Our sherni is back !!

Karthik got out of the shower, and changed into fresh clothes. Blue faded jeans and a light pink sweater t-shirt.

He had slept in the living room whole night and now his back ached as he had slept on the sofa. When he was totally ready he went to his room to check on naira. He hesitated a second outside the door, but pushed it open anyway.

His eyes slid around the room, and he sighed. The bed was empty, so was the bathroom. He came out, and his glance fell on the large glass windows. He saw her standing near the gate. He grabbed the car keys from the front door hanger and walked outside

Naira’s throat was parched and her stomach growled in extreme hunger. She didn’t have anything since yesterday and now the affects of not eating, really toned down her physical capabilities. She had wanted to get out of the gate but it was locked. Also it was very high and she could not even climb over it with such low stamina. The fear of her falling off the gate shaked her nerves.

Just when she turned around, her body went high alert, as a fast moving car travelled towards her.

The car stopped right up to her face and Naira closed her eyes shut, feeling that it would hit her, but nothing of that sort happened when the car stopped just an inch closer to her legs. Her shoulders sagged relieved.

She opened her eyes and glared at the man behind the wheel, who stared back at her in a flat gaze.

The locks of the car clicked open, she glared more fiercely than before, giving up on finding no other way she got inside the car. She pulled the door in a bang and sat in the car with a huff !!

“I’m hungry.” She sulked, looking at the road.

Karthik started the car without a word. Seriously, a tree would be more verbose than this man, at least it would rustle its branches. She glanced across the buttons and pushed one with her forefinger.

A full gust of air blasted on her face and the cool air filled the car. Naira closed her eyes and sagged back on the seat, but suddenly the breeze stopped hitting her face. She opened her eyes, and frowned looking Karthik.

She pushed the AC button on again.

“I don’t like cold air.” He grunted in displeasure.

“And I don’t like being dried up in the heat.” She shot back irritated.

“And I’m hungry.” Naira insisted.

“I got it the first time itself. You don’t have to repeat it continuously and shout in my ear like a nagging wife !!” He ranted.

Nagging wife ?!!

Naira’s eyes narrowed and she gave him a stare.

“Geez !! I was only telling you.” She muttered back.

“You are a headache.” Karthik muttered under his breath.

Naira’s face burned at that.

“You should have thought better before getting married to a headache then.”She hissed.

“Trust me, I really am thinking about the decision.” He mocked her.

“Like I said before, You should have really thought about it before you signed the papers.” Naira spat out.

“Do you want to get thrown out of the running car?!! I could really like some silence right now.” Karthik said.

Naira just rolled her eyes. Whatever,really. It was getting old, his threats.

“Gladly, I would prefer falling flat on the road rather than being in your boring company.” She glowered.

To which he just signed in response and let the conversation drop there.

Naira glanced at the buttons, feeling bored again with the silence. She put on some music. Light strings of guitar sounds travelled around and she felt happy listening to the Arijit Singh song. It was ‘Ae dil hai mushkil’ that was playing on the radio.

She sagged back on the seat happily and started to hum and sing a little loudly.

“What nonsense is this ?!!” She heard his disgruntled tone, and cutting off of the music.

She sat upright and pushed the button on again.

“Stop singing along, your voice is making my ears bleed.” He growled.

He pushed the button and the music stopped again.

“Stop it !!” Naira said out loud irritated.

”I want to listen. How can you live in silence, maybe that’s the reason you’re like this !!”She gave him a sad smile.

His face turned into stone when she said the last part in a mock.

“What did you just say ?!! ” He asked her.

“I said, as you lack a taste of good music in your life, maybe that’s the reason you are so bland person in general.” She said slow words and deliberation to make him understand the words.

” You’re saying that if I don’t listen to this girly crap ,then I become a bland person ?!!”He asked in a little disbelief, and Naira nodded her head in a yes.

“That’s it. You’re getting out of the car.” He muttered.

