The Rebound (A Sandhir FF)

Chapter 3

"Hey, where are you lost?" Randhir asked softly, gazing at Sanyukta who was perched on the kitchen platform. The wet locks falling all over her face hadn't prevented Randhir from noticing the serious expression on her face.

Sanyukta looked at his enquiring eyes and shrugged. Randhir looked away and tossed the omelet cooking in the pan.

"Sanyukta try and forget what happened last night, okay? It isn't of consequence," Randhir said, his attention focused on the pan.

Sanyukta nodded her head in agreement. But as she walked away to dry her hair, she wondered, Will you forget as well?

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"Thanks for making breakfast. I didn't know you cook so well. Looks like cooking is in your genes," Sanyukta said as she happily devoured the breakfast Randhir had made her.

"Why do you think cooking is in my genes?" Randhir asked puzzled.

"Well, Rehan used to cook for me as well," Sanyukta remarked quietly as she remembered all the evenings she had spent in Rehan's kitchen watching him cook. Once in a while she would try to help him but it would usually end in disaster. Sanyukta's eyes filled with tears as she recalled the time when Rehan had asked her to heat up some chocolate to pour on top of his sponge cake. In her excitement she had spilled the liquid chocolate all over her robes. Furious, Rehan had banished her from the kitchen.

She had cried then. But it wasn't her tears that she now remembered. What she remembered was the manner in which Rehan had apologized to her, stuffing her favorite cake into her unwilling mouth and kissing away her tears. "Looks like you have found new uses for chocolate darling," he had remarked as he licked the chocolate off her skin.

"I don't think we got it from our mother. As far as I remember, she never cooked," Randhir said desperately trying to divert the topic. He could handle a drunken Sanyukta, not a teary one.

"What?" Sanyukta asked confused as she turned away to wipe away her tears.

"Nothing," Randhir mumbled casting his mind around in search of a topic that would distract Sanyukta.

"Your apartment is nice," he declared with sudden inspiration.

"My apartment? But you've been here before," Sanyukta said surprised. She clearly remembered showing Randhir, Vidushi and Parth around her apartment last year. Her parents had surprised her with the keys of this apartment on her twenty first birthday and the very next day she had invited her friends over.

"Yes I've been here. But that was nearly a year ago. The apartment wasn't furnished back then. I see you've gone for a minimalistic look," Randhir remarked looking around the living room.

"To be honest, I never got the time to fully furnish it. I spent most of my free time at Rehan's place anyway so I never really felt the need to decorate this place," Sanyukta said looking at the bare walls and the boring pieces of furniture she had purchased in haste.

"That probably also explains why there is hardly anything in the kitchen. You need to go grocery shopping girl," Randhir said picking up the empty plates and walking into the kitchen.

"Okay. Let's go now," Sanyukta said following him into the kitchen.

"Sorry Sanyukta. But I can't come. I need to go home, take a bath and go looking for a suitable house."

"But don't you already have a place?" Sanyukta asked confused.

"I have a place. But my landlord is selling the flat to someone, so I have to move out. I have been scouring for a suitable place since the last one week but I haven't found anything suitable. Either the rent is exorbitantly high or the place is located too far away from the university," Randhir said shaking his head and fishing out his phone from his pocket to look if the house brokerage office had sent him any new updates.

"You are in luck then," Sanyukta announced smiling. "I know of a great place for you."

"What place?" Randhir asked looking up momentarily from his phone.

"The apartment next to mine. The owner is an old lady. She asked me just yesterday if I knew anyone who would want the place on rent."

"The apartment next to yours?" Randhir asked thoughtfully.

"Yes. Just imagine. We can be neighbors," Sanyukta declared with excitement.

"No Sanyukta," Randhir said shaking his head.

"What no?" Sanyukta asked confusion evident on her face.

"I don't think I will be able to afford the rent."

"What do you mean?"

"Sanyukta, this location is too pricey. I am sure the rent will be too high," Randhir explained sighing.

"You can always ask Rehan. He is your brother and I am sure that he will willingly bear your housing expenses. After all he is the future owner of Bajaj Automobiles. He can definitely afford to take care of his little brother," Sanyukta said with conviction.

"I don't need Rehan's charity." Randhir said, his tone laced with subdued anger.

Sanyukta was startled at Randhir's reaction to her innocent suggestion. Randhir and Rehan had always been on excellent terms as far as she remembered. Sanyukta knew both Randhir and Rehan enough to know that the pair cared for each other even though they were half brothers. They weren't overtly affectionate but they were more than cordial in their interactions. Sanyukta had often detected a flicker of pride in Rehan's eyes whenever she narrated an instance of Randhir's ingenuity that had aided the dream team. In fact she had secretly suspected that Rehan had decided to fund the dream team only because Randhir was a part of it.

"Sanyukta I am leaving," Randhir said walking out of the kitchen.

Sanyukta wordlessly followed him to the door, her mind still trying to figure out the reason for Randhir's unprovoked anger.

"Take care," Randhir whispered as he unlocked the apartment door and let himself out.

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Sanyukta scrolled through her call list trying to figure out whom she could call. Randhir had left just an hour ago and she was already bored. What I need is some girl time, Sanyukta decided as Vidushi's name and contact details appeared on her screen.

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AN:- I am curious to know what you guys think of my story so far. So do let me know by voting and commenting guys.