Eighteen Minus (COMPLETED)

Chapter 13

VANSHIKA
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The lady kept looking and judging me exactly the way I look at students whenever I monitor them during their exams. At times I wonder if she could even scan me within the Burkha and Karthik looked extremely nervous but started explaining to her that I'm his friend's wife and I'm here to meet mom. I narrowed my eyebrows. At times he calls me his wife and at times his friend's wife!!!

I couldn't stand the lady staring at me so I started walking away from there but could hear her talking to Karthik but my ears rose the moment I heard the name Avanthi!!!

Oh ohhhh!!! Hold on!! So she is Avanthi! I mentally smirked. Karthik bid her goodbye and joined me into the elevator and I looked at him who was looking here and there. He was extremely nervous. I wonder what's running in the back of his head. Finally as we reached onto our floor, my eyes fell on our house doors. Home sweet home indeed!!!

I was dying to go and crash on my bed but Karthik had denied me from stepping into my house. He didn't want to take any risks. He rang the bell and Anitha aunty opened the door. She was wondering who I was when I unveiled my face only for aunty to squeal like a little girl.

'Vanshuuuuu' and I giggled and hugged her tightly. Karthik was already smiling. Aunty has been my second mom here for the last twelve years. I smiled and asked her 'Yencha Ullar Aunty(how are you aunty)'.

'Soukhya!!!(Good)... How are you and what is all this?' she asked looking at my Burkha and that's when Karthik interfered saying 'Mom!!! You know the situation right? What could I do...this was the only way I could bring her home!!!' he said and Aunty nodded. She looked at me and asked 'You really ran away?' and I nodded biting my lower lip. She gasped again but she knew what I went through in the past so she patted my back. She asked me to freshen up.

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After a warm bath and getting rid of that heavy designer Lehenga and wearing my Kurta Pajama I felt light and human. I wonder how girls wear such heavy lehengas. I love my cotton sarees so much. And at home I love my Kurta Pajamas.

I couldn't stop moaning at the Pundi Gasi that aunty made for breakfast followed by Karthik special filter coffee. This felt at home. This was comfortable. After breakfast aunty left to the market to get some vegetables and fish for lunch when Karthik decided to finish his pending work. I also dropped an email to my college explaining about my leave extension for fifteen more days. When asked I lied to them that I had personal problems but the principal did not question me. I was someone who had never taken a single day off since I joined the college as an Assistant Professor and today I'm a Professor and it was only the first time I had asked for leaves and they did not object. I was glad.

I was getting bored so I went to the kitchen and started digging for homemade snacks made by Aunty. I found some freshly made Chakkuli and Corn mixture. I robbed Karthik's phone and began fishing for OTT apps and decided to watch my sister's latest Kannada movie which was much applauded. I was so happy and proud of her for doing such great local content rather than the brainless tv soap operas. I was fed up of seeing her having multiple husbands and multiple rebirths.  Lavanya Khanna's refined version was my favourite. May it be her new kinda content or her new husband. Adi Jiju was a gem. I was happy for her. She truly deserved all the love and not that asshole ex boyfriend of hers!!!

I was drowning in my thoughts when suddenly I felt an arm across my shoulder and a head lying on my left shoulder trying to squeeze into the small sofa of the living room and I knew who it was because next thing that was happening was a hand reached out to rob Chakkuli from my bowl and I snatched it away.