Moonflower

CHAPTER 5

The morning sun rays peeked in gently through the gaps in the curtain to unveil a sleeping Mehek on the couch. Dozed off into a light sleep just a few minutes ago, she woke up and zoned out as she simply gazed at her window. Mehek hasn't been able to sleep for a long while now, even though she lies down on the couch for most of the day. In her depressive state, Mehek felt helpless and useless. In the beginning, she cried in guilt and agony but later she grew numb to every emotion. She felt like she has lost all the capabilities to experience them. Nothing in life seemed fun anymore and the things she loved to do were now just mere activities for which she has no energy left. During those sleepless hours, she wished so hard to go back to her old self and remembered her good old days but the memories only bought her pain.

Mehek got up from the couch and dragged herself to the kitchen to quench her thirst. She was gulping down water when she realized that the kitchen light had stopped flickering and she also noticed that the hanging rope was gone. She got confused as she had no recollection of performing any of these tasks herself. She settled down on the couch again when her gaze fell on her laptop sitting on the coffee table. Her lips uplifted into a small smile without realizing as she recalled about last night.

~

"Are we still strangers?"

"I am Ayaan," he replied.

Ayaan began to return back to the balcony.

"Why did you come back?"

Ayaan got red in his face as he got flustered over this unexpected question thrown at him. He didn't wish to tell her the actual reason for he didn't want to remind her of her suicidal attempt.

"Uh..."

He turned around.

"I came to steal that laptop," his voice came out a pitch higher as he pointed at the laptop on the coffee table.

"Take it."

If this was a game of cricket, then Ayaan had planned to hit a sixer but then Mehek managed to give him a catch out.

Ayaan's black mask failed to save his extremely flustered face as he bounced forward and backward in temptation and conscience for he was still a thief after all. He rushed back towards the balcony and started climbing down in a hurry before his hands could get a chance to grab something.

"What a strange woman!" Ayaan whispered under his breath.

"What a strange thief!" Mehek exclaimed.

~

Mehek's expression turned serious as she observed her laptop. She realized that she was ready to trade her laptop with the thief that was once so dear to her. In fact, she was ready to trade it with anyone that could give her some company. She felt miserable to the core of her soul for her materialistic love would never be able to save her, ever.

Her longing gaze shifted towards her bedroom where she seldom goes nowadays. She looked, looked and looked before she fell asleep on the couch.

Mehek stirred as she heard the sound of her bedroom window being slid open. She opened her eyes and saw Ayaan standing near the bedroom entrance, looking at her. Covered in all black, something white stood out. He carried a small white flower in his hand. Mehek sat up as she rubbed her eyes. She saw Ayaan take a vase from the cabinet and put the flower he bought in it.

"I saw you had an empty vase standing on the cabinet, so I thought I will bring you this flower."

Mehek stared at the flower in the vase.

"This is a Moonflower, it only blooms at night."

Through Mehek's eyes, Ayaan had a stable posture but his stomach that churned inside told a different story all together.

"Take care of this, don't let it wilt. I will bring you one flower each day for ten days and you must maintain their beauty and if even one of them dried up, I will stop bringing them."

Ayaan saw Mehek stand up and he thought she was walking towards the vase but he soon realized that she was coming directly towards him. He held his breath in anticipation of what was coming next.

Mehek looked at the flower first and then sharply at Ayaan.

"Can you take off your mask?"

Ayaan's eyes went wide before he backed up, "Do you consider me a fool? I am a professional robber, you are planning to send me to jail, aren't you?"

"I won't."

Mehek was extremely straightforward while a serious expression engulfed her face. Ayaan poured his gaze into her as deep as possible but her pupils didn't budge. Now, he felt attacked on the inside. He lifted his hands and began removing his mask. Mehek slowly lifted her right hand and went closer to Ayaan. Ayaan began stepping back but froze as soon as Mehek's fingers touched his face.

Ayaan's insides burned as he stood there unable to comprehend the situation.