1

— H O O R —

°°°

I was hurriedly gathering my stuff and was about to leave when suddenly my boss uttered my name loudly. And it hurt my eardrums. 

“Hoor!” I turned to look at him. My reaction could be normal when I look at my strict boss but it was not as I expected. Or if anybody expected. 

When I looked at him, my reaction was like someone asked for money from me and that somehow makes me pathetic. The huge grin which was plastered on my face faded away the moment I saw another box in his hands. 

Well, I was happy because my shift was over now. I was leaving — already imagining myself under the shower. I was happy because after reaching home, I was going to take a long cold shower and it is every Indian’s dream after letting themselves fry for money. But when I saw the box in his hands, which clearly showed that once again I had to go out for the delivery on this hot burning day, I could not help but cry inwardly. 

Please! I had already delivered eight parcels and after this one, I doubt if I would not turn into a roasted chicken. 

“Yes, sir?” I asked, trying to react as if I did not understand. No way! There is no way on this earth I was going to accept my fate this soon. 

What was my fate? That I was going to collect another parcel to deliver. 

“As you see, you’ve to deliver this parcel to Mr—,” 

“Please, sir!” I showed my palm to him, interrupting him. He frowned. “Please not today! I mean… I think it’s enough, right?” I almost begged in front of him. I was not a sloth, but someone please have mercy on this poor soul because the weather outside can kill anyone.

I was just wearing a single T-shirt. Literally, a single yellow coloured t-shirt, on which the shop’s name is written. The Cooper’s Corner! It did not catch warmth as the colour is light. It was thin. It was even oversized so that it did not fit my curves. It was perfect, yet I was tired and tortured. I was tired because it was a burning hot day. Even standing under this fan, I was sweating so badly. 

Ew! From now on, I am starting to hate myself. 

“Hoor!” He said and I immediately stood up straight in a national anthem position, uttering, “Sir!” 

“You’re not in the military, girl!” He muttered and his hand raised to his ear. I think it was too loud to be tolerated by my old boss’ ancient eardrums. But do I regret it? No! I enjoyed it, though I am not making it obvious. 

“Hoor, it’s important. This kheer is ordered by Mr Methews.” He told me and I frowned. My reaction could tell him that I could not catch the surname, as he asked hesitantly, “Don’t you know the Methews’?” 

Once again the name poked my brain. I think I have heard this name. Somewhere, right? Yeah, only somewhere. 

My facial expressions tell him clearly that I am trying hard to remember the surname. My corrugated brows and my forefinger rubbing my chin, shows him I am stuck once again. 

He sighs in disappointment. 

“One of the great businessmen. Now? Do you remember?” He says and I still do not get the surname. I nod nonetheless. I really did not recognise it. I certainly did not hear of this surname before. It was useless that my mind was spinning this vastly. 

“Okay, so please deliver it?” He says and his voice turns soft now. Wow. It is rare to see my boss requesting me. Today, he requested me for the deliveries every time because it is not my work. It is Parul’s work but the girl is on leave so that is why I had to go out. Otherwise, my work is to manage the counter and help the customers. 

“Will… but…” I trailed off, giving him some time to think what I meant. But how could I forget that he is my boss? He is cleverer than me. He understands my gesture but reacts like a physically disabled person. 

I understand, Mr. Cooper! I fucking understand! 

“Sir, I meant to say you’ve to add for my extra—,”

“It’s getting late, Hoor. You should leave now. We’ll talk about your payment, but later! Now go otherwise he’d be disappointed!” He says and hurriedly takes my bag from my hands. He turns me towards the gate as if kicking me out in a lovely manner. 

But I interrupted him, “But sir, my mobile is dead. Can I use yours for the location?” 

He stops pushing me and then sighs. “Okay, take mine. But take care of it. It shouldn’t be damaged!” He cautions me and I nod. Come on, I am not a kid, who will break his mobile while playing. I am not even asking for it playing games in it.

Pulling his expensive mobile out of his pocket, he gives it to me. 

Again he proved he is an idiot. 

“Sir, your password.” And he looks at me as if I asked for his kidney. His narrowed eyes look at me while he snatches the mobile away from my hand. He types something and then gives it back to me. 

“Here’s the location. I’ve increased the display timer.” He tells me monotonously before sitting on the counter seat. 

I nod. “Okay.” 

“Take it carefully. It’s Kheer.” His brows raised when he told me. He gestured towards the box in my hands. 

I just nod once again and leave the shop. The pink scooty is waiting for me outside. It is Parul’s scooty and trust me, it is really embarrassing to take this pinky with me because it is decorated with huge Minnie Mouse stickers. 

She is two years older than me and is fond of Mickey Mouse and the clubhouse. A few days back, I even found her dancing like Donald Duck on her bed on the music beat that was coming from her mobile. Trust me, it was traumatic! She is their huge fan.  

I huff and reach the scooty in annoyance. Under this bright sun, the scooty was shining as if passing me her toothy grin. 

I put the box on the seat and took the helmet. When I touched it, my skin burned and I hissed inaudibly. It was like a burning pan. 

