Something New (A Chris Evans Story)

Chapter Seven

I'm totally catering for the next party, I told myself after spilling some curry from the pot onto the kitchen countertop for the third time.

"Something smells good, Akka!" Ananth walked into my apartment, pocketing his key and slugging off his enormous backpack. He headed straight for the kitchen, hunting for food to feed his insatiable appetite, and immediately unplugged my phone from the speakers so that he could play his Spotify playlist aloud. What an ass.

"How'd you get here? I thought you'd call me to come get you." I stirred the curry in the pot on the stove.

Wiping my hands on my apron, I started to place all the food into the fridge since the dinner would only be served a couple hours later.

"I took the T since I had band practice today so I had to stay a bit longer, but I knew you'd be slaving in the kitchen so I didn't want to bother you. By the way, I brought the sweets you needed from the Indian food market near the school." He placed a large and a fairly heavy container on the countertop.

"You're the best- keep them in the fridge- and don't you dare try to eat too much of everything. Just try a bit of each dish." I told him while I washed some of the used pots and pans.

Opening the fridge, his mouth dropped open, hunger gleaming in his eyes. "Wow, there's so much food- what did Amma tell you to-"

I interrupted him, and systematically listed off various Konkani dishes that my mother had instructed me to make. She had told me that her advice was given only because this was my first housewarming party.

However, I'm pretty sure her ulterior motive was to prove to Sumit (Guy #1) that I could adequately cook him Konkani food so that he wouldn't starve to death if we got married.

Ananth tried all the dishes and said they were pretty similar to what Amma makes. I silently prayed to the gods that Ananth's taste buds wouldn't let me down.

And since Sumit would most probably going to spill the beans to his gossiping female relatives about me, I had put my best hosting and culinary skills forward. My parents would absolutely abhor if the Prabhu family got a bad name in the Konkani match-making community.

According to them, I'd not only screw myself over, but then trying to find a match for my sister who's only four years younger than me would be difficult. And my parents would definitely murder me.

The doorbell suddenly pulled me out of my thoughts, and I yelled for my brother to go answer it. I heard Shanna's voice, which was to be expected since she had told me that she'd come early to help. Then, I heard a much lower-pitched voice that definitely belonged to a man. Who had she brought with her?

My questions were all answered as she walked through the door followed by Chris. Oh god, he looked really good in his black sweater and jeans that hugged his body quite well. The smell of the coconut reached my nose and broke me out of my thoughts about Chris before they could become NSFW.

Shanna had to go pick up some cookies that she'd ordered from her favorite bakery nearby. She hugged me, saying she'd be back in some time, and promptly left Chris and me alone in the kitchen.

If she'd done that on purpose so that we'd be alone, I'd actually murder her. Control, Naina, he is in your domain now. You have power over him!

"Well, you do have power over me- more than you think you do," he said boldly. Shit, had I said that last part aloud?! God I'm such an idiot,; a tired idiot considering I had stayed a bit later at the hospital the previous night.
Continuing, he said, "Your apartment is great, by the way. Did Shanna help you set everything?"