Not You

Chapter 12

After a rather average day at work, Adi opened the door to her house and took in a deep breath.

Chocolate.

She walked straight to the kitchen and saw a baking tray sitting on top of the counter. She peered into the tray and saw a sleek slab of cake coated with dark chocolate frosting. She dropped her bags on the kitchen floor and called out, "Mads!!!"

A mischievous grin subconsciously forming on her face, she stuck a finger into the corner, scooped out some of the frosting and tasted it. Holy heaven! This was so good!

She called out, "Mads, where are you? You've really surpassed yourself this time!" She turned around and found herself face to face with Adi instead who was smirking back at her.

"I know."

She asked dumbly, "What do you know?"

"That Madhura has surpassed herself. Because she didn't bake the cake, I did.

She wanted to say something snarky. Instead, she had this overwhelming urge to take another bite. So she did. He cracked another grin as he watched her do so.

She tried very hard not to shut her eyes as she savoured the cake and asked, "Do you know there are other colours on the colour wheel?"

He quirked up an eyebrow in confusion and asked, "Chocolate cake is generally brown, you know that right?"

She poked his black shirt and said, "I meant your clothes! Why are you always dressed in black?"

He looked down at his shirt and asked, "Why are you keeping track of what I wear?"

She backtracked by saying, "Uh...this is really good cake. What else have you made?" With that, she pushed past him and picked up the lids of the pans on the stove and sniffed. Peas Pulao. Bhindi Fry.

Oh my.

She picked up a spoon and took a bite of the pulao and then let out, "You know...I could just marry you."

His eyebrows shot up and the grin just grew wider. She cursed the food for making her dimwitted. He then said, "Tempting. I have a favour to ask of you."

She asked wearily, "What? Also where's Mads?"

He leaned on the counter and faced her, "At my parents'. She said she'd call you when she leaves. Anyway, about that favour. Could you sleep in Madhura's room tonight?"

Without a second thought, she replied, "No."

He balked, "Uh you were willing to marry me a few seconds back for my ...cooking skills apparently. Now you can't relinquish the control of the remote for one night?"

"Wait you want to watch the match?"

"Uh yeah! Nobody lets me watch it at home. Come on! Do your future husband a favour and let him watch the match. I'm asking nicely with food and all?"

She said slowly, "I take my proposal back."

He laughed and replied, "Too bad. Finders keepers. And I have no intention of letting that TV go"

She shook her head in amusement and quipped, "And I thought you were interested in marrying me."

"Hand over the remote and we'll talk."

She tried the bhindi fry and said, "Mmmmm. One condition."

"You need a ring, don't you?"

She laughed and said, "No, the food is good enough. The condition is I get to watch the match too."

He gave an odd expression. It was between a frown and a smile when he asked, "You're a cricket fan?"

"Well, obviously!"

He shook his head in exasperation and mumbled, "And you made me work so hard."

She picked up two plates and walked over to the sofa saying, "I'm hard to get, Adi."

His eyes followed her as she left the kitchen. He picked up the food and said softly, "Don't I know it..."

Author'sNote: Wellhello! I'm back after another long hiatus. I no likey these breaks. However, Ishall make it up. How you ask? With a bonus chapter. And spoiler alert: it's alengthy one! As they once said on Channel V, stay Tunnned! :P :D - S