I chide at myself and try to concentrate on my real reasons for visit, that's to find out about the guy she met that night. But I can't ask her directly or I will be caught.

I am still struggling to find words while Estella serves pancakes with maple syrup.

"Ryan, why are you so quiet today?" Rose inquires as I don't say anything when Estella serves me.

It's obvious that none of us can keep calm around one another. Any kind of taunt or banter is a must.

"Nothing actually I was thinking about something." I tell her the half truth. She gestures me to sit closer to her. I follow her command, we eat the pancakes on our plates in quiet though I was expecting something from Rose when She gestures me close. And as I expected, as Estella rise from her Chair to place plates in basin. Rose leans toward me and says in a hushed voice,"Are you trying to propose her?"

I got choked on the last bite and start to cough for air.

"Easy boy, Easy." Rose says, patting my back.

"Sorry, I wasn't expecting it so early." I reply her controlling my coughs and took the glass of water.

"Oh! I thought." She says with a sheer disappointment in her eyes and voice too.

"Actually I was thinking to ask her out for a date, I mean if you are fine with it can I ask her for dinner with me. Out somewhere?" I ask Rose as I know Estella will never say Yes for it. And even if Rose denies I will be fine with it. As I said this just to make her happy. On other hand if she agrees I will get a chance to control my idiotic thoughts and try to interrogate Estella over dinner about my doubts.

Rose's face lighten up as if my words gave her something precious, she is looking for so long.

"Oh dear, such a sweet boy you are! Go ask her out. If she refuses to come, tell her I will have my dinner on time and sleep on time too. She doesn't need to bother about me." She says pushing me to get up and go to Estella.

I chuckle to see her excitement, but at the same time I feel bad too. Estella is only one with her. If I takes Estella out then Rose have to take her dinner on her own. These both ladies lives like a family.

'Family'.

I guess they share a stronger bond than a so called Family' would share.

I walk up to Estella in kitchen, she is doing dishes. Umm.. how should I start?

"Here, give it to me." Before I can find words She asks me for my plate.

"It's ok, I will do it myself." Why should I ask her to wash my plate, she is not my servant.

"It's perfectly fine. I have done the rest too. You don't need to hesitate." She says taking it from my hand.

"Estella, I can do it. Seriously." I took it back and step ahead to clean. After rinsing it from water I took the kitchen towel to wipe it and rest of plates she has done earlier.

"I didn't know Mr. Willsworth know some households too." She comments leaning against the kitchen top at few steps distance from me.

"See, I'm not that spoilt. I have been doing all this stuff since I was 12." I accept it thinking about how I used to help Mom with kitchen work just to make sure that She is around me. And just to hear her sweet humming.

"You used to help your Mom?" She inquires or just ask to assure, breaking my reverie.

"Umm.. yeah. You should taste my coffee. Who ever has it always ask for it." I try to divert the topic from where it's going.

"Oh, yeah sure. But for now, would you like to have another cup of it." She inquires, taking some milk in pan.

Damn! Again it's getting out of my hands. Why can't I just ask her clearly? Who that guy was? What was his problem?

"Estella." I call her name berating myself.

"Yes, Ryan."

"You are coming with me for dinner " I almost ordered her.

"Excuse Me!" She replies in her well known 'Taking No Nonsense' tone.

"I mean, you can join me on dinner if you want to see your favorite couple together." I add up before she can be mad at me.

She raises an eyebrow in query.

"I got to know that Jane and Jerry are going out for dinner tonight. You were asking about them last time we met. So, just thought you would like to see them." I never accept but hell yeah! I'm damn good at making excuses.

"Nice thought, but I don't think that I should. I can't leave Rose alone." She makes a sorry face but how can I let her turn down my offer?

"I have talked with her about this, and she is fine with it. And on my end I assure you. You will be back here before 10 p.m." I assure her so that She can come and take care of Rose if She skips dinner or anything like that.

"Umm... ok. I'm coming." She nods handing me my cup and walking away with her and Rose's.

"Ryan, I forgot to ask about my cell." She inquires as I took first sip of it, walking along with her

Damn! I forgot to pick it too!

"Oh, yaa. Don't worry I remember. Actually... they will fix it and I will get it to you by tomorrow." I answer her without any firmness.

"You sure? It will be working?" She inquires in doubt.

"Umm.. not sure but yeah, you will get your cell tomorrow." I assure her this time with assurance in my voice.

"If it's not repairable than it's fine too. Just try and get it's stored data on some card or chip. I can't lose those contacts and memories." She says as if something precious is on stalk.

"Hey, is there something that precious?" I inquire.

"Yaa, it has my family photos." She simply answers and walks away.

