[17]

Rishit sat cross-legged on the damp grass in the garden, swatting away the persistent mosquitoes buzzing around him. His focus alternated between his surroundings and the notifications lighting up his phone screen.

Above, from the balcony of their shared room, Vaani stood observing him, her brows knitted in concern. The sight of him sitting there, seemingly lost and vulnerable, tugged at her heartstrings.

Without wasting another moment, she spun on her heel and strode purposefully toward the kitchen. There, she swiftly arranged a plate with warm food, ensuring it was comforting yet simple. With the plate balanced carefully, she made her way toward the garden, her steps brisk but steady.

Rishit, engrossed in reading emails on his mobile, heard the faint crunch of approaching footsteps. He turned to find Vaani walking toward him, her presence a blend of softness and determination.

"Aap yaha?" he asked hesitantly, his tone soft, his gaze curious yet unsure.

Vaani didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she settled beside him on the grass, maintaining a respectful distance, her every movement considerate of his comfort. Gently, she extended the plate toward him.

"Khana kha lijiye," she urged, her voice tender yet firm.

"Bhook nahi hai," Rishit replied tersely, shifting his gaze to the star-studded night sky, clearly attempting to evade her concern.

Undeterred, Vaani pushed on. "Kha lijiye, Rishit. Aap thak gaye hain, bhook lagi hogi," she said, her concern now evident in her voice.

His gaze flickered toward her, and his tone carried a faint edge as he responded, "Aapko mera khayal rakhne ki zarurat nahi hai."

Her eyes met his, unwavering and resolute. "Aur mujhe kya karna chahiye aur kya nahi, yeh aapko batane ki zarurat nahi hai," she shot back, her voice calm but filled with quiet determination.

Rishit stared at her for a moment, taken aback, before averting his gaze. Vaani, however, refused to back down. She carefully prepared a bite of food and held it up to his mouth.

Rishit hesitated, the conflict in his eyes betraying his emotions. "Main khud se kha lunga," he muttered, taking the plate from her hands.

"Aap nahi khaengi?" he asked after a pause, his tone softer now.

"Khaungi na," Vaani replied with a small smile.

"Then where is your plate?" he inquired, his voice tinged with confusion.

"Yeh toh rahi," she said, nodding toward the plate he was holding.

"But yeh toh meri hai," he replied, his confusion deepening.

"We will share," Vaani said matter-of-factly and began eating from his plate without hesitation. Her casual demeanor left Rishit staring at her, his brows furrowed in disbelief.

Sensing his puzzled expression, she explained with a teasing smile, "Aap hi na kaha tha na ki we are friends, aur friends ek dusre ka jhootha kha sakte hain." She continued eating as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

Rishit’s hesitation lingered until she added, "Kya main sab kha jaungi tab start karenge aap?" Her playful tone finally coaxed him into taking a bite.

As they ate, Vaani broke the silence with a hint of vulnerability in her voice. "Waise woh baat alag hai ki aapne sirf mujhe kehne ke liye dost banaya tha."

"Matlab?" Rishit asked, his confusion evident.

"Rishit, aaj tak humne ek dusre se kabhi bhi acche se baat nahi ki hai," she said, the hurt seeping into her words.

He remained silent, his attention solely on her.

"Rishit, at least hum dosti ka rishta toh nibha hi sakte h, hain na," she added, her tone hopeful yet tinged with sadness.

After a long pause, Rishit finally responded, "Haan, hum nibha sakte hain yeh rishta. Hum ban sakte hain dost, but—" He hesitated, his voice trailing off.

"But what?" Vaani pressed, her brows furrowing in curiosity.

"But maine aaj tak kisi bhi ladki se dosti nahi ki hai. You are the first one," he admitted.

Vaani burst into laughter at his candid confession. "Aapne aaj tak kisi bhi ladki se dosti nahi ki?" she managed to say between fits of laughter.

"Isme hasne wali koi baat nahi hai," Rishit replied, clearly offended.

"Accha, sorry sorry," she said, attempting to suppress her laughter but failing miserably.

Rishit sighed, feigning exasperation. "Maine kaha na, isme hasne wali koi baat nahi hai. It’s normal."

"Yeah, yeah," Vaani replied, finally composing herself.

As the laughter subsided, Rishit broke the silence with a gentle tone. "Accha, ek sawal puchun?"

"Haan," she replied, straightening up to listen.

