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Scrollstck- Suganthi Lakshminarayanan
A/N: When people ask me what is more important to you- votes or comments? I reply- How can one be able to choose between two eyes of oneself?
So, please do vote as well as comment to show your lovely support ;)
Video Attached: An awesome guide to know about Indian Trains, though the coach I am going to describe in this story is a general sleeper coach (no AC) the last described coach is mostly similar to general coaches with a blue atmosphere instead of maroons! This is attached to get a better view of what an Indian train looks like from the inside! Both Indian and non-Indian readers must watch this.
The guy explaining there has a LOL factor and will surely make you smile!
Lost in thought about how to handle the cup, she became oblivious to her surroundings, staring blankly at the cup as if it might somehow offer a solution.
Suddenly, a deep voice broke her concentration. "One tea, please..." The unexpected sound startled her, causing a few drops of warm tea to spill onto her starched cotton dupatta.
Uff!
She quickly wiped the spilled tea and turned to see who had spoken in that deep, rich voice. It was undeniably manly, and she couldn't help but admit she liked the sound of it -just a little.
To her surprise, a tall young man was standing beside her seat. Dressed in faded jeans and a simple shirt, he looked almost too handsome to be real -at least in her opinion.
His shirt sleeves were rolled up, revealing sun-kissed, strong arms with small dark curls scattered across his forearms. She felt herself soften a bit as he flexed his hand, the muscles in his arms bulging slightly.
Her eyes couldn't help but wander over his muscular physique, taking in his solid torso and broad shoulders. The way his tight shirt clung to him only emphasized how perfectly built he was.
He was casually leaning against the grimy, aqua-blue iron bars of the coach, which served as a ladder to the upper berth, with one hand tucked into the side pocket of his jeans.
A pair of white earphones hung loosely around his neck, with the cable disappearing between the third and fourth buttons of his shirt. The first two buttons were undone, revealing a few wisps of dark chest hair and she could feel warmth spreading through her body.
As her gaze traveled upward, she found herself admiring his handsome, dusky face and an even more attractive pair of lips. When her eyes met his sparkling black ones, her cheeks flushed bright red as she realized she'd been staring at him like a fool the entire time.
Are you checking him out? Oh God!
Unable to handle her embarrassment for even a second longer, she quickly lowered her head.
She noticed him dragging his trolley bag, completely unaware of her reaction, and placing it opposite her berth, under the seat reserved for her father.
Clearing her throat to catch his attention, she hatched a quick plan. "Um... Can you take this one?" she asked, offering her cup of steaming tea. "I don't have any change," she added, her voice coming out in a husky, almost whisper-like tone that sounded awkward even to her own ears. The whole situation was starting to annoy her.
"Go ahead and drink it... I'll cover the ten rupees," he said calmly, taking his cup from the tea vendor. He handed over a ten-rupee note, then lifted his cup towards her, saying, "Cheers!"
"But..." she started to protest, but a sudden jerk of the train, signaling its departure from Kamptee station, made her fall silent.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed him gripping the slender but sturdy supports of the upper berth to keep his balance.
"Consider it a loan," he said with a grin as he quickly kicked off his blue sneakers and peeled off his white socks. He shoved his shoes under the seat, and she couldn't help but grimace at the word 'loan.' "Pay me back whenever you can. If we ever meet again," he added with a casual shrug, then settled comfortably into his seat.
He had a college shoulder bag that he placed on his lap before plugging in his earphones. Leaning back against the thick blue cushion of the berth-the most comfortable way to rest on a train-he seemed to drift off into his own world.
She nodded to herself, a bit awkwardly. Cradling the delicate cup in her petite hands, she took a slow sip of the sweet, lukewarm tea. The blend of milk and tea leaves was perfect, sending a tingle of satisfaction to her seventeen-year-old taste buds.
She slowly tilted her head in his direction, taking in his relaxed posture as he sat across from her. His eyes were glued to a brand-new smartphone, a must-have gadget in India at the time. With his right hand, he held the phone, swiping the touch screen continuously while sipping tea with the other.
It seemed like he was searching for something intently, and she felt a sudden urge to help him, to ease whatever was making him so restless. But she held back, reminding herself that it wasn't a good idea to start a conversation with a stranger.
Pushing aside her instincts, she focused on his head. His hair was a thick mop of inky-black waves, with a few strands casually falling over his forehead. His chiseled jaw was clean-shaven, not a trace of stubble or even the hint of a mustache. She couldn't help but think that a handlebar mustache would have suited him perfectly -but that was just her opinion.
Absentmindedly, her left hand drifted to her neck, where she began twirling the thin gold chain she'd bought with years of savings. The chain held a heart-shaped pendant, a cherished gift from her two best friends, who were also her seniors.
She took a big gulp of her drink, her eyes inadvertently fixated on his prominent Adam's apple as it bobbed with each slurping sip he took. Quickly shaking her head to snap out of it, she blinked a few times and refocused on her own tea, trying to concentrate on anything else.
Traveling was usually her favorite part of summer vacations, though this trip wasn't exactly a vacation or particularly enjoyable. Still, she couldn't help but feel a bit giddy as she took in the surroundings.
She loved the lively social scene of the sleeper compartment -strangers gossiping endlessly, a family arguing over dinner, kids bouncing around with boundless energy, and, of course, the frequent interruptions by various sellers. Every bit of it was delightful to her: a tiny world enclosed within the four walls of the moving train compartment always brought her joy.
With a sigh, she finished her sugary drink and tossed the empty cup out the ventilated window of the side berth, being careful to keep it low so it wouldn't blow back inside due to the wind.
As she settled back into her seat, the elbow of the lovey-dovey neighbor bumped into her side. Frowning with irritation, she shifted to the farthest corner near the aisle and rubbed her temples, trying to block out the ongoing romantic chatter from the couple next to her.
This time, she came up with a great way to distract herself. She leaned back, closed her eyes, and began mentally reviewing all the physics and chemistry formulas she'd need. It seemed like the perfect moment for a bit of revision and preparation for the next day's exam.
How else could she distract herself now...?