Treasurer of My Sparkle

Ramifications

A week later, Raishinghania Headquarters, Neel's cabin 

"I hope you haven't ordered yet," Tejo said as she walked into the cabin with her hands full of bags. "Neel?" she called out. She placed the bags on the table, and knocked on the bathroom door, "Are you there?"

"Who are you talking to?" Neel asked from behind, startling Tejo.

"Oh my god," Tejo exclaimed, "don't sneak up on me like that!"

"I walked in normally, it was you who didn't notice," he replied dryly. He glanced at the bags and asked, "You already got food?"

"Hmm," she nodded, "Preeta aunty called and said she will send home-cooked meals for us. I picked it up from the driver just now."

"Why?" he tilted his head in bewilderment. 

"Because someone spent 2 hours every day in the gym last week," Tejo folded her arms in front of her chest and scowled. 

"Oh," he said in realization and chuckled.

"Don't laugh," she scolded, "it's not good for you. You are fit as it is..."

"I didn't do it to get in shape," he interrupted her, "we just had too much junk food on the trip and I had to compensate for it. Mumma must have thought I was training for a match."

"Match?" she raised her brow.

"Muay Thai match," he said absentmindedly as he phoned his phone, "whenever I have to train I generally work out more, and she makes me my comfort food to cheer me up. I should tell her that I am not training else she will tire herself for no reason. Hello, Mumma..." 

While he spoke to Preeta, Tejo opened the lunch and mused, 'Muay Thai? I thought everyone boxed, apart from Rey.' She recalled Abir proudly showing her his trophies. 

"You already set everything up?" Neel asked after the call was over.

"Hmm," she nodded. While they were eating, the curiosity of the best of her and she questioned, "You learned Muay Thai as well?"

"Hmm," he nodded, "I need some form of self-defense, don't I?"

"Isn't boxing enough?" she chuckled. 

"Ugh," he made a face, "don't talk about that blasphemy."

"Huh?"

"Just hearing the word makes me irritated."

"You don't like boxing?" she asked. 

"Hell no!" he exclaimed, "Dad tried so hard to convince me to box, luckily I escaped."

"Your words make it sound like it's a trap," she rolled her eyes. 

"It is," he insisted, "it is a trap. It lures you in and then breaks your hands and fingers. Do you know how important fingers are!"

"Muay Thai also uses hands and there can be inju..."

"Irrelevant."

Tejo chuckled and said, "To be honest, even I don't like boxing."

"Really?" he raised his brow and took a bite of his roti, "You were defending it just now."

"I was just curious," she replied. Stuffing a mouthful of rice in her mouth she added, "I wanted to see why someone dislikes a sport. I have a reason but even I don't hate it the way you sound like you do."

"Of course I hate it," he muttered under his breath, "dad always breaks his fingers because of it."

"What?"