The Ruined Rainbow

CHAPTER 24

*

"So, what shall we do now?" I asked, sitting on the ground with my hand's knees, and Ayesha sitting cross-legged on the bed. She had comfortably changed into a hello kitty pyjamas and an extra-large sweatshirt. Her hairs we're tired to a messy bun, so that loose strings hung on her face. I had managed to make her laugh at last. She had become quite cheerful.

"I don't know." She said, scrunching her eyebrows, "you say something."

We had just exchanged rather embarrassing stories of childhood, where I told her in my preschool. I had punched my teacher's jaw when she asked me to write down the alphabets.

"What's the time? " I checked my phone, "10:57 pm. Umm, " I said, placing my hand on my chin, pretending to think.

Could I take her there? Would she refuse? Why not I try once?

"Umm, Ayesha, I was thinking, if you..." I trailed.

"If I??"

"I have got this place in mind," I said quietly.

"And??"

"You can come with me.  Only if you want to." I add hastily.

"What are waiting for? Let's go. "

"Serious?"

"Positive. Let me just change into something nice--"

"You look great like this trust me, Mehra. " I said, and her cheeks turned slightly pink.

I can't help but smirk and quickly replace it with a cough.

"Are you sure?"

"Let's go. "I said standing up, and offering a hand, she looked at it and me before accepting it.

" Yeah, come on."

Well, we had to make a story to the guards that my distant cousin's only grandmother was dead, and we had to be there for the funeral. The guard looked at Ayesha who was trying to muster a look like what I was saying was right but was unsuccessful, as he kept bombarding us with questions.
After convincing him a lot, he agreed.

Okay, now we were walking in the deserted streets of Delhi, the street lights still on, and all.

Andweareholdinghands

Okay, I said that very fast.

And we are holding hands. Yes, I know, I am freaking happy to hold Ayesha's hande even when I have done scenes like kissing and other scenes which are a thousand times worse, other than just holding hands.

Pathetic right?

I think not.

We were nearing our destination, Ayesha didn't know what of course, but I could already see that cramped street going down the left, and is further divided into two other narrow roads. Well, these streets had thought me to walk, if not for them, I wouldn't be here for who I am. The streets thought me to love, feel and dream. These streets gave me a chance to live my life.

I have walked these streets my whole life; I know them so well,  as if they were etched in my head with a sharp knife, scored in deep like some strange work of art. These are the streets I grew up on, and for the most part, I'm calm here, at home, on the down-low with a steady heartbeat.

Not tonight, though. Tonight my heart wants out of my chest. It wants to beat free of its cage. It sounds like it's going to crack a rib. My senses are on high alert. Every colour is brighter, every noise louder, every stranger a cause to make my heart beat more fiercely still.