The second day of the job was no different for Ira. She busied herself in sorting the messed book shelf and finding some files for Miss. Bella. Ehan completed his homework by the time Ira was out with Miss. Bella, and reached there to pick her up.

They went to her apartment like the day before, Ira was non stop talking all the way, telling Ehan about her day and he was humming to let her know that he was listening. She freshened up and they both came to his house.

"What are we going to study today?" Ira questioned, dropping her bag on the sofa.

"History. We left that incomplete that day" Ehan replied, keeping his bag beside hers.

"When Honey interrupted us?" She asked. Ehan's expressions changed at the mention of Honey and he just nodded.

"Ok" Ira mumbled and sat on the sofa. Sir pulled out her history book from bag and sat comfortably, pulling her legs up to criss cross. A small smile appeared on Ehan's lips noticing the way she was sitting, carefree and tension free.

He sat beside her and they started studying. They didn't realise the time and the Sun was already setting. Ehan turned on the lights and asked, "Are you hungry?"

"Yes, get me the same things" Ira replied excitedly. She pulled some money from her bag and handed him.

"Those chips are not healthy" Ehan commented but nonetheless, went out to get it when Ira didn't budged.

He went to the same shop and grabbed some snacks for both of them. When he came back, he heard Ira talking to someone in baby language.

"Don't be scared baby, I'm here. I won't hurt you" he heard her say. Hesitantly, he pushed the unlocked door open and stepped inside. He spotted Ira sitting on the floor and her back facing him.

Utterly confused, he kept the bag he was holding on the table, making some noise. Ira turned her head to face him and smiled.

She stood up carefully, her hand holding something which she has covered with another hand.

"Ehan, do you like Stuart Little?" She asked, walking towards him with an overly excited face.

"Yes, but...."

"Then you would like him as well" she opened her palm, letting a tiny baby mouse jump out of her hands and land on Ehan's sweater, causing him to let out an ear piercing scream.

"Ehan, you are scaring him" she yelled, as he screamed again removing the mouse from himself. His scream grew louder as the tiny thing fell on his shoe and tried to climb up in confusion and fear.

Ira quickly bent down and took that in her hands but it jumped and ran away, hiding himself from them.

"Where are you going? Stop" Ira ran behind it, making the little thing to run faster.

"Are you crazy, Ira?" Ehan pulled by her hand, forcing her to stop. His expressions terrified and heartbeat unstable.

"You scared him" she accused, releasing her hand from his.

"You scared ME. I would have passed out if it would have remind over me another few seconds. Have you lost it?" He yelled and held his head in both his hands. He was visibly shaking from fear.

"I'm sorry, are you okay?" She tried to touch him but he jerked her hand away.

"Yuck! You were holding that with your bare hands. Do you have any idea how many diseases they cause? Just an infectious bite of it and you would have suffered Rat bite fever"

"It was a mouse" she politely corrected, flashing him a smile.

Ehan rolled his eyes and said, "ofcourse, scientist Ira knows the difference between them"

"Yes, I do. A mouse is comparatively smaller than a rat. It has a triangular nose and....." Ira proudly started explaining him the differences between mouse and rat.

Ehan dropped his head, palming his face. Her looked up only when she was done and dragged her to a room.

"Where are you dragging me?" She asked calmly, walking behind him.

"Wash your hands. God knows how many microbes are rendering in our hands right now"

He was twisting the knob to open the washroom in one of the rooms while she was looking at decor, "Is this your bedroom?" She questioned.

He ignored what she asked and pulled her inside the washroom and commanded, "Wash your hands first"

She gasped and said, "wow! You have a jacuzzi?"

Ehan sighed, looking up for some help.

"Wash your hands, Ira" he made her stand by the wash basin and opened the tap.

"I'll get you a hand wash" he opened the cabinet and found it empty. He opened the other one and found it empty as well.

"Ehan, why is your bathroom empty? There's not even a soap here...."

"Shhhh... Wait here. I'll just get it" he cut her off before she could bombard him with more questions and he had to struggle finding an answer.

He went out and fetched a sanitizer from his bag, which he usually carries and brought it to her. He sanitised her hands, who was only into drooling over the bathroom decor.

The rest of the day passed in blur. Ira was normal but Ehan's heart was yet to recover from the mini heart attack Ira gave him. He never thought he would be that much scared of a tiny mouse.

"Are you okay?" Ira asked, as they both walked to her apartment after dinner. Ehan had been awfully quiet and Ira felt bad for scaring him.

"I'm sorry" she added before he could reply.

"It's ok. I don't mind. But you are crazy" he shook his head, kicking the imaginary stones along with her.

"I know that" she smiled widely, giving him a cheeky smile.

"I didn't know you are scared of cute little baby mouse" she gestured with her hands and made an adorable face while talking about the mouse.

"Neither I" he mumbled, making her giggle.

