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Suhasini

The sun had begun its descent beyond the horizon, painting the sky with hues of orange and pink. From the kitchen window, I watched as the warm glow bathed our small town of Varanasi in a soft light. The sight always felt comforting, like a familiar embrace.

The kitchen was alive tonight with the comforting clinking of utensils and the enticing aroma of spices. As I stirred the pot and added a pinch of this and a dash of that, I lost myself in the rhythm of it all.

Just as I reached for the coriander leaves, I heard footsteps approaching. I turned, expecting to see Nana or perhaps one of my siblings, but instead, I found Zahir standing at the entrance to the kitchen.  He was also someone who practically lived in our home.

"Namaste, Suhasini ji," he said with that same insistent smile that had become all too familiar.

"Namaste, Zahir ji," I replied, trying to keep my voice neutral, though irritation flickered beneath the surface. "What brings you here?"

"Just came to visit, Uncle. And decided to catch up with you and the others." He smiled, as if that made everything better.

"It's been... fine. Busy, as usual," I gritted my teeth.

"I hear you. Work's been crazy for me too. I finally finished that project I was telling you about. The one with the marketing campaign?"

"Oh, right. The campaign. That must be a relief," I said stiffly.

"I must say, you look stunning tonight. This color suits you perfectly." He slipped his glass of water, giving me that charming smile again.

"That's very flattering, but I'm not sure where you're going with this," I said, trying to redirect the conversation. "Now—"

He cut me off, "I'm just trying to show my appreciation. You're one of those rare individuals who makes an impression without even trying. I thought we could talk more, maybe over dinner sometime?"

Just then, I saw Darsh approaching from across the room. Relief washed over me as his familiar figure made its way toward us. "Oh hey Zahir, I was looking around for you. Father wants to call you in the garden."

"Oh, okay," Zahir said to Darsh. "I'll see you later, Suhasini. It's charming as always to meet you."

Darsh had a bemused expression on his face. "He's relentless, isn't he?" he chuckled.

"Tell me about it," I replied, finally giving in to the distraction. "He's been following me around all day. It's like I have a shadow."

Darsh laughed. "You're his personal tour guide. 'What are you doing now? Can I help? Can I come?'"

"Exactly!" I threw my hands up in exasperation. "I was just trying to cook, and he barges in with flirting. Like he intends to marry me in two hours if I say yes."

Darsh raised an eyebrow. "Maybe he just admires your incredible wisdom and beauty."

"Oh please," I said, rolling my eyes. "More like he's trying to kidnap me?"

Darsh grinned. "I did! He's a master of distraction. You should've seen his face when I caught him!"

"Ugh, I should've put a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on my kurta," I lamented. "But no, he treats it like an open invitation to pester me."

"And then he acts like he's the innocent one! 'But I was just trying to be nice!'" Darsh mimicked Zahir's voice, making me burst out laughing.

"Hey, Suha! Can I come in?" Harsha called from the hallway.

"Harsha, I'm busy!" I replied, a hint of frustration in my voice.

But he pushed the door open anyway, a confident smile on his face. "Just for a minute! I've got something to tell you."

I sighed, putting my utensil down. "What is it? I need to cook."

"I promise it's important!" Harsha bounced into the room, his enthusiasm infectious.

"What's the scoop, bro?" Darsh asked, intrigued.

Harsha hesitated for a moment, his grin faltering slightly. "Okay, so... there's this girl in my class..."

I raised an eyebrow, suddenly alert. "What about her?"

"Well, I think I might... like her," Harsha confessed, his cheeks turning a shade pinker.

"Like, like?" Darsh teased, a smirk forming on his lips.

"Yes! Like, as in I want to ask her out," Harsha said, determination in his voice.

I felt a mix of emotions—curiosity and a twinge of protectiveness. "And how does that involve me?"

Harsha shifted on his feet, clearly nervous. "I need your advice. You're good at this kind of stuff!"

"Why me?" I asked, crossing my arms. "I thought you were supposed to ask Darsh for help with this."

"I'm asking both of you!" Harsha replied, eyes wide. "But you're the one who knows how to be... you know, charming."

Darsh chuckled, leaning forward. "Charming, huh? What's your plan, Harsha?"

"I thought I'd write her a note," Harsha said, glancing shyly at me. "But I don't know what to say."

I felt a strange flutter in my chest. "A note? That's so old-fashioned. Why not just talk to her?"

"I'm too scared!" Harsha exclaimed, frustration creeping into his voice. "What if she doesn't like me back?"

"Then you move on," I replied gently, trying to mask my concern. "But you won't know unless you try."

"Yeah, and you could ask her to hang out first," Darsh suggested. "Get to know her better before making any big moves."

Harsha nodded slowly, absorbing our advice. "That makes sense. But... what if I mess it up?"

I smiled softly. "You won't know until you try. Just be yourself."

He looked at me, the worry still evident in his eyes. "What if she thinks I'm annoying?"

"Then she doesn't deserve you," Darsh chimed in, his tone light. "Trust me, you're not annoying, Harsha. Just be confident."

With newfound determination, Harsha straightened up. "Okay, I'll do it. I'll talk to her tomorrow!"

"Good! And if you need any last-minute pep talks, we're here," I assured him.

