Intricacies of Love

Chapter-6

The sun shone full upon the tired face of Akshit. Suprisingly he seemed to enjoy the warmth which was the Sun's gift. With a dreamy relaxed face he mused- It's so good that it's finally Sunday. It's even better because my jet lag's over.

Sitting up on his bed he remembered how Saumya had looked when he had met her the previous day. Why am I remembering her so often? That's not good. You should not swoon at her feet - they are beautiful though - yet never fall in love. That's not your field of specialisation. Saying this he tried to make his heart understand.

"Akshit you're awake," his mom said barging into his room. " Good it is already eleven. Aww my little baby. I believe you should sleep for a bit longer. You have grown so thin. Your eyes carry bags the size of a suitcase. You always stay up late and wake up early."

"Oh God Mom! I am not a baby and I definitely slept for long. Moreover I have to go somewhere."

"Where?"

"To meet my friends."

"Why don't you call them at home? We can catch up and talk. It has been such a long time since we met."

Hearing his mother's words, Akshit remembered the times when he had been enormously embarrassed in front of his friends by his mom. Definitely he couldn't let his friends come over.

"Mom actually we will be going to the cinema hall to watch a movie."

"But beta nowadays you watch movies on laptop itself right. On...On...Netclix."

Akshit burst out laughing.

"It's Netflix mom and we can't watch all movies on Netflix. The movie we are going to watch is unavailable on Netflix."

With a slightly sad face Mrs. Aggarwal said, "Okay, you get ready I have prepared breakfast."

It was around twelve thirty when Akshit decided it was time to go.

"Bye mom."

"Bye beta."

Hopping in his car, he ignited the engine and sped past the houses in the C-Block Lane of Karol Bagh.

He was standing in front of Books And Coffee - the cafe where he was supposed to meet his friends. The cafe had been the rendezvous of him and his friend whenever they were in Delhi. Unlike most teenagers they had always preferred to study in a book cafe and talk about their lives.

Akshit took a deep breath to inhale the familiar smell of the cafe. A lovely lavender fragrance gently touched his nostrils. Taking short steps he entered the cafe. It was still the same - homely. With wooden chairs and tables, many lovely wooden bookshelves with intricate carvings and steaming hot coffee, the cafe was the epitome of perfection.

Akshit was standing near the door when a man sitting at a table farthest the door waved his hand. It was Harsh - Sanyukta's husband and Akshit's friend slash brother.

On reaching the table Akshit was engulfed in a hug.

"Hey bro! Wassup? You came to Delhi two days ago and you are coming to meet me now. So bad of you."

Akshit only rolled his eyes before feigning anger and said, "My sister and nephew are alright or not? I will kill you if you hurt them. You could have come to London too. I have missed my sister so much."

"Okay fine we're even. Now stop your acting Drama Queen. I really wonder how someone like you who is nerdy in front of all can be such a dramatic personality."

With a fake glare Akshit replied, "I am not a Drama Queen. Happy wondering! Try to solve the mystery, dude."

Glancing at his surrounding he asked, "Where is Vivek? He was supposed to come meet me, right?"

"Yeah well he is late as usual."

Vivek was Akshit's only classmate in his boarding school who lived in Delhi. Even though after completing school they hardly met yet they talked to each other frequently and kept in touch.

Just then Akshit was smacked in the arm by none other than Vivek.

"Talk of the devil and the devil's here."

"Hey Akshit I am not a devil. I am every girl's dream guy," Vivek said with a great air of pride.

"Happy dreaming dude."

"Are you two going to keep standing? We have come here to talk and eat."

"Okay sir," Akshit and Vivek said simultaneously.

Laughing the two friends sat down.

"So how's everything, Akshit?" asked Vivek.

"All good bro. I will join AIIMS from tomorrow. What about you?"

"Well business is going well. Bro stop interviewing me. Will you ever get your head out of books and have a look at all the beautiful girls out there? Or maybe you are planning to remain a bachelor."

"Well, will you get your head in books to earn knowledge. Trust me once you enter the world of books you will have no time and desire to look out of it."

Their talk was interrupted by the waiter who came to take their orders.

After he was gone Vivek said, "Oh God. Please books are boring in my opinion. Whatever but my question still remains - Bro you should go to parties, chill out, date - have fun man."

"I will have to agree with Vivek on this one Akshit. You should have fun. When will you have fun otherwise - at sixty?"

"What?! Not you too Harsh. Why? What is the need to go to parties, date and marry? I am having fun without all that too. Why is it that everyone believes we can have fun only when we party? It's just a tag. A tag of 'boring' which adorns a book and a tag of 'fun' which glimmers on party."

"Bro suit yourself but remember that you should have a taste of everything. Only then can you decide what's fun and what's not," finished Vivek.

"Okay now we have talked a lot about me. So how's life for you two?"

"You see your sister is gonna kill me some day. Her mood swings are so variable that I have the urge to cry. Just yesterday Sanyukta said, 'Harsh please get me some rum cake.' When I refused to get her some she started crying," Harsh paused and with a funnily pained expression continued, "I brought her some chocolate. She refused to eat any and continued crying. After a long time she agreed and happily ate it. Just a moment ago she was crying and suddenly she started laughing."

Akshit and Vivek laughed at Harsh's plight. Their laugh was interrupted by the waiter who brought three cups of steaming frothy coffee.

With a glare Harsh said, "Laugh as much as you want. When this happens to you then we will see who laughs."

"See I am not planning any baby right now and Akshit is not even married. So I believe the prospects of that happening are bleak."

"Okay enough of joking. Don't forget you are talking about my sister. One more word and you will be dead."

Raising their hands Harsh and Vivek said simultaneously, "Sorry bro."

The memories of Akshit's beatings were still afresh in their minds.

"Let's go now. It's quite late. Few minutes more and we won't be able to reach the cinema hall on time. Get up you two."

Fake saluting Akshit in a mocking way they said, "Yes, boss."

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Heya!

How was the chapter? Did you guys miss Saumya? What do you think about Akshit's friends?

Also some good news. So I will be uploading three chapters of the book weekly instead of one - that is until my exams commence.

Love,

Mia