Stepping into wrong train was not what we meant when we said, 'nothing adventurous happened at all'.
And standing on the platform in the middle of 'god knows where' after a hectic morning was the last thing I wanted in my high heels.
"My feet hurt," I cry out as I lean against the wall.
While we were trying to recover from the first bomb thrown upon us about being in the wrong train, the lady launched another bomb in her melodious voice, 'This train will not go further. Please step out of the train. I repeat, this train will not go further Seelampur. Kindly evacuate.'
Panic would be an understatement.
I WAS FREAKING OUT.
I don't know what would have happened if Zoe was not here. Either she was really calm or just pretending good enough. But the bottom line is, her calming state helped me out whatsoever.
And now here we are, standing at the platform trying to figure out the route to home.
"Who told you to wear heels," she put her hands on her waist.
"I didn't knew we will have sucha roller coaster day. I thought we will just take books and go home." My hands roam around in air. "I should have worn my sneakers. There's not even a bench here." I muttered resting forehead against the cold wall. "I just wish my prince charming comes and rescue me while taking in his arms. Or we just teleport." I looked up when I received no response from her and turned around, eyes scanning for my vanished sister in the middle of the platform.
The last thing I want is to be lost alone.
My eyes rests on her face as she was talking to a stranger asking about route.
"Looks like there's no prince charming coming for us and we gotta save ourselves on our own," I mumbled setting my back straight against the wall, and walked towards her.
.
.
.
"No mam, you were on the right platform, but you just missed your stop. So now to reach ***** station you need to take this platform and.....," the man on the emergency counter was explaining to Zoe as she nodded, while I was just focusing on surviving and dragging my bruised toes to follow wherever she goes.
"Yo cousin, we got this. Follow me," after finishing her conversation she turns towards me and grabs my hand, dragging me with her.
We jump on the train full of people with no seats available, and grab the pole in the corner. The moment our eyes met, we burst into laughter.
"God, this was insane," Zoe muttered after we got our breath in control and I rested my head on the cold pole, closing my eyes.
"I'm standing right now because of you. Especially your calm state helped me."
"I looked calm?" she looked surprised.
"It seemed so," I shrugged.
"I pretend good then, because I was not calm at all." She shook her head.
"Still. You saved me whatsoever. I don't know what would have happened to me if I was alone."
"You can never get lost in metro cousin. There's always a route."
"These names are confusing as heck. This station, that platform, this line, that exit. God!" I groaned.
"You haven't traveled much in the metro na, that's why you get confused."
"Hmm."
"It would be easy for you once you get habitual to it."
"Yeah. Hopefully soon."
"This would be a memorable event though."
"Without a doubt!"
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I fall down on my blanket, closing my eyes after finally reaching home around 2 PM.
"That tired?" my mum questioned, looking at my lifeless body.
"Hmm," I gathered the last portion of energy left inside me and answered her, "it was a long line for books, heels was a bad idea, and then the walking part in metro." I cut the part where we pulled the stunt (because I love my life) and tried to keep the answer realistic.
Soon we had our lunch and I lay down for a nap.
It was around 4 PM.
My feet need rest.
Lots of rest.
The moment I felt unconscious and started to dwell into my dream, suddenly a loud ringtone enters my ear, waking me abruptly. I groaned and picked up my phone to check the caller ID.
It was a friend of Zoe who became my friend too gradually, so we planned to meet after collecting books, but because of our tragedy we could only meet her at the metro station for a minute on our way back.
"Hello?" I mumbled sleepily.
"Hey! Why do you sound so low?"
"Because I was sleeping," I muttered.
"Oops I'm so sorry. I just left for home after finishing my errands. I called to ask when did you guys reached home?" Her lively voice rings in my ear.
"At 2 PM I guess."
"Where's Zoe?"
"In her room I think?"
"I was trying to call her but her number wasn't reachable."
"Oh. Try again later maybe. Otherwise I will tell her that you called."
"Yeah thankyou."
"Travel safe."
"Yess. Talk to you later. Sorry to interrupt your sleep."
"It's okay."
I threw the phone aside and went back to sleep. It wasn't even two minutes when my phone rang again. I groaned, checking the caller.
It was my aunt.
'Why does everyone have to call right now?' I cried mentally and picked it up.
"Hello?"
"Hayat?" She spoke in her soft voice.
"Jii?"
"Where's mum?"
"I don't know?" I mumbled.
"Why? Is she not at home?"
"I'm in my room sleeping."
"Oh, oh! I will call at her number then. Sleep sleep," she shushed me and cut the call.
I took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of my nose and put my phone aside.
'Let me sleep you humans.'
