Voyage-A Chase Forever| |#KARSHIKA | #TheChaseSeries

DRENCHED

KARV

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The last time that I felt so peaceful was on my trip to Ooty, that was almost five years back. Today I feel the same, in her presence when we are together. People say that you live a peaceful life and then love happens. I don't know if it is love or mere liking or just attraction, but I do love spending time with Mishika.

It happened exactly twenty-one days ago when she said that she skipped her dinners. I urged that I would join her from the next day, and since then I and Mishika have been spending our dinners together. For the first few days, it was a bit awkward for her as well as me. It was not that we hadn't shared food together, but it was all her serving and me enjoying the meal as she would wait for me to finish because I was the guest. But one day I decided that I won't let her do all that all alone. I joined her in the kitchen, I didn't even know the C of cooking, but I helped her in whichever way it was possible.

When Mishika instructed me, it almost felt that I was doing a sort of crash course on cooking, and I am pretty sure not much but I would at least learn to make a dish or two by the end of this course. Today when I am helping her cut those vegetables, I feel absolutely relaxed, as if there are no clients, no meetings for tomorrow. We never discussed work, when we were in absolute informal space. I never wanted this tranquility to end.

"Are these enough?" I ask showing her the freshly cut vegetables.

"Ya, that would do of for two and in case if we had three people we would just add another potato" she replied mentally calculating something.

"Just a single potato?"

"Ya," she said casually shrugging her shoulders.

Today's menu was simple, 'Aaloo ki sabzi' and 'Pulao'. She had already started making puris for us. I usually had less oily, less fried food, but I hadn't mentioned it to her. I knew, If I do that, not only the taste would be constrained but also her absolute careless grace would be lost if she came to know that. I knew I had to put an extra hour at the gym if I had to avoid a paunch at my abdomen, but I also knew that it was worth the time that I earned with her.

She went to the other side to get some utensils. I hear her saying "Karv would you please pass the hot water vessel to me"

I don't know what made me do that but I pick it directly without any gloves or cooking tongs and it fell immediately off my hands.

"Fuck!" I cry when I felt the burning sensation. She came running to me and immediately placed my hand in the running tap water.

"How could you be so careless Karv?" she said, her forehead creasing.

"Didn't I warn you the vessel is hot? Why did you pick it with your bare hands? Are you out of your mind Karv? Look at your hand, it is singed" she said and took my hand off the water, she blew air on my hand to cool it down.

My hand sear but my eyes were still on her. I feel the pain almost fading away with the coolness that she threw on me.

"Are you okay?" she asked, worry written on her face.

I nod and smile to her "perfectly alright" I say. She left my hand when she realized she had been holding it for a long time.

The food was ready by then and we settled for dinner. No one spoke for a while but then she said: "Be careful from the next time". I could notice an affinity in her voice, it was as if she was impelling her right upon me.

I smile and we continue with our dinner. Just then I receive a call, it was Nikita. I answer it.

"Yes Nikita!" I reply her on the phone and immediately I could see Mishika's expression changing. She was uncomfortable with me talking to Nikita.

Was she jealous?

I took my phone and went outside deliberately just to read the change on her face. And as expected she got up and moved to the kitchen. I was hardly concentrating on Nikita's words rather I was more concerned about how Mishika was reacting.

I return after a while and went to the kitchen. I could see Mishika stacking the dishes almost throwing them into the dish washer. Anger evident on her face easily.

"What happened, Mishika?" I ask softly

"Nothing" she replied pasting a fake smile.

"It was Nikita, she was asking me if I could go out for a coffee tomorrow," I say, she didn't react, the usual way she used to be when she got angry. At least now I knew her enough to understand how she would react on a particular situation.

I step near her and ask "What do you think, should I go?"

"It's completely your wish" she said casually, but I could easily feel the annoyance in her words.

I look out the window, the atmosphere had suddenly taken a turn, dark clouds emerged out. I saw a little tapping on the window and it became a pitter-patter. Mishika ran upstairs towards the balcony, I follow her to the door. I saw her shuffling the clothes stand and picking them clumsily. I also joined to help her, she placed the clothes inside and came back to pick more .

Suddenly the rain grew into a heavy shower and she hurried to get inside. But I caught her hand to stop her and she looked back at me, her eyes questioning that of mine. I step towards her slowly, the raindrops constantly falling over us. Neither did she nor did I blink an eye. I could feel the wetness of her palm on that of mine.

I want to kiss her. I want to feel her. I get closer to and even she didn't move a bit. Our hands entwined, our gaze constant and we could even feel every single breath of each other. I leaned towards her, her lips parted and mine almost touched that of her. But suddenly with a thunderstorm, she moved behind taking her eyes away.

She walked inside, the silence followed along when I got back and she looked nervous being around me. I realized that I went beyond the fine line of friendship between us and that she wasn't prepared for.

I decide to leave before it grows awkward. I go downstairs, where she came following me.

"I think I must leave, " I say softly.

"Karv it's, it's raining heavily," she said and I smiled showing my car keys to her.

"Well I am not going alone, I have my darling with me" I smile and she chuckled back.