Posted:
homonym - [hom-uh-nim]
a word pronounced the same as another but differing in meaning
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"Finishing touches..." she mumbled to no one in particular. One paintbrush was poised between her teeth whilst the other settled itself between her fingers, deftly recreating the jar of sunflowers before her.
She stood back and smiled proudly at the result of her efforts. She took another step backwards to assess her painting at various angles when she tumbled into her sister. Geet pushed her away before she could trip over her and thus cause a fatal crash landing into her work.
"Jeez, thanks for saving me!" Pari grumbled angrily as she rubbed her elbow. The apples that Pari had been carrying lay carelessly between them.
"Sorry but I couldn't risk you ruining my sunflowers. You know it's taken me a good few weeks to finish it off."
She craned her head pass Geet's silhouette. "To be fair, it does look pretty good."
"'To be fair?' Pari, I am an outstanding artist and you know this. Besides, I think Johan would agree with my point of view, and you don't want to disappoint him, right?"
Pari waved a hand away dismissively at the mention of her sister's art dealer. "I've spotted someone hotter than Mr Johan."
"Who was it this time, the grocer who smiled at you?"
"No, the 6 foot muscled hunk of a man who's moved in next door."
Geet's expression remained passive.
"You haven't seen him?"
"I haven't left the apartment in 3 days, Pari, what do you think?"
"Come to the door, you'll see him moving in."
"We're going to look very suspicious and creepy."
"No, we'll say hello and ask if he needs any help. Neighbourly friendliness and such."
Geet shook her head.
"Ugh, your life has become revolved around your paintbrushes. Come on!" Pari grabbed her wrist and led her to the door. Geet remained reluctant, understanding one's needs for privacy and not wanting to intrude.
"I'll open the door, you can just peek if you're that shy. Okay?"
"I'm not shy Pari, I just-"
Their front door creaked open and she looked over Pari's shoulder to see a built man carrying a small coffee table from a run down van to the steps.
"Excuse me, do you need any help?"
He looked up, straight past Pari into Geet's eyes and she felt a sudden urge to look away.
He gave a wan smile. "I think I can manage."
"Be careful, the steps are pretty difficult to navigate at first. But you get used to it. I'm Pari!" her cheery voice was laced with a tone of genuine kindness and an undercurrent of flirtatious invitations. Geet began to move away when the stranger, who had now set the table down at the foot of the steps, asked for her name.
"This is Geet, my sister." Pari stepped aside, pushing the door open further and Geet tried to look everywhere but at the man whose gaze was penetrating through her.
"I recognise you."
She heard a faint gasp from her sister and noticed the flicker of a smirk across his lips. She rushed inside, leaving Pari to follow in her wake, slamming the door shut behind them.
Maan sat on the edge of his coffee table and smiled to himself.
To be continued...
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A/N: The adjoining apartments of Maan and Geet.
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