Hello friends! Araina here again! A big thanks to all of you for reading and voting for my story. Love you all  🥰 Today I'm here with a small note regarding the narrative technique of this story. Thre will be two narrative tenchniques. 1) The primary one would be from Eshaanvi's Point of View in normal font, and 2) the secondary one would be from a third person Point of View written in Italics. The third person Point of View will occur only in few chapters to give an unbiased opinion on the inner feelings of the characters......like the beginning of this chapter. Enjoy the reading 😚

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Now, Eshaanvi had two problems to deal with in the new city. 1) Worrying about the atmosphere of her new job and 2) How to think of a way to co-exist in the same house as Hardik Fucking Pandya. That night, Hardik ordered dinner all according his wishes, which co-incidentally were all repelled by Eshaanvi. Rahul tried a lot to soothe the atmosphere at the dining table mediating between his younger sister and his best friend but that couldn't hide the daggers thrown by his sister's light brown eyes. Hardik kept of talking about when was the last time he had Chicken and cheese salad and with whom. As he enjoyed bragging about almost forgetting the face of the girl he went out with since that wasn't what mattered to him, Esh on the other hand, could barely contain the tight grip on her fork latched on her plate that wanted to fly high and strike right into Hardik's throat, getting him silent forever. Rahul did try to change the topic as he wiped the sweat on his forehead looking at the expressions of his sister but in vain. Hardik would again go back to either discussing girls or worse, about his last meeting with Eshaanvi from which, Eshaanvi didn't change a bit, according to him.

'Would you please, eat in silence and let me eat too!' Esh said gritted teeth throwing daggers at the man who called her 'tiny-winy' few seconds ago.

Hardik, on the other hand, was confused about Eshaanvi's reaction. Can't the girl actually bear a little fun? According his analysis on his best friend's little sister, she was at an acute stage of '16 going 60' disorder. He would admit that seeing her naked some time ago might be a little awkward for her but then, he tried to make it easy for her by never even mentioning it or more, by forgetting it. he can't even remember if she was a B-cup or C. Definitely not more than that. Getting himself out of the momentary distraction, Hardik frowned at the 20 years old girl sitting across him.

'Seriously! Do you feel like I'm obstructing your eating process in any way?' he questioned.

Eshaanvi scoffed in annoyance. 'Not directly, but your silly bantering is definitely giving me a headache and no sane person can get his or her food down her throat with a headache..' she said sharply.

Rahul, the mediator shook his head. 'Harry, actually...Esh is always accustomed to eat alone, you know, because of her hostel days and all...and..'

'...and that's the reason she has become a completely anti-social element with no peace in her life.' Hardik completed Rahul's explanation from his own perspective reflecting upon his own annoyance. 

'What did you just say?' Eshaanvi threw the fork on her plate and attempted to stand up before her brother caught hold of her wrist urging her to remain seated. 'Nillisu Esh...' Rahul asked his sister to stop as he tried to control the situation.

'It's okay bro. She must be tired. I'll let her eat in peace.' Hardik said considerately only for the sake of the trouble his friend was going through. 'I'm gonna eat inside.' he said walking off to his reserved room with his plate.

Eshaanvi was still fuming in anger.

Rahul thanked God for Hardik's sudden wisdom and handed his sister the glass of water. 'Illi...Niru..' he said.

Eshaanvi took few gulps of water that was expected to calm her down to senses but just as she put the glass down on the table, something else hit her mind.

'Did you just allow him to take the food to the bedroom?' she remembered the traditional views her parents taught her.

Never ever get the food into the bedroom.

Rahul was frozen now. Even though the two grew up with the same upbringings, Rahul knew how his little sister tended to preserve the orthodoxy the most among all three siblings.

'Uh..let it go Esh... Harry doesn't regard all these things. Besides, it's you for whom he went to the bedroom to eat.' he explained or rather tried to.

His sister threw him a dirty look. 'i can't believe this Rahul. You seemed to have forgotten everything after coming to Mumbai. Do Tayi and Papa know about this? If they learns that you are getting food inside the bedroom, they'd...'

'Esh...please...' Rahul almost pleaded now considering his sister's raising voice that might reach his best friend in the other room. 

'Fine..do whatever you like...' she said taking the last piece of food on her plate before walking off to the sink.

Rahul sighed sitting on the chair.

He knew he should make sure his sister is happy, he knew he didn't want his friend to be mad as well....but, who would help him with his condition of being sandwiched between two people with so different views on life!?

'Devaru nanna oh...' he muttered looking up for the higher spirit. 'i hope only you can help me with this..' 

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I had a very different feeling all together when the morning sun beamed ever so lightly into my room. I've always known the Sun rises late in Mumbai as compared to Mangaluru. I didn't know what was the time right now. But, it seemed like the sun in Mumbai knew my exact mood to rise up. I looked at the glass of Rahul's flat. The curtains covered about 90% of the glass, but the 10% of it did sheer magic in the room. A smile formed on my lips.

I lifted my covers off and got down from the bed. I walked to  the balcony attached to my room and opened the glass door. My eyes spotted few children getting ready for school. There were few middle aged men talking with a newspaper in hand and person with Marathi cap walking inside the society. I heard some Hindi but mostly there were Marathi words. the dressing of women and men told me there was subtle difference between them and the ones in South India. And, I felt so excited about embracing that difference. I knew I had today in hand before joining my work. May be I could go out. I'll ask Rahul if he has time or else, it won't be too bad to explore Mumbai alone, isn't it?

I went back to the room. It's my habit from the student life to have a morning bath right after getting up from bed. I went for my bag and got out the dress I planned to wear today. I headed towards the attached bathroom but then I realized something.

'Oh my God! I left my body wash, face wash, shampoo, tooth brush everything in the other bathroom which is supposedly attached to the room occupied by Hardik.

A sense of his name and my skin crawled remembering everything that happened last night.

Me mistaking him as a thief ...and him seeing me naked...Ugh!....the fight at the dining and him taking the food to the bedroom... I vested all my anger on Rahul...who I though was not giving me enough importance.

I sighed sitting on the bed.

Did I overreact last night? 

May be Hardik is an asshole but he is my brother's best friend and his guest. And, if me being a sister, insult him at my brother's place, will it show a good value of my brother's friendship? I surely don't want Hardik anywhere near my brother because he's a bad influence but Hardik comes here only because he trusts Rahul and there bond of friendship. After a lot of thought with my dilemma, I stood up. I guess I have to take my stuffs from the bathroom and get few things clear with someone.

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