Love Bites!

To Be With You (2)

N - I'm sure you can, but I insist. Haath do! - he held his other hand open in front of her so that she could hold it. 

 Knowing fairly well that there was no point arguing, she placed her hand in his extended one & he grasped it firmly. Neil then held her waist with his other hand & Avni's arm wrung around his neck in a reflex. She bit the insides of her lower lip as she looked at him & he looked back at her. 

Neil gestured her to take a step ahead & she followed, he then helped her jump back on the terrace while Avni had clutched his shirt tightly in her fist as she tried to steady herself once her feet were on the ground. She blinked her eyes as she looked at him while he still held her firmly. 

N - You okay? - he asked. 

Avni just nodded in affirmation & Neil pulled his hand back from her waist. However, Avni was still looking at him, as if in a trance. Neil looked around & cleared his throat in an attempt to gain her attention. Avni took a small step behind with a little jerk when she realised that she was not only staring at him but was also still holding his hand & his neck in a near-death grip. 

Neil didn't say anything as a sigh left his mouth while he watched her looking at her feet. He shook his head a little as he climbed on the parapet & slowly walked towards the puppy. Carrying it in his arms, he walked back towards the terrace & made Avni hold it so that he could jump back on the terrace. 

A - Uh, Thankyou! - she said as she looked at him while scratching the ears of the puppy gently. 

Neil just looked at her & nodded before he turned around and started to walk back. 

A - Hey, listen! - she called making him turn around to face her. Uh, you came to the terrace for some air, right? Why don't you stay? - she spoke nervously as she patted the puppy in her arms.

Neil just kept looking at her for a minute & then nodded his head as he walked towards her making her smile at him brightly. Avni sat at the ground with the puppy still in her arms as she leaned her back against the wall. She gestured Neil to sit beside her & he followed her action. 

A - You thought I was going to jump off the building? - she spoke with a hint of laughter on her face.

N - No, I just thought that you were going to throw a football down in an attempt to break someone's head open! - he spoke nonchalantly as he ruffled the fluffy hair of the puppy in her arms.

A - You're such a mean brinjalhead! - she rolled her eyes while Neil just chuckled at her riled up self. 

No one spoke for some time & they just sat there in complete silence as Avni caressed the puppy while Neil just looked at the night sky as he leaned against the wall. The light breeze had a calming effect to it & both of them enjoyed the comfortable silence. 

A - You know, back in Delhi, we had this one old aunty in our building. She loved dogs & had three pets. My favourite was a Pomeranian. She had named him whiskey! He was so soft & fluffy. - she kept talking when she saw him turn towards her while still leaning on the wall. I had even asked Mumma to get us a pet, but she refused. You know what she said? - she looked at him with a grimace on her face.

N - What did she say? - he asked as he kept looking at her with his half-slept yet amused eyes.

A - She said ki main apna cupboard toh thik se rakhti nhi, pet kya rakhungi! - she told with a sullen face while Neil laughed out loud on this. 

It was the first time that Avni had heard him laugh & to say that she was mesmerized would be simply an understatement. Suddenly, she wasn't sure if she liked the sound of his laughter better or the sound of him singing. An effortless smile found home on her own face as she looked at him laughing.