Unspoken Words

Save her (kind of, huh)

Shayan's pov

Five of us were sitting around a round table, Shaan on one side of me and Eleanor on the other. Eleanor was quiet during the whole ride till now. She looked tired with her slumped shoulders and continuously yawning after every two to three minutes.

There were two menu cards on the table, one grabbed by Sana and another one by Shaan. Waiter was waiting for our orders.

Sama asked him, "Please give us a minute".

"Ok, madam", he left.

"I don't know what to order. You people decide", with that said, she closed her eyes pretending to sleep.

Sisters only glanced at her once but paid no attention.

Shaan looked up at me, "Shayan, your choice? "

"Butter paneer with naan", I replied.

"Great. I will have that too", Shaan added.

"Chhole bhature, for us", Sama said.

Eleanor extended her hand to Sana. Sana handed her menu card.

"Wasn't it up to us to decide for you?" Shaan probed, his eyes raised.

"Things you people decided, that's too much for me. Let me see if I can have something simpler". She replied and looked through it. Tension in her face started to grow.

"What is it? " I asked.

She looked up at me and made a tired smiling face, "It's just too much. Hmm... I will have Paneer cutting dosa". She put the card on the table.

Shaan gestured to the waiter and placed our orders.

After retreating of waiter, I turned to Eleanor, "Excuse my concern, but you look like you are afraid".

"I am".

"of what?"

"Food".

Others laughed a little but I narrowed my eyes at her. Eleanor shrugged and again closed her eyes.

Gosh! She was so difficult to converse.

Shaan took the mobile out from his shirt pocket and showed it to Eleanor. "Do you want to see what happened?"

Before she could take it in her hand, I intervened, "Stop". Her eyes widened at my move. As for me, I ignored her and snatched mobile from his hand. "Let me see it first".

"I need to see it", she said in low voice.

"Why?" Of coarse, I was the one with attitude.

"That's my problem, not yours", she cried out, but that too silently.

I could sense her irritation growing. I pushed the play button and played it in silent mode.

What I saw made my blood boil. If we hadn't interfered and helped her, she would be in great trouble, facing alone. I shouldn't show her such things, that can make her more terrified.

I returned the phone back to Shaan and instructed him, "Don't show it to anyone else".

"Hey!", she protested.

"Isn't it her right?", Sama tried to defend.

But I nodded in denial at Sama and turned to Eleanor. "Leave it".

"Why?"

"Please".

She scoffed but said nothing. Instead, Sana started, "that's rude. Show it to her as well".