Chapter 16

Thank you so much for the comments! I usually don't update at this time but I did today, sorry for the inconvenience.

Part 17: Cooking

E: Are you sure, Isha, ki tumhe aaj college naahin jaana?
I: Arre, baba, I said I'm sure na? I have *spare* the first two periods. So I'm going home and then I'm going to leave for college after having lunch.

     Isha gathered her home work, her note books, her purse and her clothes. She turned to find Eklavya a little worried.

I: Kya hua?
E: Woh kuch naahin, par tum lunch yaahan kyun naahin karti?
I: Already I've been staying here for so long, aur waise bhi teekh naahin lage ga. Nobody's at home except me and you.
E: Maa aur Tanya chachi hai na!
I: No, Eklavya really, I should go, thank you so much for everthing.

     Isha started to walk away but felt a hand on her shoulder.

I: Eklav-
Damini: Arre, Isha beta, aaise kaise jaa rahi ho? Eklavya is right; stay until lunch at least.
E: Yea, just lunch

     Isha bit her lip, taking turns looking at Eklavya and his mother. Finally she agreed. She was about to walk back inside when suddenly Raghu kaka appeared yelling for help. Apparently, Tanya had suffered a great fall in the stairs. Eklavya, Damini and Isha rushed to Tanya's aid.

D: Raghu kaka, aap car nikalo
Raghu Kaka: Jee, madam
E: Maa, I'm coming too…wait I'll just get my wallet.
D: Naahin, Eklavya, you stay here. Ghar pe koi ek insaan ko rehna zaroori hai. I'll keep informing you Tanya's condition. Don't worry, beta.
E: Are you sure, maa?
D: Yes
E: Theek hai…

     Isha felt so bad that she was here in such a situation. After Damini, Raghu kaka and Tanya had left, she looked at her watch and told Eklavya it's best if she leaves.

E: No, you promised to stay until lunch, come on, Isha!
I: Par, you chachi is in the hospital, you shouldn't be here socializing with me…
E: Yes I should, this way we can both pray together and tell God to get chachi all right again.
I: Pray?
E: Yea, come on

     Eklavya dragged her into the temple. They both took off their footwear before. Eklavya took her hand and helped her sit down. He folded his hands and motioned Isha to do the same. Isha reluctantly sat down and did as she was told. She quietly prayed as she was told to. Eklavya opened on of his eyes to shoot a peek at Isha. If he had to tell her his feelings, it should be at a holy place like this. Suddenly, Isha snapped her fingers at him.

I: Done?
E: Uh- Yea

     Maybe next time, Eklavya thought to himself. As they both got out of the temple, Eklavya checked his watch, it read 11:30. Lunch time, he thought.

E: Come on, Isha, lets go have lunch
I: Ok, and then I can leave?
E: yes…

     When they entered the kitchen, they realized that Raghu kaka hadn't made breakfast yet. Eklavya looked at Isha, as if saying "well lets start cooking" Isha gave him a glare and raised an eyebrow at him.

E: We can cook, I guess…
I: Me and cook? Yea, ok! You do that, I'm going to go eat in the caf at college.
E: Come on, how hard is cooking anyway?
I: Ok…we can try, I guess

     Eklavya got all the things needed to make an omelet and got an apron out. They laid out the ingredients and cutlery on the counter table. Eklavya looked with questioning eyes at Isha and Isha gave him a similar, puzzled look.

I: Don't even look at me. Didi always cooks for me.
E: Oh…ok, first, you have to take the eggs and crack them. Here you do that.

     He handed her the eggs. She took a tea spoon and held the egg in her hand.
I: It's just a cracking an egg; how hard can it be? Ok, 1, 2, 3-

     Isha hit the egg hard with her spoon and all the yolk ended up on her outfit. Ekavya snikered as he got tomatoes from the fridge. Isha gave him a long glare.

I: Hasso, aur hasso! I'm going, I can't cook, Eklavya! And you know that by now don't you by my awesome egg-cracking skills?
E: Arre, I'm not laughing at you. Tum hamesha assi hi ho kya? Here, I'll teach you how to crack an egg.

     He walked over to Isha and stood right behind her. He took his right hand in hers and his left hand in hers. Isha managed to stay cool even after the chills going through her by Eklavya's touch. He guided Isha's hands towards another egg and the tea spoon again. Isha stared at the egg trying not to think of how good he smelled and how to actually crack an egg.

E: Ok, 1, 2, 3 and just gently tap it, don't hit it hard just a light tap…yes, just like that, see it's not that hard, is it? Here, I'll crack the rest of the eggs and you start making the omelet. I cut the tomatoes and everything. They're on the counter.

     He loosened his grip on her hands and gave her little space between him and the table to let her slide by. She got to the counter and realized that she couldn't make an omelet. She turned around to ask Eklavya for help but then changed her mind. After all, she had to look like she could do something around the house to make a good impression on him. She turned the stove on and waited for it to heat. It seemed like she had waited ages and the stove still hadn't heated. She turned it on full blast. After a few seconds, she put her hand right on top of the stove and her palm accidentally touched the hot stove. She screamed.
     Eklavya ran towards her and seeing that she had gotten burned, went to fetch the cream for burns. Isha realizing what he was doing screamed out in refusal.

I: No, Eklavya, it's gonna burn! No, please, not the cream
E: I promise, Isha come on-
I: It's going to burn, Eklavya
E: Isha stop acting like a baby-
I: No-please-
E: I promise, Isha…you don't trust me?

     Isha stopped midway in her sentence. She looked at his dazzling blue eyes. Obviously she couldn't resist him. She closed her eyes and gave him her palm. He took her hand and gently kissed it. Isha, surprised, opened her eyes. Eklavya smiled at her and applied the cream over her palm. And guess what? Surprise, surprise; it didn't burn at all!

E: Isha jabb omelet banana naahin atta toh kaha kyun naahin?
I: I didn't want you to think that I'm useless…
E: You're not useless…You're very kind and helpful and very determined. And that isn't useless. Come on you sit here, I'll finish the omelet and I'll it to you, ok?
     Isha gave him a weak smile and looked down at her burn. It hadn't hurt a bit. Especially after Eklavya had kissed it better.

**Firstly, I'm not sure if everyone knows what a spare is...basically it's just a period on your time table that is free so you don't have any subjects or courses there.
Next, I'm sorry I haven't been able to update any sooner...I was kinda busy...sorry but I promise I'll update all this week. And this has to be long enough! Hope it's not too long though!

                      -Pooja