"Yeh khana tumne banaya hai?" he asked, a teasing glint in his eyes.

"Mazak uda rahe hain aap mera?" she retorted, clearly offended.

"Nahi bilkul nahi, main toh casually puch raha tha," Rishit replied, feigning innocence.

Their playful banter continued as the night deepened, the two of them finding solace in each other’s company, their bond taking hesitant but significant steps forward.

After finishing their conversation, both Vaani and Rishit made their way back into the house. The warmth of the indoors was a stark contrast to the chilly night outside.

Once they reached the landing, Vaani instinctively headed toward their shared room. However, Rishit turned in the direction of a different room.

"Rishit," Vaani’s voice called out to him, soft but firm.

He turned, brows slightly furrowed in confusion. "Haan?" he responded, his tone cautious.

Vaani looked at him, her expression a mix of concern and earnestness. "We can share the room. Mujhe achha nahi lagega agar aap dusre room me rahenge toh," she said, her words laced with honesty.

Rishit hesitated, his gaze flickering between her and the direction he was heading. "But—" he started, his tone tentative.

Vaani cut him off gently, stepping closer. "Please na, Rishit," she said, her eyes wide, her expression softening into an almost childlike plea.

He exhaled, clearly reluctant but unable to deny her earnest request. "Okay," he finally agreed, his voice low as he followed her back into the room.

Inside, the room was dimly lit, the soft glow from a bedside lamp casting warm shadows on the walls. Without a word, Rishit made his way to the couch, picking up a spare pillow and blanket as he settled himself for the night. Vaani, meanwhile, climbed into the bed, adjusting her own blanket as she watched him from the corner of her eye.

As silence filled the space, a gentle understanding seemed to settle between them.

*******************

The next morning unfolded just as they had decided. Rishit, true to his word, woke up early and busied himself in the kitchen, preparing breakfast while waiting for Vaani to wake.

When Vaani stirred, the sunlight gently streaming through the curtains, she found herself alone in the room. A wave of worry washed over her.

"Kahi Rishit aaj bhi toh nahi chale gaye," she muttered under her breath, quickly throwing on her slippers and hurrying downstairs to check.

She stopped abruptly at the kitchen doorway, her eyes widening at the scene before her.

There stood Rishit, impeccably dressed in his formal attire, sleeves rolled up, expertly flipping parathas on the pan. The aroma of freshly made breakfast wafted through the air.

A gentle smile graced Vaani’s lips as she stepped inside and stood beside him.

"Office nahi gaye ab tak?" she asked, her voice teasing yet curious.

Without looking up, Rishit replied with a calm confidence, "I keep my words, Vaani."

Her grin widened, her admiration for him growing in that moment. "Kya bana rahe ho?" she asked, her tone now laced with excitement.

"Parathe," Rishit replied matter-of-factly, his focus still on his task.

"Should I try?" Vaani asked, practically bouncing on her toes.

Rishit finally turned to look at her, his expression deadpan, though his eyes carried a faint glimmer of teasing mischief. "Ghar mein aari nahi hai, Vaani," he said, feigning seriousness.

Vaani gaped at him in disbelief. "Rishit, aap bahut kharab ho! Hum ja rahe hain!" she declared, turning on her heel with exaggerated indignation. Yet, the faint smile tugging at her lips betrayed her playful act as she walked away.

Rishit watched her retreating figure and shook his head, a small chuckle escaping him as he turned back to the stove.

A little while later, Vaani returned after a refreshing shower, her hair still damp and loose over her shoulders. She paused at the dining area and saw Rishit carefully plating the parathas at the table, his movements precise and unhurried.

She stood there for a moment, her heart swelling with affection as she quietly admired him. "Hayee...mera sarv-gun-sampann pati," she murmured softly to herself, her eyes glinting with tenderness.

Gathering herself, she walked toward the dining table, the smile on her face now permanent. Together, they enjoyed the breakfast Rishit had prepared.

Afterward, both left for their respective workplaces—Rishit heading to the Dehradun branch of Oberoi Industries and Vaani to the Dehradun branch of Ahuja Industries—carrying the warmth of the morning with them as they resumed their routines.

********************

Bangalore…

Ved paced aimlessly through the corridor after his first lecture, his frustration evident in his furrowed brows and muttered complaints.

"Ye jab se bhai aur Vidhi relationship mein aaye hain na, tab se toh meri koi izzat hi nahi hai," he grumbled under his breath, his expression a mix of annoyance and mock helplessness.