Naira just flat out laughed at that.

“Don’t be silly. You can’t leave your wife in the middle of nowhere. How will the media react, if I go and hold a press conference about my husband and how he treats me !!”She said slowly, and sweetly in a blackmailing voice.

Her smile turned impish when his form froze and his eyes became like cutting stones, when she used his own words against him.

She turned to the front still smiling.

“And I need new clothes. These have become dirty since yesterday.” She started again.

The car surrounded more of the curses and displeased grunts and a whole lot of a chatter, that seem to go on and on, too much that Karthik’s ears really started to hurt and bleed.

Karthik parked the car in some kind of a restro.

He got out of the car, but did not look back at her. Arrogant, Naira thought.

She got out of the car and kept walking with a lazy drag of feet. It made a rough grating sound.

Karthik’s head whipped down at her feet.

“I don’t like the sound of it. It’s annoying. Don’t do that.” He ordered her.

Naira’s lips pursed and her face went all taut.

“You don’t like this. You don’t like that. You don’t like so many things that it’s hurting my head to think around the stuff !!” She started in an insipid rant.

He caught hold of her arms and held her up and leaned his face to hers.

“If you don’t shut up, I’ll kiss you to close that mouth of yours !!.” He muttered.

His lips just inches away from hers.

Naira felt a rise of Goosebumps all over her skin. Words failed on her tongue. She flushed hot at his words and her cheeks bloomed pink.

“That’s good.” He said, as his finger slid all over her lower lip.

He moved away from her and walked forward .

Naira’s face burned and her skin heated up. She followed along.

Karthik went about his business and sat down on the chair. Naira too followed suit and perched in opposite to his chair.

A waitress, came around to their table.

“Hello, Sir, it has been a while you came here.” The waitress smiled sweetly down at him, and fluttered her eyelashes.

Karthik looked up and smiled back with a nod of acknowledgement.

The waitress with the long silky ponytail, just gave Naira a side glance sans any smile.

Naira growled inside. Witch, she thought.

The waitress took out a small notepad and pen out of her black apron.

“What would you like to have, Sir ?!!” She asked him.

“The usual order. Scrambled eggs, toast, coffee and orange juice for two.” He concluded in a sleek, and smiled a little at the too blushing waitress.

Usual ?!! How many times did he come here ?!! And with how many woman ?!!

Naira’s stare fell on his bright smile. Ugh !! How much are you going to show your perfect white teeth. They will fall off with too much smiling, Naira growled in her mind.

The waitress smiled back at him, ignored Naira completely and went away. Naira only stewed in irritation, all the while till there ordered breakfast came up to their table.

The plates were placed right under her nose. The smell of coffee called her senses. The eggs and juice watered her mouth.

He drew up the fork and started shoving the eggs into his mouth. He sipped on the coffee. Naira stared with a drool forming on the corner of her lips.

He stopped chewing and gave her a look and glanced down at her untouched plate.

“You’re not eating ?!!” Karthik asked.

Now he had time to look if his wife was eating or not ?!!

“I don’t want it.” She replied.

He just shrugged his shoulder uncaringly.

Great !! So it officially doesn’t matter to him, whether she eats or not ?!! Fine then !!

She grabbed the fork and jabbed at the eggs and filled her mouth to full. She grabbed the cold orange juice and gulped down the delicious tangy and sweet combined liquid.

He chuckled again and shook his head.

“I want to go shopping after this.” She demanded between munching.

He scowled at her fiercely.

They travelled away in the car after the hearty breakfast.

He parked the car in front of another building. There were lots of small boutiques around. He moved along the stairs and Naira hurried after him. The inside and outside of the boutique was all glass made.

He looked down at her in an enquiring gaze.

“What are you going to buy ?!!” He asked her dubiously.

“And why would I tell you that.” She shot back irritated.

