Colliding Fates (On Hold)

Chapter 7: Kachori Delights

Raza pulled out his camera and snapped a photo of 'Masala Grill.' Upon entering, he found the chairs quite pleasing, and the plants on the right added a homely touch. Settling at an empty table, he captured the expressions of customers relishing their dishes through his lens.

As he reviewed the pictures, a voice reached his ears, "Welcome to 'Masala Grill.' What can I get you?" Looking up, he saw Dua, a smiling figure, approaching with a notepad and pencil, her eyes filled with astonishment.

"Raza," Dua exclaimed, her voice brimming with surprise.

"Hello," Raza responded in a subdued tone, setting the camera down on the table.He continued, "I'll have a plate of the famous chicken biryani."

Dua chuckled softly and wore an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, but we don't serve biryani for breakfast."

"Alright, then could you recommend other specialties?" Raza inquired, leaning forward and resting both elbows on the table.

"Well, all of our dishes are special, but I would recommend either the kachori or the gobi paratha," she suggested, her expression turning thoughtful

"I usually go for naan and butter chicken, but for you, I'm open to trying the kachoris," he remarked, leaning back in his chair. He added, "I'm not a fan of gobi"

'For you' made Dua flush up. Her cheeks turned a faint shade of pink as she tried to hide her smile. "Kachori it is, then," she replied, jotting down his order on her notepad. "Would you like anything to drink?" "Just a glass of water for now, thank you," Raza said, his eyes briefly meeting Dua's before she nodded and turned to head back to the kitchen.

As he waited for his order, Raza took a moment to soak in the ambience of the restaurant. The soft chatter of customers, the aroma of spices, and the cozy atmosphere created a pleasant experience. He couldn't help but notice that every now and then, Dua assisting customers with a smile, but her eyes would dart in his direction, and she would quickly look away when their gazes met.

Unable to handle the looks , she went to the kitchen to see Sara, who was looking focused in a particular direction with a small smile. Dua made a 'what are you thinking about' expression. Sara shook her head silently in a 'no' gesture with a smile and asked, also smiling, "Did you, by chance, meet Imtiaz Akhtar yesterday?"

'Imtiaz, who is that?' Dua wondered before answering, "No, who is he?" Dua asked with a shrug.

"Nobody, just wondering," said Sara, turning around. Dua turned around as well to wipe the plates, wondering 'Can Sara see me blushing?' She placed the plates on the table and touched her cheeks. "Oh God," Dua murmured.

"Dua, can you call Radha? She has to cut these vegetables," Sara said, placing the washed vegetables on the nearby table.

"Yeah, I will," Dua said, stuttering a little. She turned around, asking, "Are the kachori's ready?"

"No, I am about to fry them," Sara said, touching the dough to make sure it's ready to be rolled.

"Ok," Dua said, turning around to wipe plates again.

"Dua, what are you doing here? Go out and greet the customers," Sara said, starting to roll the dough.

"Yeah, I'm going. I just wanted to spend time with you," Dua said in a sweet voice.

"Last week I asked you to wash the dishes, you gave me a stern look and said, 'If I am in here, who will attend the customers,'" Sara said in an obvious tone, pulling out the fried kachoris

"I'm actually thinking about changing it up and helping you out in the kitchen," she said, picking up a plate for the kachoris.

"I have Radha and it's not the rush hour. During the rush hour, Mohan, Gopal, and the other three people come in," Sara said, filling a small bowl with chutney.