Imagine she is getting up from the mattress instead of the table.

Typed On - 17/11/2018 - Finished typing on - 17/11/2018

Chapter 24-Crowded By Smart People

The newlywed is quite smart, though people don't think the same because of her bluntness. Jaanvi is a complete mess. Her face is red due to crying her eyes out, her eyes are tired because of the lack of sleep and her posture is slacking—something that signals towards a harsh event. Her father can't see this. He'll blame himself, like always. And he's not to be blamed for this. Kiaan is.

Her eyes are giving up. If she spots a public bench she'll end up sleeping there without hesitation. It's still too early. Too early for Jaanvi to be awake despite all the remaining rituals she did till late at night. All night she kept tossing around, she has trouble sleeping in new places quickly—in adjusting, however, her worry for Kiaan—where he was and why he chose not to step inside his room—was the main reason behind her sleepless night.

I was worried about him and he didn't care at all. So ungrateful. For the first time. Jaanvi admits she was having trouble staying calm because she was concerned about him. That explains. I'm a human, he isn't. Bloody monkey. She smiles a little to herself. No, Jaanvi. You're angry with Kiaan. No smiling.

She stands by the road, wipes her eyes, rubs her face and sniffs her tears away. A taxi driver makes eye contact with her—from far away—asking if she needs a ride. No, I'm just recording a YouTube prank video to become famous. Her sarcastic mouth stays shut but she nods.

The taxi's slows and comes to a complete stop. Jaanvi asks if he'd be willing to drive her to her destination, he agrees so she jumps into the backseat. She's going to her café. Her safe and secure place. Her second home. A place that wants her as much as she wants it.

It's Saturday today—she got married on a Friday—and most of her employees will come late because it's the weekend and, well, she gave them a few hours late to start since all of them stayed back late for her wedding.

Café is the best choice. She can eat something quickly—make herself something—and catch some sleep before visiting her father in an appropriate time. Twenty minutes later—due to the traffic—Jaanvi reaches her café and quickly unlocks it with the key, runs inside, fetches for some cash and hands it over to the driver.

Thank god I had the key inside my phone case.

Making sure to lock the door, she steps inside the kitchen. Her hungry gaze travels around the kitchen to find something left over from the day before and stops at the cake. The fresh delicious cake baked by her pastry chef. Oh my god. CAKE! She licks her lips.

Jaanvi washes her hands and face before cutting an even slice of the cake and starts eating it as she stalks into the storeroom with the plate and spoon in her hand. Mouth munching.

Her store room's like an office for her. It has a mattress in the corner balanced on the wall which she just needs to pull down and lay on. The twenty-five year old personally bought a mattress for this room because she always stays here at night whenever she fights—disagreement—with Ansh. Everyone in the family knows this is her favourite place.

Though it has stacks of extra chairs and table on the right corner and extra ingredients packets sitting inside boxes which makes the room a little old fashioned but it does the job of cooling down her anger.

She can hear some noises from outside of people fighting and talking unnecessarily loud. Irritated Jaanvi locks the storeroom door to block all the noise and shuts the windows and lays on the mattress, falling asleep.

____

"Yes, Uncle," Asha says, once again, trying her best to open the storeroom door for the tenth time. "Please come quick, Jaanvi had the storeroom key but she's not here, now only you can help." It's Asha who needs some extra chairs and tables for a group of friends. On Saturday's their business doesn't run too well but today seems different.

Asha was shocked at the sight of all the tables occupied with customers, deciding to use the extra furniture she tried opening the door but failed. Fear of losing the customers she called Ansh since he's the only one to have the spare storeroom key apart from Jaanvi. Asha unfortunately lost hers a month ago.

"Aaa" She hears Ansh's voice over the phone.

"Okay, good, I'm waiting. Hurry Uncle." The whole staff is aware of Ansh's disability. They understand his basic words such as, 'aaa' which means 'hmm.'

Hanging up Asha gets back to work and patiently handles the orders. She has just finished handing the order on table number five and whirls to head back inside the kitchen when she sees a shocked Aditi. Jaanvi's best friend is brought back to life by a shake on her shoulder.

"You'll catch a bee, close your mouth." She laughs walking in the kitchen. Aditi closes her mouth instantly and begins following Asha inside the kitchen with her purse still in her hand.