Meanwhile, hiding behind a pillar nearby, Aarohi and Amrita observed him closely, their curiosity piqued by his demeanor.

"Ye Ved ko kya hua? He’s looking upset. Main jaake puchti hoon," Aarohi said, stepping forward decisively.

Amrita quickly pulled her back. "Oo, thoda kabu mein rakh apni inn feelings ko," she quipped, her tone playful but firm.

"Kyun?" Aarohi asked, confusion etched across her face.

"Kyunki tu aise baat kar rahi hai jaise tu jaayegi aur woh tujhe sab kuch bata dega," Amrita replied with a hint of sarcasm. "Bilkul bhaav nahi deta woh tujhe."

Aarohi pouted, clearly offended. "Reality check dene ki zarurat nahi thi," she shot back, diverting her gaze toward Ved. But when her eyes searched for him, he was gone.

"Kahan gaya?" Aarohi exclaimed, looking around frantically. "Sab teri wajah se hua hai," she accused, throwing an indignant look at Amrita.

Amrita raised her brows in disbelief and shook her head. "Ab chal, dhoondhte hain usse," Aarohi said, grabbing Amrita's hand in determination.

"Next class start hone wali hai. Wahi hoga," Amrita reasoned calmly.

"Arre haan, yeh toh maine socha hi nahi," Aarohi admitted sheepishly before heading toward the classroom.

"Uske liye dimaag chahiye hota hai, jo tujhme nahi hai," Amrita teased with a smirk.

"Bezzati baad mein kar lena, abhi chal," Aarohi retorted, dragging Amrita along.

Amrita shook her head, a wry smile on her face. "Yeh ladki pyaar mein pagal ho chuki hai," she thought to herself, trailing behind her impulsive friend.

********************

Bangalore Airport…

Vidhi stood near the arrival gates, her eyes scanning the crowd anxiously. Just as her gaze shifted, she felt strong arms suddenly wrap around her from behind, pulling her into a tight embrace.

Before she could react, her feet left the ground as Vidhan twirled her in the air, his laughter ringing in her ears.

A wide smile broke across Vidhi's face, and a giggle escaped her lips as she clung to him.

After a moment, Vidhan gently set her down, but before he could step back, Vidhi turned around and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

"I missed you," she whispered softly, holding him close.

Vidhan smiled, his arms circling her waist, pulling her even closer. "I missed you too," he said, his voice filled with warmth and affection. As he spoke, he lifted her slightly again, his hold firm and comforting.

Vidhi leaned back slightly, just enough to study his face, her eyes searching his for any sign of worry. "Are you fine?" she asked softly, concern evident in her voice.

Vidhan’s lips curved into a smile. "After seeing you, yes," he replied sincerely, his eyes holding hers with an intensity that spoke volumes.

A playful smile graced Vidhi’s face, and without a second thought, she rose onto her toes and brushed her lips lightly against Vidhan's, leaving him momentarily frozen in shock.

"Ye kya tha?" Vidhan asked, his voice laced with disbelief, his eyes wide as he tried to process what just happened.

Vidhi smirked mischievously and replied, "I was just returning something. Now, let’s go." Breaking their embrace, she turned to walk away, her cheeks faintly pink.

But before she could take a step, Vidhan swiftly grabbed her by the waist, pulling her back toward him with a sudden yet gentle force.

He positioned her in front of him, his intense gaze locking with hers as he slowly closed the remaining distance between them. His hand lifted her chin delicately, and he leaned down, pressing a lingering kiss on the corner of her lips, the warmth of his touch sending shivers down her spine.

His lips lingered just a second too long before he finally pulled back, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Now return that too," he teased, his voice low and playful.

Vidhi’s cheeks flushed crimson at his words, the heat radiating from her face unmistakable. She lightly smacked his arm, trying to hide her embarrassment. "Vidhan, aap bahut besharam hain. Ab chaliye!" she huffed, her tone equal parts shy and scolding as she entwined her fingers with his.

Vidhan chuckled, his heart warming at her reaction. With their hands intertwined, the two of them left the airport, a newfound closeness enveloping them as they stepped into the bustling city.

____________________________________________________________________________

How was the chapter ? Do let me know.

Vote and comment if you found it interesting.

Follow me on Wattpad and Instagram for spoilers.

( My ID : author_roohi_ )