Such a stupid question to ask a girl of what she’ll buy when shopping. Naira would have bought the whole store if possible. There was an aisle of fantastic tops, dresses, Lovely scarf and whole different shoe aisle for women. She thought lightly, why not burn his pocket, Naira smiled mischievously.

Just as she moved forward a sales girl came running towards them. Not one moment of peace would these girls spare them really.

The girl batted her eyelashes at him.

“What can I help you with, Sir?!!” She asked coyly.

Naira’s mouth hung open a little. Did she suddenly disappear for people to ignore her presence or what ?!!

She glanced at him. He stood beside her too cool, uncaring and broody. Naira looked back at the sales girl, who was checking him out shamelessly.

My god, he was a chick magnet, she thought.

Naira moved forward and shielded the sales girl’s gaze and stood before him.

“Yeah, you can help me, can you show me the new design of dresses.”Naira grabbed the girl’s elbow and moved her away and into the deep closets of clothes aisles.

Naira bought a few night dresses. A few pajamas and jeans. A few tops. And a few dresses. And a very nice three pair of Cinderella shoes. Of all three different colours . A beautiful looking purple butterfly bag. All these became like six or seven bags of clothes and boxes.

Suits him well for treating her like trash yesterday. He was in a hell lot of torture for what he did. Meek wife he thought he wanted. Now he really must be regretting of marrying her. Naira was having a merry time.

The sales girl who had ignored her before carried the shopping boxes and bags behind her in huffing and puffing strained breaths. Naira smiled evilly and kept walking.

When she walked forward, she saw his form harden at a distance looking at her. His jaw was locked tight. His face was full of fury. All in all, he looked really angry. Naira stopped just an inch away from his fuming form. She looked up into his eyes in a challenge. He stared down at her in silence.

“You can give the bags and boxes to my husband. He’ll carry it from here, thank you.” She said to the sales girl in a slow deliberate voice.

Naira pointed out and dragged the word ‘husband’, clearly indicating that he was hers.

The sales girl’s face reddened. She scowled at Naira, and pushed the bags in Karthik’s reluctant hands and walked away in a huff.

“ Did you buy the whole store ?!!” He grunted and looked down at her annoyed.

Naira walked forward and out of the store. He seem to follow her trial.

“It’s not much. Just a few things.”She said breezily and turned around.

“I’m hungry.” She said again casually.

He came around her holding the bags in both of his arms and stared down at her incredulously.

“You just had a large breakfast !!” He muttered in anger.

“That was two hours ago. It’s evening now, and how can you count my meals, it’s so embarrassing and I get anxious and dizzy on empty stomach.”She started talking again, but not before she heard a deep suffering sigh from him.

“Frustrating woman.” He grunted.

Naira walked in a small restaurant which was close to the boutique she had shopped at.

It wasn’t much grand but cozy and warm. It was very homely and she loved the ambience and the small cute corner tables.

Karthik glanced down at her and frowned.

“I’ll just come. You go sit.” He muttered in a low voice, got out his ringing phone from his right pocket, and walked out of the door.

Naira’s eyebrows strained looking at his disappearing back. She sighed and dragged her feet to the corner and slid down on the chair.

A woman came around towards her. She was wearing the restro’s uniform. The woman, a little older, smiled down at naira endearingly.

“What can I get you, dear ?!!” The woman asked her gently.

Naira’s eyes watered at the endearment. She thought of her mother. How was she at home ?!! What kind of trouble she was in now ?!! Naira felt really uneasy suddenly.

“I’m waiting for my husband. He went outside for a minute.” Naira explained.

The woman smiled happy knowing,now that she was a married woman. She looked out of the window.

“Oh, is that your husband ?!! He looks like such a handsome boy.” The woman cooed.

Naira looked out of the glass window and saw him there standing and talking over the phone. Ugh !! He was always the charmer, wasn’t he ?!! The old lady was a fan of his as well.

Naira sighed sadly.

“Yeah, he is.” She said in a low tone.

Something in Naira’s tone got the old woman’s attention. She frowned in a worry.

