Arnav came down and looked at the watch. He cringed. He was a good forty five minutes late. He needed to hurry up and prepare breakfast. Aniket and Aryan hated to have any meal cooked by maids. Arnav made sure they always had the food which satisfied them and their hearts.
Even as a three year toddler, Aryan had refused to eat anything that was not cooked by Arnav. Arnav had been hardly fifteen when he could cook better than half of the professional chefs in the town. And only an year back, a fourteen year old Arnav didn't know anything about kitchen other than making tea. He could do everything apart from cooking as other than all the household chores he used to do, he was not asked to prepare meals. But Aryan changed his life.
Aryan didn't want to eat the food which wasn't made at home and Arnav couldn't stand tears in his child's eyes. Not then, not now, not ever!
Initially he only learnt as much as needed for a child's sustainence but whenever he saw Aryan and Aniket eating food made by him with so much satisfaction, he felt his heart getting full with contentment. There wasn't much he was able to give them, if he could provide them with something that made them happy he would do it without any second thoughts any day. Learning to cook was literally nothing.
Arnav was about to enter the kitchen when he saw Ayaansh standing in the kitchen looking around like a lost child. Arnav tensed when he saw the boy taking out cold food in a plate. Arnav never let his brothers have cold food.
Ayaansh was still unaware of Arnav's presence. He quietly took out a roti from refrigerator for himself. He rolled it and was about to have it when he someone stopped him.
Ayaansh looked at the person in annoyance but looked away when he saw Arnav.
Arnav noticed his change of expression and ignored it. He took the roti from his hands and kept it back before walking to the kitchen counter without a word.
Ayaansh immediately assumed he was being punished for leaving his food midway yesterday night. He was used to such punishments but that didn't mean it hurt less. And he had no idea why it hurt more coming from Arnav. Ayaansh always believed only the people you love can hurt you. And Arnav wasn't one of them. It shouldn't hurt him. To mask up the hurt, Ayaansh chose to be annoyed.
Ayaansh started to walk out of the kitchen.
"10 minute wait kar lo. Breakfast bana raha hoon."
Ayaansh looked at Arnav startled.
Wasn't Arnav punishing him?
Arnav looked at the boy. "Baith jao, Ayaansh. It will take me ten to fifteen minutes at least to prepare breakfast."
Ayaansh nodded absentmindedly but didn't move an inch.
Arnav started taking out bread to make sandwiches. Ayaansh cringed. He hated to have those fancy foods in breakfast. Both Aniket and Aryan liked sandwiches with different stuffings. It was Arnav's saviour whenever he got late due to any reasons. Out of habit Arnav opted for the meal he could prepare at the soonest and both Aniket and Aryan had gladly.
Arnav was just preparing the stuffing when he remembered something. He looked at Ayaansh, still standing at the same place.
"Kal raat dinner bheja tha room me. Kar liya tha?"
Ayaansh looked away. He had not touched the food.
Arnav firmed his tone. "Skipping meals is not allowed, Ayaansh. I'll not take it well if you skip one more meal. Clear?"
Ayaansh nodded. Arnav's tone demanded obedience.
Arnav saw the sadness in his eyes and sighed. He needed to be gentler. The boy was already dealing with the greatest loss a child could have.
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Dhadkan (Book 1 - Singhania Brothers)
FanfictionThree brothers who shared nothing but the love they had for each other. A ten year old child who had been abandoned by his own mother. A child who was pushed to the street of darkness and evilness. A child who grew up to be a man whose heart knew no...
