More Than Friends ✔

36- "Don't giggle, you are ruining the moment"

"Understood," Pallavi replied, meaning it and distanced away. Adhvik raised a thumbs up of approval before heading down a narrow path, that seperated the main road. She followed suit.

Their pathway was basically a string of two storeyed buildings and houses lined up on both sides. Sounds of the cow mooing escaped from a distance. Indeed there was a cow shed ahead that dwelled three cows. Pallavi pressed her nose, avoiding the stinging smell of their dung kept in piles, just like in the villages. Noisy adults and children scurried around in decent looking clothes while Aunties ogled at her like she was an alien.

The end of the narrow road diverged to a crowded place in what looked like a local market. Shops and street vendors of fruits, vegetables were lined up on both sides. Pallavi had to tread carefully against the troughs, dungs and stones on the road. The excitement she had reserved earlier turned to zero.

"What the hell is this?! Where do you even live?" Pallavi couldn't help but voice out in abhorrence. Sure she wasn't expecting a mansion or high posh society like hers where people drove Mercedes and Audi. Guess expecting a decent two storey building with a decent quiet surrounding was asking too much.

"Yeah, it doesn't exactly look good, does it? Especially for someone like you." Adhvik shook his head.

"Let's just get to your apartment," Pallavi motioned with her hand. Before I change my mind.

The two of them continued straight until Adhvik wheeled to a narrow road to the left. Sounds of cement and drilling machines were heard at a distance. Pallavi stopped momentarily once they reached the clearing. There were two five- storeyed buildings, facing opposite to each other with an uneven road between them. One building was still under construction while the other one vaguely reminded Pallavi of her hostel with open corridors. She noticed Adhvik's back disappearing to the entrance of that building.

"Which floor is it?" Pallavi asked Adhvik while climbing the stairs to the second floor.

"Third." came the distant voice of Adhvik who was a flight of stairs ahead of her. Great, just great!

Needless to say, Pallavi was panting by the time they reached, in contrast to Adhvik who didn't even break a sweat. She barely had to climb these many stairs since her building had an in- built lift. Her stomach dropped as Adhvik opened the lock to his door. This was it. After cancelling their previous plans for the last three times, they were finally here.

To Adhvik's apartment.

Or more like a single room. It held a decent kitchen in one corner, a bed with a cupboard in another and a bathroom in the third corner. There were two windows with one of them covered by a cooler outside. An open rectangular wooden shelf was placed on the white wall between the bathroom and the kitchen. It was divided into three racks. The bottom- most rack hosted a few pairs of shoes and slippers while the second last rack retained basic accessories such as wrist watch, powder bottle, notepad, belt, razor along with a two small potted plant kept on either corner. The topmost rack was transformed into a space for prayer with miniature statues and photos of Hindu Gods such as Lord Krishna, Ganpati, Shiv, Mahalaxmi and Durga Devi. A diya (small lamp) made of copper and an incense holder was kept in the middle. The residual ashes of incense spread on the newspaper that was laid on the rack surface.

Pallavi already felt close without his physical proximity. A man's apartment was as personal as a woman could get. She excused herself to the toilet cum bathroom once she was done looking.

Except the door had a broken lash.

Now Adhvik assured she could go in without him peeping at her. When she still doubted, he replied seriously. "You trust me, right? You trusted me enough to come to my room alone. Then trust me again when I say I won't look at you."