Meri Chandani - Shadows Of The Past

C H A P T E R - XII

Q U E S T I O N S

"Um, yes. But she doesn't live with us anymore," Atharva spoke up to answer her question, his voice full of hesitation and anguish as he smiled at her shortly, trying not to make it look very serious.

"Oh!" Devika was taken back with that piece of information, but seeing him getting uncomfortable at his sister's mention, she decided not to ask much about it. At least from him.

"Upar chalein?" He pointed towards the staircase, trying to change the topic.

"Haan, chalte hain!" She nodded, giving him a small smile as she moved up the stairs, followed by him. The stairs led to the first floor that had an open gallery on both sides at the end of which were open balconies.

"What do you want to see first?" He asked, looking at her with a cute grin.

"I don't know!" She shrugged her shoulders, "maybe we can start from there!" she said, pointing towards a room in the corner that had 'library' written on the door in a golden rectangular plate.

"You like books?"

"I do read some when I feel like."

"Your favorite genre?"

"Rom-coms! Reading them alongside the books in my syllabus got me through the medical college. Otherwise, those thick medical books would have buried me beneath themselves." A soft laugh left her lips as she turned to look at him.

"This library was waiting for you only then. It's full of romantic novels!" Atharva smiled as he led Devika towards the end of the hallway and towards the library room.

"You like reading?" She asked as he opened the door that led to the most beautiful room Devika had ever seen. This room full of wooden bookshelves, green plants, and like hundreds or thousands of books felt like a dream come true to her, making her eyes shine.

"No. But, my sister did!" The smile remained plastered to Atharva's face and taking it as a green flag, Devika happily ran into the huge room, exploring every corner of the mesmerizing library like a small kid in a candy shop.

"This is so good!" Devika almost squealed as she looked at the book shelves full of all those books that had been a part of her 'books I want' list.

The way her eyes shined and squinted as her lips curled into a big smile as she picked out her favorite books and touched them as if they were the most sacred treasure in this whole world melted Atharva's heart. This woman is such a baby, he realized. Every moment that he spent with her made him admire her more and more. As if she was some fairy who was casting a spell upon his heart that didn't know how to not admire her. Everything about her was adorable from those long black locks on her head to the small bindi on her forehead to her twinkling eyes, tinted cheeks, smiling lips, and excited body language.

"Kahin aur chalein ya ab bas idhar hi rehna hai?" His sudden question broke her trance and pulled her out of her dreamland.

"Man toh nahi hai, but we should go see something else now!" She nodded, even though half-heartedly as she kept the novel in her hands back on the shelf.

"You can take this one. Or, in fact, any book you want. Don't keep it back!" He said, picking that same book out again and handing it over to her. "This library is all yours now!".

"No, you don't have to-" And suddenly, she stood there feeling embarrassed for behaving like a baby.

"We're getting married, Devika. You're gonna own all of this. It's yours, keep it!" The corner of his lips curled up as he looked down at her, in all seriousness. Even though his words were as simple as checking blood pressure for her, but hearing them from him definitely increased hers.