Modern Cinderella Story

Chapter 8 "The Aristocrats"

The Singh Oberoi's mansion's Golden door opened and as always the two manservant opened it bowed their heads and thought that Shivaay as usual will not look at them as he enters but were surprised that he...

Shivaay: thank you

Then smiled politely to the 30 maids standing in a lines with bowed heads and walked in the Great Hall not noticing all the shocked faces, including Rahim's who was following him with his briefcase and didn't comment till they entered the dining room and the butler pulled to Shivaay's the chair in the head of the huge table

Shivaay: Thank you

The butler's eyes widened in shock and looked at Rahim who looked at him the same and shook his head

Shivaay: sit down, Rahim; have dinner with me (then he smiled to the butler) serve us dinner, please

Rahim sat slowly on the chair beside Shivaay as the butler signaled to a maid who put an extra plate to Rahim then served the food to both Shivaay and Rahim

Shivaay: thank you, you may leave, I will serve myself

The butler took the shocked maid and both got out of the dining room and Shivaay started eating but noticed Rahim looking at him with a shocked frown

Shivaay: eat Rahim, it's okay

Rahim: are you okay Shivaay?!!!! Are you aware we are inside the Singh Oberoi mansion?

Shivaay: what do you mean?

Rahim: it just...Since when you ask me to eat with you inside the mansion in front of everyone else, I mean our friendship is inside the car only, and no one should know about it, isn't that your rule?

Shivaay swallowed and nodded

Rahim: and since when you thank your servants and smile to them (then he shook his head) Aristocrat don't do that and especially you, you are the most fanatic one of them, the son Kamini Kapoor never had.

Shivaay in low tone: do you think we are arrogant cruel people? The Aristocrats I mean?

Rahim: NO, I never will dare to say or think that (then he frowned) but who dared to say this to you?!!

Shivaay smiled half a smile: who else?!!!

Meanwhile

Jhanvi gasped: ANIKA?!!! You told the ruler of the Aristocratic families that Aristocrats are cruel? Have you lost your mind?

Anika sighed and left the bowl of popcorn then looked at Jhanvi with wide smile and hugged her legs

Anika: maybe I did, Jhanvi; what is wrong in that? You lost your mind when you helped me, made me wear silky pajamas and eat popcorn on the couch and you are happy with that (then she smiled wider) maybe it's not so bad to lose our minds from time to time

Jhanvi frowned: get down from the cloud you are floating on and tell me what happened exactly?

Anika smiled: okay, after the surgery, I was so overwhelmed and scared so Shivaay took me for a bite in the hospital cafeteria;... he asked me to call him by his first name by the way (then she smiled wider) he was different while talking to me, as if we are friends and there is no difference between us, he was smiling all the time and listened to me, really listened, it was amazing

Jhanvi: what he talked to you about?

Anika smiled widely: himself most of the time, how he lost his father in age of 17 and how he left to America to study and forget his loss (then she smiled faintly) and how his mother couldn't handle the Aristocrats' life, left him and ran away when he was just a toddler, so Kamini raised him and was so loving and kind as if he is her own child.