And like stupid, I blew on it a few times and then put it on my head. It touched my already burning head and I felt like this is the end of my life. I am playing with fire, and instead of being proud of it, I am regretting my life and my dear ass, which is going to be baked so soon. 

Fastening the tiny belt, I hold the box and put it into the locker. And then taking Jesus’ name, I sit on the seat. 

“God! Send an angel for me!” I unwillingly mutter, once my jeans-clad buttocks touch the hot seat. This is the real hot seat, not the one in Kaun Banega Crorepati. And I am not wearing jeans again in my life.   

Once I am done, I hold the handles. I check on the screen and find that the destination is not very far away from me. It won’t take long but I have to pass the main road. 

“Main road?” I exclaimed on my own. My eyes widened when I checked that the main road is the only road to the Mathews’ bungalow. 

Today, bad incidents are happening one after the other. The road leading to the Mathews’ bungalow is big and wide. I mean to say that there are a lot of traffic jams. The road is mostly used by busy people, you guys must know, businessmen. Now the time is two in the afternoon, which means there will be no traffic jams. This is a matter of happiness. I am happy now. 

By this, I will be saved from burning under the scorching sun. 

I sigh and then start driving. The scorching sun is rubbing my back, but I will not be afraid, I will not stop. I have to go.

Boss was happy and careful, which tells that Mr Mathews is very rich. Who knows if Mr Cooper would do the honours to give me a little more money after this delivery? Bonus. If I get it, I will get the room fan repaired with that money. 

Wow! 

I unconsciously grin but have to pull the brakes when I see vehicles standing around me. 

Oh no! I raise my head by putting my feet on the ground. I push my weight on my toes, lift my heels, and see if the light is really red or not. 

And unfortunately, it is showing nothing. Means some incident happened on the way due to which it is closed. 

I huff. 

“These people are not at ease even in such scorching sun. Don’t know how they fight in such heat.” I hear a lady uttering. I look in front of me and see a lady sitting on the back of a bike. A man is before her and he is silently holding the handles. Poor man.

“Of course, I still don’t know how they are turning red and yellow these days and losing their temper.” 

I think what is the problem? Do they not have any right to be angry? Do they have to take permission from these ladies even before they get angry?  

“I am feeling hot. I don’t know when this quarrel will end.” The lady cried and I was crying after seeing her drama. I am feeling the heat, too, but I am not singing the song of my sorrow. 

Taking a deep breath, I wait. Waiting is the medicine for my pain. 

My eyes remain in front, but after a while, I feel a coldness on my hand. That one gust of cold air gives me relief for a while but the very next minute, something hot and sticky falls on my hand. 

I frown and the thing makes me snap my head in that direction. On my left side. 

As soon as my eyes fall next to me, I see a black, shiny, new and expensive-looking car. I look at it in awe. The person sitting in this car perhaps is a prince. But seeing my wet and sticky arm, I forget that there must be some prince inside. 

Putting one foot on the ground, I turn to knock on the window of his car. 

Knock! Knock!

And in the meantime, I glare down at the ground. A packet of soft drink is lying on the ground and some liquid has spilt out. Oh, so that’s the issue. But guess what? This man seems mannerless. 

Soon, the window rolls down and a very handsome face greets my eyes. Oh my god! He really looks like a prince! 

His blue eyes squint as he gestures towards me. Oh yeah, I have to scold this man for his ill manners. 

“Mr, don’t you know where the garbage is thrown?” I said with as much calmness and softness as I could gather. However, my anger had reached my head. I know my face must be looking red, too, because I am already frustrated.

And to increase my anger, this person rolled his eyes. I hate someone who ignores my words. And this man rolled his eyes as if I was a screaming bitch, which keeps barking for no reason every day he crosses my path. 

“But why are you angry about this?” He asked casually. 

“Because this juice of yours has fallen on my hand!” I am almost on the verge of losing my temper now. I think I am going to shout at him. 

“Then keep this.” He takes a tissue paper from his car and puts it in front of my eyes. 

What the hell! I explode like a flame in my own mind. Who created this man? Whoever gave birth to this man, did they forget to teach him manners? Because according to my knowledge, everyone should apologize for making a mistake. 

On one hand, this heat has spoiled my mind, and on the other hand, this person has been making my blood boil. 

“Manners nahi hai? Mafi mangni chahiye apko! Ye tissue paper dekar ahsan karne ki zarurat nahi!” I yell and see his facial expressions turning bitter. Till now, he was calm and I could see the tension on his face but after hearing my bitter words, he also made a bitter face.

(Don't have manners? You should apologize! No need to do a favour by giving this tissue paper!)

His jaw clenched and then he took a deep breath. I can see he is also trying to hide his anger. But Mister, it is not working! 

“You don’t have to teach me manners! If this is the problem, then pick up this garbage yourself and throw it away!” 

My eyes widened and my chest heaved up as I inhaled in utmost anger. 

“Mujhe kooda uthane wali samjha hai?” I feel my tongue, heart and face burning each second. 