"It's fly, not bee." She mutters from the corner of her mouth with an eye roll, placing her purse on top of a spare chair inside the kitchen.

"You're wearing yellow, I'm sure bees will be more attracted." Asha giggles picking up the tray with coffee cups, spinning around, Aditi yet again looks annoyed. "Look around, there's a flower shop right across us, I'm sure bees will be around. Anyways, that's not the point. Now help me please." She grins passing her the tray filled with coffee cups to Aditi.

"It's Saturday, nah?" Aditi completely ignores the bee conversation heading straight to the point. "How come we have so many customers then? Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are the busy days. This is—" she pauses—taking a breath in—gazing around at the people, "—overwhelming."

"Maybe they had some trip? Leave that, get these orders." Aditi nods confusingly walking over to a table with adults around her age. She passes them all a genuine smile putting the coffee cups in front of them.

"Aaad," She spins, the tray empty in her hand, and recognises the voice. There stands Ansh smiling at her like a proud and cheerful father.

"Uncle." She nods firmly with a small smile.  Aditi saunters around the counter and greets him, "What brought you here? You hardly come around, I'm su—surprised. A little." She murmurs laying the tray on the slab.

"Ashhhh" He mutters yawning. His daughter got married yesterday and here—today—he's at her café. He should be resting. Aditi perceives his visit has something to do with Asha.

Before she can vocal out the unasked question Asha calls for him. "UNCLE!" She shouts desperately.

"You came, oh, thank god! Now hurry or those boys might leave." She drags him impatiently to the storeroom. Her hand clutching his wrist, pulling him closer to the door. She feels so lively and upbeat today. And Ansh's slow speed is spoiling her mood so Asha takes the key from him and inserts it inside the keyhole.

"I really should be careful with keys, you know. It's just I tend to forget things but I'm very hard wo—" Her fruity voice trails off. Eyes glued on her boss. Jaanvi is sleeping on the mattress. "Uncle, was she supposed to have her wedding night here?" Asha questions without giving her bizarre question a second thought. It sounds so inappropriate and personal.

Ansh who nearly zoned out from Asha's blabbering is now looking at his daughter sleeping on the mattress with her hands wrapped around her body like a blanket. She's cold. He runs over to her—panicking—and places his warm coat on her body to work as a blanket and senses her shaking slightly at the unexpected warmth.

"Jaave" His voice is low and calm and steady but inside he's disturbed, confused and frightened to find the truth behind her condition. He doesn't receive a response from her or notice any movement. Ansh shakes her again but harder this time. "Jaave!"

She slowly opens her eyes getting vex. "Go away, fake hero." She mutters closing her eyes again. Jaanvi thinks she's dreaming once again.

"What's taking you so lon—" Aditi's voice comes closer to the silent room and trails away. Eyes set on her friend. "Oh my god, what the hell is she doing here?" Her voice is snarky, though, she's far from wishing to sound in such away. She kneels next to Ansh and begins shaking her friend awake.

This time Jaanvi moves a little on the mattress in annoyance, "What the hel—" Her groggy sentence hangs midway as soon as her eyes fall on her father, then Aditi and Asha. All three looking at her anxiously and doubtfully.

Her eyes drawback to her father. Her heartbeat relaxes immediately and all her sadness washes away. "Papa," She whispers breathlessly. Her voice is sentimental, one Aditi hates. She embraces him tightly. She's been married for a day and already she wishes to become Jaanvi Ahuja again. Her life was easier as a single girl in contrast to a married woman.

Ansh is numb for a good moment. Her head on his chest moves, automatically he hugs her back and asks quietly, "W—wah Jaave?" (What happened Jaanvi?)

She inhales before pulling away plastering her best fake smile across her face, "I came here this morning to check on some paperwork, I was working so much that I never realised when I slept." She yawns hoping they'll believe her without asking too many questions. "Kiaan's mum told me about this ritual, where I have to come home, nah? So I thought why not finish the work over here and then head home spending equal time with everyone." She briskly adds to sound convincing and real.

"Where's Kiaan?" Aditi questions sensing something fishy. Her eyes are matching her crisp voice—she doesn't believe Jaanvi. She's ready to interrogate her.

