"Wo...traffic tha."

He said, with that he walked away.

But we both knew what it was.

I still stared at his frame in the darkness, until the latch echoed in the silence of the corridor.

Water dripped from my hair as I tried to push them aside.

The saree felt heavy with the weight of two gazes on me.

Sab inki galti hai, hogaya na late.

"Kuch zimmedari hoti hai ki nahi, ghar hai. Ye bhi nahi ki phone hi karde."

His mother's voice rang through the corridor, sleepy.

I didn't dare to look up.

With each step I was able to feel the chime of the anklet along with each breath I took.

Was it only my responsibility?

His voice pulled me away from my thoughts.

"Haan toh akele thodi gayi thi."

She didn't say anything, but the way her lips twisted said enough.

I looked at him for once,

He tried to offer a smile.

Yet, my mind was stuck on the street.

How?

I moved slowly.

With each chime, the moonlight filtering through the window-traced my steps.

I cleared my throat,

To fill the quiet space.

Yet my attention shifted again-

The way the moonlight reached his eyes.

And, his eyes turned light.

Yet his gaze was not on me.

It was casted down.

The cold wind rushed through my face.

Post rain.

It felt cold.

Or maybe it was the eyes.

Or maybe it was the moon.

Chaand ki thandak.

I lost my balance as my feet slipped in the darkness.

But before I could fall.

He held my wrist.

The words barely left his mouth as he looked at me.

"Dekh ke"

🌷

The moment I held her hand.

Cold against the warmth.

That's what it felt like.

It was different from the evening.

It felt right.

The way her fingers gripped mine.

Told enough.

I intertwined my fingers around hers.

I looked at her ones-

Something was different today.

I opened my mouth to say something.

But before I could.

Every incoherent thought paused as she flicked her hair.

The movement so gentle

yet filled with finesse.

My fingers tightened around hers.

Unconsciously.

I tried to speak again.

But my attention again shifted to her hair.

The way her hand worked to twist them.

The warmth was gone-slowly, fading away.

Until only the tip of my fingers touched hers lightly.

With that she walked away.

And I stood there-

Out of words.

By the way, the anklets chimed with veneration.

With each step she took.

🌷

Saumya's eyes skimmed the trolley as I opened it.

"Haan jo bhi chahiye ho le lo."

There were clothes.

The red dupatta, shining under the sunlight.

Some, jewelleries, sarees, anything which I liked the least.

It was all too bright.

I liked it simple-or maybe I never paid enough attention to know-

What I actually liked.

She traced the edge of it.

Her eyes flicked between clothes and me.

"Wo aapke pass english novel hai na,"

She paused.

I raised my brows as I pushed the trolley aside.

My bangles clinked with the hum of the ceiling fan with the effort to push it aside.

"Haan toh wo-"

She stopped letting the words linger in the air.

I looked at her amused.

"Itna sundar-sundar samaan hai ye sab chhod kar kitaab chahiye."

I said as I opened the wardrobe.

My hands worked to examine the shelf until I found the book.

She looked at the trolley again.

The golden lace shone under the dim light.

She shook her head.

"Jab pehne hi nahi milega toh lekar kya faiyada.

At least ye padhne toh milega."

Her lips twitched slightly as she looked at the cover of it.

Her gaze darted to the red kurta again.

But then she got up.

But before she could walk I called her.

"Saumya"

Her brows furrowed as I held out the set in front of her.

It was beautiful.

She shook her head.

I pushed it into her hand.

"Le lo sundar lagega."

"Aree nahi bhabhi, mummy pehene nahi dengi.

Rehne do, waise bhi red color hai.

Mai pehnugi ajeeb lagega."

She kept it back.

Though the way her hands lingered on it told enough.

"Tumahara man hai?"

I asked.

Her hands stopped mid-motion.

"Haan toh bas phir."

I handed it back.

"Kya karungi mai?"

I deadpanned. "Pehnogi aur kya."

"Aur phir sab bolege kaha jana hai sajke itna."

My hands froze at the edge of the trolley.

So this was the problem.

I couldn't help but smile.

Again.

Ladki sajle toh bhi bolna hai.

I traced the edge of the chooda, until the sounds of her feet faded in the corridor.

Aur shaadi sudha ladki na saje toh bhi bolna hai.

Ironic?

Isn't it.

🌷

The sky turned into amber.

Packing.

It was always done.

I never unpacked most of my things.

Instead I was packing his things.

Uniform, shirts, documents, every single thing.

He wasn't here.

Gone for some work.

New city,

Actually this was also new for me.

But when I tried to get familiar with it.

I was supposed to move.

Maybe this would give me space.

I was about to pick up his shoes.

When out of nowhere he picked them up.

"Hum kar lete na."

I blinked, caught off guard.

"Kya hua agar humne kar diya toh."

I shut the trolley.

"Hua kuch nahi hai."

He shrugged as he wiped the dirt out of the shoes.

"Phir?"

I questioned as I took the file from his hand, casually scanning it.

"Did you sign a contract to do my work?"

He paused-genuinely looking at me."

I shook my head.

"Haan toh bas, aur shoes toh bilkul nahi saaf karne denge."

With that he kept them aside,

And sat beside me.

I looked at him curiously.

He shook his head.

"Kya hai der nahi ho rahi?"

"Ho toh rahi hai."

He replied as his eyes met mine.

I shifted my gaze to the floor.

Still I was able to feel his gaze on me.

"Toh yahaan kyun baithe hain?"

"Aise hi,"

I shifted slightly trying to create some space.

But my shoulder grazed his shoulder lightly.

I closed my eyes.

A grin replaced the sincere look on his face and I knew what it was about.

"Pata laagne ki koshish kar rahe hai koi itna sundar kaise dikh sakta hai."

I opened my mouth to say something but before I could.

He forwarded a flower in front of me.

I bit my lips as I looked at him.

Then at the flower.

"Ye kis liye?"

"Aapki aarti utaarne ke liye."

He shot back.

I couldn't help but smile as I took the flower.

"Ab der nahi ho rahi hai?"

"Haan toh aap hi kara rahe hain."

With that I pushed him lightly-u

rging him to get up.

While I sat with a flower,

That resembled the crimson of my face and a smile.

Itna hi simple tha, bas.

To be continued...

Unedited.