Better Together

45 | walk & talk 2.0

Early Update! Hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing this chapter.

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"Ruhaani, I think we should head back. We have come quite far as it is." Aadarsh spoke glancing at his watch. They had been hiking the curving roads for more than twenty minutes.

"The sign board said the café is in eight hundred meters. Come on, we must be close. Hot chocolate in this weather is going to be like a slice of heaven." She was tired of walking but wasn't ready to give up. They had seen a board of a certain Café Riverside ten minutes back and had been walking ahead to find it.

Aadarsh shook his head and looked at his phone, despondently. "Maps doesn't even have it listed."

"Didn't you hear what the guide told us in the morning, don't follow the maps here. These are mountain trails not your city roads. I think that light may be the café." She said pointing to a faraway light, her words soaked in hope.

"You do remember that we need to walk back, right?" He said, glancing at her with uncertainty. She seemed tired with the little walk.

"Yeah, we can have hot chocolate, get energized and walk back." She said, pushing her hands back in the pockets of her pullover. The breeze was becoming chiller. She regretted not wearing a thermal under her t-shirt.

Aadarsh sighed and fell in step beside her. "It's like this part of the town is fast asleep. Should have listened to me and agreed to the Mall road idea. This place is dead. For all we know, we are being misled by dubious sign boards."

"What are you worried about? Ghosts?" She asked breathing a bit laboriously. As she spoke, a faint misty cloud of condensed vapor escaped her mouth.

"Do I look like I believe in ghosts?" He muttered as they began moving down the sloping road.

"There's always scope for an incident that changes your beliefs, you know."

"Seriously, you think you can scare me by talking about ghosts?" Aadarsh replied derisively.

"No. I was just...stating facts." Ruhaani spoke casually. Aadarsh was no person who would be scared of ghosts. But she had also thought he wasn't scared of lizards, only to be surprised. Her lips curled briefly as the memory from the night surfaced.

"Wait, now I get it, you're scared of ghosts." Aadarsh spoke looking at a few steps that led up to something that read Late Night Café. The name was shady, so he ignored it and walked ahead.

"No, why will I be scared of ghosts, especially when I am with you?"

Aadarsh who was two steps ahead of her turned to her. "What do you mean by that?"

"If ghosts attacked us, I will offer you as a scapegoat, settlement you know. Leave me, take him. So why should I be scared?"

Aadarsh's gaze momentarily drifted away and settled back on her. "What makes you think I wouldn't do the same? Offer you and escape?" He challenged.

"Cause you are Aadarsh Sehgal and I know you. You don't sacrifice family, you sacrifice yourself for them." She answered instantly, unfiltered. Her gaze slowly connected with his as her words began to sink deeper and embossed out facts. They had stopped walking, and stood by the side of the road looking at each other.

She stared at him feeling uneasy. She hadn't meant it in a way to ridicule him or mock him. She had meant it very respectfully. She hoped he didn't misunderstand her, like he almost always did.

Aadarsh felt a shield of warm engulf him even in the cold air. The fact that her words were true didn't bother him like it should have. On the contrary, they had a very warm impact. Yes, she was getting to know him. The good, the bad and the in between; she was really getting to know him.