Sid's Point of view
'Aaachhooo....' I sneezed.
"Bless you.." Preeti said. I gave her a small smile.
'Aaachooo...' This time Preeti sneezed. I chuckled softly.
"Bless you to you too.." I said focusing on road.
"Seems like we both catch cold." She said.
"Yeah..I guess.." I said while turn on the heater full.
The ride was very silent. Songs are playing in a very low volume. Rain is stop now and we caught on a little traffic because police clearing the road, which is blocked by fallen trees on a road, with the help of local people.
It's past midnight. I turn my head to look at Preeti and she fall asleep. She looks like an angel in a red suit and a slightly wet hair which fallen on her face.
My head is aching badly. It's felt like someone is playing drum inside it and every part of my body is aching in pain. After half an hour We reached the village and I parked the car in a driveway of our house. I look at Preeti and she is still sleeping.
First I thought not to disturb her sleep and carry her in my arms and take into the house but I rejected the idea because everyone is maybe awake and waiting for us and when Preeti will come to know that I carry her in my arm in-front of others she will be embarrass.
"Preeti..." I called her.
...
She didn't give any response.
....
"Preeti..." I called her again. But she didn't give any response this time also. So I tap on her cheeks.
Some strains of her hair falling on her face and I have a urge to pull them back so I tucked the strands behind her ear and admire her beauty. She opened her eyes slowly with frowning eyebrows. Our gaze met. She adjust in her seat and I pulled back little.
"When we reached?" She asked looking around.
"Just five minute ago.." I said and rubbed my forehead with my right hand.
"Are you alright..?" She asked me with a concerned.
"Yeah..just have a little head ach, Low pressure weather didn't suit me. It sucks." I said still rubbing my forehead with my thumb and fingers.
'Aacchhooo..' I sneezed again. I pull the tissue paper from tissue box and rub my nose, then I fell a soft hand on my forehead. I turn my head to Preeti. She checked my forehead by putting her hand then put her hand on my neck checking my temperature.
"You are burning, you had fever and you said it's just a head ach." She said worriedly.
"Preeti, I'm fine. I just need a sleep and by the morning I will be fit and fine." I said looking at her.
"I'll prepare a hot shower for you and bring you a hot soup with medicines. Drink it like a good boy I don't want to argue on this." She said with full of authority.
I got a little shock at her tone. When realization hit her, she looked at me with wide shocked eyes. I chuckled softly and she turned into a pink shade and lower her head.
Before I could say anything to her, front gate of the house opened and Aditya walked out from the gate. Preeti look at Aditya and open the door of the passenger seat and step out. I take the khaki packet of medicine with me and opened the door and step out from the car. Preeti directly went into the house without say anything.
"Is everyone awake?" I asked Aditya while walking towards him.
"Yeah..everyone is waiting for you guys and tayi ji had a pain in her knees so she can't sleep." He said while walking with me towards the house.
"Here.." I said giving him a packet of medicines. He took packet from me.
"Tayi ji needs it. I must go and gave her medicine till then you go and change, I'll see you later." He said walk towards tayi ji's room.
I turn on my heels towards Aditya's room, I and Anshul shared a room with him. Preeti is coming out from Aditya's room.
"I turn on the geyser, go shower till then I bring soup and medicine for you." She said looking at me concernedly.
"Okey..but also go and shower otherwise you will get sick too if you are walking around in wet clothes." I said and she nodded her head.
"Di you are here, I'm looking around for you." Puja said walking to us.
"Puja come I need your help." Preeti said and take Puja with her.
When I entered the room I saw Preeti already put my night clothes on bed with towel. I smile at her small gesture. I took clothes and towel with me and walk to the bathroom. I took my wet clothes off and put them into a laundry.
I turned on the shower and when hot water fall into my body my muscles relax a bit. I cracked my aching muscles with a sound of tik and relax a bit. I took a long shower about 20 minutes. My body felt little relax but it's still aching and I feel cold. I wipe my body with a towel and wear my night clothes and walk outside the bathroom. Anshul and Aditya already there on their beds. Aditya is sitting on the floor with extra comfy mattress and blankets.
"Jiju how do you feel now. Preeti told me that you have a fever." Anshul asked me.
"Yeah, little bit. I'll be fine by morning." I said and sniffed while wiping my face with towel and sneeze in between.
"It's just not a little bit fever, your eyes are red." Aditya said looking at me.
"It's because of weather." I said while sniffing.
Someone knocked the door two times.
"Come in, door is open." Aditya said.
Preeti walk into the room with a tray of soup, medicine and a glass of hot milk, in her hand. She wear a fresh white colour suit and her hair is wet due to shower. She put the tray on study table and take medicine and a glass of milk from the tray and give it to me.
"Preeti, do you give any antibiotics to jiju?" Anshul asked.
"No it's just a paracetamol for fever and algera for cold." She said looking at him.
"Jiju wait, I have antibiotic, it helps you in fever and cold too and you will be fine by the morning." Anshul said and got up from the bad and open his backpack and take out a medicine.
"Here.." he handed me a medicine.
I put all medicine in mouth and gulp them with a milk. I finished full glass of milk in one go then she gave me a full bowl of soup. I take a one spoon of it and it tastes really bad. I make a weird face and she giggled. I finished the soup in just 5 minutes because it taste really bad.
