Kabir's POV

"I am sorry, you wanted to enjoy, but, for me you could not even have a soft drink." I looked at her through the rear view mirror.

"Frankly, I didn't came here to enjoy but, I just wanted to escape," she told me and I was astonished.

What?

From what did she wanted to escape?

I raised my eyebrows but she just shrugged and looked out of the window.

So, she doesn't want to talk about it.

"Do you want to eat something?" I asked.

"Can we have Paav bhaji?" she asked excitedly.

"You know, there is an uncle nearby, who makes amazing paav bhaji. Me and Sohum used to always go there and have it," she told me excitedly.

"Where is the hotel?" I asked.

"It's not a hotel." she replied.

"Street food?" I asked and once again looked at her through the rear view mirror and she nodded in a yes.

I never ever had food from the street side.

"I don't exactly remember but he used to stand here only," she said and was looking outside the window.

"Okay, we will have it," I said and was looking outside to find the stall.

"Here," she exclaimed excitedly and I looked at where she was looking to find a small stall.

I looked around for parking and after parking the car, I got out and opened the back door of the car for her to get out.

She got out and adjusted her saree.

"Shall we go?" I asked and she nodded in a yes.

We were crossing the road but suddenly she stopped as a truck was coming by.

I held her hand and walked fast otherwise we would have to stop for five minutes as behind that truck, there were few more trucks.

I left her hand and she looked at me.

"Thank you." she smiled at me and my heart melted again.

We walked towards the stall and there was no stools available for us to even sit.

"Are you sure, you want to have it from here?" I asked.

"Yes. We used to always have it from here. Sohum loved it." she told me.

"And, what about you?" I asked.

"I also started loving it eventually," she replied.

"What is something you love to have? Like, something which you don't love because Sohum loves it but you love it by yourself?"

"Baingan ka bharta but I don't remember when I last had it," she told me.

"Your order?" Uncle asked breaking off our conversation.

"Two plates of Paav bhaji," she told him and when a couple left, we sat on the stool.

"Why didn't you have it?" I asked.

"Because Sohum was allergic to brinjal. It's not like he stopped me from having it but it was my choice," she said.

"Today after we have this, we will go to a nearby restaurant and have baingan curry with roti," I told her.

"Kabir, you don't have to do it. I already ruined your party. You left all your duties and came with me. I can't even imagine what your boss will say," she said and I tried to keep a serious face but still a chuckle escaped my lips.

"Why are you smiling?" she asked.

"Nothing and don't worry, nothing will happen." I said as we got our plates of paav bhaji.

I looked around but there was no stools left.

Should I have to eat it like this?

What if it falls down?

How people eat it like this?

I looked around and people were so comfortable.

I looked at Kavya to see her having a bite.

She looked at me looking at her and gestured me to have it.

"Like this?' I asked.

"What?'

"I have never eaten like this. I mean, we used to eat in hotels," I told her the truth and her eyes widened.

"Shit! I should have known. I am so sorry for bringing you here," she apologized.

"No, it's fine."

"Wait!" She bought her stool close towards me and adjoined it and joined her legs.

"Keep the plate on my lap," she suggested.

"No. Your saree will get dirty if it falls down."

"Nothing will happen. Eat comfortably," she said and took my plate and kept it on her lap and asked me to be comfortable.

If she does things like this, how will I ask my heart to stop from falling in love with her.

I took a bite.

Wow! It's really tasty.

"Tasty, right?" she asked and I nodded in a yes.

"I am glad you liked it," she said as I took another bite.

"You can't eat comfortably because of me," I sighed.

"No problem." she gave me a small smile.

Slowly, we finished our paav bhaji and I told her that we should bring Raj here someday.

After we finished our paav bhaji in silence and she kept our plates aside and we got up.

"Hands?" I asked her and she gestured me towards a bucket filled with water.

"We have to wash hands there?" I asked and she gestured me to follow her, took a mug of water from the bucket and washed her hands.

She gestured me to come towards her and washed my hands too making me smile.

"I can't believe you dont know such basic thing but its not your fault too as god made you born into a rich family," she said as we walked towards the stall.

"180 for two plate," he said and she was taking out her purse from her bag but before she could give it to him, I took out my wallet and gave out a 500 rs note.

"I don't have change, sir," he said.

"Keep it," I said and he was looking at me like I was a psycho.

"Wait!" she said and gave a 200 rs note and after she got her change we walked towards our car.

"Are you crazy? How can you give him such a big amount of money?" she asked.

"I didn't have change and I didn't wanted you to give money." I shrugged.

"You are crazy. I know, you are rich but you should never spent money like that, Kabir. It is your hard earned money." she explained and I don't know how will I control my heart.

"Now let's go and have baingan ka bharta," I said as I held her hand while crossing the road as I realized too many vehicles makes her confused.

"But we already had paav bhaji." she resonated.

"That was your treat, but this will be my treat." I opened the back door for her and she sat inside.

"You know, I love how you always open the door for me," she said as I started the car.

"I do it only for you and Raj."

