Shashwat, ever the tease, grinned. "Tu shaadi karle, aa jaunga."
Akash let out a chuckle, a weak attempt at keeping things light, but his eyes betrayed him. He quickly looked away, blinking too much, as if trying to push back the emotions threatening to spill.
Reyansh stepped forward next, wrapping an arm around him in a half-hug.
"Siya is at the back side of the house. She wants to meet you," he whispered, his voice just low enough for only Shashwat to hear.
Shashwat's eyes flickered in surprise, his heart skipping a beat. Of course, she'd want to meet him one last time.
"Par mai jaun kaise?" he asked under his breath.
Reyansh smirked slightly, his hands shoved into his pockets. "Bol de kuch bhool gaya hai. Peeche wale gate se nikal ja."
Just as Shashwat was about to respond, Harsh-who had been watching the entire exchange with narrowed eyes-finally burst.
"ARRE HO GAYA NA!?" he suddenly barked, making everyone flinch.
They all turned to him, startled by his outburst. But within seconds, he composed himself, clearing his throat.
"I... I mean... late ho jayega," Harsh covered up awkwardly, avoiding their gazes.
Shashwat shook his head, exhaling. He had no time to deal with Harsh's theatrics right now.
"I think I left my phone's charger in the room," he announced, keeping his tone casual.
Shashwat slipped through the quiet corridors of his house, his steps were hurried yet careful, making sure no one noticed his detour. The back door creaked softly as he pushed it open, revealing the dimly lit backyard. The early morning mist still lingered in the air, and a soft breeze rustled the leaves of the plants.
Siya stood near a potted plant, clutching a small tiffin box close to her chest. She was waiting for him, her eyes reflecting the soft golden hues of dawn.
As soon as she saw him, she took a deep breath and extended the tiffin towards him.
"Ye raaste me kuch kha lijiyega," she said with a small smile, trying to keep her voice light.
Shashwat let out a soft chuckle, taking the tiffin from her hands and gently placing it in his bag.
Her smile faltered slightly, her gaze dropping. "Khayal rakhna," she whispered, her voice barely above the rustling of the leaves.
He nodded. "Hamesha."
She swallowed, her hands fidgeting. "Aur... call me if possible... letters bhejiyega," she added hesitantly.
Shashwat smirked. "Aur kuch?" he asked, tilting his head, hoping she'd say the words stuck in her throat.
Siya shook her head, looking down.
A deep sigh left his lips as he took a step forward and wrapped his arms around her. He held her tightly, as if trying to etch this moment into his memory, as if holding on for just a little longer would make the separation easier.
"I will miss you," he murmured against her hair.
She squeezed her eyes shut, inhaling his familiar scent, the one she had memorized over the years. "Ham bhi," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.
Minutes passed, neither of them willing to let go.
"Aapko late nahi ho raha?" she finally asked, her hands still resting on his back.
"Ho raha hai," he admitted, but instead of pulling away, he tightened his hold.
She let out a shaky breath. "Jaiye phir."
He didn't move.
"Shashwat, chhoriye," she said, her voice almost pleading now.
A smirk tugged at his lips. "Chhura lijiye," he challenged.
Siya huffed, pulling back slightly, but her hands refused to let go of his shirt. Her grip only tightened, as if anchoring him to this moment.
"Please jaldi jaiye, varna ham phir jaane nahi denge," she confessed, her voice breaking.
Something in his chest clenched painfully at her words. He slowly broke the hug, his hands lingering on her arms as he took in every detail of her face.
Without a word, he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek, letting his lips linger just a second longer. Siya closed her eyes, savoring the warmth, knowing it would have to last her until he returned.
She reached into the plant beside her, plucked a single red rose, and gently placed it in the pocket of his uniform.
"Jata hun," he said, his voice thick with emotion.
Siya shook her head, forcing a small smile through her tears. "Aata hun kehte hain."
He exhaled a chuckle, nodding. "Aata hun."
With one last look, he turned and began walking away, taking slow backward steps as if reluctant to break their gaze. Siya stood there, watching, memorizing.
When he finally reached the car, he sat inside, but his eyes immediately searched for her. His family stood outside, waving, but his gaze flickered upward, to the terrace.
There she was.
Standing alone against the morning sky, her dupatta fluttering in the breeze, her hand raised in a silent wave.
