The Substitute Bride

CHAPTER 5

I got to the room and changed into one of the leggings and a simple top that Dev and Arav had gotten on the first day. I forgot to get more clothes today, I'll get them tomorrow when I go to meet grandpa. After changing I lay down on the soft bed. I was thinking about the day when Siddarth entered.  He walked into the walk-in wardrobe without a word. He returned after a few minutes, now in some boxers and a cotton shirt. He stood at the edge of my bed with hands on his hips, he looked like a little kid whose candy had been snatched. 

'This is my bed' he said factually. 

'So' I asked with a raised eyebrow.

'So move, I want to sleep' he said slowly, as though he was talking to a toddler. 

'Nope, not happening. This is my room too, now. I want to sleep alone so you can't sleep here' I said firmly. 

'You can sleep on the couch if you want to sleep alone' he said annoyed. 

'Nuh-uh, not happening. I want to sleep here, on this bed, alone. So I will, and you Mr.Jerk are either going to sleep on the couch or somewhere else. Have a good night' I said quickly pulling the duvet over my head. I heard him sigh and heard him moving towards the couch. I was too tired after that and immediately fell asleep. 

------Next Day------

I woke up to the sound of a shower running, I was a little confused before I remembered that I shared the room with Mr.Jerk. I lay in bed thinking about how I used to not allow anyone to sleep in my room for more than a day, but now I have to share the room with him forever. The word made me shiver in fear. What if we never get along?What if he keeps loving di? All the what-ifs were leading to a headache. I was pulled out of my trance by the washroom door opening. I peeked from the blanket to see him standing in a towel, like a greek god, just like all the male protagonists from all the books I read on Wattpad 😂. 

'No need to peak Kritika, I don't have any problem with you looking' he said with a smirk plastered on his face. He was seriously a jerk, an arrogant handsome jerk. 

'Good to know that you think I am handsome' he said with a wink. Shit, I said that out loud. My face flushed in embarrassment. Why do I keep doing all this rubbish?

I quickly got out of bed and ran into the washroom to save me from embarrassing myself anymore. I got into the last pair of clothes I had before heading downstairs to prepare breakfast. When I reached the kitchen I saw aunty cooking along with bhabhi. 

'Aunty, how can I help?' I asked.

'Beta, first, you can help me by calling me mom, maa, or something, and second, can you please make Sid's breakfast. He is fussier than a kid when it comes to his morning meal' she said. 

'Okay aun-I mean maa, you don't need to say please. So what does that idi-I mean Siddarth eat?' I asked quickly correcting myself but maa caught it. 

'It's alright, you can call him an idiot in front of me. I think that most of the time too' she said with a laugh. I just smiled back. 

'And he eats either an apple or an orange. After that, he has some cereals and lastly something warm like pancakes or parathas. Even sandwich is fine' she informed me. 

'Okay maa, what about all of you? What is everyone except that specimen having' I asked and then covered my mouth when I realized what I said. Bhabhi and maa started laughing at my choice of words and I joined them. 

'Beta, all of us are having poha and tea. The kiddos will have chocos milk and your specimen, he doesn't like poha so he will have something different' she explained. 

'Oh, he will also have a fresh fruit juice after he finishes everything' she said. 

'Maa, I'll make pancakes for him and since I love them a lot, even I will have that only' I said before starting to work. 

---30 minutes later------                                                                                                                      'Maa, breakfasttttt' Siddarth shouted. Bhabhi told me that he did this every day. 

'Coming' she yelled back. We set the table and all of us sat to eat. 

'Maa, I am going back home today' I informed and all of them looked at me worriedly. 

'Why? Did you and Siddarth fight? Did he trouble you? If he did, you can tell me beta, I will set him right for you' she said. I was confused until I realized my choice of words. Stupid Kriti, I scolded myself.

'Why do you think I did anything? Maa, seriously, since Kritika has come you support her instead of me, that's not fair' he said with a cute pout. Wait CUTE, what are you thinking Kriti, just shut up. Everyone just gave him a look and he shut up. He huffed and sat there with arms folded. He looked like a little kid who was not given candy. 

'Maa, I meant only for a day. I don't have any of my clothes here and I need to get them. Plus, grandpa just got back from his pilgrimage so I want to meet him' I said once I realized what she was thinking.

'Ohh, then that's fine. Beta, you go with Siddarth. He will drop you on his way to the office and then pick you up on the way back' maa said. She gave both of us a look before we could protest and we sat down again like little kids who were afraid to get scolded. 

After breakfast, we drove to my place. Soft music played reducing the awkward silence. 

'Can I ask you something?' he asked, breaking the ice. I nodded hesitantly. 

'The house you were in, for the last 5 days, was it Arav or Dev's?' he asked. I felt tears in my eyes when I remembered the reason I bought it. 

'You don't have to tell me if you don't want to' he said reassuringly.

'No, it is not Arav or Dev's, it is mine. I bought it with the money I got as a cash price for winning a competition and by the money I got during my internship. I actually bought it to show mom and dad that I could be responsible. But there was another reason for which I bought it' I said. 

'And what was that reason?' he asked. I took a deep breath before answering. 

'I bought it so that, if di wanted to get away from you after your wedding, without worrying mom and dad. I wanted it to be a safe haven for me and di' I explained. His body tensed when I spoke about her, but managed to mask it immediately. 

'Ohh, your parents will be very proud of you, and about your sister. I know you love her, but try looking past that and see what everyone else is seeing' he said. We sat quietly for a while, I was thinking about what he told me. Di had always been my role model and I thought she was perfect. How she proved me wrong. I would have to consider what he was telling me. 

'Kritika, we have reached. I'll come pick you up at 7 and till then, enjoy your time with your family. Don't think too much about Krishi, she is not worth it' he said with a small smile before he drove off. Woww, that was unusual, but he looks good when he smiles. I pushed all my thoughts away and rang the bell, happy that I would be spending a normal day with my family.

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