Chapter 18: Cooking Up Trouble

Ananya

The house was unusually quiet for a Saturday evening. The usual bustling of Aarav's large family was absent—everyone had gone out of town for a wedding. It was just Aarav and me, alone in this big house. The thought should have felt strange, but instead, I was looking forward to the peaceful evening ahead.

As I wandered through the house, a sudden, wild idea struck me. I had seen a cooking video on Instagram earlier today, and it looked so easy and delicious. How hard could it be to try making something new? I was terrible at cooking, but I had a strong belief in trying things I wasn't good at—besides, I had plenty of time, and Aarav was here. What could go wrong?

I practically skipped to the kitchen, my excitement growing with each step. Aarav was sitting in the living room, flicking through his phone, completely unaware of the disaster I was about to create in the kitchen.

I pulled out the ingredients from the pantry, measuring everything as the recipe instructed. The chopping, the stirring, the frying—it felt like I was on top of the world. I was so absorbed in the process, I didn't even notice Aarav had gotten up and walked into the kitchen.

"Ananya, what are you doing?" he asked, his voice a mix of curiosity and a little suspicion.

I looked up at him, grinning. "Making you something special! A surprise!"

He raised an eyebrow, his gaze flicking to the mess I had created on the counter. "You sure about this?"

I gave him a playful look. "It'll be amazing, trust me!"

Aarav

I watched as Ananya's hands moved quickly, almost nervously, between the ingredients. Something about the whole situation made me hesitant. I wasn't sure she knew what she was doing, and I knew all too well that cooking disasters were more common than I'd like to admit.

But there was something about the way her eyes sparkled, how she was so eager to impress me, that made me smile. I couldn't ruin her fun by telling her I was a little scared for my taste buds.

She hummed happily, oblivious to my skepticism. "It's almost done," she said, still stirring something that smelled... different.

Finally, she placed the dish in front of me, a smile of accomplishment on her face. It was a strange concoction—fried chicken, drenched in honey, served with a side of mashed potatoes mixed with chocolate chips. It looked... questionable.

"Here you go! Go ahead, try it!"

I took the first bite, bracing myself for what was sure to be a disaster. My face almost betrayed me—it was, without a doubt, a strange combination. The chicken, sweetened by honey, didn't sit right with the chocolate-infused potatoes. But I wasn't going to hurt her feelings.

"This... is delicious, Ananya," I said, trying to make my voice convincing.

Her face lit up, and before I could even think, she scooped more onto my plate and served it with a grin. "I knew you'd love it! I'm glad you like it so much!"

I couldn't bring myself to tell her the truth, so I ate another bite... and then another. By the time she stopped serving me, I had somehow finished the entire plate. My stomach churned a little, but I smiled through it.

Ananya

I watched him eat, feeling proud of myself. Aarav was always so serious, so controlled, but here he was, eating my disastrous attempt at cooking like it was the best thing he'd ever tasted.

Once he finished, I took a bite of the dish myself. The second the food hit my tongue, I nearly gagged. The honey on the chicken and the chocolate chips in the potatoes... It was a flavor combination I would never recommend to anyone.

"Wait a second..." I frowned, looking at the plate. "Why didn't you say anything? Why did you eat it all?"

Aarav's lips twitched, and then, to my shock, he started laughing softly. "What was I supposed to say? You looked so excited."

I narrowed my eyes, trying to suppress a laugh. "So you're telling me you ate all of that... knowing it was awful?"

He shrugged, giving me a playful grin. "Well, I didn't want to hurt your feelings."

I crossed my arms, half-annoyed, half-amused. "You're unbelievable, Aarav."

His laugh grew louder, and before I knew it, he pulled me into a hug, burying his face in my hair. "I'll eat anything you make, Ananya," he whispered, his voice soft, "even if it's a little... unpalatable."

I couldn't help but laugh with him. He was such a softy under all that serious, tough exterior.

The Next Morning

The sun peeked through the curtains, waking me up to a quiet morning. I stretched and yawned, suddenly remembering the events of the previous night.

I grinned, still thinking about Aarav's face while eating that monstrosity of a meal. But I decided to make it up to him. Breakfast. I was going to try again.

I made my way to the kitchen, determined. The eggs sizzled in the pan, the toast was in the toaster, and I was definitely going to make something edible this time.

Aarav came into the kitchen, his eyes widening when he saw me already at the stove. "What are you doing?" he asked, his voice laced with genuine concern.

"Making breakfast," I said with confidence, as if I had any idea what I was doing.

He took one look at the pan and then at me and backed away slowly. "No offense, but last night was... a disaster. Don't make me suffer again."

I laughed, but I could see the hesitation in his eyes.

But then, as the eggs started to burn (because, of course, they did), Aarav moved toward me with a sigh.

"Step aside," he said firmly, gently moving me out of the way.

I pouted. "Hey, I was trying!"

He raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "You were, but now it's my turn."

Within moments, he was at the stove, expertly flipping eggs, toasting the bread, and adding spices with the precision of someone who knew exactly what they were doing.

I leaned against the counter, watching him work, feeling oddly satisfied. "Well, aren't you a professional."

He gave me a sideways glance, a smirk on his lips. "I've had enough disastrous meals to know how to cook when I need to."

When we sat down to eat, I took a tentative bite of the eggs. "Okay, fine. You win. This is way better than my cooking."

Aarav chuckled, shaking his head. "I wasn't going to let you burn down the kitchen, Ananya."

I smirked, looking up at him from under my lashes. "Thanks for saving me from myself."

He simply nodded, his eyes softening as he watched me. "I'll always be here to save you. You know that, right?"

My heart skipped a beat. "I know."