“You sound sad, my dear. Doesn’t he treat you well ?!!” She asked with a concern of an elder person.

Naira opened her mouth hastily to clarify her doubt but closed it shut when an immediate thought occurred in her mind.

Oh, yeah, why not dent his reputation a little. That way no pretty waitresses would look at him. There were already some gathering near another window literally fanning themselves, looking at him and giggling among themselves.

Time to let out the crocodile tears. She thought.

She started out a little sob and screwed up her features and convulsed her face in a deep pain.

“Actually he doesn’t.” Naira said hacking fake sobs.

The girls all looked back at her curiously.

The old lady moved towards her and put her hand on Naira’s shoulder in support.

“Oh, dear.” The lady mumbled feeling sorry for her.

“Yes and he beats me up everyday !!” Naira cried hard now, with tears streaming down her face.

All the waitresses surrounded her now. One of them offered a tissue from the box in sympathy.

“Thank you.” She said in gratitude and smiled at them.She wiped the burning tears .

“How bad he is. You should complaint to the police.” One of the girl muttered in support of her.

“How can I go against him ?!! He is my husband. My love.” She cried again with more tears flowing down her face.

Husband, my love, my foot !!

“See the cut on her forehead. I think he hit her there. Poor girl.” One of them whispered to the other.

All the girls had their left hands over their hearts and were almost in tears looking at her. The door of the restaurant burst open.

Naira wiped her tears.

“Can you guys move away, he would think that I was telling on him.” She hastily warned them.

The girls got the indication and moved away. He came around and sat across at her.

“Too many damn mosquitoes here. What a vile place this is !!” Karthik muttered.

Naira looked over his shoulder. A lean fair girl put on a smile, twirled her hair and tried to walk towards their table. The waitress angled very close to Naira, and stood to take the order. She was looking at Karthik in complete fear and disgust.

Karthik started to say something, but the waitress cut him short.

“Your order, mam ?!!” She asked.

Naira smiled in complete and utter happiness. Finally, no girl would look at him without disgust now.

Karthik’s forehead furrowed looking at the girl. He looked really confused and surprised that for the first time, somebody wasn’t taking his order first.

It was Naira’s turn. She ignored him completely, she was too much hungry now to think of anything. She clasped her hands happily.

“Two double chicken cheese burgers, with extra mayo and jalepenos. French fries. One raspberry milkshake and a Greek salad.” She smiled and concluded the order.

The girl noted it down.

Karthik started to speak to the waitress again, but the girl escaped from their table. Naira snorted in a laugh again looking down at the menu. Karthik looked back at her and Naira rearranged her face into a serious one.

“Why didn’t she take my order ?!!” He asked her frowning in confusion.

Naira put on an innocent look.

“How would I know ?!!” She said too in bewilderment.

He leaned back on the chair and stared at her in deep suspicion. The order came immediately and Naira sat upright looking at the cheese burger and the milk shake.

The old woman from earlier gave a wide smile down to Naira, when placing down the salad. “You must be ashamed of yourself.” She scolded fiercely in Karthik’s bemused face and walked away in anger.

“What did you say to her ?!!” He asked finally, after glaring at her for more than a second.

“Nothing.” Naira mumbled.

As naira sat there eating and Karthik sat there observing her. A silence had engulfed them, which was broken by Karthik.

“How did I ever fail to notice this characteristic of your’s ?!!!” He said in a calm tone.

“Well, I’m always like this and you are always growling, grunting and getting angry for no reason. Trust me when we grow old, and you still will always be furious. I bet your appearance will not be like now and I will be as slim as ever and people will be wondering what I’m doing staying attached to such a non attractive pot bellied husband.”She went on chewing and talking but stopped dead when he leaned forward and kept looking at her in that sudden intense weird way.

“What ?!!” She asked abruptly feeling uncomfortable.

“When we both grow old together ?!!” He asked her softly.

