Jaanta Tha

Chapter 18

Samar's POV

Is she really a teacher? What kind of teacher behaves like that? She herself looks like a teenager student who gets excited seeing a jar of shake. I kept wondering seeing Mannat and her teacher enjoying with each other. Mannat seemed really fond of her new teacher. Maybe because they behave alike; for example- blowing bubbles in jar. Recalling that incident made me chuckle again.

"Samar bhai!"

"Yes, Mannat?"

"I want more of these chocolate sticks, please." My little cousin requested with a cute puppy face that I can't say no to. And honestly, I can't say no to anything sweet.. either for me or for others.

With a smile I replied, "sure, you can." And I placed the order for the same.

"Toh Warisha? What do you do?" I initiated the conversation with her for the first time.

Without moving her head she just shifted her glance from the jar to me. "Me?" She asked in a quietly.

"You're Warisha, right?"

I addressed the question with her name and she still needed clarification. I chuckled mentally.

She giggled sitting straight and keeping the jar on table. "I'm doing honours in English. I love Literature and not studying things that doesn't please me."

Literature.. that's why the book.

"Literature? So you like reading books?"

"I used to-" She fell silent as my phone ringed.

"Excuse me.." I answered the call.

"Kiddhar hai tu? Matlab tujhe har baar late hona zaroori hai? Insaan ek baar time pe aa jaata hai but tu kyu.." I rolled my eyes interrupting my dear brother who just didn't want to shut up, "aaj practice thi?"

"Wow! You don't even remember? We are waiting here since an hour, Samar!" He sounded so irritated. Him and his OCD for timings but-

Did I really forgot about our practice?

"Uhm..Sanam, woh sun-" the waiter also came with our additional order and I signed him to bring the bill. "-I'm with Mannat, I'll be there in an hour."

As I was listening to Sanam trying to scold me, I didn't miss Mannat's teacher's eyes that twinkled hearing Sanam's name.

How new and exciting it must be for her.

"Still an hour? Abhi bhi wait kare tera? Yahi toh karna hai humein. Practice session thodi hi hai; Samar's waiting session hai, hai na?"

"Pathetic sarcasm, Sanam. Level up, come on. "I remarked to him and looked at Mannat, "carry those sticks with you. You can have it on our way, okay?"

She nodded wrapping the sticks with tissue. The waiter came with our bill. I held the cellphone tilting my head and raising my shoulder so that I could take out my wallet, "Sanam? Tujhse main baad mein baat-"

"Baad mein kyu? Abhi kyu nahi?! Mujhe abhi karni hai!" Just one of those days where my brother is being just another irritating younger sibling. Warisha was looking absolutely clueless about what she should do.

"Sanam-" my phone almost fell down in my try to pull out my card from the wallet but thanks to Warisha, who was quick enough to save the phone and hold it near me so I could speak without any inconvenience. I thanked her with a small nod and she replied with a smile. Dismissing the card idea I used cash to pay the bill, "keep the change. And Sanam-" I took the hold of my phone from Warisha, "thanks for you excellent service of irritating me."