"You are a baffoon, idiot, dimwit..." She ran out of adjectives, one hand extending a bite of the curd rice while the other one raised to indicate a spanking effort. Well, almost. Pausing midways, she decided that she couldn't take that liberty yet. But maybe soon..
The person sitting across opened his mouth like an obedient school going child, his eyes fixed on hers. Eyes that spoke volumes and read equally. Right away, the girl extending her hand had tears coursing down her velvet cheeks. His hand itched to wipe them away, caress the cheek and do a lot more. Like cup her face and..
"Eat this, you stupid man. What are you waiting for?" She grumbled impatiently. He reached to her fingers and accepted the mouthful, his lips closing over her fingers in a tantalizing slow fashion. Did he notice a slight quickening of a pulse in the swan like neck?
The cool flavour of freshly set curd burst into his chillied mouth and doused the fire. Like a soothing balm over a deep festering wound. Was it the effect of the curd rice mix alone or something more? He mulled it over as his mouth performed the mechanical job of chewing and swallowing, inhaling intermittently to assuage the pungency of the chillies that still lingered. Was it due to the fingers that fed him tenderly? Fingers that were ready with the next morsel even before the previous one was done with?
She snapped angrily at him.
"Come on, next one. How long do I wait here with my hand extended?"
He leaned ahead for the next bite. She continued on a single track.
"What were you upto? Can't you realize that it was just a prank?"
His wit and humour was back.
"Well, Gauri Ji, Our office is holding a chilly eating competition tomorrow, so...thought I could practice. Anyway, thanks for helping out!"
"You !@#$%^" He ducked sharply as she looked ready to throw something at him. "You think you are great? The mighty Shiv Kumar Shukla from Benaras? Fine, I played a prank with you. But you needn't have fallen to it. Nobody here supplies green chillies in the dabba unless asked for. You could have just refused to eat them. Or best, called me and asked for an explanation. But No, here you are..." She stood up angrily, picking up the empty curd-rice bowl in her hand. "Eating chillies just because I sent them. What a difference from your earlier behaviour. Of course, I know it now. You did it on purpose. Right?"
Shiv bowed theatrically.
"Yes, your highness. I did it on purpose. So that you would come running here and..."
"And what? Complete your sentence!"
"And feed me with her own hands. With tears in the eyes just because I was in distress!"
"Oye Hello! I came running here only because the prank went haywire! Not for anything else!"
"Oh really? You expect me to believe that?"
"Well, don't if you don't want to. My foot! By the way, what were you out to prove by eating those chillies? That you ..."
"Love me?"
"What?" The response was acutely lacking in something called indignation. Didnt she know it all? Right from the moment he had caught her hand on the road, supposedly for the ring measurement. She turned away from him to hide her reddening cheeks. And a lot more.
He strode to her.
"No point in living in denial anymore!"
"It's not that. Just that..."
"What is it then? You don't..."
She turned around, sushing him with a finger on his lips. Her teary eyes a complete contrast to the shy smile.
"Do I need to be specific? Can't you understand something on your own, you nincompoop? Jo nahi kahan hain, kabhi to samajh jao...
Anupamaa
Naagin 7
Health and Fitness
