Night of 25TH

CHAP 36: Vulnerable Confession

Past:

Shubman

As we both returned home, I took a look at Chucky, who appeared calm now, but her face still held a pout, a lingering sign of irritation and annoyance due to the cast on her hand. Walking up the stairs carefully, I held her close, determined to ensure no more mishaps occurred.

Before I could ring the doorbell, Mum swung the door open, wearing a stern expression. However, that look quickly melted away the moment she noticed the cast on Chucky's hand. Without wasting a second, she ushered Chucky inside and guided her to the sofa, holding her injured hand with great care. "Does it hurt?" she asked, concern etched all over her face.

"Thoda Sa," replied Chucky, looking tired from the journey to Chandigarh and her medical drama.

"Well, go and rest in Shahneel's room, and Shubman, make sure she's comfortable," she instructed, addressing both of us.

After ensuring Chucky was settled in Shahneel's room, I was about to leave when I heard her voice. It sounded tired, but I could sense a mischievous spark in her eyes as she said, "Shubman, can you please bring me a glass of water?"

"Sure," I replied, gazing into her eyes, which were tired yet brimming with mischief.

However, from that point on, she didn't let me rest for a second, continuously making demands and acting bossy.

As the evening unfolded, Chucky continued to make a series of innocent yet increasingly demanding requests, taking advantage of her situation and her knack for mischief.

"Shubman, could you adjust the fan speed? It's a bit too warm in here," she asked with a sweet mischievous smile.

"Sure," I replied, stifling a sigh, and adjusted the fan to her liking.

A little while later, she looked at me with big, pleading eyes. "Shubman, I can't reach the remote. Can you hand it to me?"

I handed her the remote, but she pushed it back towards me, making me change the channels, claiming that her hand had suddenly started to ache. Chucky seemed to relish being pampered, and her subtle expressions of mischief only added to her entertainment.

However, after a few more requests, I started to feel a bit frustrated. Her constant demands and bossiness were beginning to wear on my patience.

"Shubman, can you please fluff my pillow? It's not comfortable," she said with an innocent tone.

I sighed but complied, fluffing her pillow as gently as I could. However, as I turned to leave, I heard her voice again. "Shubman, I think I want to watch something else on TV. Can you change the channel again?"

That was the breaking point for me. "Chucky, can't you do anything on your own? I've been helping you all evening!"

Her eyes filled with crocodile tears, and she began to pout. "Shubman, I'm just trying to make things easier for myself. It's not my fault I can't use my hand."

As I stood there, stunned by her emotional response, my mom overheard our exchange and rushed into the room. She quickly assessed the situation, seeing Chucky's tears and my apparent frustration.

She hugged Chucky and scolded me, "Shubman, you shouldn't be so mean to your friend, especially when she's injured and needs our support."

Chucky, still feigning distress, looked up at me with a secret, triumphant smirk, knowing she had turned the situation to her advantage. My mom continued to comfort her while reprimanding me for my behaviour.

I had no choice but to relent, realizing that Chucky had outsmarted me with her clever act. It seemed that even with a cast on her hand, she could still manage to get the upper hand in our best-friend dynamics.