A Night of Almosts

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The dimly lit room wasn’t much—just a small wooden cabin with a single bed, a thin mattress on the floor, and a flickering bulb overhead that buzzed every few seconds.

The NGO worker had apologized for the modest arrangement, but Dhruvin had waved it off, grinning.

"Arrey, no tension. We’ve survived worse," he had said, while Aashna, still recovering from her father’s never-ending scolding, had simply sighed and muttered, ‘Survived worse? Speak for yourself.’

Now, as she stood by the window, gripping her phone, she could hear her father’s frustrated voice on the other end.

"Yes, Baba, I already told you—I’m fine!" she hissed, her fingers clutching the hem of her kurta as she tried to stay patient.

Dhruvin sat on the bed, lazily leaning back on his elbows, watching her with an amused expression.

"I didn’t plan to stay overnight! It’s not like I wanted to get stranded here. The weather changed, and—yes, yes, I checked the forecast, but the universe clearly has a personal vendetta against me."

Dhruvin smirked. She blames the universe when things go wrong. Cute.

"No, Baba, we’re not staying in separate rooms—there’s only one! But it’s fine. I can handle myself."

Dhruvin’s smirk widened. He could hear her father’s voice even without speaker mode.

Aashna ran a frustrated hand through her hair. "Baba, please! You’re acting like I’m in some danger—"

Dhruvin coughed dramatically. "Technically, you are stuck with me. That’s pretty dangerous."

Aashna shot him a deadly glare, making him chuckle.

"Okay, Baba! I got it! I’ll call you in the morning. Bye!" She quickly cut the call before he could start another lecture and exhaled sharply, shutting her eyes for a moment.

Then, she turned—only to find herself standing inches away from Dhruvin.

She hadn’t even realized he had gotten up.

The proximity stole her breath. He was close—too close. His scent wrapped around her: musk, fresh detergent, and something distinctly him. Warm, grounding, familiar. She didn’t know why, but it made her feel… safe.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Aashna's eyes flickered up, meeting his. The dim light cast soft shadows across his face, highlighting the sharp angles of his jaw, the tiny scar near his eyebrow, and the way his lips quirked just slightly, as if he knew exactly what effect he had on her.

"Pathak," he murmured, his voice low, teasing. "If you wanted to be this close to me, all you had to do was ask."

Aashna’s brain short-circuited.

Then, as if her body finally caught up with reality, she scowled, shoving him away. "Shut up, Deshmukh."

He laughed, the sound rich and effortless, before stepping back with his hands raised in surrender. "Fine, fine. No need to push me. Though, if you do plan on falling into my arms later, just give me a warning so I can catch you dramatically."

"Ugh, you’re impossible."

"And yet, here we are," he quipped, grinning. "Anyway, can I borrow your phone?"

Aashna frowned. "Why?"

"My phone’s dead," he said, nodding towards where it was plugged in near the door. "Need to call Aaji and Aajoba before they think I’ve run away to become a nomad."

Aashna rolled her eyes but handed him the phone. "Don’t check my chats, creep."

"I would never," he said, dramatically placing a hand over his heart. "I’m an upstanding citizen, Pathak."

She sat on the edge of the bed, watching as he tapped the screen. Then, she saw it.

His fingers stilled.

His playful expression faltered.

He was staring at her wallpaper.

A small girl, around twelve or thirteen, smiled back at him from the screen. Messy braid, dark brown eyes filled with mischief, a faint dimple peeking through her grin.

A memory stirred. Faint. Hazy. Like a tune he had once known but couldn’t quite recall.

His eyebrows furrowed slightly. He knew this face. He had seen it before. Somewhere, sometime.

Aashna watched him, her heart pounding slightly.

Will he remember?

For a second, she thought he might. His lips parted slightly, his eyes narrowing as if trying to pull the memory from the depths of his mind.

But then, he blinked and shook his head, brushing the thought away like dust off a forgotten book. "Cute kid," he muttered, before dialing his Aaji’s number.

Aashna felt something twist inside her chest.

He almost remembered. Almost.

And yet, he didn’t.

She swallowed the lump in her throat as she watched him speak.

"Aaji!" His voice immediately softened. "Haan, mi thik ahe. Don’t worry… Arey, nahi re! Not my fault! The weather betrayed us!"Aashna leaned back against the bedpost, listening.

"Yes, yes, we ate dinner… No, Aaji, I am NOT torturing her. If anything, she’s torturing me!" He turned and shot her a wink.

Aashna, without hesitation, threw a pillow at him. He caught it effortlessly, laughing.

After a few more exchanges, he smiled. "Alright, we’ll leave as soon as the rain stops tomorrow. Love you, Aaji… Haan, love you too, Aajoba."

He handed the phone back to her. "They send their blessings to you too, by the way."

Aashna huffed. "Good. Maybe they can teach you some manners."

"Pathak, I ooze charm and manners," he said, flopping onto the bed dramatically. "Now, the real question is… how are we supposed to sleep?"

That question turned the air thick with awkwardness.

Aashna’s eyes flickered toward the bed. Small. Too small for two people. The mattress on the floor wasn’t much better.

Dhruvin smirked. "Relax, Pathak. I’m a gentleman. I’ll take the bed, you take the mattress—"

"Excuse me?" She raised an eyebrow. "I should get the bed!"

He gasped. "Pathak! Have you no sympathy for my fragile back? The floor is too harsh for someone as delicate as me!"

"Delicate, my foot. You ride bikes like a lunatic and probably got into a hundred fights."

"True. But that doesn’t mean I can sleep on the floor."

"Well, I’m not sleeping on the floor either!"

He tapped his chin, glancing between the bed and her. Then, mischief sparked in his eyes. "We could share."

Aashna deadpanned. "I’d rather sleep outside in the rain."

Dhruvin sighed dramatically. "Fine, fine. You take the bed, I’ll take the mattress."

She narrowed her eyes. "No tricks?"

"Scout’s honor," he said, holding up two fingers.

"You were never a scout."

"But I’m very convincing, aren’t I?"

She rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide the small smile tugging at her lips. "Goodnight, Deshmukh."

"Sweet dreams, Pathak."

As she turned to face the wall, her mind drifted back to the way he had looked at her wallpaper.

He had almost remembered.

And yet, not quite.

And for some reason, that thought kept her awake far longer than it should have.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Author’s Note

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