Naira felt her face burn. How did she ever let out such words. The way he was looking at her made her uneasy and anxious.

Naira just grabbed a burger and took a huge bite of it. She avoided his heated gaze and concentrated on chewing. The chicken melted in her mouth. She took a fry and dipped it in the raspberry milkshake and popped it in her mouth.

“That’s disgusting !!” He declared.

Naira’s hands greased with the white melted cheese as it streaked down from the burger she held. She in turn licked it from her wrist.

“I think, I just lost my appetite.” He said still in that disgusted tone.

Naira smiled with her mouth full.

“Aww, why not ?!! Have this.” She said between munching and grabbed a french fry, she dipped it in the milkshake and pushed it between his lips. He moved back and avoided her hand.

“Open your mouth. It’s very tasty.” Naira said, pushing the French fry more towards his mouth. She was really having fun making his life hell like this.

He grunted and caught hold of her right hand. Naira’s smile vanished and her eyes widened. Her heart stuttered and her skin heated up looking into his eyes. He held her still with the look of pure warmth.

His mouth opened and he took the French fry into his mouth. Naira tried to free her hand but he didn’t let go off her hand. His mouth opened more and he grabbed her forefinger between his lips. A zing of electricity travelled into her body in a zap when he did that.

All the while he kept staring into her eyes. His wet warm tongue rolled on her finger and he sucked off the milkshake coated on it for more than a second. Then he let go off her hand and wiped off his mouth and started chewing the fry.

“Yeah, it’s tasty.” He muttered.

He smiled a dark one and got up. He moved forward, when he reached her, he stopped abruptly and leaned. He moved the hair away from her face, putting them behind her ear and kissed her cheek warmly on the corner of her lips. Naira took a sharp intake of breath.

“I’ll pay the bill. You order whatever you want and come out.” He mumbled into her ear, kissed her ear shell, and leaned away.

Naira’s ear and cheek heated up and turned red as she still felt his soft warm lips on hers.

She could feel his footsteps going out of the restaurant. As soon as he went away, she hurriedly got up and walked into the washroom. She ran to the white sink. She washed her hands and the index finger that kept burning too much. She splashed the cool water on her face .

What the hell was he aiming at ?!! Her left hand went to her right cheek near to her lips where he kissed her.

She shook her head. Dried her face with a napkin. Her appetite really did go away. She cursed him for being too intimate with her and ruining her comfort. He seem to always have the last laugh.

She looked down at her engagement ring and felt an immense hurt cloud her mind and heart. A few warm hot tears rolled down her cheek thinking of the way he treated her. This was not what she dreamed about. She wiped her eyes and washed her face again and got out of the washroom and out of the restaurant.

She started to move towards the car, when a guy coming from the other side walked into her way. Naira moved to the side but he again moved into her way.

She got irritated and looked up and saw the he looked kind of a young boy and he did wantingly stopped her way. He was wearing a black jeans and T-shirt. He smiled down at her.

Naira gave him a glare and moved out of his way but he seem to be bent on walking in her way.

“Excuse me, can you please not cut my way.” She bit out.

He again smiled at her. Oh, she has had enough of this now. Just as she thought of slapping his face, an arm came around her waist and she was pushed back into a warm hard front.

“Do you have a problem with my wife ?!!” A sharp tone of a familiar voice questioned the guy from behind her and Naira settled her body back in relief.

The guy looked over her shoulder and down at her and moved out of their a little frightened.

“Always getting in trouble, huh ?!!” Karthik muttered in her ear and moved her forward.

“I wasn’t getting in trouble.” Naira shot back in an annoyed tone.

Karthik just shook his head and got into the car. Evening fell around them in a mist. She got in without much arguing and settled back in the seat. She switched on the radio and heard a deep groan of pain from Karthik. Naira ignored it and happily hummed the playing song, through out the journey.

Precap : Some night talk and some kitchen romance !!The bedtime story !!Good morning !!Its Burning !!