Love Bites!

Unexpected Serendipity (3)

A - Okay, Granny! - she spoke nonchalantly while he just shook his head in disbelief. 

A huge crowd got on the metro as it reached the next stop. Avni had almost lost her balance when someone pushed into her in order to grab the pole. Neil sighed as he saw a man trying to stable himself as he asked Avni to move a little. Neil asked Avni to step a little towards him while he himself stood behind her as he grabbed the handle that was dangling from the ceiling of the metro. Because of the crowd, Neil's chest was almost touching Avni's back as he stood behind her while she just shrank in her own position as she held on the pole tightly. There was so much of crowd in the train however, Avni could only feel Neil's body heat that radiated off him as he stood behind her. Her nostrils filled in his cologne as he accidently brushed his shoulder against hers. 

N - Avni, we've to get down at the next station. Hold my hand, okay? - he spoke from behind her & Avni could feel his breathe falling on her neck.  

She just managed to nod at him as she turned around to hold his hand. He led her towards the door as he held her hand firmly. Avni's hand felt small in his large ones as she intwined their fingers in a trance & a small smile spread on her lips. She looked up at Neil when he tugged their intwined hands & asked her to move forward. She looked down at her shoes as she shut her eyes in embarrassment &  stepped ahead a little. 

They got off the metro & ascended the escalator which was thankfully working at this particular station unlike the one they had climbed the metro from. Coming out of the station, Neil told her that she'd have to take an auto to reach the apartment. They sat in the auto & reached the apartment which was another ten minutes ride. Avni couldn't help but smile to herself as she stole glances at Neil during their ride. 

Reaching the apartment, he made coffee for both of them after freshening up. They drank the coffee as Avni explained each & every moment of her day in detail to him while he listened patiently. 

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A week had passed since Avni had started her classes. Neil had accompanied her to the institute in the morning & picked her up in the evening for three consecutive days. It was only when he was sure that she could travel on her own that he stopped escorting her. In the last week that passed by, they had grown quite comfortable &  habitual of each other as they spent most of the day together. The only time they were away from each other was when Neil was at office & Avni was at her classes. 

If someone asked Avni, she would have definitely said that she was having the best of times with Neil. She got to know him more closely, & got to experience the little things with him that she had just observed from afar all these years. She loved the way he held her hand whenever they were in some place crowded, and the way he listened to her being all ears when she told him about her day, and the way he used to pack her favourite food for her lunch box, and the way he tried to school her whenever she acted reckless but ended up laughing himself. She loved everything about him. She loved him! 

On the other hand, Neil actually looked forward to go back home after work, and this itself was something that was astonishing to him. He had never liked being home - all alone! It reminded him how lonely he actually was. But since the day Avni showed up, he could feel his apartment turning into home. Also, there were a few other things that he was feeling which were outright weird to say the least. Even when he was in office, he couldn't shake off the thought if she had reached her Institute safely & in time, if she had taken the correct metro, if she had eaten on time, if she was comfortable in his presence, if she was happy! He couldn't stop thinking about her! 

At the moment, Avni was watching TV while lying on the sofa as she waited for Neil to come back. He had informed her that he'd be a little late from work today. She had prepared daal-chawal for him and was now patiently waiting for him to return home.