𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐌𝐘𝐀

C H A P T E R - 2

Mayra

I picked a yellow knee-length dress with lily patterns adorning it's front and back. I tied my hairs in a neat ponytail and applied minimal make-up. Now, set for the day I turn around to get note of the time. Twenty minutes! damn.

I am happy and nervous but more happy than nervous.. I was about to leave when a scream coming from the garden stopped me midway. I bolted for the balcony in time to see four boys goofing around with the garden pipe.

I instantly spot a green head among them, Moksha's wearing a grey tank top quoting Badass bitch of all contrasted with black denims. A smile immediately pulls on my face when I spotted Daksh among them, sixteen year old and the youngest of Iti's brother-in-laws, the ever so sweet but someone blocks my view of him.

I tip toe myself to peer at his face only to find his black wet locks covering most of his face, he swiftly wipes the forehead with his arm and I catch the glimpse of his lips, he's smiling or more like laughing. Aarav Parihaar. My worst enemy.

I divert myself from there and look for the others.

Aditya uses the splinter to soak them all in one go.. earning a hard smack from Sharan. They both have a nicer built but nothing compared to Aarav. I am not complimenting him. NO. It's just that his body reflects all the efforts he puts in the gym.

The door clicks open and I turn around just in time to find Iti at the door "Mayra!" a gasp louder than expected leaves my mouth and I jump right into her embrace. "Welcome back" the back of my throat hurts but I won't let the tears ruin the situation. We hold each other for good minutes.

"Kaisa lag rha hai?" (How do you feel?) she inhales deeply "Acha lag rha hai ghar wapas aakar, aur sabse achi baat mujhe tumhare saath time spent krne milega" (It's calming to be back. And most of all I got to meet you).

She hugs me tighter and somehow a single tear managed to escape and I sniffed silently... situation be damned. "I missed you" I blurt and she steadily releases me. I'm compelled to meet her gaze. "Not more than me".

She wipes the tear off my cheek "Mumma told me everything" and suddenly I wanted to dig a hole right in the floor and bury myself inside. I've never been the expressing one and whenever it comes to that I get weak and humiliated. "It's okay. I am here now.. I'll make up for all the past nights you cried alone" her voice partially broke.

Someone raked their knuckles over the door "Am I disturbing?" I stepped aside to find Aaksha waiting at the doorstep. We pass her a smile "No, come in" she did, running a glance across the room. 

Well, it's not embarrassing when someone takes a moment to capture my room. It's decorated with NASA posters, and sparkling stars to galaxy lamps and some astronaut miniatures kept here and there.

"It can be passed for a space museum" she grins shortly and Iti gives her a sidelong hug "You haven't seen the real thing yet" she completes with a smirk. 

Aaksha's brows rose in response "Fir kabhi pakka" (Some other day for sure) I replied and a gentle nod is all I get before she speaks "I needed to use washroom" I showed her the way to my restroom before making our way downstairs.

We join the rest of our family in the dining hall. Our grandpa sits at the head of the table and to his left was papa and on the right was Iti's father-in-law. 

Just as we landed near the table Iti takes a seat beside dad opposite to her husband, Manav. I unintentionally noticed their eye-lock and silent communications. Aaksha then joins Iti.

I wished them morning when someone comes out shouting from the kitchen.. "I'm losing myself coz of the hunger.. where are these kids!" she huffs settling beside jiju.
She is Shorbari chachi, the most versatile Parihaar you would find in their family, she's a bengalan beauty and I love her dressing senses.. it even passes her daughter, Moksha.

"Suvy bhabhi kaha chale gaye. Mayra! beta dekho kaha gaye ye sare bacche... Adi to kabse keh rha tha usko bhook lagi hai abhi khane ke time sab gayab hai" (Where's Suvy bhabhi? Mayra! child please call them.. Adi told me he was hungry and now they're all missing).

Shorbari Chachi turns to me while I assessed the table before mumma joins us "You should start with the breakfast bhabhi I'll send Mayra to call them" I give a nod in response and head for the garden.

It's likely I wanted least interaction with someone this early in the morning however I can still do that with enough precautions. On my way to the garden I found dadi instructing the confectioner and I can feel a better plan forming in my head.

I approach her with a concerning face "Dadi! you'll need to see this" she turns around within seconds "What happened Mayra" I feign sadness "The garden.." her lips parted in panic, in all the world she loves her garden like her second child.

"I think it'll be better if you see yourself" she falls for my trick and runs toward the veranda, I increased my pace to match hers.

My feet halted on their own accord and somehow the air turned too thick to breathe.

All of them were in their pants now except Moksha of course, muddy and soaked till bone.. but my traitorous eyes only scanned a muscled back.. Aarav has a lean stature and without the t-shirt on, his back looks intense. ANYWAY.

A little drama won't hurt I guess. I turn around to completely face dadi while she's so-pissed-but-not-shown-on-her-face type of pissed.

"Morning dadi!" Moksha comes with a broad smile plastered on her face. "Oh god.. beta tabiyat kharab hojayegi aise. jao jake kapde badlo" (Oh my god.. daughter you'll get pretty sick go get changed) she sheepishly grins but nod.

 "Sorry for the ruin. We didn't mean to" Moksha Apologizes and I feel bad because my only intention was to get dadi pissed on a particular someone not on everybody.

"Tumne to paudho me pani daal dia hai mai kyu daatungi. Aur tum log yaha kya krrhe andar nashta lag gya hai" (You've just watered my plants ..I don't mind that but babies get in, why you guys are not at the breakfast table) my jaw dropped to the floor and that was also an understatement. 

She just let them be... how unfair, and I think the disappointment was somehow visible on my face when Moksha high fives me heading inside drawing the suitcase with her followed by Daksh.

They all greet grandma one by one taking her blessings and the last one was Aarav "Dadi! you've grown more prettier huh" he ruffled his hair with his discarded t-shirt.

I gulped silently when his gaze scanned the whole of me. Sweat starts to pool in my palm and my surrounding seemed to be dimmed.

"And you've grown to lie more smoothly" she pats his shoulder and leads him inside, when they both left chatting and laughing I released a long breath I never knew I was holding.

༺❀༻