The Unwavering Love

~CHAPTER 10~

SHIVANSH'S POV

(AFTER 3 DAYS)

The morning sun is already streaming in through the half-drawn curtains, and I can hear the muffled sounds of activity downstairs. I'm still half-awake, and wondering if I can squeeze in a few more minutes of sleep when suddenly—bang!—my door flies open.

"Get up, lazybones! You'll be late again!" It's my cousin sister himanshi, grinning wickedly as she yanks the blanket off me.

"Can't you ever knock?" I grumble, swatting at her with one hand as I try to grab the blanket back with the other. But she's already darted out of reach, clutching it like she's won a prize.

"What's the point of knocking.. jab apko uthna to aise hi hota hai bhaiyaa? Badi maa told me to wake you up, so here I am. Consider it mera ehsaan" she says, laughing as she tosses the blanket onto a chair.
(When you have to wake up like this only)

I sit up, rubbing my eyes. "ehsaan, my foot. You just want an excuse to annoy me first thing in the morning."

Before I can argue further, my cousin brother Ishank barges in, a toothbrush dangling from his mouth, foam everywhere. 

"What's the noise about? Can't a guy brush his teeth in peace?" he mumbles, words barely coherent. He plops down on the edge of my bed, making himself comfortable while scrolling through his phone.

"Get out of my room, both of you! Can't I have one morning without you two invading my space?" I snap, but there's no real anger in my voice.

It's become our morning ritual—bickering, teasing, and somehow all getting ready in the middle of the chaos.

"Yeah, yeah, keep dreaming," himanshi bickered, rolling her eyes. "By the way, Badi maa made aloo parathas for breakfast, but if you take forever like usual, you'll get the last, cold one. Just saying."

At the mention of aloo parathas, my stomach growls loudly. I try to play it cool, but I can't hide my enthusiasm. 

"Fine, I'm getting up! But if you both eat the last paratha, chhorne nahi wala fir main tumhe."
(I won't leave you guys)

"Chill out, drama king. I saved one for you." Ishank says, flashing a cheeky grin. "But only if you admit I'm the best sibling."

"Oh, please. If anyone's the best, it's obviously me," Himanshi jumps in, flipping her hair like she's in a shampoo ki ad.

"Both of you are delusional," I say, finally swinging my legs out of bed. "I'm the one who tolerates both of you, so by default, main hi best hu!"

The banter continues as I started to head towards bathroom. I completed my morning routine got in my today's outfit and headed towards downstairs.

The smell of ghee and spices fills the air, and I can hear maa yelling at Aransh as he wasn't eating his full breakfast.
In the dining area, papa is buried in his newspaper, grumbling about the state of the country, while Chachu is already seated at the table, peeling oranges and giving us a disapproving look for being so loud so early.

We all sit down for breakfast, still teasing and bickering, fighting over the butter and who gets the biggest piece of paratha. My sister insists on taking the crispy one, and my brother tries to swipe an extra spoonful of achar before anyone notices.

 "Every morning it's the same drama with you three. Can't you ever eat without fighting?"Maa finally said noticing us, shaking her head.

"It's called bonding, Maa" I reply, grinning as I reach for the last paratha. My siblings both dive for it too, and in the scramble, himanshi somehow ends up with it. She smirks in triumph while I pretend to sulk.