𝗥𝘂𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶 𝗜𝘀𝗵𝗾

| Prologue |

"Here you go," he offered her the corner of her dupatta, which Sherkhan quickly gripped firmly, and then they both stood at the entrance. Sherkhan's eyes refused to glance at the lower landing; they were now fixated on the angel standing before him.

"Now, I'll count to three, and then we'll step together. Don't be scared! You'll not fall," she kept talking, her voice soothing yet assertive. With her words, Sherkhan felt a blush creeping onto his cheeks as a thought crossed his mind, "I wasn't falling before, but seems like I've fallen now!"

"Are you listening?" Her tone shook him from his daze as he kept zoning out.

He immediately responded, fixing his whipped expression. Though his face was covered with a mask, in that moment, he gathered himself and said "Ji" as an assurance that yes, he was all ears.

(Yes)

"Ok, let's go. One. Two.." she rechecked to ensure Sherkhan wasn't hesitating, unaware that he was actually reaching out for his cheque which had flown beneath the escalator.

"Don't look at me! Look here," she pointed towards the stairs, and Sherkhan obediently shook his head as if he was sincerely following her instructions.

"Three!"

Sherkhan suppressed his giggles as she counted like a 5-year-old, using finger gestures. After she said three, they both stepped onto the first stair, though Sherkhan didn't even glance at the staircase; he just kept holding the corner of her dupatta, adorned with a beautiful latkan (tassel).

[In case if you're having trouble in imagining tassel, which is also called as 'Latkan' in Hindi]

"See, you did it!" She exclaimed in happiness, and Sherkhan noticed her eyes squinting when she smiled, making them even more adorable than before.

"Ji..!" Sherkhan responded with a simple nod, though internally, his heart was abuzz with a mixture of emotions. Gratitude swirled within him for her unintentional kindness, yet a flicker of uncertainty danced in his mind.

(Yes..!)

Should he have corrected her misunderstanding? Or was this fortuitous encounter a blessing in disguise, allowing him to meet such an angel? Lost in contemplation, Sherkhan silently wished for time to stand still, relishing the fleeting moment of holding her dupatta, which felt like grasping her hand and basking in her presence.

"Yeah, it's not a big deal. Next time, don't fear okay?" Her encouraging words broke through his reverie, and he found himself lost in admiration, his smile a reflection of his infatuation.

"You know, when I was small, back then--" she began eagerly, only to halt abruptly, a sudden self-consciousness washing over her.

"Yaa Allah, kahi bhi shuru ho jati hu mai," she chuckled nervously, casting an awkward glance at Sherkhan, who stood a step below, silently attentive to her every word.

( Oh Allah, I start blabbering anytime, anywhere.)

"Yeah, what happened that time?" Sherkhan interjected eagerly, sensing her embarrassment and eager to hear her story.

"Nothing happened," her voice turned chilly, a mask of indifference hiding her momentary lapse. Mentally cursing herself, she berated her own clumsiness, a hint of regret tainting the air between them.

"Did I just overshared?" She bit her lips when they were sharing a moment of awkward silence

"Did I make her uncomfortable? I should've shown my interest. What must she have been thinking?"

Sherkhan berated himself silently as they descended to the floor. He wasn't ready to let go of her dupatta; she was the first to step out, and as she started to walk away, Sherkhan felt an urgent need to say something, anything, to make her pause for just a few more seconds. But she seemed in a rush, taking swift steps ahead.

As her dupatta trailed behind her, its length obscuring Sherkhan's lingering gaze, he felt a pang of regret. He desperately wanted to speak, to express the whirlwind of emotions stirring within him, but she was already disappearing from his sight.

The knot of the latkan (tassel) had come loose due to it's weight, and as a token of their brief encounter, it remained in his hand, a silent reminder of the connection they shared, even as she vanished into the crowd.

A smile crept across Sherkhan's face as he realized she was different, and there was no way he could resist the urge to get to know her better. Blushing slightly, he carefully tucked her dupatta's tassel into his pocket, a silent promise of his intent.

"I'm coming for you, my pretty lady," he whispered softly, With determination, he vowed to seek her out.

✧________✧________✧

[NOTE]

• The story will continue with the leap of seven years from chapter one.

• If you're curious to know whether he meets her again or not then make sure to vote, cmt below and also add this book in your reading list to never miss any updates from @xofitales

•Thank you 🤍