To Love Or Not To Love| A FEATURED STORY

Chapter 22

A/N

****************WARNING***************

This chapter has some steamy content. Readers please read at your own discretion. Recommended age is 18 and above.

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"I wish you often come here," Ajay's mother uttered in hope, after what seemed like an hour into Anya's surprise visit.

"I'm pretty bored of just having Ajay and Anu here, all the time. These two hardly entertain anyone. Not even their friends. Had I been back home, I would've had at least three of my friends over every day for tea and indulge in juiciest gossip."

"Not to mention their roving eye whenever I'm around. Despite being fully clothed, I've always felt naked in their presence," Ajay quipped in amusement.

"Shhh, Ajay. Nobody talks about nakedness in front of their mothers. They can't help it when such a handsome creature appears in their midst. Poor things have lost their husbands pretty early into their marriages."

"And talking about incredible man-buns and giggling like school girls is completely ok? That's harassment." Ajay smirked.

While Mrs Mullapudi rolled her eyes since she was used to this kind of teasing from Ajay, Anya choked on her coffee. Anya and her parents only discussed plants, some interesting piece of news, or how to improve their surroundings.

Their house was a live botanical experiment. By installing various kinds of plants, their home undoubtedly had the best water management and waste management system in the entire world.

Some plants like Colocasia Esculenta known as Taro could remove phosphate and nitrate content in the wastewater.

The domestic wastewater was recycled after it went through such plant-based water filtration techniques. Sadly, these plants did not work against powerful detergents and eventually died. Therefore, they did not use any detergents or caustic floor disinfectants in their place.

All biodegradable waste was treated at her home with simple techniques mostly using plants, and that was in turn used for alternative sources of power and to support a bio-farm. Their family was a staunch supporter of anything green and highly hated plastics. They never used single-use plastics at all. It was the most ecologically-balanced homes.

But the kind of camaraderie that Ajay shared with his mother was new to her. It felt so normal, and she was thrilled to discover another facet of him.

"Look what you've done. Didn't know you could be so crass. Now don't keep standing there, get her a tissue or a towel. Do you need any water, Anya dear?" she asked and commanded her son at the same time. The biggest gossip slash giggling school was gone out of the window, replaced by the strict mother that she was.

Ajay mildly shook his head but went on to pour some water for Anya. She had a sip and smiled at him gratefully. He brushed his fingers with hers' while he took her glass away on purpose that brought an involuntary smile to her.

She was, at first, surprised to find Ajay's mother with him but chided herself for her imprudence. She was pleased to munch on some homemade food, his mother's enthusiastic company, and Ajay's amusing smiles. They often locked gazes that soon heated every fibre of her being. Overall, she was happy with her decision to come there that evening.

After about half-hour more, though Mrs Mullapudi insisted, Anya kindly denied the invitation to stay back for dinner and got up to leave the place.

She heard definitive footsteps behind her, as she walked across the parking lot, and found a familiar pair of arms snake around her torso, but she jumped in shock.