"He was in bed when I left. He must be up now." Jaanvi replies quickly as if it's real. She's great at lying when it involves not hurting her father. This is exactly what she's done for the past years hiding her tears.

"He must be worried," Asha mutters looking at her boss caringly.

"I told his mum so I don't think he will." The replies impolite because it mentions her husband like he's some generous and amazingly caring man.

He'll never be worried.

"But what was the work? I mean what was so important that you decided to come here so early in the morning without informing us." Aditi inquires folding her arms—a silent message to Jaanvi to speak up—the married woman shoots daggers at her friend.

Jaanvi's aware she's got no proper reply so she uses her anger to defend herself.

"Why?" Jaanvi asks harshly standing up from the mattress, "I can't come to my café without informing anyone? Who are you huh? I'm the owner of this place Adi, what do you mean by that?" She pretends to be mad to dodge the question.

Papa can't find out.

"Jaan I didn't mean it like th—" Aditi does her best to explain herself guiltily.

"I knew it. Just because I'm married you're treating me differently nah? Just because I'm Mrs Rajput doesn't mean I can't live in my dad's house. I own this place!" Tears slips down her eyes.

She's not crying because of Aditi. She's crying because she's a married woman now and she can't undo it. The world—society—will treat her differently despite her regular life. Jaanvi purposely said it—about her father's house—to see his reaction. To understand what he might do if she makes an unexpected decision one day. She wants to know whether he'll accept her if she leaves Kiaan in future.

The tears aren't fake. Her anger might be hiding behind her sorrow and misery like a coward but not her tears of betrayal. It feels worse than a betrayal. Though it isn't. Both of their dislike was so direct, then why are her expectations crushed?

She's not regretting her bluntness at the dining table but she regrets how he had nothing to offer. No apology. Instead, he dared to glare at her, make her feel like she's the culprit, the wrong.

That's how she's felt all her life. Blamed. The blame has burdened her heart and soul so much that sometimes it's numb. Sometimes she doesn't think before talking because the conclusion will remain the same; negative.

Yet it hurt. Everyone around her gave her hope. Hope that her partner will be her most treasured gift. Someone who'll understand her depressed mind. He'd so maturely spoken to her father the day of their wedding—so different to the Kiaan he was last night at home and this morning.

"Jaave." Her father speaks cupping her face and wipes her tears away. He hates seeing her cry. He hates it so much. He hugs her whispering, "Hooom." She gets the clarification she needs. Jaanvi hugs him in relief. (Home)

She's hundred percent sure her father's doors will always be open for her no matter what. This is the only support she greed's for.

Jaanvi peers at Aditi from her father's shoulders. Her friend has query expressions. She's studying Mrs Rajput's face and posture. Jaanvi shivers.

Aditi's sure something is wrong. She knows Jaanvi wouldn't cry this easily about such a baseless topic, in-fact she hates crying in front of her father. She always wants to be strong in front of him. Aditi wants to know what's wrong from her mouth.

Leaving the storeroom Aditi walks into the kitchen and grabs a hold of her phone from her purse. Only one person can help her find out the truth because Jaanvi wouldn't. Her stubborn and averting eyes says it all.

It's Dhruv. He'll help her.

She clicks on his name and writes a furious text,

A-Hey, morning. Umm, did something happen at your place yesterday night or this morning?

It 's around two minutes later when she receives his message.

D-Morning Adi. What makes you ask this question?

Biting her lips she replies, A-Yuv, please, just answer the question.

In a very short period, they've become good acquaintance or maybe more. Aditi now addresses him as 'Yuv,' which only Kiaan calls his brother with.

D-Jaanvi is with you, isn't she?

He's starting to annoy her. Rather than answering her question, he's questioning her in return. She's dying for a straight-forward answer.

A-Yes she is! Now spill the beans!

D-Calm down Adi, jeez. Well, I don't know about last night but this morning on the dining table Bhabhi told everyone that Kiaan wasn't home last night. After telling us she left the house.

A-When did she leave?

D- Changing profession, are we? Turning into Sherlock? Around 8....?

Jaanvi's lying. Aditi tells herself and turns her phone off.

Married My Enemy
Edited On – 16/05/2020 (4:35 p.m.)