1.1 | Milkshakes For Sale

03 | strawberry

⋆ ——————— shaurya ⋮ ⋆

MY BRAIN REFUSED to function properly. I accidentally went into the wrong street to deliver a shawarma order and then had to turn all the way around, get stuck in traffic and test my customer's patience. I walked up to the door and rang the bell. A middle-aged woman opened the door, a little boy clinging onto her leg. I wondered why the boy hadn't slept yet because it was almost midnight.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am. I got stuck in traffic and —"

"Yeah, yeah, the same excuse every delivery man gives. Be a little slower na, next time? So that you can bring me cold food instead," she snapped and I hung my head down.

"I am really sorry, Ma'am. This won't happen again," I apologized. She gave me a glare, lifted the boy to place him on her hip and then took the takeout from me.

"Don't give your word so easily when nothing is in your control," she sneered before shutting the door on my face. If it weren't for the rudeness of some customers like her, I would've even taken extra shifts to help out Aarav. Ending my whole day with a bad note was something I hated. Everyday I made sure I went to bed content, if not happy. Never angry or hurt. It was something Ma imprinted in me to follow.

I climbed onto my motorbike and then thinking I was done for the day, changed routes to my house. Before I could do so, a familiar ping sounded from my phone and I groaned. Not another order.

I checked my phone and nearly lost my balance when a milkshake order from Sunset Pier blinked on my screen. I clicked onto the address and the two words I saw made my heart race.

Sitara Sagar.

The last time I had seen her, she had asked me for a hug. And without even fully comprehending what I was doing, I had taken her tiny form into my arms and hugged her. Somehow the only thought that ran in my head at that moment was to see her smile. Again and again and again. I simply couldn't say no — not that I wanted to — but she had me completely enchanted.

I could still remember what she smelled like — strawberries and toasted sugar; the scent had engulfed me and I found my shirt smelling the same when I went home. Even though her sweater had been cold on the outside, the heat from her body warmed me with comfort, a type of a feeling close to home; that was what bothered me so much. I hadn't wanted to pull away at all. I just wanted to hold her and stay with her.

With a smile on my face, I claimed the order quickly before anyone else did, and drove to Sunset Pier. I picked up both the orders after I smartly cut short the conversation with Nisha and headed towards Purple Fields. I almost expected a call from her asking me to deliver the milkshakes to the terrace but I didn't receive one. Nevertheless, I made my way to her flat 7D and raised my hands to knock on the door. But then for some reason, I pulled back. I combed my hair to tidy them and I dusted my faded yellow t-shirt, hoping I looked decent.

Then I rang the doorbell.

⋆ ——————— sitara ⋮ ⋆

I was in the midst of responding to the queries on Instagram when the doorbell rang. I paused and bit my lip, hoping it would be Shaurya. There wasn't any reason in particular as to why I wanted to see him or why my thoughts kept running back to him and his dark eyes. I just really liked spending time with him and hearing his voice.

I had been beating myself over for the last few days for asking for a hug so blatantly. When he draped his jacket over my legs, I felt his warm breath fan my skin which apparently short-circuited my brain. I wasn't sure if he had hugged me back because he wanted to or because he didn't want to hurt my feelings by declining it. But personally, I felt his hug to be genuine because the way he had tightened his arms around my body, and the warmth of him making me forget everything happening around me — they simply weren't things that could be ignored. I felt protected, loved and respected, all at the same time. Isn't that what every woman wanted?