"Not for anyone else?" she asked.

"No," I replied and she didn't ask anything further.

There was a nearby restaurant where I used to go with Raj as Raj loved the Biriyani from there so I drove my car towards the restaurant and in almost few minutes we reached in front of the hotel.

I parked the hotel and got out and opened the backdoor and she came outside and we walked inside the restaurant and sat at the corner seat and when waiter came and served us a glass of water and gave us menu.

I ordered two plates of baingan ka bharta with naan without looking at the menu.

"Thank you for spending the day with me today," she said making me smile.

"But, what will you say to you boss tomorrow?" she asked.

"I will see. Anyways tell me something about yourself?" I changed the topic.

"There is nothing special about me," she shrugged.

"Do you love teaching?" I asked and a small smile came on her lips.

"Yes. They are the future of our country and it's wonderful job to teach them." she said,

"You know, there is this student of mine who loves cooking but he said his mom doesn't allow him in the kitchen but teaches his older sister everything," she told me and there was a sadness on her face.

"I mean, why is there a discrimination? Boys can also love cooking and most of the chefs are guy. I wish I could open culinary school only for boys," she pouted.

"You can do anything you want." I told her.

"And there is another student of mine, who wants to be a a police officer but her parents are trying to change her mind and are asking her to be a doctor or a teacher as this fields are safe for girls but I hope she sticks to her decision." she told me.

"I am scared as they are of young age they will be swayed away by the norms of the society." she continued.

"But, you know, I am loving this. The real them, before society trapped them in a closed box." There was a glint in her eyes which I could not take my eyes off.

Our order arrived and I asked her to dig in.

She took a bite.

"God. It's a heaven. I had it after so many years." she marveled and I smiled and took a bite.

"Thank you for this, Kabir. You don't know how happy you made me."

"I am glad you are happy, Kavya."

"And thank you for listening to me. I can't talk about all this with anyone around me as they will not understand but it felt good to share my thoughts with you." she said as she took another bite.

"I hope all the youngsters will have their own thoughts and opinion and they should be allowed to do whatever they want but it is not possible for everybody as we all have burdens."

"Talking from your own experience?" she asked.

"How did you know?" I asked, surprised.

"That dreamy look in your eyes made me realize that your dream was also shattered."

"Yes. I wanted to be a cricketer but we don't get everything we want in life." I never shared this with anyone and frankly I had forgotten about it till today.

"I don't know what to say."

"Just listen as I never share things about myself with anyone. This is the first time I have told it to someone," I told her the truth.

"Why? Why did you shared it with me only, kabir?"

"I don't know, Kavya," I said the truth and again took another bite.

*****

After I paid the bill we got up and I was walking after her.

My eyes widened as I saw something and I hurriedly took off my coat and wrrapped it around her.

"Don't ask anything. Just walk confidently," I whispered in her ear and she listened to me and we walked towards the car.

"After we reached near our car, she looked at me with questioning eyes.

"I think it's that time of the month," I told her and she gasped.

"Is the stain visible?" she asked and I nodded in a yes.

"Are you okay? Is your stomach paining? Do you want something?"

"I didn't even bring it with me." She didn't reply to any of my questions.

"Thank you so much, Kabir. I will take an auto." she said after few seconds.

What?

"Your car seat will get damaged by stain," she told me.

Is she crazy?

I have not even thought about it.

She took off the coat and gave it to me and started walking.

I held her hand angrily and ordered her to look at me.

"Are you crazy? You will sit in the car." I ordered, opened the backseat and placed my coat on the seat.

"If you are so worried about that damn car seat, sit on the coat, but I will not let you walk alone in that state," I said, almost shouted and tears wear running down her cheeks.

Shit!

"I am so sorry. Please don't cry. I didn't mean to yell at you," I said and she hugged me tightly.

"Thank you so much, Kabir. Thank you for everything. I am not crying because you yelled at me but I am crying because of your kind gesture towards me." I broke our hug and wiped her tears with my thumb.

"Calm down and sit in the car, Kavya," I told her and she nodded in a yes, spread my coat on the seat and sat on it.

"If your coat stains, I will wash it for you," she told me as I was closing the door.

"Can you for once stop thinking about the seat and the coat and think about yourself? Are you okay? Is your stomach paining?" I asked again and she nodded in a no.

"Usually it starts paining after few hours," she told me and I nodded in a yes and walked towards the drivers seat and sat in the car and drove towards her house.

*****

I hope you liked the chapter?

What do you think of today's chapter?

Did it feel like a date?😍

Who loves Paav bhaji?

He was giving 2000 to him🤣🤣

Is Kavya slowly opening up with him?

What do you think of the kids whose dreams are shattered due to society norms just like kabir's?

Is Kavya right in praying that her student should not gie up on her dreams?

Kabir wanted to become a cricketer but😭

I felt so emotional while writing the last part. I don't know why but Kabir's yelling also made me emotional like kavya.

Random question:- Share the moment when someone's yelling made you realize how much that person cares for you.

Please COMMENT and VOTE if you liked it.

*****