NOT SO LOVINGLY, YOURS

CHP: 05 - PARATHE

INIKA'S POV: 

I had just stepped out of my room, and I could hear the noise coming from Viti's room. I instantly knew what it was all about. Yesterday after Som decided to ruin the perfectly wholesome day by suddenly deciding to drop in; in the middle of the night, the events that took place caused a difference of opinion between Aarav and Viti.

I walked past Viti's room while heading downstair and I could hear them arguing about yesterday's events. "Inu ko nahi samajh aata kya ki kaise pesh aate hai" (Doesn't Inu understand how to behave?) Aarav said in an irritated voice. "Galti to Bhai-sa ki bhi hai. Kabhi kabhi vo bhul jaate hai ki vo sirf Hukum nahi hai humaare bhai bhi hai" (NO, it's brother's fault as well. Sometimes he forgets that he is not only the to be King but my brother as well) Viti said defending me. "Aur bhai-sa ko yeh baat samajhni zaruri hai ki har baat koi business deal nahi hoti ki he has to have the last say in it. Kuch baatein rishton ke daayro mein reh kar karni hoti hai" (And brother needs to understand that every conversation is not a business deal that he has to have the last say in it. Some conversations should be done within the boundaries of relationships) Viti continued. I could hear the pain in her voice. "Darling it's okay. I'll talk......" Aarav was saying something when I was finally out of the hearing range. 

It deeply hurt me hearing those two argue over something that was related to me. I was used to them bickering all the time, it was their love language. But hearing the hurt in Viti's voice made me feel guilty. Had I not stormed out of the room, Som wouldn't have gotten a chance to question Viti's choice of marrying Aarav. 

Yes! Somehow Som had found a way to pin the blame of everything that happened on me again and in turn insinuating that how the common folk were incapable of conducting themselves in a way that would be appropriate to be related to the royalty. I heard him talk about it as I was rushing to my room. Viti absolutely disagreed to it, but Aarav was convinced that I could've handled the situation in a better manner than to demand to leave the house in the middle of the night. 

I was determined to leave after what Som had said to me. I did not wish to stay here for another minute, and I had made my intentions clear when Viti walked into the room to try to console me. But when I looked at her face, she was almost holding back tears, it broke my heart to see her in that state. I did not want to put her under any more stress, so I couldn't say no to her, and I stayed the night. 

I could hear Viti fighting with Som last night. I think Aarav's intervention is what snapped Viti out of her rant. She was a person that would stand by what she believed was right and would never mince her words when it came to voicing her opinions. But she was almost always well composed and calm. Yesterday was one of the few times when I saw her losing her calm. 

Walking into the living room I see Som in the kitchen trying to whip up something. I had no intention of talking to him, but I could not bear to see Aarav and Viti fighting because of me and Som. I had to find a way of being civil around Som. Walking into the kitchen, I could see Som struggling with something. I walked up to him from behind in an attempt to see what he was up to, and before I knew it my hand was twisted behind my back and the forearm of the other arm around my neck holding me in a choke hold position.

"Kbhi bhi bina bole peeche se humaare paas matt aana" (Never approach me from behind unannounced) In reaction, I winced in pain, and he let me go immediately. "Mujhe koi zarurat nahi hai tumhare 'paas' aaneki. vo toh bass main dekhna chah rahi thi kahi tum kitchen na jaala do" (I do not have any interest coming 'near' you. I was just ensuring you do not burn down the kitchen.) I spoke. "I did not ask for help" He retaliated. "And I did not even offer" I reply. 

I stand there in silence and see him struggle with the flour and water for another few minutes. He added too much water then to balance it out too much flour but not in the right proportion to make a make dough. "Hato" I say. He looks at me with a blank expression. "Mujhe madat ki koi zarurat nahi hai" (I do not need any help) He says dismissing me completely. "Magar uss aate ko hai"(But that flour needs the help) I say pointing towards the weird mixture that was in the plate in front of him.

Finally giving up he moves out of the way. "Kya banaane ki koshish ho rahi thi? (What were you trying to make?) I ask washing my hands and walking over to the mixture in the plate "Parathe" He replied washing the sticky flour on his hands. I add some flour to the mixture and some oil to it, kneading it into a soft dough. "Tawa do zaraa" (Pass me the pan) I say to him, and he opens the drawer pulling out the pan. I turn on the gas and start showing him how to make a paratha. 

"Fir isse aise belne ke baad, tawe pe dalenge aur ek side pakne ke baad paltenge fir ghee daalenge uparse" (Then after rolling it out, we'll put it on the pan and let one side cook, then flip it and add ghee) I say carefully demonstrating everything. "Ghee daalne ka kaam toh tum bohot sahi se karti ho. Chahe vo paraathe mein daalna ho ya aag mein" (You do an excellent job at adding, be it ghee to the paratha or fuel to the fire) He scoffs. 

"How long are you going to hold that against me?" I ask, my voice almost breaking as the incidents from that night flash in front of my eyes. "Until The end of forever. You are the reason......." He says stepping closer to me with hid breathing getting heavier and hate flashing his eyes. That is the most intense emotion I have seen in his eyes since yesterday. His calm demeanor breaking. "I am in this state because of you." He says masking his breaking voice with a cough. "Tumhare faislo ki kimmat maine chukaai hai. Aur aisi kimmat chukaai hai ki main Raja hote hue bhi fakir hu. Toh yeh mera vaada hai ki tum tumhara karz zaroor chukaogi. Aur main tabb takk isse nahi bhulunga jab takk tumne pai pai ka hisaab nahi chukaya hoga" (Your decisions have cost me a lot. So much so that, even after being a king I'm still a beggar. So, you best believe you'll be held accountable. And I won't let it go until you get your Karma) 

He was standing inches away from me, looking at me intensely; I could've mistaken it for longing if the pain and hatred weren't clearly visible in his eyes. This was the most vulnerable I had seen him in years. I could see that he blamed me for everything that happened that night. I could see that he would never forgive me. I could see that his eyes would never again look at me the same way they did before that fateful night. 

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So, what do you think!? What is it that happened that changed the relation between Inika and Som forever? Will Som ever forgive Inika? And moreover, how are they going to survive each other?

Stay tuned to find out! Keep supporting and voting!

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