Mr Rude's Shortcake

Chapter 22

Sanskriti's POV 

"How do I look Buffalo?" I asked Dhruv. "You look good enough to impress your future mother-in-law" he teased. "Shut up will you?" I asked. I wore a white kurta with a blue dupatta, printed with floral patterns. Blue is his favorite color.  I secured my layered hair with a claw clip and packed a rubber band into my bag. 

"Bye, Maa and Nanna" I said to them as we were leaving for Aru's home. Their house is in Nanganallur, while ours is in Siruseri. We reached their house by 11:00 a.m. It looked magnificent and traditional from the outside. One could say that pure Tamil brahmins live there. 

Dhruv rang the doorbell and an elderly woman, in her mid sixties appeared and said, 

"Yaaru vandirukka parungo (look who came). " and she asked us to come inside. 

Aru came rushing from the kitchen and squealed "Sansie ! Dhruv ! That is Paatti".

"Enter with your right leg first" whispered Dhruv and I gave him a whack on his shoulder. 

 "Vidya polave irukkel ( you look exactly like Vidya)" Paatti said to me, and I let out a nervous laugh. 

Just then, Parth came out from the kitchen and opened his jaw wide for a moment. Paatti told us to feel at home and she left to her room. Parth sat right next to me on the couch. Dhruv and Arshika giggled and left the hall, as Aru showed him around. 

I sat silent, my heart pounding out of my chest, and my stomach forming that familiar knot. I was enjoying his smell. I began to sweat, when a veiny hand wiped it. It is his hand of course. 

"Nervousness or hotness? What is making you sweat?" he asked. 

"Hot-Nervousness" I answered. "Eyes to eyes shortcake" he said a bit commandingly. That was extremely hot and I turned pink. "Stop being Mr Rude" I said and turned away, trying to hide my blush. "I never knew Mr Rude can make you blush this hard" he teased. "So funny" I said sarcastically. "Who knew I would go head over heels for someone who looks stunning in this kurta" he flirted. "Parth, stop hotting. You look so flirt" I blabbered. "I look so flirt? Are you sure with your sentence Shortcake?" he asked. "I mean you look so hot" I said and he smirked. 

"Kanna inga vandindu poyen ( Kanna come here once )" Appa called for Parth. He motioned me to come along with him. Inside the kitchen, I could see a lovely sight. Amma looked exactly like how Parth described. Long black hair with round black eyes. She was slaying in her red kurta. She tied an apron around her. Appa was helping her with the cooking. 

"Hi! You must be Sanskriti, right?" Appa said. "Yes, Uncle" I answered nervously. 

Their kitchen looked traditional, yet modern. Amma motioned me to come near her, and hugged me. "Parth and Arshika keep talking about you and Dhruv. I've met Dhruv few minutes ago. They both are very lucky to have you and Dhruv as room mates. Why don't you go and explore the house with Parth, while I and Ram cook" she suggested. 

"Sure Aunty, but I would love to help" I offered. "That's sweet of you Sanskriti. I'll call if I need some help. Ram can you chop the onions too?" she asked and, he replied "As you wish". I immediately caught Parth's eye and he just blushed. He averted his eyes from me and said, "Those earrings suit you beautiful" to Amma, when "Velaya pathuko! Poda ( Mind your own business! Get lost) " Appa said jokingly and Amma just sighed. Parth showed me his room. It had no books. 

"It does not have any books because, I do not prefer reading" he said, as if he knew what was cooking up in my mind. "Too bad" I said and he said, "If you promise me, that you'll make this room ours, then I can promise you to set up a library in here" he said, placing his arms on my shoulders. "Fuck you Parth. Stop making me blush" I said while smiling like a stupid. "We have time shortcake, not that soon" he said and earned a whack from me. "Then there is still time to make this room ours. But, I can promise you it will happen for sure" I said, in a childish tone. "Then, I promise you a library. But, for now, adjust with this" he said and started tickling. "Parth stop, Ah Parth- Mr Rude stop it" I said, while laughing, and he stopped. 

His room and Aru's room were upstairs. He took me to show the rooms downstairs, which had the hall, kitchen, dining room, a garden, a courtyard room with - a tulsi plant and a swing. 

He took me to the garden. It had the perfect blend of traditional along with modern interior. 

There was a mini indoor lotus pond. "Amma loves lotuses. It's the first flower Appa gave her" Parth answered, noticing my fascination. 

"I love it!" I said. Parth then showed me the Sannidhi. He also told me that this was their ancestral house, and Amma and Appa chose to renovate it, giving a modern touch. 

Paatti called us all for lunch. Amma prepared some Jeera rice and Kaju Panneer Masala, while, Appa cooked Sambhar and made rotis. As soon as we had lunch, Paatti said, "Nethu ungalukaga cake pannindu iruntha iva rendu perum (These two were making a cake for you yesterday)" . 

"Oh yes, they looked really cute, while baking together" Amma said, and showed us a picture. 

I and Dhruv exchanged a smile, expressing, how grateful we are, to have them in our life.