{ T W E N T Y - F I V E }
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Aarushi tied her hair before putting on the helmet. She gave a kick start to the motorbike, feeling blessed for wearing her gloves on such a wintry evening. A smile crept on her face as the vehicle's purring sound blissed her ears. She always fancied motorbikes. Her mom had one but unfortunately it got stolen a long time back. Riding on the bike behind her mom was one of her most cherished memories.
A gentle tap on her shoulder broke her chain of thoughts. She turned her head a little to meet with a pair of chocolate brown eyes.
" I asked you, do you need any help?" Arjun asked settling himself behind her.
Aarushi looked at the Royal Enfield Himalayan and replied,
" I thought I was the one who's going to help you." With that she accelerated the bike, leaving behind the café they had just spent time in.
Arjun sat behind Aarushi, feeling a little bit unsettled. Afterall he had allowed someone else to drive his motorbike. For him, motorbike ride was a ritual. He would hang his tool belt on the garage wall, drink a pint of water and don his leather suit. Seated behind the oversized fairing, he would turn the key and just sit for a moment, listening to the purr of the engine. It was a solid machine and comfortable, a touring model Royal Enfield Himalayan. Then he would head for the mountain roads. Once there, he would disregard speed limits, opening the throttle wide. Sometimes his knee would be just skimming the ground as he took the bends. It was his therapy afterall.
After parking the bike in the parking area of the shopping mall they both headed to the entry gate.
" So, when is your parents' anniversary?" Aarushi asked once they were inside the lift.
" It's on 20th." Arjun replied.
" Ain't you shopping too early then ? I mean after reaching Delhi you would still have more than a week left. " Aarushi asked thoughtfully.
" It's just that I want to give them a surprise, also there won't be any stylist to help me when I'm stuck." He looked at Aarushi.
" Touché." Aarushi chuckled as the lift closed behind them.
Aarushi looked around the shopping mall. It had the same temperature inside no matter what the season was. The light was the same, the scent, the polished floor, the tense faces on the shoppers. The same. Only the piped music and the fashions changed. People weren't people in here, they're consumers. They saw one another as obstacles - both to walk around and wait behind for a turn to reach the tills. The only smiling faces were of the ones who sell, their humanity used like a crude fishing line to real the buyers in. It was a friendly enough place if you've got digits on your card, if you can line the pockets of the purveyors.
Aarushi felt her cheeks turning pink as she noticed that Arjun was neither walking in front or behind her, but by her side. Matching with her pace.
She watched him closely as he checked out clothes in the men section, unable to decide what colour suits his dark complexion. Consciously she stood behind him, in front of the mirror as Arjun put on a sweat shirt that reflected how cute he was. She followed the lack of confidence in his gaze, as he looked at her for approval.
" It fits you perfectly." Aarushi replied, the words bringing a smile on Arjun's face.
On their way back, Aarushi listened to Arjun, while he was blabbering on and on about Marvel cinematic and general knowledge. Even though she couldn't get a word he said, even though it wasn't her cup of tea, still she listened to him as he talked about the things he loved. It only made her fall for him more and more.
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Heer could never shop in the cool and perfect indifference of a supermarket. Every Saturday morning, back at her home in Nainital, she would drink in the colours, the aromas and the atmosphere like an elixir. She would thrive on interacting with the stall holders, each one almost a caricature of bubbly friendliness. They knew her by name and often had kept something back from the stall that they knew she would buy, and she always did. Heer would weave through the crowds, edging through the dense flow of people with her bags getting more full by the minute. There was no irritating music, just a busker with a guitar. This to her was life, real life, not the sanitized pre-packed convenience world of individual yoghurts and personal cheeses.
Heer felt the same aroma hitting her nostrils whenever she visited the Rawat Bakery. They all, Aarushi, Inaya, Darshan, Arjun, Armaan and Heer herself had gathered at the bakery to have a little celebration on the account of Heer and Arjun clearing the first round of the ' IC web design '.
" Aaj ki party meri taraf se." Darshan said picking up a freshly baked naan-khatai from plate that was served a few seconds ago.
" Accha toh paise bhi tu hi de. " Aarushi gave him a look to which Darshan made a puppy face.
The aromatic fragrance of the shortbread cookies, overpowered every other scent that lingered in the room. Its delectable aroma pervaded the air- a melange of honey dew, orange preserves and dabs of crackling nuts.
Taking the first bite, Inaya felt a delightful flavor flooding in her mouth. Darshan's senses basked in its luscious taste. There was a friable crunch, tangs of zest, pangs of acidity, all to coalesce to form a truly delicious dish- naan khatai that Armaan had never tasted before. Almost everyone felt the pleasure on their tastebuds except Heer.
" Heer, tu kha kyu nahi Rahi?" Aarushi asked.
" Nothing... It's just that my stomach is already full." She gave a sheepish grin.
" Oh my god! Heer is refusing her love, naan khatai!" Inaya exclaimed.
Heer replied her with a fake smile.
" Heer what's the matter? You okay ?" Darshan asked concerned.
" Yah, I'm fine. You guys carry on." Saying this she excused herself and went to the restroom. The naan khatai did look very tempting so much that she wanted to grab one. But she couldn't. She had sworn to God that she wouldn't have her favourite sweet for the next one month. And the reason, she couldn't tell to anyone.
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Inaya took out her I phone, clicked the contact list and dialled the number. She waited for a while, listening to the ringing sound.
" Namaste Aunty. How are you ?" She greeted the lady on the other side.
" Actually I needed a favour."
After talking for almost fifteen minutes of talking over the phone she finally hung the call and put back the phone inside her pocket. The mischievous smile never leaving her lips.
" What now?" Armaan asked her.
" We need sleeping pills."
- - ✉️ - -
Hey guys!
First of all thank you so much for showering so much love to the previous chapter. Trust me each and every comment, review was overwhelming.
And secondly I know I was supposed to post this chapter on Sunday but unfortunately I realised that I hadn't saved the drafts and ended up rewriting the hold thing again, which took a little longer as expected.
Thirdly, hope you all like this chapter. Once again thank you so much for reading.
Spread love !