Shrishti Reborn

Chapter 50. He likes me?

Shrishti smiled as she served the lunch to the people in the classroom. Beside her, Divya was doing the same. Arpit and Daljeet got assigned to the other classroom that also held people taking refuge from the rains.

Once Shrishti was done, she joined Divya to have her own lunch. She had chosen vada pav over sandwich. It was not enough for a lunch meal but it would do for now. The rain was lessening outside already but it had not fully stopped yet.

'I think it will stop in an hour or two.', Divya said noticing Shrishti's glance towards the window.

Shrishti nodded. 'But the water won't decrease till evening. We are stuck here till then.'

'Are you stuck though?' Divya asked her. There was something in her tone that made Shrishti finally look away from the window. The knowing look Divya was giving her made her look away. 'Stop it.', she mumbled.

'Pari!'

They both turned to the door. It was Arpit's voice that Shrishti had heard. Why was he calling her? He did not sound worried. Shrishti got up and walked to the door. Arpit was waving at her while walking towards the canteen. She frowned and followed him.

'What happened?' she asked once she joined him at the door of the canteen kitchen. He pointed to the one of the cooks in the room. 'He happened.' She stared at the person. It was Raghav. 'What did he do?', she asked curiously.

Arpit huffed. 'My idiot brother has been cooking with everyone and then sent everyone to eat turn by turn but he himself has not taken a break yet. Even now he is working there. Others are ready to cover for him but he keeps saying that he needs to do this or do that. He is listening to no one. Not even me! Go. Talk to him!'

Shrishti scoffed. 'And what makes you think he will listen to me?'

Arpit gave her a sweet smile. 'Trust me, my dear Pari. That man would go to the sun if you told him to.'

Shrishti was taken aback by those words. 'Really?'

'Why don't you try? If it did not work, I will change my name.'

'And what will be your new name then?', Shrishti could not help but ask.

Arpit thought for few seconds and then smiled at her. 'Raghav's brother, Laxman.'

She rolled her eyes and walked away.

'Raghav?', Shrishti called him the moment she was close to him.

'Huh? Pari? You want something? Sandwich? Vada Pav?', Raghav asked her as he continued to prep for another round of cooking.

'Errr.... Nothing.', she bit her lip and then gathered her courage and asked, 'I heard you have yet to eat. When are you going to eat?'

Raghav nodded to her. 'In a while. Let me just finish this.'

She frowned. 'Raghav. Its nearly two. Surely you can take a break.'

'Some people have still not been served. I have to keep working.'

She huffed, now slightly worried and annoyed. 'Others can do it too, you know.'

One of the other cooks working nearby chimed in, 'Yes. We can do it. We ate already. We can finish the cooking work. You have been working since the start. Take a break.'

Raghav shook his head. 'I have to finish this.'

Shrishti had enough. Arpit claimed that Raghav would do anything she told him to. Or atleast that was what Arpit had implied. Time to test his words! She gave Arpit a glance. He looked at her confidently. She turned back towards Raghav. 'Raghav. Enough.'