The Strings Of Heart

30

Sitara POV

I take a sip of my mojito as I write my assignments. Isha groans for missing something, Kavya is finishing hers.

"Hey, Kavya, how did you draw that so easily? I'm not able to do it," Pranav spoke.

I stop what I'm doing and look at his assignment book. "You messed it up man," Isha says.

"You need to use the protractor if you want to draw that and then..." Kavya explains.

"Why don't you show me?" Pranav asked standing up and walking to the other side where I sat with Kavya.

"Sure."

He takes the seat beside her while Isha frowns. "Chill out, don't glare at her," I tell Isha. She snaps her eyes then slouched down in her seat.

I hate it if she glares at Kavya for no reason. I look back at my book picking up the pen.

"Why is it there is no one in the house?" Nithya questions.

"What does it mean if there is no one in the house?" I ask her.

"It means they went to work or outside."

"Then why do you ask if you know the answer already?" I say and she shuts her mouth.

I truly wanted to hang out with Kavya but no Pranav, Isha and Nithya decided to crash at my place. They simply came and knocked on the door.

They didn't even inform me that they were coming. Honestly, I don't have any problem but they make Kavya uncomfortable and glare at her because of jealousy.

We are in the dining area, using the dining table as our study table. I don't want to hang out in my room with everyone.

Nor I like the idea of them seeing my bedroom which is a complete mess.

"Let's take a study selfie and post it on i********:," Isha said after a period of silence.

"Yes, we should post it on f*******:," Pranav said.

Pranav pulled his phone out of his pocket. He is the only one who uses iPhone while others use android.

I use Samsung as iPhone is pretty expensive. If I ask mum I'm sure she would buy me but I don't like expensive s**t.

"Sitara... Should I serve the lunch?" Aai asked walking into the room.

"Sure, do guys want to eat now or eat later?" I ask them.

"Any time is fine with me," Pranav said.

"We will eat now," Isha said.

"I'm hungry," Nithya said.

"Okay, Aai we will eat at the breakfast table," I tell Aai.

"I made your favourite curry," Aai said looking at Kavya. I leave my pen and close the assignment book before standing up.

Kavya does the same, "awe, I love you Aai." Kavya says following Aai while Pranav, Isha and Nithya look at Kavya.

"Are they close?" Pranav asked.

"Yeah... Kavya is pretty much close with everyone in the house," I tell them following Kavya and Aai.

"Oh, you invite her all the time?" Isha asked.

"Hmm yeah, she doesn't need to be invited. She can just come any time she wants and I go to her home uninvited," I said.

"You guys do sleepovers?"

"Yes."

The breakfast table is situated on the kitchen balcony. Kitchen balcony isn't exactly a balcony, it's like a huge open room.

"We will serve our plates, Aai," I tell Aai giving her a back hug. She doesn't like it if I thank her so I give her back hugs.

"Okay, enjoy your lunch." Aai left the room. I sat beside Kavya, Nithya sat to my left and Pranav sat to Kavya's right.

"Serve yourself whatever you like," I tell them. I pick my plate and look at the options.

Halfway through the eating, I heard David's voice. I turned my head to see him entering the kitchen with Aarav.

"Farheen Didi... Can you please make me a cup of coffee? I really need a good coffee," he said while Aarav laughed at something he saw on his phone.

"Is it Aarav somishetty?" Nithya questioned.

"He is Aarav somishetty!" Isha confirmed. The doors of the balcony are glass so I can see what's happening inside the kitchen.

Aarav and David haven't seen us, David leaned against the middle counter while Aai nodded her head turning around.

"What is Aarav somishetty doing here? Do you know him?!" Isha excitedly asked turning her head.

"Hmm... Yes, I know him."

"How?" Nithya questioned.

"What how?" I question watching David. Aarav lifted his head and his gaze met us. He smiled waving his hand at me.

I wave my hand back. "Oh my god! He is walking towards us!" Isha started fan girl-ing.

Aarav pushed the door open which caught the attention of David. David's gaze met mine, we looked at each other before he looked away when I gave him a small smile.

Okay...

"Hey, Sitara... Hey Kavya..." Aarav greeted.

"Hi Aarav," Kavya greeted.

"Hey."

"Wassup? Friend's brunch?" Aarav asked.

"Yeah, meet my friends. Nithya, Pranav and Isha. Guys meet Aarav," I introduce them to Aarav.

"Hi..." Pranav greeted them.

"Hello, I love your film," Isha said.

"Hi, I'm a huge fan of you," Nithya said.

"Hey everyone, thank you," Aarav spoke looking at them.

"David come here," Aarav called David.

"What you guys are doing here?" I ask Aarav.

"We came to see Aishu aunty, she called us to talk about something," Aarav said.

"Join us for lunch," Kavya spoke.

"Nah, we had our lunch outside with Sejal and our other friends," Aarav spoke.

"Sejal?" I ask him.

