“I can be ugly for you.”

Naina's POV

After shopping we both went to the food center.

"What will you eat? If you decide what you will have we can decide to go to kfc, dominos or some other counter," he suggested.

"You know, outside the mall I saw a stall of papri chat," I told him.

"You want to eat papri chat from that roadside vendor?" he asked.

"Yes... please," I pleaded.

“You don’t eat outside food?” I asked.

“I used to eat it when I was young but as I grew up I stopped having it as I felt that it is so unhygienic and,”

"No, you also have to eat with me. Please! For me and nothing will happen. Please," I pleaded once again, cutting off whatever he was saying.

"Okay, so what will I get if I have papri chat with you?" he asked.

"I will give you anything you want," I said.

"Anything?" he asked.

"What do you want?"

Now I was afraid as he was looking at me intensely.

"I want you to wear that nightgown someday," he said and I was too shocked too even utter a word and I felt my mouth dry and I needed water.

"What?" I asked.

"Yes, you heard me right. Deal?” he asked as he held his hand in front of me.

"You don’t have to eat," I said.

"No. The deal is already made,” he said.

"When? How?" I asked as I was confused.

"Now let's not think about it. As per the deal now I will eat papri chat and you will wear that nightgown someday," he said and he was already walking towards the exit but I was standing there shocked.

What just happened here?

Anyways, now I will forget everything and focus on the papri chat.

We went outside and ordered two plates of papri chat. After almost five minutes we were having our chat.

"You liked it?" I asked.

"Yes, but look this area is so polluted and..."

"Shhh don’t say all that in front of this papri chat bhaiya," I said.

"Papri chat bhaiya?" he said and started laughing.

"Yes. So what?" I shrugged and again focused on eating.

He is always laughing on me.

"How many rupees?" he asked.

"Sir 35 rs. Per plate," bhaiya said.

"Look 35 per plate and your pizza and burger would have cost 300-400 per plate," I said to Ranveer.

I finished my chat when I felt his eyes on me.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing," he said as he removed the handkerchief and wiped my face.

He gave 100 rs note to the bhaiya.

"Sir I have no change," bhaiya said.

"No problem keep it. Take something for your family," I said.

“Thank you madam,” he said and I smiled as we left the place.

"When I decided to have pizza or burger that was a waste of money for you and you gave rs. 100 to that man," Ranveer said as we were going towards the car.

"Today his family will be so happy when they will see that he bought something they wanted. We bought so many things for ourselves so I don’t mind spending some of the money on him," I said as we sat in the car.

"You are something," he said and smiled and I just shrugged.

What’s the big deal in it?

“By the way can we go to meet Dad?” I asked.

“Let’s go,” he said and turned the car towards my house.

After about fifteen minutes we were in front of my house.

I rang the doorbell and after some time Dad opened the door.

"Naina?" Dad came and hugged me.

After some seconds we broke our hug.

"Ranveer how are you?" Dad asked.

"I am fine."

We both went inside and Dad gave us a glass of water.

"Dad I am your daughter, not your guest. You don’t have to do all these formalities,” I said.

"I know but I want to do,” Dad said.

"So what were you doing?" I asked.

"I was just cleaning the house."

"Have you stopped drinking?" I asked.

"Yes. I have stopped drinking Naina as my drinking costed a lot."

"Dad where is Kamla aunty?" I asked as while entering the house I saw her door locked.

"After your wedding ceremony, she went to her daughter’s house,” Dad told me.

And her mobile is also switched off,” I said.

“I don’t know about that. Anyways today both of you can have your lunch with me,” he said.

“Okay,” I said.

"Will you not show me your room?" Ranveer asked.

"Okay...let's go,” I said and took him to my room.

"This is my small room," I said and looked around the room to see that nothing has changed.

"Wow! I loved it and I also lived in a small house Naina,” he said as he sat on the bed.

There was a picture of me on the nightstand and beside that there was another picture of my Mom which I had not taken to his house.

"You were looking so cute when you were young."

"Thank you," I giggled.

Then his eyes fell on my study table.

There were few paintings I made.

He walked towards the study table and I was sitting on the bed.

"You paint so well and I never knew this talent of yours. You didn’t tell me anything about it?" he asked.

"You don’t know many things about me," I said.

"Yes, that’s true but I will make sure to know everything about you," he said looking at my paintings.

I was good at painting but never painted much but after Harshita, my best friend broke my heart, I started painting and it helped me to come out of my grief.

Painting was the only thing that kept me sane at that time.

And after that whenever I was sad or tensed I used to paint to make myself relax.

"You can paint me?" he asked.

"I can try but I don’t think I can paint you," I said with a smirk on my face.

"Why?"

"It will be impossible to draw such an ugly face," I said and started laughing.

"Ugly face! Now I will show you what this ugly face can do," he said walking towards me.

"Ranv..eer Ranveer what are you doing?" I asked as he pushed me on the bed and then he was on top of me.

"So I am ugly huh?” he asked as he removed a strand of my hair.

"No... I was just joking," I said and my voice was shivering due to the closeness.

Yes, we sleep on the same bed but this was different.

"For the first time you have laughed so openly and if me being ugly makes you happy then I can be ugly for you," he said.

"Naina, can you come here for a minute?” Dad called me and I pushed him and ran outside the room leaving him behind.

*****