16. 9TH WONDER?

Vihan yelled to stop Pihu and Shehnaaz but who takes him seriously in this house? Shehnaaz runs from the back door and zooms out with her scooter without having her breakfast. Whereas Navya is worried because Shehnaaz left the house empty stomach as she has a diabetes issue. Her blood sugar level can’t stay stable; it fluctuates like her heartbeat. That’s why doctors advised her to eat something after proper intervals and avoid an empty stomach. 

Navya:- ( worriedly ) Hey ram is ladki ko kya ho gaya hai? Kahi kisi bhoot-voot ka saya toh piche nahi padh gaya? {Oh God, What happened to this girl? Someone did black magic on her or some ghost is behind her? }

Vihan:- What are you saying, Navya?

Navya:- shut up! Shehnaaz went without having her breakfast. Can you imagine she left her favorite food which is 9th WONDER? 

Instead of worrying about his sister, Vihan frowned upon hearing her statement. 

Vihan:- ( confusingly ) Why 9th WONDER why not 8th? 

Navya:- ( lip tight smile ) Because your sister is the 8th wonder herself. 

Before they converse more, Shanti aunty comes closer to them with annoying expressions. 

SHANTI AHUJA

Shanti Ahuja uff… Shanti Aunty. An exceptional wealthy lady around her 40s who loves to flaunt her richness. She didn’t like Shehnaaz at all because of her chirpy nature but can’t do anything at the same time as her son is head over heels in love with Shehnaaz. No… Don’t get the wrong idea that she accepted Shehnaaz for her son. The real reason is that she accepted Shehnaaz because of her and Gupta’s statuses.

Shanti Aunty:- Vihan Ji, where are your spoiled sister? 

Navya rolls her eyes seeing her talking so sweetly to her husband and on the other hand calling her sister a spoiled brat. To her shock, Vihan replies in a sweet tone too.

Vihan:- Now, what she did, Shanti Ji? 

Navya:- ( murmurs looking at her husband while gritting her teeth ) Aaj to iski Ji ko hi todhdugi. { Today I will break his Ji’s.}

Shanti:- Don’t even ask, Vihan Ji. Yesterday, Shehnaaz again knocked her scooter on my gate. Why did you give her a scooter to ride when she doesn’t know how to ride it properly? 

Vihan:- ( murmurs ) How can I tell you that she does that deliberately only to trouble you because of your son who flirts with her all the time? 

Navya:- I ask sorry on her behalf, Shanti Ji. Please forgive her and Vihan will pay for the damage, don’t worry. 

Otherside Shehnaaz reached Sidharth’s home while giggling during the whole ride. She parked her scooter aside and pressed the bell. As per ritual, Rajesh opens the door and bangs his head on the door seeing Shehnaaz early in the morning. 

Shehnaaz:- Hello, Grand pa. Nice to see you again. 

Rajesh:- ( with a lip-tight smile ) I hope I can say the same. 

Shehnaaz:- ( rolls her eyes ) Huh! Never mind oldie. By the way, did you always stay around the door? 

Rajesh:- Why are you asking that? 

Shehnaaz:- because you are the only person who opens the door every time I come here. 

Saying this she giggles making him irritated. 

Rajesh:- I am also going to ask the same question, Why are you always the one when I open the door? 

Shehnaaz:- Maybe we have a door-to-door connection. 

Rajesh:- Kuch Bhi!!! {Huh!!!}

Shehnaaz:- Now move aside I have to go. My breakfast must be waiting for me. 

As per her habit, she sets him aside with a hard push and enters whereas Rajesh rolls his eyes and shoots daggers at her. 

Rajesh:- Oh god!… When will she get mature and stop being like this? 

With hope, he looks at the ceiling to get any reply from the god but a LED bulb blasts giving him the answer. 

Rajesh:- ( palmed his face ) That means she will never get mature. 

Otherside, Shehnaaz directly walks inside the kitchen to meet her favorite Aunt who is busy preparing breakfast for everyone. All these days she noticed that there was not a single servant in the house. That means everything is managed by Ritu Aunty alone. Keeping everything aside, she walks inside steadily but gets shocked hearing Ritu. 

Ritu:- When did you come, Shehnaaz? 

Shehnaaz gasped and her eyes widened because not for a second did Ritu Aunty look at her but still she felt her presence. 

Shehnaaz:- How did you know that it’s me?

Ritu smiles wholeheartedly and Shehnaaz engulfs her in her embrace from the back. 

