"AVERAGE" is the sole descriptor that 26-year-old Anaisha Singh assigns to herself. Having resided within the confines of her own shell for the entirety of her life, Anaisha lacks friends she can consider family and a social life to speak of. The pi...
Anaisha reclined in her seat, her gaze fixed on the cars whizzing past on the adjacent highway. The sound of the door opening and closing on the other side jolted her from her drowsy state.
"Feeling sleepy?" Samaksh inquired as he restarted the car and merged onto the highway.
"Just a bit," Anaisha admitted, turning her head towards Samaksh.
"Please make sure to rest before you leave for Germany, alright? You'll be staying alone there. Your routine will change, and you'll have to manage everything by yourself. So, please take care of yourself, eat well, and get enough sleep to avoid falling sick," he urged with concern evident in his voice.
"Okay, babaji," Anaisha replied, folding her hands into a Namaste and chuckling lightly.
Samaksh smiled at her playful gesture and shook his head affectionately.
As they continued their journey, the city lights gradually faded away as they entered a deserted area beyond the highway.
When they finally stopped, Anaisha sat up straighter, peering around to find only a scattering of lights illuminating the path ahead. Samaksh soon appeared by her side, opening the door and extending his hand to her.
Taking his hand, they walked together down the pebbled path, Anaisha's curiosity piqued as she observed her surroundings. When they reached the end of the path, Anaisha couldn't contain her surprise as she beheld the sight before her. She turned to Samaksh, her face lit up with delight, and he simply tightened his hold on her hand, guiding her towards the gazebo.
The gazebo was elegantly set with a table for two, adorned with warm lights that created a cozy ambiance. Positioned on a slightly elevated platform, it offered a picturesque view of the distant city lights, casting a romantic glow over the scene.
" This place is just... amazing. Thank you so much, Samaksh," Anaisha exclaimed, her eyes twinkling as she gazed at the city lights.
"You're most welcome. I'm glad you liked it," Samaksh replied warmly, retrieving the food packets from the paper bag and arranging them on the table.
"I'm sure this must have been extremely difficult for you to find. How do you even come up with such places?" Anaisha asked, impressed by the romantic setting.
"Well, Google mata helped, and Bharat was considering this place to propose to Kria, but then you know what happened. So when I was looking for places, I thought this would be the perfect spot for us. I know how much you love to spend time away from the city, and this seemed like the best option," Samaksh explained with a smile.
As they settled down to enjoy their dinner, Anaisha couldn't help but notice that all the dishes on the table were ones she had recently craved and casually mentioned to Samaksh over the phone.
"You're spoiling me," she remarked bashfully as Samaksh pulled her chair forward for her.
"Get used to it," he whispered in her ear, planting a light kiss on her cheek before taking his seat.
Even though his lips had just lightly grazed her skin, Anaisha's face felt like it was on fire as she blushed uncontrollably.
Samaksh observed Anaisha's reaction with amusement, noting the flush of color on her cheeks and the dazed look in her eyes. With a suppressed smile, he snapped his fingers in front of her, teasingly bringing her back to reality.
"You okay? Did something happen?" he asked casually, feigning ignorance to the effect his action had on her. Samaksh knew the kiss had caught Anaisha off guard, but he couldn't resist the urge to express his affection. He hoped he hadn't overstepped any boundaries and that Anaisha wouldn't feel uncomfortable.
"N-nothing. I was just thanking you for doing so much today," Anaisha stammered, unable to meet his gaze. Despite her surprise, she wasn't uncomfortable with the kiss. In fact, her heart fluttered at the thought of how much Samaksh cared for her and prioritized her needs.
The couple sat in silence as they ate, but Anaisha's mind was swirling with thoughts. She wanted to know Samaksh inside and out, just as he seemed to understand her without her having to say a word. She realized she hadn't put in the same effort to understand him, and now she was determined to change that. She wanted to reciprocate the love and care he had shown her from the beginning.
""Where's my gift?" Anaisha asked, a playful twinkle in her eyes.
Samaksh choked on his paneer, coughing uncontrollably as Anaisha quickly handed him a glass of water. She rose from her seat to rub his back, but he waved her off, assuring her he was fine.
Once he had recovered, Samaksh looked at Anaisha with a sheepish expression. "Anaisha, sweetheart, I... I actually didn't have time to buy you anything. With all the engagement preparations, Revan's arrival, and setting up this date, it just slipped my mind. I promise I'll make it up to you..."
Anaisha couldn't contain her giggles as she saw the worried look on Samaksh's face, but she quickly composed herself when she noticed his hurt expression. "Samaksh, seriously, do you think of me as some materialistic girl who needs gifts all the time?" she asked, her tone softening.
"Then what do you mean by a gift, madam?" he retorted, mimicking her serious expression.
Anaisha blew out a sigh, closing her eyes briefly before meeting Samaksh's gaze.
"I want you to open up to me. I know there's something you haven't told me, maybe not intentionally. Something that has broken you. I can't read you like you read me without me having to say anything. But I want to now. I'm not forcing you to tell me today. Take it as slow as you want. All I want is for you to know that I'm ready for you, and that includes everything—your past, your present, and future. I want to know everything about you. The things that hurt you, that made you happy, the things you've planned for yourself, for us in the future... just everything."
He extended his hand to her, and she placed hers in it, holding it tightly.
He smiled gently, lifting their joined hands to his lips and kissing her fingers lightly.
"Who said you can't read me, Anaisha? You've already done that."
He took a deep breath before continuing...
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