A comfortable silence engulfed them after that, until Ehan broke it, "Don't wait for me for lunch tomorrow. I'm gonna get late"

"Why? Do you have extra class?" She faced him, questioning.

"No. There is an inter school quiz competition tomorrow. I'm gonna represent our school" he replied.

"Wow!" She clapped her hands and jumped in excitement, her wide eyes twinkling.

"Easy, Ira. It's not a big deal" he commented at her excitement. Her expressions changed to a shocked one as she looked at him like he has gone mad.

"Are you even for real? You are gonna represent our school. Isn't it an amazing and prideful thing?"

The feeling of pride comes when you make someone proud. And in Ehan's case, the people whom he wishes make proud of him were never there to witness his achievements.

"Not at all. I have been representing our school since four years" he replied making her gasp in surprise.

"That's amazing! How many times you won the trophy?"

"All the time" he replied in a small voice.

"That's more than amazing. That's fantabulous" she held him by his sleeves and started shaking as she exclaimed, too happy to hear about his achievements. He smiled, feeling proud all of the sudden.

"Shall I come tomorrow?" She asked, peeking through his arm, still holding it.

"No. It'll begin at around 11.30 am. You'll be having your chemistry class that time, as per your tomorrow schedule" he clicked his tongue.

"How come your are soooooo genius? You know my schedule whilst I myself is unaware of it?" She stood on her tip toes and pinched his cheeks, pulling them left to right and right to left.

It's been more than a month since he was keeping himself updated with her schedule and she realised it now.

She released his cheeks, smiling widely at him who was smiling back at her.

"You can't miss your class. Ms.Maslow won't be happy if you do it" He said looking elsewhere, rubbing his both the cheeks.

"Don't you worry. Ms.Maslow herself will send me tomorrow" she answered with an evil smirk.

"No way" Ehan commented, making Ira pout.

"Don't challenge me, Ehan. I can prove you wrong" she stood infront of him. Both her hands resting on her hip and eyes giving him a not so serious but challenging looks. Her lips forming a cute pout.

"I know you can't. So don't waste your time. Good night" he waved at her and took steps back, resisting the urge to pinch her cheeks.

She dropped her hands on either sides and said, "Good luck. Be ready to be proved wrong" she yelled for him to hear and waited to his response but he silently walked away, smiling.

She went inside, mumbling, "I'm so excited".

---

The first thing Ehan did once he reached home was called Lily and asked her to get the cottage cleaned and free of any kind of rodents and pests. She promised him that she'll make it done before the next evening.

He plugged his mobile to the socket and freshened up. Lying on the bed, he thought, "It'll be nice if Ira could actually make it to be there, for me".

"It's sports day tomorrow. Would you come Mom? I'm participating" 5 year old Ehan stood by his mother's chair, looking up at her with hopeful eyes, hope that she won't refuse him like his father did a couple of minutes ago. His Mom was sitting infront of dressing table, getting ready for a party.

"Mamma is busy baby. Would you please go back to your room and play there?" His Mom removed his hands from her lap and gently pushed him ahead, gesturing his nanny to take him back.

"No. You have to come. All of my friends' parents are coming. They'll laugh at me if I had no one to cheer me. Please Mamma" he yelled at first but by the end, he had tears in his big black eyes.

"You don't go to school tomorrow then. Problem solved" she replied, giving herself a last look in the mirror. He stood looking at her with teary eyes as she stood up and grabbed her purse.

"You went to cheer bhai on his sports day. Why can't you....?

"Stop it, Ehan. Stop comparing yourself with your brother. He..." She stopped, noticing him flinch at her tone and take a step back in fear. Tears made their way out of his eye as he looked at her with terror filled eyes. She had never been so harsh on him. For the first time, she talked to him in the tone his father probably uses on him; hurting his little heart.

Taking a deep breathe, she knelt to match his level and wiped his eyes.

"I'm sorry" she said, making him hug her in an instant.

"Mamma is very busy, baby. Please try to understand" she patted his back, making him hug her even tighter.

"I'll come next year, I promise" she said, breaking the hug. He wiped his tears and nodded, not wanting to argue and make her upset. He was happy that atleast she promised about the next year but to his bad luck, he was sent to boarding school before that and that next year never came.

Ehan shook his head at the bitter memory. Promising something is easier but keeping it is the real task and he know, no matter how hard Ira tries, she was not going to be there. She couldn't be losing her attendance and bunking her important class to cheer him for a small competition.

He made himself very clear, that he shouldn't be expecting her there. He was only gonna end up hurting himself by doing that.

Little did he know, his destiny was done teaching him lessons like 'expectations hurts'. It was time to expect again and earn more than that.

---

Assalamualaikum everyone,

How was the chapter?

How was that mouse part?

Will Ira make it to Ehan's suppressed expectations?

Or she'll end up breaking her promise just like his mother?