He smiled at her, his heart clenching at the sight.
Siya forced a smile back, watching as the car disappeared down the road.
As the jeep rumbled along the road, Shashwat sat among his fellow officers, feeling the pangs of hunger settling in. Remembering the tiffin Siya had given him, he quickly took it out, ready to finally eat something.
One of the officers beside him grinned, watching him open it. "Shashwat bhai, thank you! We were starving. Tell aunty thanks from our side too."
Shashwat chuckled, shaking his head. "Aunty nahi, Siya ne diya hai."
"Siya? Kaun Siya?" one of them asked curiously.
"My girlfriend," he replied casually.
"Ohooo... Bhabhi!" Another officer teased, nudging him playfully. A few of them whistled, and Shashwat felt his ears heat up as he tried to suppress a smile.
"Chalo, dekhte hain bhabhi ne kya banaya hai!" One of them excitedly said as they all leaned in to see.
Shashwat opened the tiffin with anticipation, only to find- instead of food- a neatly folded βΉ100 note along with a small note tucked inside.
"Bhookh lagegi toh samosa kha lijiyega... baaki sabko bhi khila dijiyega."
There was a moment of silence as everyone stared at the empty tiffin. Then, one of the officers burst into laughter.
"Bhai, bhabhi ko thank you kehna, hamara pet bharne ke liye!" one of them joked, making the others laugh.
Shashwat sighed, shaking his head, but a fond smile tugged at his lips. He pocketed the note before the jeep stopped at a roadside dhaba, where they all decided to grab something to eat. As the others went ahead, Shashwat stepped aside and took out his phone, dialing Siya's number. She picked up within seconds.
"Kaha pahoche?" she asked.
"Raste me hain... By the way, thank you for the lunch," he said, amusement lacing his voice.
"Aapne khaya kuch? Accha, kuch paise bach jayen toh doston ko bhi khila dijiyega," she added cheekily.
Shashwat rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "Haan, wahi soch rahe hain, itne bade rakam ka kya khayen! Tum na hoti toh hum sab toh bhookhe mar jaate." His voice dripped with sarcasm, but he couldn't help but chuckle.
"Arre, jyada bol rahe hain... itna bhi kuch nahi tha," Siya said, trying to play it off.
"Accha chalo, they are calling me. Baat karta hoon," he said as he heard his team calling him back.
"Haan, khayal rakhna," she said softly.
Shashwat smiled, flipping the note between his fingers before carefully tucking it into his wallet. It might not have been the lunch he expected, but somehow, the thoughtfulness behind it filled him up more than any meal ever could.
The sun hung high in the afternoon sky, casting warm golden hues over the bustling airport. Arushi stood near the departure gate, her fingers absentmindedly fidgeting with the strap of her handbag as she waited. The rhythmic hum of rolling suitcases, hurried footsteps, and airport announcements created a steady background noise, but her attention remained fixed on one thing-Reyansh's arrival.
And then, without warning, she felt the softest touch on her cheek-a gentle kiss, warm and fleeting.
She turned around swiftly, startled, only to find Reyansh standing there with his signature lopsided grin, his eyes twinkling mischievously.
"Kitna time hai?" he asked, slightly out of breath.
"Abhi time hai," she reassured him.
"Thank God!" He let out a relieved sigh and, without another word, pulled her into a tight embrace.
Arushi closed her eyes for a moment, inhaling the familiar scent of him, fresh, comforting, undeniably Reyansh. His arms around her felt like home, and she wished she could pause time right here, just for a little longer.
"Kyun jaa rahi ho?" His voice was quiet, barely above a whisper.
She pulled back slightly, cupping his face in her palms. "Bas last baar," she promised softly. "Uske baad tum apne paas hi rakh lena."
Reyansh sighed, shaking his head. "What will I do here alone? Ritika didi chali gayi, Siya will also leave for her shows, Divya will also leave..." His voice trailed off, and his eyes searched hers, betraying the sadness he was trying to mask.
Arushi studied him for a moment before tilting her head playfully. "Mat jao bol do, I will cancel my tickets."
Instead, he stepped back and reached into his backpack. "I wish bol pata... Accha, I have something for you. Issi wajah se late hua tha."
He pulled out a large packet of Indian potato chips, the kind that wasn't fried but her absolute favorite.
