Neighbour Next Door

32) Coffee lovers

"Uh, my bag is no heavy." She whines dramatically and Sumedh rolls her eyes.

"You're not being a gentleman." She glared

"I was trying to be a gentleman when I offered to pick up your bag, but no the feminist in you decided to appear and lecture me. So I give up." He smiles sweetly carrying his bouquet of lilies and walking towards the lift.

After the meetup-turned-date, they decided to have coffee by Chef Sumedh at his apartment. So currently they're in his new apartment block.

"See that guy is looking at you like he hates being a man." Mallika says pointing at the guy at reception who passed judgemental eyes to Sumedh.

"Who cares?" Was the reply and they walked in the lift.

"Remember I first saw you here." She grins cheekily.

"Yeah assuming I'm Ruhi's boyfriend." She slaps his arm and he laughs.

"Don't worry, I'm not Ruhi's boyfriend anymore." He laughs again when she tries to glare but fails miserably.

"We reached." He walks out at the 6th floor walking to the next door and unlocking it with keys.

"Hash, finally." She drops the bag on the table and settles at the small couch there. She blinks then, realising her surrounding.

"Ahem." He coughs

"Tell me this is not done by you." She states in horror.

"We were having a boy's night-

"With Akshay bhaiya?" He nods timidly

"God, that man is almost engaged to Vedika and Oh god-

"Stop being dramatic." He defends Akshay.

"Men." She matters

"Feminists." He mutters back

"Oye sambhal ke." She points

"I don't have the energy to argue with you. I'm going to get coffee." He walks away leaving her whining with her own stupid thoughts.

After 15 mins he comes out to find her in his room and looking at his family photo. He gulps the invisible lump in his throat and keeps the mugs on the sidetable before settling down next to her.

"Aunty is so pretty." She smiles softly

"It was 4 years back, when Vedika passed her high school. She topped in our district." Mallika's eyes widens.

"She's a topper?" Sumedh laughs

"Not everybody sucks at economics like you." She pokes his arm

"Kid." He mutters

"You're dating a kid." He looks at her and forms a bad expression.

"It sounds so wrong." He points out

"Uhmm... well you're technically my professor. It looks like forbidden romance novels." She speaks and then shuts up with a horrified expression .

"no no no you're not my professor anymore. Jeez, what is wrong with me." She goes red thinking of a certain book she had red with the same genre.

"Weirdo." He lets it slide picking the mug and offering it to her.

"That's my heaven, thankyou." She grins taking a sip and sighing dreamily.

"Coffee addict." He mumbles

"You made me a addict." She looks at him.

"You mean to say.. you're addicted to me?" He smirks slightly