DQ#1 Thousand Reasons Why

A Cold War

Aradhya's POV

" I can't believe that you came!!" I said to my aunt who was hugging me tightly. I hugged her back. " Dee nahi ayee aapke sath?" (Dee didn't come with you?) I asked her and she shook her head.

" Aapke Dee ka exam hai next week." (Your Dee has to attend her exams next week)

" Oh!!" I said and she kissed on my forehead. I smiled.

" How is everyone at home?" I asked her.

" Everyone is doing great. Tum batao yeh saab kaise hua?" (You tell me how has all these happened?) She asked me and I chuckled.

" I slipped down from the staircase." I said to her.

" You should be more careful, baccha." She said and I smiled.

" Aap akele aye Hain?" (Have you come alone?) I asked her.

" Haan. Ek conference tha. Divya was supposed to come with me but she was called in emergency. There was an issue." (Yes. There was a conference to attend) She said and I nodded.

I haven't seen them for long. I hope I can meet them soon. I miss all of them very very much. Though we talk every day and do video calls but still I can't hug them on that.

" I miss them a lot." I said and she smiled. 

" Vivaan has come home last week." She said and I pouted.

Anna came home!!! That's mean a lot of fun.  I am missing all of them. Now I so badly want to go back to India. I want to spend time and have fun with them.

" Oh, kaise hain Anna?" (How is he?) I asked her.

" He was injured but is doing ok now and those small injuries can't keep him sitting at home at all." She said and I nodded.

Captain Vivaan Ahuja is my cousin. He is a very familiar name in Indian army because of his performance all these years in every spares. I am very proud of him. I miss him too. But he has his duties. He can't come here to visit me leaving his responsibilities. But he calls me regularly once a week to know if everything is ok here, if I need anything or not. I think I am blessed with some beautiful people in my life. Otherwise my faith in humanity would fade away long back.

" Yes. That's true." I nodded. " When will he go back to his works again?" I asked her.

" He is always in his duties." She said and I nodded.

" I will go to India in summer vacation." I said to her.

" That's great. Diya will be at home then as well." She said and I nodded.

" It will be great." I said.

Suddenly the doorbell rang. May be Mom came back from the grocery store. She went to do the groceries.

" I will go and check." I said to her.

" Relax. Let me do that for you." She said and I nodded.

My aunt walked to check who is on the door. She came back with Asher and Ardeyn after awhile. Ardeyn came toward me and sat next to me.

" Yeh tumhare dost hai kya?" She asked me.(Is he your friend?) 

" Yes." I said and found Asher still standing there looking at my aunt calmly.

" Hey, Asher. Have a seat." I said and he smiled before handing me a box of chocolates. I smiled. They are my favorite ones.

" This is for you." He said and sat across me.

" Guys, she is my aunt." I said to Asher and Ardeyn.

" Hello, boys. I am Vaibhavi Goenka. Nice to meet you." My aunt said to them smilingly. 

" Ardeyn Northscott. Nice to meet you, ma'am." Ardeyn said extending his hand to shake hand with her and she smiled shaking hand with him.

" Asher Milverton. Nice to meet you, Mrs. Goenka." Asher said smilingly.

" Do you guys want to have some coffee?" Aunty asked them.

" We are stock out. Mom has gone to the grocery store just awhile back. You forgot?" I whispered in her ear.

" This is called courtesy, Ari." She whispered back.

" Thanks, Mrs. Goenka. But we just had coffee awhile back on the way." Asher said.

" Thanks for the chocolates, guys." I said.

" You are welcome." Ardeyn said. " How is your injuries now?" He asked and checked my ankle which was still bruised.

" Better than before." I said. " How is the practice session going on?" I asked him.

" It's going great." He said and I nodded. He kept looking at my ankle for awhile. " Aren't you taking medicines properly?" He asked me.

" Yes, I am. But why?" I asked him.

" Why isn't it healing yet?" He asked. I chuckled.

" It will take time, Dude." I said to him.

Asher was silent as always. Does he has a very limited words to talk everyday?! Ridiculous!!!

" I will go to get freshen up, Ari. You talk to your friend's." My aunt said to me. I nodded and she walked upstairs.

" Where is Ms. Roy?" Asher asked out of nowhere.

" She has gone to the grocery store." I said and he nodded.

" Had the girls come today?" He asked me. I nodded.

" They left a few hours back." I said to him. He nodded and went back to his silent mode once again. I sighed inwardly.

Mom came back after awhile and we had dinner together. Asher and Ardeyn left after dinner promising that they will come to see me tomorrow. I was going upstairs to sleep when the doorbell rang and I opened the door. It was Mr. Bradley. What was he doing here at this hour?!! He wasn't very happy to see me I can say that. I think he doesn't like me a bit. I smiled.

" Hello, Mr. Bradley. Please come in." I said and he walked inside. I closed the door and followed him slowly.

" Your phone. You left it at our place." He handed Mom her phone and was leaving when my aunt stopped him calling his name.

" Jacob Bradley!!! What a pleasant surprise!!!" Aunty said and he looked at her calmly.

" I see.. Vaibhavi Goenka. Very nice to meet you after years." He said coldly. My aunt chuckled.

" Same here, Jacob. Same here." My aunty said with the same expression and there was a cold war between them.

Mom and I were completely taken confused by their behavior. How do they know each other?!!