Arushi's mouth fell open slightly.
"Tumhe pasand hai na? Wahan milega nahi... Ye sab bhi hai." he said, grinning as he dug into his bag and pulled out more-different flavors, different brands, but all her favorites.
Her eyes softened, but she still huffed in mock annoyance. "Reyansh, maine kitni baar kaha hai faltu me paise mat waste karo... tumhare mehnat ke hain."
Reyansh rolled his eyes, ignoring her complaint entirely. "Mai na nahi sun raha... rakho isse." he said stubbornly, stuffing the packets into her bag before she could protest further.
As Arushi's phone rang, she glanced at the screen and answered it without checking the caller ID. In the middle of the conversation, she suddenly checked her battery and let out a frustrated sigh.
"Shit! I forgot to pack my charger." She quickly turned to Reyansh, thrusting the phone into his hands. "Hold this for a second, okay? I'll just grab one from the store over there."
Without waiting for his response, she rushed across the lounge, disappearing into the crowd.
Reyansh sighed, looking at the phone in his hand, his fingers absentmindedly running over the edges of the device. He wasn't paying attention to the call at all-until something caught his ear.
"Yaar, I swear, I'm so broke right now. I couldn't even buy the concert tickets because of that stupid book!" A female voice complained, irritation clear in her tone.
Reyansh frowned, now fully tuned into the conversation.
"I know, right? Arushi literally forced us to buy it! Like, who does that? I mean, I get supporting your boyfriend or whatever, but making your friends spend money on something they don't even want?" another girl chimed in, her voice dripping with annoyance.
"Yeah! And she returned your money, didn't she?" a different voice asked.
"Haan, she did. But not mine yet," the first girl huffed. "I don't even know why she made me buy that book. I have zero interest in these historical, partition-era social message types. Who even reads that shit?"
"Exactly! I started it, but it's so boring. All that drama about riots and struggles... like, no offense, but it's not even worth the hype." another voice added.
"It's not just that. Who forces people to buy books and then returns the money? What was even the point?"
Reyansh's hand trembled as he held the phone, his knuckles white with tension. His vision blurred, his breath uneven as he listened to the voices echoing in his ears. Each word felt like a dagger, stabbing deeper into his heart.
"Boring."
"Not even worth the hype."
"Who forces someone to buy a book?"
"She returned the money anyway."
His lips quivered, his chest rising and falling in sharp, uneven breaths. A bitter taste settled in his mouth. His fingers felt numb as he finally pressed the disconnect button, silencing the voices that had just destroyed something within him.
He had been so happy. So proud.
He had believed people were buying his book because they genuinely loved it, that they saw value in his words, his efforts. But no. It was all a lie. They hadn't wanted it. They had bought it because Arushi had asked-no, forced-them to. And then she had returned their money, making it all meaningless.
The money he had spent on her, on little gifts to make her smile, on things he had thought he had earned-it had been hers all along. It had never been his.
Had she pitied him? Had she done all of this out of guilt? Had she laughed at his foolishness behind his back?
Arushi. The person he had trusted the most. The person he had loved with every part of his being.
And she... she had made him a joke.
The weight of the realization crushed him, and he barely noticed when she returned, her voice breaking through the chaos in his mind.
"Reyansh..." Her voice was soft, concerned. She frowned when she saw his face.
His expression was unreadable, his eyes blank yet filled with unshed tears. His lips trembled as he looked at her, as if seeing her for the first time.
"Reyansh!! Kya hua??" she asked urgently, stepping closer. Her hands cupped his face, her warmth pressing against his cold skin.
But he flinched.
He stepped back, jerking away from her touch as if it burned. His breath came out in shudders, his eyes locking onto hers with something she had never seen before-pain.
"Why?" His voice was hoarse, broken.
Arushi's brows furrowed. "What why, Reyansh? What are you talking about?" she asked, stepping toward him again.
But he shook his head, his lips twisting into a bitter, heartbroken smile. His voice cracked as he whispered the question that shattered the air between them.
"Why did you make me believe I was worth something... when all this time, I was just your charity?"
Silence.
Arushi froze, her breath catching in her throat. The words hit her like a slap, and for the first time, she saw it, the storm raging in his eyes, the hurt, the betrayal.
He wasn't just hurt. He was broken.
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