Lock(ed) Down

Shot 2

LOCK(ED) DOWN

Shot 2

Written by MsLizzieWrites

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Ashwin didn’t lift his eyes from the laptop as a bowl of what looked like half melting butterscotch ice cream was placed in front of him. 

His gaze then shifted to Sivaangi who was taking more time than necessary to pull the chair across the table from him and sit down. Even after she comfortably perched on the chair with her one leg on the leg of the table and another beneath her, she scooped the ice cream and licked the spoon inside her mouth with all the concentration it didn’t need. 

He was getting this, her act of peace offering. She was also not going to give him piece of her ego. His frustrated rants along with her own reflections have only given her enough pass to reach for the olive branch. Now, it is on him. 

Ashwin knew what it was. A low smirk appeared on his lips at her rather clever way of trying to bury the hatchet. He wondered if it was his time to play the toddler and ignore what she was offering. Can he take his laptop and go back to his room? 

He waited for her to show any signs of desperation on waiting for his reaction. At least that could have given him the needed victory. Is it possible that she wants to call truce more than he wants to? Even as he asked this question, the answer came to him. NO. 

He was waiting for this moment since as far as his mind could access back his memories. There were times when he was willing enough to move trees at sign of breeze from her. 

Unexplainably, Sivaangi was always special to him and he craved her friendship more than all of his cousins put together. Maybe the fact that she is still the wide eyed child woman who is as easily amused by the smallest beauties of life made him want a part of her for himself. 

Was he going to let the opportunity go?

Ashwin grabbed the bowl of ice cream with such force making Sivaangi’s leg balanced on table slip because of the shake of the table his movement caused. 

He smiled sheepish when she gave him a bemused look before hiding his mouth behind the spoon full of ice cream. Only he knows it is not just ice cream, but prospect of friendship with her that he grabbed. 

“Nalla flavour.” He broke the prolonging silence. 

(Good flavour)

Sivaangi nodded even as frown appeared on her face. She was wondering if she should merely agree to his mundane attempt at conversation or get into her character and speak the first thing that comes to her mind. 

It was so easy to talk to him when all she has to do is find sharp words to make sure he is hurt. Being kind to him didn’t come naturally to her. For all the praises that she receives for being the most sensitive, compassionate chatterbox, she found herself with no words to say except, “Chocolate flavour vaangeetu vandirukalam.”

(I would have preferred chocolate flavour) 

Sivaangi cursed herself internally even before she registered his shock at her blatant reply. Being ungrateful to the man who bought ice creams to make your PMS better is not making of a good girl. 

“Illa, adhu solllala....” she tried to fix the situation. “Chocolate.” Her eyes wandered in an attempt to find anything that could make the situation less awkward. “Cream.” She hiccupped. “Illa, shake. I mean sauce.” She finally settled her eyes on Hershey’s squeeze packet and smiled. “Chocolate sauce oothana nalla irukum nu sonnen.” She grabbed the packet close to her chest and hugged it like her favourite teddy bear.