I woke up to soft mumbling.

At first, I thought I was imagining it; but no. It was real. A soft, slurred voice cutting through the silence of early morning.

Siya.

She was turned toward the wall, blanket drapped over her like a cocoon, smiling in her sleep.

"Mmm.... yes... one more...."

My eyes widened.

"Wait - what?"

Her expression was dreamy, and the way she muttered "more... so good..." made my brain jump to one very obvious, very inappropriate conclusion.

"Hey mahadev! Was she -"

I sat up, blinking at her. Was it too late to plug my ears? Because this was not how I wanted to start my day. I hesitated for a second, then gently shook her shoulder.

"Siya.... wake up."

She groaned. "Huh?"

"You were.... um...." I scratched the back of my neck, "Talking in your sleep."

She blinked her eyes open slowly, then yawned.

"Was I?"

I nodded hesitantly.

"Yeah. Sounded... kind of.... intense."

She looked confused for half a second; and then laughed.

"Oh my god, Ruhi! I was dreaming about khasta kachori. You know, the one my Nani used to make."

"Extra crispy, spicy filling, fried till it puffed like a balloon."

I blinked. "Wait.... what?"

She grinned, curling deeper into her blanket.

"Yeah! You thought it was something dirty, didn't you?"

She cackled, completely unbothered.

"God, you should've seen your face."

I mumbled something about needing holy water and ran into the bathroom.

"God Ruhi, bina soche smjhe kuch b bol deti h, kya soch ri hogi vo mere bare me."

(God Ruhi, you just says anything without thinking. What must she be thinking about me now?)

"I'm so stupid."

"Mahadevvvvvvv."

"Mahadev kya kre soch tumhaari gandi h, huhhhhhh gandi ladki, my subconscious mocked me."

(What mahadev will do? It's your mind that's dirty. Huhhh... dirty minded girl!)

Such a great morning, with cursing myself and thinking that I need to change my genre in novels from dark romance to something else, I did my morning business and then got ready for the day.

It's my first day at my first ever job.

After getting ready, I came to the kitchen, as today I'm going to make breakfast; but what should I cook.

Then her words struck me.

Khasta kachori.

That's what she had been dreaming about.

I stared at the kitchen counter, half-lost in thought. That memory. That food. The way her voice softened when she said Nani. It hit me harder than I expected.

I used to dream of food too.

Not just because I loved it; but because it was the only way I knew how to show something like love. Or hope. Or the desperate want to belong somewhere.

In my uncle's house, I would cook quietly, carefully. Adjust spice levels. Taste a dozen times. Not because they asked; but because I thought...... maybe.... if I got it just right, they'd smile. Or talk gently. Or at the very least, not yell.

They never did.

But I kept cooking.

Kept hoping.

And now, even in this new city, this new apartment, that part of me hadn't changed. Somewhere deep inside, I was still that girl; afraid of stepping wrong, of annoying the people I lived with, of being too much.

I wasn't just making breakfast.

I was.... trying again.

Trying to not end up on someone's bad side.

Trying to be liked, before I could be hated.

So I rolled up my sleeves, mixed the dough with trembling hands, and got to work. Just like I used to. With care. With fear. And a pinch of ridiculous hope.

By the time the kachoris were puffing golden in the hot oil, they all came out of their rooms, ready for the day.

I didn't know if they'd like it.

But I wanted them to.

I wanted to matter here.

Even if it started with something as simple as kachori.

Mihika blinked at the table and said, "Did I die and go to Banarasi heaven?"

Advika took a bite and moaned like she was in a food commercial. "Ruhi. What the actual hell. Marry me."

Even siya looked like she was about to cry, "This is illegal I'm calling the police."

And just like that.... something in me unclenched.

I smiled; small at first. Then real.

Because for the first time in a long, long while....

They liked it.

They liked me.

Then after the breakfast they left for their colleges, as their college starts from 9:00am sharp.

While my cafe's timing is 10:00am.

So I had some extra time.

Now the question is, what to do for the time being.

After thinking a lot like for 10-15 secs, I decided to read another dark romance novel.

"Hey but in the morning you decided to read something else like something innocent," my subconscious reminded me.