"I should go." She said and got up from the bed. I nodded my head and also got up from the bad.
"Jjju you sit, I closed the door. " Aditya said, getting up from the floor.
"Good night..." I whispered to Preeti.
"Goodnight and sleep.." she said looking at me and turn toward the door.
Aditya closed the door after Preeti left and turn off the lights. I laid on the bed and pull duvet till my chest and closed my eyes. Today is really a long day, we came today at village, football match, Nick's phone call, carnival fair, rain, our first kiss and don't know when I sleep thinking about her.
........................................................................
Preeti's Point of view
Today is Diwali. We all got up early for preparation and wished each-other. I called kshama and wished her for Diwali. We talked about 10 minutes because she is also busy. Today's whether is also clean and sunny.
Shivani di, Shikha bhabhi and Riya di making sweets and breakfast for everyone and Puja, keerti and I are doing preparation for morning puja.
I went to lawn calling everyone for morning Puja. Everyone is present there except Siddharth. I didn't see him since morning.
"Akhil jj let's go for a morning puja of Diwali." Tau ji said.
"Where is Siddharth? I didn't see him since morning. " Akhil dad asked. Suddenly front door of the house opened and everyone turned there gaze to the gate.
"Here is my boy..." Neeta maa said.
Siddhartha came into the house with all his glory. He wear a white t-shirt and grey hoodie on it. The zipper of the hoodie is open showing his muscular chest underneath a white t-shirt, his hoodie cap is on his head giving him a boyish look. He match it with black lower and white spot shoes. His both hand in his hoodie pocket.
"Take your time bhabhi... he is only yours." Keerti whispered in my ear then I realized I drooling over Siddharth openly. I felt pink colour on my cheeks and lower my head and tuck a strands behind my ear.
He looked everyone and then me. Our gaze met for a good minute before Neeta maa speak and our gaze break.
"Sid, go freshen up beat and come soon for morning puja." Neeta maa said. Siddharth nodded his head and walk from there.
..........................
After morning puja we all ladies and girls are busy making rangoli. All gents playing cards and boys are playing carrom except Siddharth. He is in room doing some office work.
"Dad... we have to leave tomorrow night for New york." Siddharth said coming to us.
I stop filling colours in rangoli design when I heard his voice and looked at him.
"Why, what happened.. our schedule is clear for next two weeks." Akhil dad asked him confusingly.
"Our clients from London, they want to meet me." Siddharth said.
"But why? You showed them design and they are satisfied about it, right?" Akhil dad asked.
"Yeah.. but they wanted some changes in design and being a head of the project they want me to present in the meeting." Siddharth said.
"Okey I'll call Tyler for booking our tickets." Dad said while taking out his phone from his pocket.
"I already did." Siddharth whispered looking at me.
Our gaze hold for a while and I know what he is thinking right now because I am thinking the same. I felt tears in my eyes but I didn't let them fall. I lowered my eyelids, can't able to hold his gaze any longer. Siddhartha sniffed and run his hand in his hair and walk out from there. Keerti look at me sadly and I gave her half smile.
........................................................................
Morning passed fastly. We didn't even realize when evening came. It's already 7.30 we all are ready for evening puja. I wore a royal blue plain net lehenga with matching blouse and dupatta which Neeta maa gave to me, It's one of a ritual. I wore a blue jhumke which Sid choose for me in carnival fair and I wore my dupatta on my both shoulder and let it fall till my stomach. I always wore a chain with small pendant which Siddharth gifted me.
Whole day I and Siddharth didn't get a chance to have some personal time even we didn't wish Diwali to each-other. I just wanted to wish him personally and wanted to spend sometime alone with him.
I and papa in puja room setting all diya and candles and filling oil in them.
"Preeti..beta we need more diya and candles go bring them. I put them in kitchen." Papa said.
I got up and walk towards the kitchen. My eyes are focused on the floor while I walk but when I came out from the puja room I hit my head to the wall.
'Wait this is not a wall it's soft and muscular.'
I look up and my eyes met the most beautiful pair of coffee eyes. Which are very deep. He looked Greek God in royal blue kurta matching with mine. His sleeves is rolled up and his green veins are visible. He wore a wrist watch in his right hand.
He also look at me with head to toe and take a deep breath. We both looking at each-other for a while until we heard Someone clear his thought
"Aahhhhaammm....bhayi close your mouth otherwise you will caught a fly in your mouth." Keerti said.
I was also too busy to checking him out that I didn't realized that he also checking me out. Actually we both don't realize that we both checking out each-other without each other's knowledge.
After puja I and keerti took some diye in a tray and started putting on every corner of the house. I went to the lawn where we make rangoli. My face is glowing due to the tray of diye in my hand. I set down beside the rangoli and put diye on it and stand up with a tray after putting diye on rangoli.
...click...
I heard the sound of clicking of camera and raised my head to look at the source of sound.
Siddharth is standing in front of me with a mobile in his hand, taking one more picture of me. Our gaze met and both standing there looking at each-other until Shivani di came to me.
"Preeti..go to the terrace, I put candles here." Shivani di said.
I went to upstairs and heard a footsteps following behind me.