"Yeah... She wanted to meet me to know each other. So David called me up and we had lunch together," replied.

"So how is she?"

"Don't tell David, I think she would be the perfect girl for David. She was good and polite."

"You approve her for David?" I ask him forgetting about my friends.

"Yup, Sejal is a good person. Elora and I have given green flags a long time ago," Aarav said.

I can feel my mind filling with stupid and unnecessary questions and doubts. I hold a 0.1 percentage of chance of having David.

I clearly know that I should give up on David but I don't want to give up. I want to try that 0.1 percentage of chance for him.

I nod my head as David walks in with his coffee.

"Hey David," Kavya said looking at David.

"Hi Kavya," David greeted.

"Hi," he said looking at Isha, Nithya and Pranav.

"Hello."

"Hey."

"Hi." They greeted him. Kavya kicked my leg, I turned my head to see her. She gave me a confused look.

David didn't greet me and he ignored me. I shook my head before looking at David.

"I thought you don't drink coffee," I said looking at David. He gave rejected my coffee last week saying he doesn't drink coffee.

"Who? David and no coffee?" Aarav spoke turning to me. "He can't live without a coffee Sitara. He is a coffee addict," Aarav added.

David looked away sipping his coffee, "oh, really?"

I don't know why I felt the sting knowing about this already. I knew he would reject the coffee but that was the first time I ever bought someone a coffee affectionately apart of my friends.

"Yup." Aarav's phone rang.

"Uh-huh, we need to go now. See you later Sitara."

"Bye Kavya," Aarav said waving his hand.

"Bye Aarav," Kavya replied.

"Yup."

"Bye guys," Aarav said looking at the others who are looking at him with wide eyes. I know Isha and Nithya wanted to ask for a photo but Aarav felt without giving them a chance.

David's gaze met mine before he followed Aarav. I turned my head and saw that Pranav is looking at me with an intense look.

"What?" I asked him.

"Hmm... Nothing."

We continue eating while my mind is filled with David. I want to talk with him perhaps spend some time with him.

*

I knock on the door and wait for David to open the door. It took him a lot of time before he opened the door. He is staying at my house because mum asked him to stay.

David's sleepy eyes widen in shock before they turned into confusion.

"Is everything okay?" He asked sleepily. I don't say anything and keep looking at his messy hair and the t-shirt he wore with shorts.

"Sitara? Is everything okay?" He asked again.

"Hmm yeah... Everything is okay."

"What are you doing here? Aren't you sleep?" He questioned with a confused face.

"I want to talk with you..." I open my mouth and tell him.

"Huh? What do you want to talk about at this time? Sitara... Go to your room and sleep. It's one in the midnight," he sounded like he is trying to scold me.

"I can't sleep without talking with you."

"Why?"

"Because you are ignoring me."

"You told me that it's okay to ignore you," he said.

"That's the reason I'm trying to talk with you."

"This is not the time, just go to your room and sleep."

"Nope."

"Sitara..."

"Yes?"

David and I have a staring contest before he signed. "Fifteen minutes and you will leave..."

"Thanks." He steps aside allowing me inside his room. I walk to the balcony knowing there are chairs present to sit. David followed me to the balcony.

I take my seat and he sits across me. He yawns and I look at him with my lower lip rolled inside my mouth.

He raised his brow when I don't talk to him, he sits quietly with his gaze fixed on the trees.

I sit there observing how cute he looks wearing a Pokémon yellow t-shirt and shorts. How can be so cute and innocent when he is a grown-up man.

Is he only cute to my eyes? I question myself.

His small eyes with brown almost black pupils hidden under his cute round spectacles... His little nose holding his spectacles... His baby cheeks and the way his skin crumbles whenever he smiles or the way the dimples appear... Everything about the man before me is cute and adorable to my eyes...

The first five minutes passed without me talking to him.

"Haven't you felt anger towards your dad for marrying Rosey and leaving your mom?"

That question startled him or my voice startled him in the absolute silence. I'm sure I took him by surprise.

"Hmm... I was an infant when dad and mom got divorced so I didn't really understand what happened even when I grew up. Both of them used to not there as I was taken care of by my nanny..."

"I believed that they were busy and never complained about it. Growing up their separation didn't matter as I was habituated. It is their life to choose what they want. Dad chose life with Rosey while mum chose life with her profession and career. If they are happy leading their lives with what they love, I'm happy with that and I don't have any right to be angry with them for being happy..." He spoke very carefully.

"So David... If they are happy choosing what they want. Then choose what makes you happy. If they haven't given you an option to chose for their life then don't give an option to choose in your life. It's you and your choice that makes you happy. If you understood theirs... It's a waste if you don't understand yours..."

He looks at me shocked while I stand up to leave. "This choice of having feelings on you makes me happy. I want to cherish this before it lasts. I just need one hour of one day in your week. I hope you meet me for that one hour."

I rarely smile but I learned to smile at David. I give him small smile before leaving the room.