As Harsha left the room, excitement radiated off him. Darsh turned to me, a teasing grin on his face. "Looks like our little brother is growing up, huh?"

"Yeah, it's weird," I replied, feeling a mix of pride and protectiveness. "I just hope he knows what he's doing."

"He'll be fine. You both will figure it out together," Darsh said, a hint of seriousness in his voice. "Just remember, if she breaks his heart, you'll have to keep an eye on him."

I nodded, my mind racing with thoughts of Harsha navigating his first crush. "I guess we all have to learn the hard way, don't we?"

And with that, we shared a knowing glance, a bond strengthened by the ups and downs of growing up.

****

"Suhasini!" Ekaansh commanded with a smirk, leaning against the wall as if it were his throne. "I need you to grab my notes from my house. It's a matter of urgency. And go along with Veer"

My eyes narrowed. "And why would I do that for you?"

Ekaansh shrugged, feigning indifference. "Because if you don't, I might reconsider letting your family live."

Bastard, he knew that was my weakness

With a heavy sigh, I reluctantly agreed. There was no way I was going to let him win this round.

When they arrived at Ekaansh's house, the air was thick with tension, but she pushed through. The door creaked open, revealing a dimly lit hallway lined with bookshelves. The faint smell of old paper lingered in the air. I was determined to find those notes quickly and get out. Veer went first.

As I ventured deeper into the house, something caught my eye—a shadow shifting near the window. Heart racing, I approached cautiously. To my shock, a sleek black panther lay sprawled across the floor, its green eyes glinting in the light. It was a magnificent creature, but the last thing I wanted was to be in the same room with it.

"Veer!" I shouted, panic rising in my voice. "There's a panther in his house!"

He appeared at the top of the stairs, looking amused. "Oh, that's just Shadow. He's harmless... unless you provoke him."

I shot him a glare. "This isn't funny, Veer! Get it out of here!"

"Why should I? We're the ones who walked in uninvited." He smirked, clearly enjoying her discomfort.

I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself. "Fine. Just point me to the notes, and I'll be on my way. The sooner I'm out of here, the better."

Veer waved me off. "They're in his room. But you'll have to walk past Shadow."

With a reluctant nod, I took a step forward. The panther watched me, muscles coiling, but as I neared, it merely flicked its tail and lay back down. Steeling my nerves, I inched past, praying it wouldn't decide to leap at me.

Reaching Ekaansh's room, I quickly rummaged through his piles of papers until I found the right folder. Clutching it tightly, I turned to leave, but just then, I heard a low growl from behind me.

Whirling around, she saw Shadow standing, every muscle taut, staring directly at me. Panic surged again, but I refused to show fear. "Veer!" I yelled, "Ekaansh's panther is not a pet; it's a predator!"

He sauntered into the room, unconcerned. "He's just curious. You're the first person to come in here other than Ekaansh, Daksh and me."

With a mix of irritation and urgency, I moved to exit, the panther still watching my every step. Shadow scratched my clothes but I bolted past Shadow, darting down the hallway.

"Come on, let's go," I said. Veer later with a box in his hands. "What's that?," I asked.

"Nothing," he winced.

****

"I hoped you'd die," Ekaansh stated with obvious disappointment.

I rolled my eyes and cooed, "Well, maybe you should've found a panther that hates people."

He mumbled something, probably about how he wanted to kill me.

"You're stupid. You know that right,?" He smirked.

"And you're a bastard." I stated. His eyes flared with something probably anger.

"Careful just because I'm tolerating you does not mean you're indisposable.' He sneered.

"Funny, I was just thinking how your tolerance is the highlight of my day. Thanks for the compliment!" I grinned.

"Glad to be your highlight! Just remember, even the brightest stars can burn out." He spoke.

"Good point! But I'd rather shine bright than just flicker in the background." I said. And then I knew I hit a nerve.

"I hate you," he snarled as he pinned me to a tree.

"I despise you too but you don't see me complaining do you?' I retorted.

"Woah, people. Did not want some public display of romance.' Daksh said, nearby. I glanced to the right to see Daksh and Veer together. "But I guess this means that my brother isn't going to be single anymore. And I would you, Hasini being my sister-in-law."

I blushed and looked away from EKaansh while he stalked Daksh and smacked him on the head.

"Ouch what do I do?" Daksh complained and Veer chuckled.

"I think he's on his period again." Veer jokes. Ekaansh sent him a glare that would have frozen the Earth.

Meanwhile escaped from there only to run into Ishaani and The Swift.

"Do you know where Ekaansh, Daksh and Veer are," Ishaani asked. I nodded, my breath heavy from running and pointed toward where they were.

"Thanks,' Ishanni said, before going there.

I started giggling and that's where Sruthi found me minutes later. Under tree laughing my heart out, with mud all over me. My clothes torn from Shadow's paw.

It was a perfect day, full of simple pleasures and the promise of more joyful moments to come. 

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Akka - Older Sister

Annaya/Anna - Older Brother

Celli - Little Sister

Tammudu - Little Brother

Atta - Aunt

Amma - Mom

Nana - Father

(These are all Telugu)

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: ̗̀➛ Q/A:- So what do you think about Shadow?