|| Hearts Treasured ||

5| Her Necessity and His Priority

Matunga, Mumbai

The breeze blew through the room dazedly through the window, the earthly smell of the surroundings, just before a downpour, flowing into every nook and corner of the room like a fragrance, while the door was kicked open by Anshul from the other side, Pramegha in his arms.

Anshul carefully placed Pramegha onto the single bed in the room, after which he removed all his papers, files and reports from the bed and stuffed it into his back. He returned back to her, and slowly pulled her by the ankles into a sleeping position, and returned immediately to go get his hot water pack, which he filled hot water in with the flask he had.

"Pramegha...." Anshul patted his cheeks as tears involuntarily settled in his light brown eyes, cascading down onto his cheeks and dampening his T-shirt when he found her unresponsive.

"Please...Pramegha....I cannot see you like this...wake up, please..." He pleaded her as his grip on her wrist and bicep tightened spontaneously, sobs escaping his lips. He could not imagine the pain she was going through, at that instant, for that pain caused her to lose her consciousness.

Seeing her only breathing but not opening her eyes, he left her hold and rushed to grab a bottle of water, and sprinkled the water on her forehead and rubbed it, calming down her nerves as he followed suit, on her cheeks, neck and chin. She had slight temperature, and the cool water would bring it down, making her feel better, which did happen.

Anshul couldn't help but check her pulse, and finding it normal, he blew a sigh of relief, and his eyes widened when he felt her palm move against his own. Sitting down beside her, he helped an adamant Pramegha sit up beside him too, and unknown the reason, she seemed stubborn in having him sit beside her, which she murmured tiredly.

"Alright, but have some warm water first, it will help you a lot. Here, take it," He placed the glass of warm water in her hands, placing a pillow behind her for her to rest, watching her keenly as she sipped on the water, he breathed slowly, bringing his raging heartbeat back to normalcy.

She put the glass away in his palm which was open, as she let out a painful exhalation, and as Anshul turned back towards her direction after he placed the glass on the foldable footstool by the bed, he found Pramegha slowly tilting her head, placing her head on his shoulder.

And that was the last straw for Anshul's stability. His heart thudded as all the emotions she felt, rushed into his body, filling him with everything that seemed to be Pramegha's. She stirred his soul like nobody has ever done, and nobody could ever could, and knowing that she felt so safe and comfortable around him, made him have his heart almost thunder in his chest, excited to blast out of it to reach Pramegha's, though he knew that the idea was very elusive.

He came out of his dreamland, as Pramegha would call it one day in the near future, and that was escalated when his shoulder felt damp warmness reach the skin. Her tears seeped down through his dark blue T-shirt with a thin fabric, and the warmth in her tears threw himinto an abyss of realisation.

"Pramu?" His astounded tone reached her ears, but she kept still, her head on his shoulders.

"What happened, why are you crying? I..." He was interrupted as she breathed piercingly, causing him to widen his eyes.

"Why are you saving me, Anshul? WHY ARE YOU GIVING ME THIS COMFORT? I am not accustomed to having such luxuries, neither do I DESERVE IT. Leave me outside, just let me go!" She whimpered, her voice thick and strong, a sardonic smile on her face, leaving Anshul baffled, his eyes turning teary with the very heart-shaking tone she spoke in.

"Being emotionally available, and being someone taking care of your mental and physical health, is not a luxury or an item to be deserving of, Pramegha. It is the bare minimum, it is a necessity, for a happy relationship."

"We are NOT RELATED, Anshul. I did not even know who you are until a few days ago. And when the ones who are actually related to me itself, refused to give me this 'necessity' you are talking about, why would a stranger like you, give me care?" She uttered tiredly, her breath shortening as her eyes lowered down to her palms that were in her lap.

"Because it is my duty, Pramu. But also, I want to forge a relationship with you. I do not know what to name it, nor do I know the emotion I am feeling in your presence, but all I know, is that I understand you, and I want to share your pain, I want to be there for you. Your pain is mine too, Pramegha."

"NO! Do not throw me into delusions, Anshul, whatever you are saying...it is impossible...and it is dangerous too. Please...Do not...give me-" Pramegha stopped abruptly, her eyes widening. Why was she saying such unnecessary stuff to someone who did not even know her properly, and nor did she know him properly. Why is he making blind promises?

"This is not a blind promise, Pramegha."

His voice sounded grave, and that made Pramegha shiver. How did he know her thought so well? How did he know her, so well?

'Because, I pay attention to the people who are genuine, Pramu. And I have not met a sweeter, more genuine, and such a considerate, kind, and divine woman never in my life before you. You, resemble the girl of my dreams, Pramegha, you sound like the beat of my heart.'

His heart rumbled like the thunder on a pouring day, but he did not have the courage to tell her that, now. She was feelign sensitive, she was feeling overwhelmed, and she was in a distraught state of mind, and it was not the right time to confess his heart's feelings for her at that time. It was not the right time to add such notions to her heart when she was already perturbed about so many things in life, and he was mature and he knew that such things need to take more time, and they needed to know each other more. Right now, he wanted her to be heard, and he was fine doing the listening for her, even if it meant she considered him only a close acquaintance, or a distant relative, or just a new friend. But it was her time to be heard, it was the time for her to share her emotions, and it was her time to feel at ease. That was his priority. She, was his priority.

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