If Only... *CaVya OneShots* [#4 : Page 12.] - Page 9

If only Navya and Cabir watch a horror movie together...

Cabir tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for the Maggi to cook. "Do minute mein Maggi," they say. Ghanta "do minute"! Das minute toh lagte hi lagte hain!

He glared at the pan.

Arre yaar! Ab mujhe bhi bhookh lag rahi hai! You better cook fast, Maggi!

Too bad, the noodles cooking at their own pace in the pan couldn't hear his thoughts.

I wonder yeh Madhubala kya kar rahi hai? I hope woh so gayi ho. Phir saari Maggi meri!

He stirred the noodles and feeling satisfied with how they'd cooked, turned the gas knob off.

Das minute mein Maggi tayyar! he sang mentally.

"Navya?" He called, as he served the Maggi in two bowls and stuck a fork in each.

There was no answer.

Sacchi mein so gayi kya yeh ladki?!

He held a bowl in each hand and walked over to the couch. As he neared it, he saw Navya sitting cross-legged on the left end of the couch, clutching a cushion to her chest and staring at the TV.

"Uh... Navya?"

She still didn't respond, even though he was standing just about two feet away from her.

"Oye! Black-and-White Madhubala!"

Startled, she whipped her head towards him, eyes wide, and then visibly relaxed and exhaled when she saw it was him.

"Offo, Cabiiir. Tum ho! Dara diya tumne humein!"

"Main nahi toh aur kaun hoga? Mera bhoot?" He retorted, handing her one bowl, and then going and sitting on the other end of the couch. Though, the couch being small, he wasn't much farther away from Navya.

"Haha, tum aur tumhare bhoot se hum nai darne wale kabhi," she said, trying to get noodles on her fork, and failing.

"Oh really? Toh abhi kya bohot khush hui thi mujhe dekh kar?" He said, looking at her with a smirk on his face.

She was looking into her bowl, still trying with the fork. "Nahi, woh actually... offo, aise khaya nai ja raha humse!"

"Arre, aise nai. Wait, I'll show you."

And he showed her how to twirl noodles on his fork.

"Ohhh. Aise!"

She tried it out successfully, and then turned to beam at Cabir. "Dekho!"

He quirked an eyebrow up, and then smiled at her enthusiasm.

"Toh, what are you watching?"

He noticed an English movie channel was on, which was currently airing advertisements.

"Arre, woh hum... yeh dekho! Woh!" She pointed at the movie screen with her fork, as the channel showed the name of the movie with the "Now Showing" tag.

Cabir's eyes widened as he read the name, his heart starting to beat a little faster.

Grudge.

Grudge.

Navya was intently watching The Grudge!

"Navya, hatao isse! Kyun dekh rahi ho yeh?!"

"Arre?" She turned to look at him incredulously. "Humein yeh interesting lag raha hai, toh hum dekh rahe hain."

"Par Navya, yeh... yeh..."

"Yeh, kya?"

"Yeh... yeh horror movie hai! Tumhare baby ke liye acchi nai hai!"

"Kya?! Kyun?!"

"Uh... baby darr jayega!"

She burst out laughing, and then calmed down, only to start again on noticing Cabir's horrified expression.

"Cabir," she said between laughs. "Aisa kuch nai hota hai!"

"Navya, isse hatao!"

"Nahi. Humko dekhna hai!"

He scowled and started eating his now-cold Maggi as fast as he could, without looking up at the television. He wanted to finish and get to bed as quickly as he could. As a child, a horror movie had scarred him, after which he'd always avoided watching one. Until now, that is.

I hate horror movies! he thought.

Thankfully, the volume was low.

He got up.

"Okay, mera ho gaya. Main sone jaa raha hun."

"Arre, nai!" Navya cried, catching his arm to stop him. "Ruko na, please? Humein akele nai dekhni hai.".

"Toh mat dekho. Kuch aur lagao, ya sone chalo."

He took her empty bowl from her and went to put the bowls and forks in the kitchen sink.

"Cabir, please? Please?" She called.

He stayed put near the sink.

Damn, he thought. Why can't I just say no to her?!

He didn't reply, just went and sat on the couch again, unknowingly, a little closer to her than before.

She wrapped her arms around his arm and pressed her cheek into his shoulder.

"Thank youuu! Tum bohot acche ho, Cabir!"

Realizing what she was doing, she immediately let go, and looked away, embarrassed.

He stared at her for a second, and then grabbed the cushion she had been clutching earlier.

"Ad khatam ho gayi." He said.

She mentally heaved a sigh of relief. He wasn't annoyed at her for pretty much jumping on him twice, now.

As the movie progressed and the scenes just got creepier, Cabir found himself holding the cushion over his face, and peeking over it from time to time, heart racing, while Navya was chewing on her nails, totally engrossed, and would suddenly grip his arm once in a while when a scene startled her in particular.

Why am I doing this?! Cabir thought to himself. Ab raat bhar neend nai aayegi!

Unknown to him, Navya had stopped watching the movie and was focusing entirely on him and his reactions.

She saw his eyes widening with fear and then squeezing shut, and switched off the TV.

He opened his eyes when suddenly there was silence all around. Noticing that the TV had been switched off, he turned to look at Navya, and opened his mouth to ask her why she'd switched off the TV. But Navya beat him to it.

"Bohot zyada ho raha tha."

He knew she was referring to him. She must have noticed the effect the movie was having on him. But she wasn't teasing him when she said it. Instead, there was a gentle, yet understanding smile on her face.

Suddenly, she got up, and turning towards him, extended her right hand.

"Sone chalo, Cabir."

He smiled gratefully at her, took her proffered hand, and stood up.

"Yeah, let's go," he said.

Neither let go of the other's hand as they walked to the bedroom.

*