Pranbir Short Stories

Heartless (3)

The sunlight crept in through the curtain leaving certain spaces lightening and shining.
The sun rays were so bright that it could bring lights in anyone's life.

Could it bring new hopes for Pranbir?

The sun rays fell on the undisturbed couple and they warmed them. Not that they needed it because the warmth of each other's arms was enough.
Indeed, somewhere during the night, Prachi had moved to Ranbir's side and he too engulfed her in his arms.
She was sleeping on his chest and he had his hands wrapped around her waist.

A loud alarm began buzzing and both stirred sleepily. Prachi was the first one to open her eyes and she first noticed the unfamiliar surroundings. She sighed recalling her wedding and then lifted her head to see her sleeping husband. Her eyes grew bigger on noting their position and she tried to move but couldn't as his arm prevented her.

Prachi, in mere whispers: "Ranbir..."
He hummed in response and went back sleeping. For a second, she almost chuckled at how cute he looked but controlled herself at last moment.
She wasn't going to find him cute. He hurt her yesterday: not more than her father but he did as well.

She began poking his arms but to no avail. It did nothing to him. Neither the pokes nor her voice. She looked in between them and then up in the sky.
Prachi: "Please make this work."
She poked his waist and Ranbir jumped away from her. She was surprised that it indeed worked and chuckled at the way he responded.
Ranbir woke up feeling ticklish and immediately moved away from the source.

But Prachi's chuckles forced him to open his eyes. And the first thing he saw was her cracking up on the way he just jumped away from her.
Prachi's little chuckles turned into laughters very soon she couldn't control it.

Ranbir, embarrassedly: "Stop, okay?"
Prachi, in between laughters: "You... are... ticklish. I... will... use... this..."
Having enough of the teasing, he picked up a pillow and threw it on her. She glared at him and was about to do the same but another alarm clock began ringing.
Ranbir realised that it was his, and quickly turned it off.

The alarm was enough to make everything tensed between them again. Ranbir recalled her bruise cheek and moved sideways to look at it.
The mark was mostly gone so he didn't question. Not that she would have told him the culprit behind that.

Ranbir: "I need to get ready for office..."
She shrugged at him which reminded him what he told her: strangers.
She pulled the covers back and lie down again: trying to get some more sleep.
He looked at her with an amused look, but a knock on the door awoken both.

Ranbir immediately stood up and went to the door. On opening it, he found Mayank who was surprised seeing Prachi on Ranbir's bed.
On seeing who it was, Prachi too woke up and went to the washroom hurriedly. She locked the door behind her knowing that one boy back there had vicious thoughts.

Ranbir, to Mayank: "What are you doing here so early?"
Mayank: "I came to remind you about your important meeting. You cannot miss that."
Ranbir: "I know... I was going to get read..."
However, his best friend cut him to ask: "Why is she on the same bed as you?"
Ranbir, surprised by his question: "There is only one bed here."
Mayank: "So?"
Ranbir, confused: "I wasn't going to let her sleep on the floor."
Mayank: "And why is that?"

This comment made Ranbir looked at him slightly taken aback.
Mayank: "Your whole purpose is to torture her... so the floor was the best option, or even the couch, but not the same bed."
Ranbir: "Bro, it's fine... these small things do not matter."
Mayank rolled his eyes knowing that small things do matter a lot.

Ranbir: "Come on, Bro... I need to get ready for the meeting and need to ace it."
Mayank forced a smile and left him to get ready.
Ranbir went to his wardrobe and took out his work suit. He looked at the bathroom's door and wondered: "Is she going to take a lot of time?"
He wondered if he should wait or not. And just as he made his mind, the bathroom's door opened.