Ritu:- Mother instincts!… A mother can feel her child and to do that I don’t need any of my senses. But you won’t understand that till you become a mother yourself. 

Ritu cups her cheeks and places a kiss there while Shehnaaz snuggles in her neck. Shehnaaz got emotional because she never felt such motherly warmth till now. This feels so unique and somewhere it fills a gap for a mother in her life. 

Shehnaaz:- ( emotionally ) Am I your daughter? 

Ritu:- I will slap you if you will ask such stupid questions again, understood? ( after a pause ) You are not just a daughter of mine, you are very special to me. 

Ritu turns her head and looks at her with adoration as somewhere she wants her to become her daughter-in-law. She can sense the chemistry between Sidharth and Shehnaaz and wants it to turn into a beautiful relationship. 

Shehnaaz hugs her tightly, making her wince in her embrace. 

Ritu:- Ahh… leave me, Shehnaaz. 

Shehnaaz:- ( stubbornly ) No!…

Ritu:- Ok then, forget about your breakfast! 

Hearing her words Shehnaaz moves back with horror and surrenders herself. 

Shehnaaz:- I am sorry… but please cook fast, I am hungry. 

Ritu nods her head in disbelief while Shehnaaz settles down on the kitchen counter just beside Ritu. Shehnaaz looks around to find a missing card from her puzzle i.e. Sidharth. Ritu notices her restlessness to see her son but waits until she comes around and asks herself about him. Till then, she brought a fresh apple and ordered Shehnaaz. 

Ritu:- There is time for breakfast. So, till then have this apple because it’s not good to stay empty stomach. 

Shehnaaz:- ( cringed her nose ) I hate fruits!… 

Ritu:- ( sternly ) I don’t care, have this. 

Shehnaaz pouts and takes the first bite of her apple, making Ritu happy. 

Ritu:- That’s my girl! 

Shehnaaz twists her lips but from inside she is happy that there is someone who cares for her except her family. It’s been 10 minutes but there is no clue about Sidharth making her annoyed. 

Shehnaaz:- Where is that Shy boy? 

Ritu:- Huh? 

Shehnaaz:- I mean Sidharth. Where is he? 

Ritu:- ( casually hiding her smile ) He is in his room. 

Shehnaaz nods and gets down from the counter and dusts her dress. 

Shehnaaz:- I am going to wake him up, ok? 

Ritu nods and Shehnaaz walks towards Sidharth’s room, excitedly. She entered his room and found him only with a towel around his waist. His bare chest with a dripping wet body is arousing her. At the same time, Sidharth is unaware of her presence. He is busy setting his hair while standing in front of the mirror.  

Out of nowhere, Shehnaaz whistled, gaining his attention, and as soon as his eyes landed on her blast occurred. His eyes widened while his jaws dropped and blood rushed to his cheeks. Whereas Shehnaaz is all cool and walks closer to him while saying. 

Shehnaaz:- LOOKING HOT…. SHY BOY! 

Sidharth’s breath hitched and his heart skipped a beat hearing her compliment. Now he only wants mother-earth to gobble up him as he can’t blush more than that. Suddenly realization hits him and he looks here-there to avoid his red cheeks. He crossed his hands around his chest to hide whatever he could. 

Shehnaaz:- ( teasingly ) No need to hide anything. I saw everything which you have. 

Sidharth’s ears turned bright red. 

Sidharth:- Shehnaaz…….. Please don’t tease me. 

Shehnaaz:- Why don’t I? 

Sidharth:- Turn to the other side, let me wear something. 

Shehnaaz:- ( with narrowed eyes ) Why would I? I am loving the view. I won’t turn. 

Sidharth’s jaw again dropped to the ground but he composed himself and asked the most important question. 

Sidharth:- Uff… Shehnaaz, Why do you always come here when I am in this condition? 

Instead of answering him, Shehnaaz asks her another irrelevant question. 

Shehnaaz:- Shy Boy, Why are you always naked whenever I enter your room? 

Sidharth looks at her with accusing eyes as she is turning the tables around him and is adamant about accepting her mistakes whereas she continues. 

Shehnaaz:- Did you want to impress me by showing your body? If yes!…… Then I am impressed seeing those abs and muscles. 

Sidharth’s cheeks turned red with blush again. 

Sidharth:- I have no such intentions, Shehnaaz. ( thoughts ) One second, did she say that she was impressed? OH!!! GOD!!! 

To be continued…