First Ishq

Chapter 22 [She Didn't Leave]

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|Ansh's POV|

"Why won't you go?" Maa questioned in anger.

She had been telling me to go to Kishor's house and give him the laddoos she made. But I didn't want to go.

"'Cause I don't want to", I replied and continued watching T.V.

Maa held the box of laddoo in her hands and glared at me.

"How dare you ignore me, huh?" she continued.

I turned my head to face her and said, "Like this". I stuck out my tongue at her and turned back to the t.v.

I didn't even pay attention to what I was watching. I was just watching.

I didn't know why but just thinking about going to Kishor's house made me feel a lump in my chest. It felt heavy and uncomfortable. I hated that feeling.

Maybe it was because he was super injured and me being there wouldn't help him in any way... or maybe that his sister, I mean Ishika would be there and I wouldn't be able to control my shitty feelings. (p.s. my feelings aren't shitty.)

Or.. maybe, it was because she would be leaving the city. She did say that she had a train to catch this evening.

 Well anyways, what mattered was that I didn't want to go.

I glanced at Maa to see her stare at the box in her hand. Guilt took over me.

Maa woke up early in the morning to make those 'gond ke laddoo', Kishor's favorite. I was about to say that I would go tomorrow when my bratty brother returned from his school.

"Maa!" he exclaimed and ran towards her to hug her. She hugged him back and ruffled his hair. He glanced at me and stuck out his tongue. "Blehh"

I was shocked but not surprised. Then he asked Maa in his childish lisp, "What are you holding?"

"Gond ke laddoo", she replied with a smile.

"Whatt!? I too want some." He exclaimed again.

I kind of missed those days when she and I were like that. Now, I was too 'old' to act like that.

"Sure sure, but these are for Kittu bhaiya", she replied. She glanced at me before continuing, "But see na, your bhaiya is not going to Kittu bhaiya's home to give him these."

'Sigh.. I can't believe she was complaining about me to that little storm', I thought in my mind.

"Really?" A manly, deep voice came from the door and I recognized it at once to be my father's voice. I stood up from the sofa and stared at him.

'What is he doing here?'  I questioned in my mind as if it wasn't his house.

"Why Ansh?" He questioned while taking off his shoes. Those two words were enough to make me flustered.

"Uhh.. um.. I was about to go in some time", I replied.

"Don't say no to your Maa", he said as he walked towards her and handed her his coat.

 Maa asked him the same question I had thought in my mind, "Aap yaha kya kar rahe hai?" (What are you doing here?)

"Papa picked me up from school", my brother said while smiling.

"My work was over around the same time", he stated before walking to the bathroom near the kitchen.

My father had always paid attention to even the little things surrounding my mom yet, never given the attention she actually deserved. I stared at his cold act towards Maa.

'I'll never be like him.' I declared to myself.

"You also wash your hands and feet like your father and then you eat", Maa said to Aahaan. He nodded enthusiastically and hopped to the bathroom.

I sighed before rushing to change my shorts into pants.

After a while, I rushed downstairs and took the box from the kitchen counter. Maa was serving lunch to father and Aahaan. I peeped at her and she looked back.

I pressed my lips together and gave her a side eye. She simply shrugged and I read though her actions.

'Your father said. What could I say more?'

I jerked my head in the other direction with a 'hmph'.

I rode my bike to his house. While riding, I wondered, 'When I was as old as Aahaan, father used to pick me up too.. with the same excuse.'

Unknowingly, a smile spread on my lips and I didn't even realise I reached Kishor's house.

"She must be gone by now... and he must NOT be lying still on the bed." I mumbled to myself before ringing the bell.

I heard the door's click sound, indicating it was opened, and began speaking. "Aunty, yeh mummy Kishor ke liye..."

But, I stopped midway. 

"Ishika?" I was in utter shock. "You didn't leave?"

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Another chapter!! ...after skipping the previous two scheduled dates (o゜▽゜)o☆

And did you notice Ansh's younger bro's name reveal... ? (●ˇ∀ˇ●)

Anyways, I'll update 2 more chapters in the consecutive days cause my school still hasn't reopened. ヾ(≧▽≦*)o

(It was postponed to 18th) []~(￣▽￣)~*

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Whay do you think of Ishika after reading this chapter?

Did you enjoy reading this chapter? Let me know, please.

(*￣3￣)╭