FORNEVER | ✓

CHAPTER 30 - BABYSTEPS

HER

"How did you like the surprise?" Amma called earlier than usual making me leap into the balcony excusing myself from everyone in the hall.

"..."

Okay, so which surprise were we talking about here? The one where I crashed onto the floor due to mystical appearances by people I didn't ever want to see, or when my older brother arrived unannounced to

Save me

Announce his wedding plans

Or when Baba asked me there could be perhaps some evil from Siddhanth's past lurking for me, or when...

"Shana? How did you like it when your Anna gave you a surprise visit?" Amma asked again, after I hadn't replied in forever.

"Oh...Um, yeah I was pretty blown away to be honest." I bit on my nail as I paced across the balcony.

"He had been planning on this since quite a while." She giggled proudly, making me smile.

"I can see that. Anyway, how are you?" I said turning around to see my brother in a black Kurta and then back at the gorgeous beaming sun.

"Ask your Anna how I am." I turned around again, this time to not turn away as I watched him skeptically.

"What do you mean?"

"He keeps sending me off to these trips and now he wouldn't even let me stay at my own house."

"What?" I walked towards the glass door, only to step back as I saw Samira entering the room talking over the phone.

"Yeah. At first, it was fun but now I just want to relax, but then he tells me this is how I must relax before you two come back to me." I wondered about what Anna had in store as I watched him talk to Akka, looking into the vanity as he buttoned the neck of his kurta.

"Oh. So right now are you at Arjun's?"

"No! I am leaving for Tirthan Valley to trek." My eyes widened, before realizing I had no say in this entire situation.

"That's awesome ammu, but please take care okay."

*****

"Why are you..." I blurted my question halfway to him, making him turn around with a smile.

"How do I look?" He asked, making me smile as well.

"Anna, you look good, but I want to talk to you," I said, taking a hold of his hand as his smile faltered anticipating a serious conversation.

"Tell me..."

"No Rudra! Wear a lighter color, Baba would not like it." Akka burst through the door again, with a few colorful stoles in her arm.

"What's wrong with this?" Anna looked down at his attire and then at her making her shake her head disapprovingly.

"It's black, pitch black."

"Okay, I'll change in that case." Anna turned to his clothes placed on Siddhanth's bed as my eyes darted from him to Siddhanth who had just walked in, with a pile of freshly done laundry.

"Siddhanth, don't make me ask you to get ready for the twelfth time." Akka arched her brow picking a few clothes from the pile.

"Akka, I was out for these. I'll just shower and get ready." He looked at me and smiled as Anna watched him.

"Where are we going, what is happening?" I asked, pointing my eyes at Anna before Siddhanth averted his gaze from me.

"Did nobody tell you about Baba's orders for today?" He opened his wardrobe as Anna walked to the washroom with a cream colored kurta.