"Did I said that."

"Uhhh aise to m pta ni kya kya bolti hu, let's focus on the novel gurlll."

(God knows what all I must be saying).

As I was reading the novel there was a chapter describing the male protagonist's features and all, and I don't know from where that blue eyes, mandir vala handsome ladka came into the picture, that I started imagining him.

"Urghhhhh, what's wrong with my brain, stop thinking about him."

It's not like I would meet him again.

"Or agar mil b gyi to use konsa mujhse pyaar hone vala h," I scolded myself

(And even if I do meet him, it's not like he's going to fall in love with me)

And closed the book, as now it's impossible for me to read it.

So I went to my room and thought to get ready as I have some extra time.

So let's put it in self love and care.

As I don't have much clothes, I decided to wear something traditional today.

I wore an pink kurti with a little embroidery at the border, plain pink plazzo with a little heavy duppata.

I paired it up with small earrings and only watch I had with me (it's my mumma's watch).

I left my hair open.

I did very little makeup as I don't know much about makeup.

My makeup includes lotion, kajal and lip balm.

With that I was ready, but still I had some time left so I decided to click some pictures for the Instagram.

I clicked 2 mirror selfies and 2 photos by placing phone at dressing table.

"Such a difficult task, uffffffffff."

As I was done with the photos, I thought to upload them on my insta.

So let's do that, thoda time b paas ho jayega.

(It'll help pass some time too).

And just like that, it turned 9:47am So, I decided to left for the cafe.

I took my bag and mobile with me; locked the door and left for the cafe.

As it's at walking distance; so, I would go by walking.

I reached the cafe by 9:55 am.

First I met with the owner of the cafe.

"Good morning ma'am, I greet her with a smile."

She is a beautiful lady in her mid forties.

"Good morning sweetie, she replied with a pleasant smile on her face."

"It's your first day so, enjoy yourself at work ."

She explained my work to me and I started my work, by writing today's special on the board, placing menues, tissues and other things on every table.

After some time customers started filling in the cafe and I got busy with the orders and all.

As usual, Rudransh woke up at 5 a.m. After freshening up, he went to the gym and worked out for an hour.

Once ready, he joined his family for the morning puja, and after breakfast, he and Ridhan left for the office in the same car.

“So, any information about the rascals?” Rudransh asked, his voice sharp and commanding.

“No. Just the information Brijesh and Deepak gave us. We still don’t know where they’re hiding,” Ridhan replied.

“You have one hour, Khurana. I need all the information in an hour,” Rudransh said coldly as they reached the company’s parking lot and stepped out of the car.

“Wait, Rathore!” Ridhan shouted behind him.

But Rudransh didn’t turn around; he kept walking.

In his cabin, Rudransh was going through some files, but his heart was restless — it wanted to see his Hazel.

His mind kept drifting back to her hazel-brown eyes again and again, distracting him until he finally gave up. Tossing the file onto the table, he walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window, thoughts consumed by her.

"How can I meet her again?" he wondered. "If I go back to that café, will I see her there again?"

Then he scoffed softly at himself. Stupid Rudransh, it’s not like she’s sitting there waiting for you.

His heart and mind waged a quiet battle, but eventually, the heart won.

Without overthinking, Rudransh grabbed his keys and left for the Hungry Birds Café — not knowing why, only that he needed to.

It was lunch time for Ruhi so she went to her home for lunch and when she was coming back to the cafe, she saw a small flower shop there, so she decided to buy some flowers for the owner of the cafe, to show some gratitude for the job.

As she entered into the cafe, a thorn pricked her finger. With the thought of removing the thorns from the stem of flowers, she turned back and the moment she turned back, she bumped into an hard wall (according to her) and her flowers got crushed in the process

That's it for today, let's see into whom, our Ruhi had bumped.

आज की शायरी:-

बेशुमार मोहोब्बत होगी।

उस बारिश की बूंद को भी

इस ज़मीन से ।।

यूँ ही नही कोई मोहोब्बत मे।

इतना गिर जाता है।।

♛┈⛧┈┈•༶༶•┈┈⛧┈♛