Shadows Of The Stumps

A Pair Better than Rasam Rice

The door to the room creaked open, and Athiya stepped inside first, flicking on the light. Rahul followed behind her, still grinning from the day’s mischief. The cozy room welcomed them with warm tones and soft linens, but it wasn’t just the room that made Athiya stop in her tracks.

“Oh no…” Athiya whispered, her eyes widening with disbelief.

There, lying neatly on the bed, was a small, neatly wrapped gift. Athiya picked it up carefully, peeling back the wrapping to reveal a picture frame—and she burst into laughter the moment she saw what was inside.

It was a candid shot from their earlier days: Athiya, holding a spoonful of rasam rice with a bewildered smile, and Rahul beside her, mid-laugh, his ears visibly flushed. They both looked utterly ridiculous but impossibly happy. Along with the frame was a quirky fridge magnet shaped like a little bowl of rasam rice. Attached to it was a note written in Meera’s familiar handwriting:

"You two are a pair better than rasam rice!"

Athiya pressed the note to her face, trying to stifle her giggles. “I swear, Meera is impossible.”

Rahul leaned over her shoulder to look at the frame, a grin spreading across his face. “It’s a masterpiece,” he declared proudly. “We should hang this in the living room. Let Virat see what true beauty looks like.”

Athiya elbowed him gently. “Not a chance. If he sees this, we’ll never live it down.”

“You know,” Athiya began, her voice light but teasing, “if I had known that eating rasam rice would turn into a public spectacle, I might have just stuck to naan and butter chicken.”

Rahul chuckled and walked over, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Too late now,” he said with a smirk. “You’re officially the Rasam Queen.”

Athiya groaned, burying her face in a pillow. “Don’t you dare call me that! Virat will never let it go if he hears.”

“Oh, I’ll make sure he hears,” Rahul teased, leaning closer. “Might even get you a crown made out of curry leaves.”

Athiya sat up abruptly, giving him a playful shove. “You are the worst!”

“And yet,” Rahul said, raising an eyebrow, “you’re still sitting here with me.”

Athiya crossed her arms, pretending to be annoyed, but the smile tugging at the corner of her lips gave her away. “You weren’t exactly innocent back there either, you know. You were blushing so hard I thought your ears might explode.”

Rahul laughed, running a hand through his hair. “Hey, it wasn’t just me! Virat's jokes hit hard—he caught me off guard.” He paused for dramatic effect, then added with a grin, “Besides, it’s not every day I see you blushing like that. You were definitely pinker than me.”

Athiya narrowed her eyes, a playful challenge glinting in them. “Oh? And how, exactly, were you able to notice how pink I was if you were too busy staring at your shoes?”

Rahul opened his mouth, then closed it, realizing he’d walked right into her trap. “Well... I have excellent peripheral vision,” he offered lamely.

Athiya burst into laughter, clutching her stomach. “Peripheral vision? That’s your excuse?”

Rahul tried to maintain his composure but failed miserably, joining in her laughter. “What can I say? I’m a man of many talents.”

Athiya gave him a mock-serious look. “You know what’s sad, though?” she asked, pretending to sigh dramatically. “All this teasing, and not one of you jerks offered me more rasam rice.”