Rich Brat: Sweet Revenge Of A Lazy Princess

It was an open kitchen with an island in the center. As a single dad Charan could proudly say that he was quite proficient in kitchen. At the start it was a struggle but thankfully Akira was still very young back then. So she was not exactly picky with her choice of food so he coped with it better than he thought. And slowly he learnt and made things to her taste. And as of now he was pretty comfortable in kitchen.

Shreya quietly followed him while her eyes stuck to him fascinated. She grew up being a typical rich brat so she did not know how to cook. She might not be picky when it comes to eating. She is quite familiar with all street foods and stuffs but making them was whole new thing. So she was quite captivated with the picture of Charan cooking.

Charan could feel her eyes on him. So he looked up at Shreya and asked frowning, "What are you looking at??"

"Nothing." Shreya said shaking her head while walking towards the kitchen. "I am just not used to seeing men doing something so domestic like cooking and stuffs. I just find it oddly attractive and maybe s.e.xy even."

Charan couldn't help but let out a chuckle hearing her straight forward reply. He looked up at her and commented amused, "You weren't really kidding when you said you were blunt were you!!?"

Shreya smiled at him brightly and said, "Nope" popping the 'p' at the end.

Then she thought of something and asked, "Hey what are you guys doing today??? If you guys are free you want to hang out maybe?? I mean only if you and Akira want to. It's okay if you have something planned already…. I mean I just…" She started confidently but her confidence wearied down as she finally finished. She looked down fidgeting with her fingers.

Charam just shrugged and said nonchalantly, "I already informed my mom that we are not going back today. So we are free."

"I mean it is okay if you have planned to be somewhere. We can hang out some other time. It's not a big deal." Shreya said but her disappointment was heavy in her voice and her face screamed it the loudest.

Charan looked up at her once again and said, "Come here" while gesturing her to come near him.

Shreya stepped near. There was just the counter between them. Charan reached out and slightly swatted at her forehead.

"Ouch!" Shreya exclaimed surprised. It was not really painful just caught her off guard.

"You can leave the overthinking for when you are running your company." Charan scolded her.

Shreya pouted and puffed her cheeks but then after a while she started talking in a very low voice, "It's just… I just feel like I am barging in and disrupting things. Even last night I just came and comfortably slept over without really asking. It shouldn't have been convenient. And now you are making breakfast for me." Her voice trailed. By the time she was done it her voice was at par to a mumble. And she hung her head without meeting his eyes.

Charan couldn't help but find her adorable at this moment. He reached out and pulled at her cheeks and said, "Aahg… You are so cute when you act like this you know. If I was not convenient I would have just woke you up and kicked you out." Even though he was telling it he knew he would probably never have the heart to do it to anyone. Especially to Shreya. He hated waking people up.

When he carefully analyzed Charan saw the pattern in her behavior. She took one step towards him confidently without realizing but doubted and hesitated with the next step when she becomes conscious of what she was doing.

As he thought of it Charan let of a sign. He then gestured Shreya to come inside the kitchen. Shreya frowned but did not ask anything. She came and stood in front of him. Then she suddenly thought of something and said, "Hey if you're thinking about making me help then forget it. I have never been inside a kitchen all my life. So… Ooww Charan what are you doing??" Shreya exclaimed midway when she felt herself floating in air suddenly before she could even finish what she was about to say.

Charan scooped her and sat her over his island counter. Then he stood in front of her resting both his hands on either side of her. He looked intently at her confused face. He slowly reached out and tucked her hairs behind her ears and started talking gently, "You don't have to hold yourself back Shreya. It's not just you. Even I want this… This relationship-whatever we have between us- I want it too. Or else I wouldn't have called you yesterday. So don't hesitate so much okay."

His voice was extremely gentle but firm. Warmth surged through her as she listened to Charan but the logical part of her still nagged her. Thus she looking at her own fingers with her head was hung low and started talking, "You can't really imagine the kinda baggage that comes with me Charan. I was born there and I can deal with it. But I don't want to put you and Akira through it. When I think of what happened that day because of my one second of impulsiveness, I can't help but regret dragging you with me. Thankfully nothing major happened that day. But if… I don't even want to think of the possibility. When I think of all these I know I should stay far away from you but my mind just keeps coming back to you somehow. You don't know the number of times I have driven to your road end without even realizing. No matter how much I try I just keep coming back to you somehow." Shreya confessed resigned.

If her confession had surprised him, Charan did not show it on his face. On contrast he seemed calm as he intently listened to everything Shreya said. He reached out and lifted her face by her chin and made her look at him then he said in a soft voice, "Hey I might not know definite details but I am not completely oblivious. I am not going to stand here and say that I can handle myself. I probably can't. It is simply beyond my means and ability. I agree. But I am not scared. Not because I am blind but because I have confidence in your ability. I know you will do your utmost to keep us safe. You are going to come and get me if something happens right??" He asked at last looking straight into her eyes.

Shreya immediately bobbed her head vigorously.

"Then you don't have to hold back." Charan said running his thumbs over her cheeks.

"It's just… I just can't afford to lose anybody anymore. So I never brought anybody close to me in years. But now that I have to I am scared." Shreya said in a whisper.

Charan patted the back of her head softly and said, "It is okay to be scared. Just take one step at a time. And I will do the same okay."

Shreya bobbed her head obediently once again.

Just then something rattled on the stove behind them. Charan turned back to get back to cooking while Shreya hopped down and went in search of Akira.