coffee pan. Siddharth doesn't like tea. He likes coffee, strong one.

I took out the milk from the fridge for tea and coffee and put it on the kitchen counter. I bent down to take out the ingredients for snacks from the rack when I felt something is walking on my right leg.

I shrugged my right leg many time and rubbed it against at back of my left leg.

I took out the ingredients from the rack and put them on the counter. I took the lighter from the counter to lit the stove when feel again something is walking on my left hand. Some insect which have a slippery legs.

"Aaaaaeeee...."

As soon as my eyes fell on my left hand a scream left from my mouth.

A big maroon ugliest cockroach was sitting on my left arm and walking on my arm like he is walking in his gutter garden. I can feel his creepy slippery legs on my bare arm.

I hate cockroaches. They are the most ugliest creatures in the world and look creepy too. I am afraid of them that I can hold my pea if I have seen them in my bathroom.

"Aaaaeeeee..."

I screamed again when it fly and sit on my bare neck. I am closed to get heart attack. My heart is beating fast and adeline rushed in my blood.

I immediately shrugged it off from my neck with my hand. It fly again and this time higher and keep flying.

"Mummy...mummy.." I screamed for my mother and run towards the kitchen door.

Fear is clearly visible in my voice when it shake at the end. My eyes are fixed on the flying cockroach and I ran out from the kitchen door when I bumped into a hard chest.

I lifted my head and Siddharth was standing in front of me. He is looking at me with concern fill eyes.

"What happened..?" He asked me while cupping my face with his both palms.

"Coc..coc.." I stammered.

My heart is beating so fast and mh face is hot in fear. I immediately hugged Siddharth and hide my face in his chest while hiding my eyes behind my palm so I couldn't see anything.

Siddharth encircled his arms around me. His one hand is rubbing my back and other hand is caressing my head to calm me.

"Why are you scare. Tell me what happened?" He asked me again.

"There is cockroach in a kitchen and....and it's flying." I said while squeezing my eyes shut

I pushed myself more to Siddharth and hide my face in his chest.

I still can feel it's creepy legs on me. I am feeling like he is still sitting on my neck and hand.

"What happened to her?"

"Why is she screaming?"

"Bhabhi what happened?"

Papa, Anshul and keerti asked in unison. But I was too scared to look at them or pull away from Siddharth. I still standing there hiding my face in Siddharth's chest and his arms are around me.

"She saw a cockroach in the kitchen."

Siddharth told everyone.

I can hear the humor in his voice but I was to afraid to notice anything.

"It's not a normal one.. it's flying." I said while still hiding myself in Siddharth's embrace.

"Every cockroach can fly Preeti. They don't fly until you don't annoy them." I heard Anshul's voice.

"This girl is 22 and still afraid of cockroaches." I heard mummy said to everyone.

"Wait..here I it shoo away." Andhul said.

"I am also coming." Keerti said.

"Just kill him Anshul don't shoo him away." I said still hiding myself in Siddharth's chest.

"If I killed him, His poor soul will haunt you in your dreams poor sissy." I heard Anshul from the kitchen.

"I can handle it in my dreams but not in real.."

Siddharth's chest vibrates when he chuckled softly.

"Preeti careful. It's flying in your direction.." Anshul said loudly from the kitchen.

"Si..Sid...Siddharth..Siddharth..Please..Please save me." I said while encircling my arms around him and hold him close to me for my dear life.

He also hugged me back tightly. I hide my face in the crook of his neck to block my surroundings.

"Shhh...he is messing with you." Siddharth whispered in my ear while caressing my back to calm me. My heart is still beating fast.

"Anshul stop scaring her..She is already afraid." I heard mummy is screaming on Anshul and he and keerti are laughing.

"Hey..Preeti..look what I have for you." I heard Anshul's voice just behind me.

When my heart is calm and I breath nomaly I pulled off from the Siddharth and turned to Anshul to look at what he has for me.

As I turned to face Anshul he showed the same cockroach in front of my face. He is holding it from his antina and looked dead.

"Aaaaeee.." I screamed and hugged Siddharth again for my life, like only he is the one who can save me from cockroach. Siddharth hugged me back.

"Are you planning to give her a heart attack." Mummy scold Anshul again and as much as I know mummy she probably smacked on his head.

I heard everyone's laughing including Siddharth.

"As much as I want you to hold like this, I don't want you feel embarrass later. Everyone is watching us. But if you don't want to I also won't mind to hold you." Siddharth whispered in my ear.

As soon as I realized our position I immediately pulled back from Siddharth and looked everyone.

Indeed...everyone is looking at us. My cheeks immediately turn into beetroot shade. I looked at keerti and she is smirking on us.

I didn't say anything to anyone and walked from there. Actually more like I ran from there.