Family, again!

~~~~~

I reach her home by 7:30, to pick her up for dinner. I know it's not the right time to pick your Date but here, my Date is Estella, Miss Touch Me Not!

How can I expect anything to be normal?

"Ready to go?" I inquire her before opening the door to leave her home?

"Asking or threatening?" She answers with her iconic sarcastic smirk.

"Well you can take it as you want. Because, like you there's nothing normal in our so called Date." I walk across her to escort her to the side of the street where I parked my Harley.

I don't know why but after so many years I felt like riding it. I know any girl would prefer a cozy or classy car to go for a date, but She is Estella, and this is not a date. We are going to watch a couple on date.

Ahm, sounds weird but who cares? I'm enjoying it as long as Jane or Jerry doesn't catch us spying on them.

Though my main purpose for this outing was an inquiry but it's not a bad deal if you can see your best friends bonding together as a couple too.

"Here you are." I offer her helmet, before kicking my beast to roar.

"You Serious?"

I look up at her to find her standing with mouth covered with both hands of hers, looking at me with wide eyes.

"What?" I got puzzled at her expressions when she bends a bit forward and turns around, her body shaking.

"Oh My God!" She exhales and turns toward me to grab the helmet with a jolt.

"Move!" She yells at me so authoritatively that I move a bit backwards while still holding the handle with one hand.

Next second she throws one leg across the vehicle and sits in front of me, holding the handles as if She is going to drive it.

"Excuse Me Estella! What is this?" I finally get words to exclaim.

"What? Start it. Kick it. Come on. We don't want to be late. Do we?" She replies as if everything is normal.

"Are you going to sit like that only? I mean who sits in lap on first date? Who snatches her boy friend's bike on first date?" I complain.

"Who gets A Harley Davidson to get his Girlfriend for First date?" She replies looking into my eyes over her shoulder with tilted head, "who talks like a pervert on first date?"

"What? When did I?" I actually get a shock on her words. No girl ever accuse me like that because I mind my words while talking to females.

"I'm not sitting in your lap. I'm on bike and You are not giving me proper space to sit probably. Isn't it sign of pervertness?" She explains herself turning her head to look forward and analyse bike's system.

I don't know why but I feel like smiling on my own defeat, at my own loss of words. I slip back at my seat only, balancing the bike with my feet on the ground only.

I can see her struggle a bit in an attempt of keeping the handle straight. This girl is insane. And can make me insane like her only. I chuckle a bit at her attempt. To which she glares at me then again gets back her mission, 'Start The Beast'.

Suddenly I kick start the engine and grab the handles, making sure She stays between my arms.

"Woohhooo... hahahaha." She squeals in joy like toddler. Next second her hands holds it with me.

I can feel a light scent of her hairs entering myself, as I have to rest my head on her shoulder to see the path ahead. As I breath, every bit of mine feel relaxed. As if I'm home.

"Wow!" Her soft voice breaks in my safe haven.

"You are insane. You know that, right?" I comment forcing myself back to alert mood.

"As if You are not!" She fires back. Just a Estella stuff. "By the way, you didn't reply to my question, who brings a bike for night ride, that too with a girl."

"Girl! Where is She?" I comment to tease her and in return got a nudge in the ribs from her elbow.

"Ha ha, ok fine, I thought to get it just like that and mind you, if you wanna see how I actually treats my girls on date than you have to say Yes for a real date." I tell her the fact.

"Sorry, not interested. As I'm loving this beast more than anything." She screeches in happiness.

We have hardly gone a few blocks away when I notice few guys ogling at us. I thought they must be wondering because I'm sitting behind her. But then again same thing happens and this time I get it what those guys were ogling at.

A guy on a bike coming from the opposite side of the street starts to gaze at Estella, but not her face at her legs. Then only I notice her knee length, black, polka dot dress is flying upwards and making her thighs visible, may be, a bit more than she intends to show.

I felt my blood rushing upwards. I want to stop the bike and punch that shit bag in face. But I realize that Estella may not be comfortable with my wish to kick a guy on the street. As we reach the main road out of residential area. At a signal Estella asks me to take the bike on my own and comes at the back seat, resting her hands on my shoulders.

"What happened? Got tired or scared of riding on a road, full of vehicles?" I inquire as I start it again.

" Umm nothing, I got so excited to see it, that I forgot what am I wearing." She explains as if guilty of some crime.

"Yeah, you should have worn something Sexy, for our first Date." I tell her to cheer up her mood.

It work a bit as a giggle skips from her lips and I can feel her hands a bit more relaxed on my shoulders.

"You should have told me about this, I would have worn Capri or dungaree." Her words almost gave me a mini heart attack.

"Oh, Lord. Thank God! You didn't know it." I laugh at our foolish talk when she Punch me at back, this time. God! This girl needs a punching bag!

"On serious note, it's perfectly fine, whatever you are wearing. Why did you go back.?" I ask her seriously.

"Nothing, ahm." I can hear her attempt to hide something.

"Tell me, you can tell me." I try to get it from her.

"Few guys were... gazing with red eyes, at signal, I just felt disgusted at their gestures." She says in a low voice.

The urge to break those creeps sores high in my veins. I pull breaks and take a you turn but as I ahead backwards Estella holds my Arm.

"Please don't! You don't need to go back to them. There would be no one." She explains.

I close my eyes to calm my anger. Her words makes sense.

"Next time, you will tell me right at the moment! Got it!" I order her with as much politeness as I can in such a state of fury.

Chapter song
Awaaz