My brain was so off-duty that it didn't occur to me that silent mode exists too.
One more call and my serial killer will come out.
And it seems like the universe accepted this challenge because the next minute my phone was ringing again.
AIRTEL SERVICE
I declined the call furiously, finally switching the phone to silent mode and throwing it on the pillow (cant break it)
And welp!
I couldn't sleep after that.
Even though my head was heavy and my body tired, I couldn't fall unconscious. So I just got some rest while closing my eyes.
It did helped a little though, since 30 minutes went by without realizing, but my eyes opened soon enough as I couldn't keep them shut any longer. I checked my phone and saw a text message resting on my lockscreen from Murat 10 mins ago.
'kya kar rahi ho' it said.
(What's up?)
'sone ki koshish' I replied.
(Trying to sleep)
'achha. sojao phir,' his text popped up in a minute.
(Ohh. Sleep then)
'haa. call aaye ja rahi hain sabki, ab neend uda di, itna gussa aaraha hai'
(Yeah. Everyone irritated the heck out of me. So many calls one after another.)
'silent kardia karo. main to sote hue silent kardeta hu'
(Switch it on silent mode. I keep my phone silent too when I have to sleep)
'haa. vahi karungi ab. tum kya kar rahe ho?'
(Yeah, i will do the same from now on. What about you? What's up?)
'main bas kaam kar raha tha'
(I was just busy at work)
'achha. agar reply nahi aaye mera samajh jaana sogayi'
(Ohh. If my reply stops coming, it's a sign that I slept.)
'theek hai.'
(Gotcha.)
We texted some more until he went away for some work and I finally fell asleep.
.
.
.
It was around 7 PM and I was already done with my evening snacks (after my small nap), so I climbed up stairs and reached the terrace with fresh mood. After few minutes of strolling and admiring the moon, I texted him to ask his whereabouts and in next second we were on call.
"So, what's up?"
"Nothing special, just wrapping up some work. You?"
"Having a walk. "
"Slept well?"
"Yea I slept soon after you went offline,"
"Good."
I told him about the whole rollercoaster day of mine, how we took the risk of reaching South Campus without getting killed (both by strangers and our parents) and coming back home safely, including my freaking out part and bruised toes. He listened it all patiently commenting in between wherever he felt like, and then it was his turn to tell all about his day and the wedding he attended yesterday.
"Where was it?" I asked him.
"Somewhere in Okhla,"
"Ohh, South Delhi."
"Hmm I don't know much about it."
"Hmm"
"My mind was just, all over the place last night."
"Why so?"
"Just thinking about weird stuff. Overthinking I would say." He mumbled.
"Hmm? What was that weird stuff that you were thinking about?" I asked him softly.
He chuckled softly and takes a pause before continuing, "About our meetup. Like various scenarios about what might happen, what if I lost control, and all that stuff."
I laughed as he finished his sentence and concludes, "that's your overthinking, it's not that difficult."
"Yes for you, but what about me? What if I lost control?"
"I will keep you in check."
"How?" He paused then added, "What if you pushed me back in between?"
"Why will I push you?"
"In case I crossed the limit you mentioned."
"There's a way of doing things, and telling things." I tried to keep my wordings respectful.
"What way? Don't teach me ways, speak up openly," he chuckled, "I mean, I'm so open with you right now, even discussing about things I would never do with anyone, and here you are teaching me ways to do things."
"I would stop you in a respectful manner. Speaking politely." (Mana karne ka tareeka hota hai. Aram se mana kiya jata hai, ye nahi dhakka dedo.)
"And melt me more?" (Ab tum pyar se mana karogi to mujhe aur pyar ayega na?)
"Uffo," I pinch the bridge of my nose. "Then I will ask you to take deep breaths."
"What for?"
"For calming you down?"
"Nothing helps," he mutters.
I mouth formed into a tight lip smile while my mind was wondering what to do.
"You know, I took so many deep breaths last night," we paused and burst into laughter together at his indirect joke, "nothing helped."
"Then we-" I was about to speak when he cut me in between with his honey-dipped voice.
"You have no idea what's running in my mind right now. The things I wanna do with you."
Goosebumps ran over me as I close my eyes, gulping down the excessive saliva forming in my mouth and biting my lower lip to stop myself from smiling.
Take deep breaths Hayat.
Deep breaths.
"Now tell me how should I control this?," a small chuckle left his mouth.
"But...what's the harm.... in thinking about it?" I mumbled, still biting my lip. (because I do that too lol.)
Did you just tell him to imagine whatever the heck he wants to do with you and you are okay with that?
HAYAAAAT!!!
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