f i v e
bracelet in a red velvet box

"Bye Mummy Papa," Shubman bid adieu to his parents who were going out to explore the city with their neighbours- the Chaddas. He settled down on the couch, ready to unwind after the long day of practice by playing video games.

"SHUBMAN GILL!" He heard Sara's voice and groaned.

"Yeh aurat mujhe shanti se jeene nahi degi," (This woman won't let me live peacefully!) he muttered under his breath, walking into their room.

To say he was shocked was an understatement. The room looked like it had been hit by a tornado, with everything kept on the shelves out in the open- fifty percent things were lying on the floor while the other half on the bed. A faint smell of lavender dwindled in the air, the soft scent a sheer contrast to how messy and unkempt the room looked.

"What the fuck!?" He exclaimed, breathing out.

"Where is my lucky bracelet, Shubman?" She asked in sharp voice.

"How would I know?" He shrieked out, crouching to pick up things one by one.

"Shubman, for god's sake...this isn't funny. If you know where my bracelet is, just tell me," her voice was low, yet dangerously angry.

"Tendulkar, I'm not a child to hide away your things. If I say that I don't know, that means I do not know. I don't like playing games," he firmly said. Sara breathed deeply in an ode to calm her racing nerves. She couldn't keep up with this man.

"Shubman, you were the one who rearranged the shelves on the right, which had a box- a red velvet box containing my bracelet. I want it, right now. Jog your stupid memory!" She said, unknowingly pressing the trigger of Shubman's anger by the word 'stupid'.

"If you want my fucking help, ask for it politely. Don't order me around," he replied. "If you would've provided me with an explanation, I would have actually said something helpful. But no, you have to throw accusations on me and I have to keep on defending myself like some goddamn criminal," his voice was rising, the frustration from their previous fights pending up. He couldn't deal with Sara's constant annoyance at him.

"Shubman- where is that box wrapped in red velvet?" She asked, getting up from the floor.

"I don't remember seeing a red velvet box, but let me check," he said, walking a few steps to the cupboard. "If I remember correctly, the shelves mostly had clothes and a couple of bags. Boxes? I'm not able to recollect anything about boxes," he was talking to himself and Sara felt annoyed, unable to decipher what he was saying.

"Thoda aur jor se bologe?" (Can you speak a little loudly?) she asked, blinking her eyes. He sharply inhaled, tilting his head.

"I wasn't talking to you," he rolled his eyes, focusing back on the task at hand.

"Whatever. Just find my bracelet," she said, sitting on a chair. She closed her eyes, trying to remember the last time she wore it, her leg shaking uncontrollably. Shubman went through the shelves, trying to rack his brain to remember the red box, hoping for a clue as to where it was.

Nada.

He looked around for ten minutes, but clicked his tongue, resigning to fate.

"Uh huh, firstly, I don't remember seeing that box. Secondly, I can't find it. I'll get going now," he casually said, walking away. Sara glared at him, her voice bitter.

"Oh yeah, you must have the important work of playing video games right?"

"I can do whatever I want, Tendulkar. I don't need your judgement," he said.

"You could act like a decent roommate, but no! You have to be so...aggravating all the time," her voice was thick with emotions. Shubman clicked his tongue at her accusation.

Why did Sara always have to belittle him?

"It's not my fault you can't keep your things properly, Sara. It's not my fault that you can't be responsible for a thing as small as a bracelet," his voice sliced the tension in the atmosphere.

Sara hated how the words hurt her. It reminded her of her parents' criticism and how they always looked down upon her for being 'irresponsible'. She wanted to prove them wrong, but here she was, losing the bracelet her brother had very lovingly gifted her.

"And remember what you told me when we first met? Our lives will be separate, Shubman. Yeah?" He asked and Sara gulped. Of course, their lives weren't the same. They were different.

"Our lives are separate, Tendulkar. Just because I make coffee for you doesn't mean I'm bound to do stuff for you all the goddamn time,"

Sara stared at him, words caught up in her throat.

"You know, last night when you were nice to me, didn't complain about me working late night- I thought, I thought that you're a decent person. But no, you proved me wrong again. You just...have to be like this, egoistic and hurtful,"

"Egoistic?" Shubman scoffed loudly, staring at her in disbelief. "I'm egoistic? Tendulkar, you call me stupid and immature a thousand times a day, and yet here I am. I actually tried to find your bracelet to help you. And I'm egoistic?"

"You're acting like I asked you to kill people! I just asked you to find my bracelet since you; YOU lost it!" Sara exclaimed as though she were stating the very-obvious.

"I did not lose your bracelet, Tendulkar. I don't remember seeing it also, so my theory is..." He started, halting between each words to stress on his statement, "You had already lost your bracelet, and I'm a pawn you can put all the blame on,"

"You think I would do something like that?" She asked, shocked.

"You've become unpredictable, Sara," he sadly stated and Sara squinted her eyes.

"What do you mean, Shubman? Be clear," her voice faltered as she spoke.

"I miss the girl who was more than my pretence wife, who I was slowly becoming friends with, who I used to have late night ice creams with. For the past few months, all we've done is fight, fight, fight, Sara,"

"We've argued since day one, Shubman," she countered, pointing at him. "Our so-called marriage has always been that,"

"Of course, but do you not think that we used to civil before? Now all we do is cling on each other in front of others and scratch each other with our claws when no one else is around,"

"Maybe I miss the sweet Shubman too. The one who'd never boast about simply making a coffee for me,"

The tension in the air remained the same as Shubman walked away, but not before saying something,

"Good luck finding the bracelet,"

A/N: uhm, hi :) would love to know your thoughts on this one! You could be a little disappointed because of the fight but did you notice how the two were honest with each other towards the end? How they confessed that they missed the times when they weren't arguing constantly?
So maybe this fight is a stepping stone in their relationship? Or is it something they can't turn back from?
Lmk what you think🩷 Ciao!