Arjun, a hot-headed cop, and Anirudh, a calm and methodical officer, are two strangers unknowingly investigating the same case. When a series of teenage girls start disappearing under mysterious circumstances, they follow separate leads, unaware of...
The air smelled faintly of jasmine and freshly brewed filter coffee. Sunlight poured through lace curtains, dancing on the polished wooden floor. A nervous hush settled over the living room of Chaitra's home.
On one side sat Chaitra in a blue saree, her bangles quietly chiming as she clutched the edge of her pallu. Her parents flitted in and out of the room—offering sweets, adjusting cushions, whispering reminders about posture and smiles.
¡Ay! Esta imagen no sigue nuestras pautas de contenido. Para continuar la publicación, intente quitarla o subir otra.
Chaitra's saree ( feel free to imagine whatever you like)
The groom’s family had arrived. The young man, Anirudh, sat upright, clearly just as tense. He wore a neatly pressed formal shirt and held a polite, almost rehearsed smile. His mother was already commenting on the aroma of the Mysore pak, and his father nodded approvingly at the family photos on the wall.
¡Ay! Esta imagen no sigue nuestras pautas de contenido. Para continuar la publicación, intente quitarla o subir otra.
Anirudh's look (Feel free to imagine whatever you like)
Chaitra and Anirudh were soon invited to talk alone on the balcony.
Outside, away from the watchful eyes, there was a pause.
The two of them stepped onto the balcony, letting the door click shut behind them. The air was cooler outside, carrying the scent of jasmine from somewhere nearby. For a while, neither of them spoke. They just stood there, side by side, watching the light fade over the trees.
He broke the silence first, half-smiling as he said, "So... this is the famous balcony scene, right? Part of the pelli choopulu starter pack?"
She laughed, the sound soft and unforced. "Yeah. We’re supposed to figure out our future in ten minutes. No big deal."
There was a pause, comfortable this time.
Chaitra glanced sideways at him. “They’re probably waiting.”
Anirudh gave a small nod. “They’ll wait a little longer.”
There was something easy in the silence between them now, less formal than it had been earlier. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, thoughtful.
“I didn’t expect to like this meeting,” she said honestly. “I thought it’d be awkward, or forced.”
“It was both,” Anirudh said with a half-smile. “But not in a bad way.”
She looked up at him, surprised. “That’s your version of a compliment?”
He shrugged. “I work in statements, not poetry.”
She laughed softly.
He looked at her then, a little more seriously. “Are you sure? About telling them yes?”
Chaitra nodded, but slowly. “Yes… but I want to take it slow. I don’t know you enough to say it completely. But I’m open to knowing.”
“That’s fair,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to rush this either.”
They stood there for another beat, both quietly aware of the unspoken shift between them. No sparks, no dramatic moment—just a calm understanding, and maybe the beginning of something steady.
Then Chaitra straightened, smiling. “Ready?”
Anirudh exhaled, then opened the door fully. “Let’s go.”
Together, they stepped into the room where everyone was waiting—with cups refilled, smiles rehearsed, and questions loaded behind every glance. But the two of them shared a look, quiet and sure, before facing it all.
As they stepped back into the living room, the gentle murmur of family conversations paused almost instantly. Heads turned. Curious eyes scanned their faces, searching for clues—smiles, frowns, even the subtlest twitch of expression.
Chaitra’s mother shifted slightly on the edge of the sofa, her saree rustling. Anirudh’s father raised his eyebrows, just slightly. Someone cleared their throat. The air was thick with anticipation, the kind only big Indian families could create.
Anirudh spoke first.
“We talked,” he said, keeping his voice calm. “It went well.”
He glanced at Chaitra briefly, and she nodded in agreement.
“We both feel okay moving ahead,” she added, “but we’d like a little time to get to know each other better. Just to make sure we’re both ready before anything is fixed.”
There was a beat of silence—just long enough to be noticed—before a warm smile spread across her father's face.
“That’s very sensible,” he said. “I’m glad you both are thinking this through.”
Her mother exhaled quietly, almost as if she'd been holding her breath, and reached out to squeeze Chaitra’s hand. Across the room, Anirudh’s uncle leaned back with a satisfied nod.
“Back in our day, we had five minutes, two cups of coffee, and a decision,” he said with mock seriousness. “This generation wants time. Good. Take it. You’ll need it.”
Laughter rippled across the room. The tension dissolved like sugar in chai.
Chaitra caught Anirudh’s eye for a brief second, and in that shared glance, there was relief. Not the loud kind, but something quiet and affirming. They weren’t locked into anything yet—but they’d taken a step. A real one.
As the evening stretched on and the trays of sweets and snacks made their second and third rounds, the topic drifted elsewhere—to relatives, to wedding stories from the past, to how badly traffic had been that day.
But underneath it all, a new current ran quietly through the room—one of cautious excitement, of beginning something, together.
Hope you like the chapter. Please feel free to let me know what you think about it...
