Next, he pulls his jersey off his body revealing his masculine lean physique. My body heats up seeing his naked upper body. My heart did a complete summersault and I immediately turned in the opposite direction.
My hypnotic states break when listening to a voice but i couldn't register the words.
"Sorry?"
"The result has come, you are asked inside the office." She left informing me. I entered the office, where my brother and the Principal were already waiting for me. I took the seat i previously occupied.
"The result is here" Saying this, he opened an envelope and read it. He looked at my brother and then at me. "Congratulations, you cleared the test paper". He said smiling, passing the result to me. I beamed and happily extended my hand to accept the envelope. But my brother beat me in that and snatched it from his hand.
After reading the result, he looks at me with his usual sullen expression, "You just got passing marks" Then he again looks at the result paper, "I am ashamed seeing your English language score".
I narrowed my eyes at him, how could he insult me like this in front of the Principal? "Sir said i cleared the test. Didn't you listen to him?" I said, having a hint of pride. If the principal himself is smiling at me and congratulating me then why does he have to give his expert commentary? He is acting as if he was the topper of the school. I scrunched my nose at him.
"Not all students top every exam like you Mr Rajput. It's okay to get passing marks".
Oh shit, i bit my lips ignoring meeting his eyes, which are already on me. He is smirking, is he reading my thoughts?
I am sure now he is going to tell my marks to everyone and my brothers will humiliate me together. I shake my head, feeling disappointed in myself.
We settled down in the car. Not even a word was exchanged. The silence is really awkward, which i so want to break. But i know this silence doesn't matter to him. Infect he likes it. He finds solace in it. So that he can continue to think how right he is and how wrong i am.
The world can burn down and still, he is not going to move a muscle of his face as if it is the most normal thing to happen.
His words from earlier repeat in my mind,
"You think you will show your care, affection and love towards us and we will realize how much of a great soul you are and will shower you with love. Then half-sister i really pity you. You are worse."
We reached the front porch of the house, i was about to leave but i knew i could not let him think whatever his mind cooked. Communication is the key. I turned to him and spoke,
"Bhai, i carry all the ill words thrown at me but that doesn't mean they are not heavy. You said i want love, no i don't, instead i want to know how it feels when you are loved wholeheartedly. So i just became the love i searched for." I take a pause, my hands shaking but i hold them together tightly to hide my vulnerability. "Maybe i am selfish, but don't we all want to feel alive before we die? And why will i give up on the illusion of love when it is the only thing helping me see the next day? In lieu, i will hold it even tighter.
Silence,
I waited,
I waited more,
But he speaks nothing. Not even a nod, that he acknowledged my words. Signing i opened the car's door and stepped out of it. And the moment i stepped out he drove away, getting out of my site like he was not here a few seconds ago. Sometimes i feel that in his silence he hides the words that he wants to scream.
Now here i am cooking Paneer Makhani Biryani, Aloo sabzi and Puri for Aarav. For dessert, it's Gulab Jamun as per his liking. "He is the foodie amongst all the brothers. And he can literally eat all day and won't complain." Gopal Kaka said.
"That's true because almost all the time i have seen him, he is munching on something or the other thing. Maybe that's the reason he named his dog Munch" I giggled. Gopal Kaka looked at me affectionately. "You are a blessing to this house". I smiled at him. He reminds me of Kavita Kaki.
We all settled down on the dining table. One of the house help placed the food I made for Aarav, in front of him. Like always I told them for whom I cooked today.
Kabeer Bhai throws a black look in my direction. I know the reason for his reaction because I skipped him like Aditya Bhai. As I said I want to keep the so-called 'tough attitude shower' at the end.
Another house-help placed Creamy Mushroom Rigatoni on the table. Shaurya Bhai's eyes lit up immediately.
"That looks appetising"
Gopal Kaka told me he likes this and it was an easy and quick recipe so I made it for him to compensate for yesterday.
He served himself a big serving making me chuckle. Everyone looks in my direction with a questioning look.
"Aditya told me what happened at the school. I am really abashed listening to your English marks. I also checked the question paper to see whether it was difficult or not. And it was child's play, I expect you to work hard. We can hire a tutor for you if you want but I want good marks in every subject." Atharyu Bhai said sternly.
Can't Aditya Bhai keep this information to himself? What was the need to tell Atharyu Bhai? As I said I am an average student. My previous school was Hindi Medium so yes my English is not so good. I nodded at my eldest direction muttering a small yes.
"Seriously English?" Kabeer Bhai snickered.
"Not everyone here is up to scratch like you Kabeer. We all know you can hardly tell the difference between affect and effect" Ranveer Bhai said. Kabeer Bhai immediately looks down on his plate eating his food. I looked at Ranveer Bhai and he gave me a mischievous smile.
"Now comes the essential topic," Atharyu Bhai said looking at me, also getting other's attention.
"Maheer, you already know about the party which will happen tomorrow. This will be your first official public appearance as a Rajput. So i don't want any mistakes from your end. If you try to play with my respect the consequences will be brutal" He said with a stern expression.
"And the same goes for the rest of you. No snarky comments. We all need to present ourselves as one-happy family. No one should know about Maheer being our half-sister.". They all nodded.
"This is the best Rigatoni i had," Shaurya Bhai said finished eating.
"You finished the whole bowl. Are you trying to become Aarav 2.0?" Ranveer Bhai asks.
"It tastes different than the usual Gopal makes"
"It is different because it is made by Ms Rajput," One of the house-help said. She knows because she was present there while i was cooking.
Shaurya Bhai looks at me in surprise, "Is that so?"
"I wanted to make up for the yesterday." Shaurya Bhai smiles widely, "That's so thoughtful of you".
"You could have told earlier. I also wanted to taste what's the hype about the food made by you" Kabeer Bhai said getting annoyed.
"I made that for Shaurya Bhai" I shrugged, you get what you sow and he mocked me earlier.
"Be a bigger person,"
"I can't remember you always call me short"
"Hush, you uneducated peanut."
"I am not protecting anyone's fragile masculinity"
"Spell Masculinity" Kabeer Bhai challenged.
And everyone looked in my direction waiting for me to do so. Why are they behind my English? I was better when i was neglected.
"M-e-s-c-u-l-a-n-i-t-y" I hope i spelt it right. But the scowl on Atharyu Bhai's face and disappointment on others, say otherwise.
Kabeer Bhai hollers loudly holding his stomach. Why is he so infuriating? Aditya Bhai shakes his head like he was expecting this from me.
But one person was still unaffected by this conversation and fully preoccupied with eating.
At least, Aarav is busy stuffing his mouth and not joining them in making fun of me.
"Call 911, he can't stop eating," Kabeer Bhai said. With this, we begin to retire to our rooms.
I was about to enter the room when i remembered that i had to bring water bottle from the kitchen. I quickly stride towards the kitchen. Taking the water bottle i was going back to my room when i heard Veer Bhai talking on the phone. His back facing me so he couldn't see me. Not wanting to eavesdrop i moved further, but his next words made me stop,
"I want the cake exactly how i asked you to make it"
"Don't write the full name, just write M."
"Yes, thank you"
When he was about to turn i quickly ran from there not wanting to get caught. Closing the door of my room. I took a breath of relief and grinned happily.
"They know, they know..." I started jumping in my room from here to there.
"They know it's my birthday tomorrow. They deliberately chose this date. Earlier i was in doubt but now i am sure because he asked to write M on the cake."
"M for Maheer"
I think this is going to be a long night. Because no way i can sleep with all this excitement for tomorrow.
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The next update on Saturday.