(Mistook me for a rag picker?)

“If you weren’t a garbage collector, you would not have expressed your pain like this!” The nerve of this man! He called me a garbage collector indirectly. 

“I’m in pain that you did not apologize!” I yell in his manner and his brow arches up. Lord! He looks extra hot by doing this. 

“No one apologizes for such minor mistakes.” 

“And who made this rule?” 

“Me!” 

“A stupid man!” I mutter under my breath but I think he heard it, because the next second, he comes out of his AC car. 

Well, to be honest, the cool wind coming from his car was reducing my temperature, but this man kept on pumping on the stove of my patience. He should thank the heavens that I am not stepping ahead to strangle him to death. 

“Did you just call me stupid?” His eyes squint when he asks me. 

I stay silent and at last, he stands in front of me. Honestly, he looked better when he was in the car. I did not have to crane my neck to match his gaze. Well, they were calm before but now, I realize, it was just a silence before the storm. 

“And for your kind information, Ms, you are the one who is being stupid here by shouting in vain!” Now it is getting easier for him to intimidate me. 

“That’s right, isn’t it? You do the wrong stuff and put all the blame on me?” 

“Can’t you stop yelling?”

“Can’t you stop talking nonsense and just apologise to me?”

“I won’t!”

“Now who’s sounding sti-u-peed?” I emphasize the word ‘stupid’ to let him know what is the real meaning of stupid. 

This man is the real meaning of stupid!

The man scoffed and then he held his hips. “Look, girl, you don’t know who I am so—,” he begins telling me calmly but I scoff the moment he starts telling me about himself.

“I know… I know… You are a rich and bratty type of person who does not even know the meaning of the word ‘sorry’ and increases global warming by using a car with AC!” 

And now his lips part in surprise. He looks at me in disbelief. Seeing him, it was easy to guess that he wanted to answer my words, but nothing escaped his lips. Good. He keeps staring at me and just when I see his lips parting again to utter something, a man behind me yells, “Stop this feud and let us go! When that fight ends, yours begins!”

I also agree after listening to that sensible person. I am happy to know that someone else is as wise as me here. 

Hearing that person’s sincerity and understanding, I look at the man standing in front of me with victory in my eyes. I have won this fight. 

The person looks at me in amazement and then lets out a sigh. “I won’t apologise!” 

I do not trust this person anymore. Is he real? Still, this man has not learned any lesson!

“Never learned to apologize?” I almost whisper in amazement. 

“I know, but I don’t want to apologize for wasting my time for no reason like this. You better get out of here and let me leave, too,” saying this, he again climbs into his car. 

I keep looking at him in amazement. He sits in the car and closes the door with a loud bang. This man is taking out my anger at this poor door. 

And then, he gives me an irritated look. Well, this is mutual. I am more irritated than him. What does he know? I want to chew him raw! 

“You wasted my time.” 

“You also didn’t stop me here and show any circus show!” 

He rolled his eyes, “Fuck off!” And then runs his car away. 

“Idiot!” I mutter and run the scooty, but not before grabbing that juice packet and throwing it in the trash. If someone fails to remember their basic manners, we surely can’t force their brain to remember it — but I could do it by smacking his head — but we should not forget our basic manners. 

After this, I do not find any hindrance. I successfully reached the mansion. The guards even let me enter the huge bungalow. They did not ask anything as I saw them eyeing my t-shirt. 

The doors were already open so I entered. My eyes slightly widened and my lips parted in awe when I looked at the huge bungalow.  

It is as amazing as those castles in fairy tales. Because to be honest, it is not less than any castle. Huge, white and shiny. 

I keep on admiring it. The road to the huge door of the house is clean and made of stone. And there is a huge lawn on both sides of the road. It had spread far and wide. Even my eyes can not reach its end. 

“Wow!” I sigh and stop the scooty. I take out the parcel and walk to the huge entrance. There is a doorbell. I press the button and can hear a vintage tone ringing around. 

I wait for someone to arrive and start beholding the huge entrance. Everything here is beautiful because it is pricey. 

The door opens and I see an old man in front of me. His blue eyes twinkle as soon as they land on the box in my hands. 

“Wow! So it has arrived. Thank you!” He tells me and then holds the box from my hands. I let him take it. He looked so happy and content. 

Just after seeing a sweet dish? 

Well, it is good to see customers happy. Their satisfaction is our satisfaction.

“You know I was waiting for you only!” He chirped. 

“I’m sorry but traffic jams are a serious big problem.” 

“Indeed but it’s okay! I’m glad it’s in my hands now!” He grins and then takes the sweet inside before telling me a thank you. 

I sigh deeply as my work is done. He has already paid online for the sweet. Now it is time to leave. Now I can take a long cold shower!

~~~~~~~

So that was the first chapter. Hope you liked it guys. This is an Indian romance so ofc, Hindi will be used in many chapters. I've translated the words so those who don't know Hindi can also understand. 

Hope you liked the chapter. If you like the book, please add it to your library and don't forget to leave a review. 

There is an Indian sweet dish!

Thank you very much :)