Chapter Six

The breakfast went as usual only with the addition of Akka.

Tariq was quiet as usual.

Akka tried to light up a conversation but none of us paid attention.

I bet she knew by now that something had happened between Tariq n I.

I always considered her my elder sister, my godmother, my everything and would have never thought that she would want bad for me.

I agree, with Tariq I wasn't that happy the way a wife is with her husband.

Like we had not even consummated our wedding, I had all the happiness except for the physical one.

But she didn't knew that , then why would she want Tariq to leave me?

Tariq , Akka and I were now in the living room.

We had decided to be indoors today since it was raining.

We opted for playing board games.

We were playing cards.

Akka knew the rules, since I never played any before, so I was skeptical if I would be able to but Tariq explained and I wanted to give it a try.

"So Zee will remove some selected cards, and then each of us will have about 10 cards, from which one of the colour will be the game changer, you just have make sure you throw the high number of the colour to win,got me?" Tariq explained.

I nodded asking," what if I don't have that colour?"

He nodded at my question and replied," now that's where the colour which is the game changer will come in the game, this specific colour it doesn't matter whether is high or low in number, if it's thrown against other colours then you will win."

I nodded understanding the game as we started.

Akka was shuffling the cards and then gave out the first five cards, telling Tariq to choose the game changer colour.

Tariq chose the spade, I checked my five cards to see I had none of that.

I sighed thinking I had the scope of losing.

The next five cards made me happy, they had the Ace spade and the king with number seven.

Atleast with these three I had a little chance at winning.

According to the game, I had to make three wins, while Akka had to make two since she shuffled and Tariq had to make five cause he had the opportunity to choose the game changing colour.

Time passed by and I wasn't able to really win but I was able to make enough to not shuffle the cards.

I didn't know how to shuffle and I didn't wanted to embarrass myself infront of Tariq again and again.

Soon after an hour, we decided to stop playing.

I was elated," this game was so much fun."

Akka rolled her eyes at my childishness while Tariq chuckled and said," for starters you played very well."he then slow clapped for my good game.

I thanked him and stood up, passing through Tariq.

He held my hand and asked," where you going?"

I was a little uncomfortable at his hold, cause he never did that, holding my hands then asking me about my whereabouts.

I released my hand and shrugged," kitchen to prepare lunch."

He nodded and averted his attention back to the game playing on the TV.

I headed towards the kitchen and started preparing for lunch.

I had no idea what to cook, so I took my recipe books and started scanning all the pages, flipping to find any mouth-salivating picture.

I was engrossed in choosing the pictures when I felt warmth beside me.

I knew that scent, even though he was hardly home, but I knew him so well.

He leaned with me, scrutinizing the recipe when he shook his head and said," why don't you make chicken enchiladas with chilly paneer gravy and naan?"

I nodded at his choice of food, accepting mentally that he indeed has a good taste.

"How about garlic naan?" I asked.

He kept his finger on his chin and squeezed his eyes as if thinking hard and then broke a smile on his face and said," that's perfect."

I returned him a smile and started preparing, first I had to make a dough and let it rest for it to rise and double in size and then I will start preparing for enchiladas and the paneer cause paneer is easy and takes very less time in cooking.

Tariq stood there, watching me as I prepared everything.

He asked for help which I denied, cause I didn't wanted my food to get burnt.

I didn't knew wether he knew cooking or not but i couldn't risk.

I loved my kitchen, the way it was.

I couldn't risk my white walls turning greyish.

So he volunteered In just watching me cook cause it fascinated him to see me knowing my way with the time.

"How do you manage everything without getting frustrated?" He asked.

"In office I need tons of coffee to finish one project in time, and here you are finishing everything within hours." He continued.

I smiled and answered," I have been doing this since I remember, maybe since I was ten?" 

He looked at me, with a look of pain on his face which faded away when he gave me a smile and asked," at that age,weren't you scared of fires or knives?" 

I removed the chicken from the oven, setting it on the table, as I started with the paneer.

"I got used to the cuts and burns I guess, my dad used to tend those injuries so I had no complains. I miss him." I wiped my tears and continued with cutting the onions.

He came towards me, handing me tissue.

I chuckled," am not crying, it's the onions."

But I still took the tissue he offered cause honestly? It wasn't the onions.

He then left the kitchen probably bored of my stories, not believing them.

Am sure he has gone to ask Akka to know whether what I said was truth or all lies.

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