Adrita's POV
A black car blazes past us, causing a rush of wind to spiral our way. Orange tint from the streetlight illuminates the almost deserted road and its very alive companion, the pavement, which was graced with ferries and temporary shops till the very end and beyond. There were malls, and branded shops all around the corner but somehow the main attraction was these decorated stalls laying on the footsteps of the big shops.
We walk through the street market, eyeing whatever stores or tiny ferries cross our path. The vendors' calls for customers and declarations of sale prices echo all over the neighbourhood, instilling life into the word market.
"So, what are we doing here?" I ask the person walking beside me who held my hand in a tight hold.
"Walking and talking till we discover a beautiful cafe?" He says, eyes glinting with happiness and stance indicating relaxedness.
"Ohh. So, you planned that surprise?"
"Yes, I wanted you to decide something." He states, tracing various patterns on the back of my palm which does not fail to create havoc in me, in a good way, of course.
"I have most probably told you a thousand times that I am really bad at philosophical things. So, I want to correct my prior words- you choose who you trust. Whose words do you believe in. Whose feelings you find genuine. It's a choice that you make every time someone comes into your life and forms a perception about you. And I believe one should only trust someone's words only after assessing the intentions behind them. Are they genuinely concerned? Do they genuinely want you to be better? Or are there some other intentions? And this is, I believe, valid for both criticism or compliments."
"You know, Anirudh, Nyra and I used to be very close to each other, and then, one day everything changed. I saw her breaking down, all her pieces layed tattered in front of me. And I couldn't even be there for her. Her words did affect me. I was a teenager at that time, taking everything to my heart. I stopped pursuing her, leaving her all alone, again."
Bringing our clasped hands near his lips, he places a feathery kiss on my knuckles, colouring my cheeks a thousand shades of red. "Sometimes things are just out of our hands. Whatever happened between you and your sister is definitely unbearable but in the end, she chose it herself. She chose to vent out her anger on you even though you had no role to play in her tragedy. And I wish things could change for her but you need to accept her decision of staying away."
Unable to say anything, I simply nod. I know he was right. It was time to let go of her and her words.
Anirudh stops walking abruptly, making me stumble into him. Steadying myself, I follow his gaze. A beautiful stall adorned with numerous colourful earrings catches my eyesight. He turns to me and points at the stall with his eyes. Smiling, I nod at him.
"Bhaiya, how much for this?" The vendor stops swatting the nonexistent flies away and stares at us for a second. Grinning, he hands us the spiral danglings Anirudh earlier pointed at. "Sir ji, just for Rs 300."
I smile at the price but Anirudh's eyes tapers."Bhaiya, don't joke, okay? Tell me the real price or let it be."
"Ok, ok sir ji. Take it for 250. You will not get this piece anywhere in the market."
I frown at Anirudh's expression who still assessed the vendor with narrowed eyes. He puts the dangles back and holds my hands to walk away. But the vendor shouts, making us stop. "Last price sir, Rs 200. I swear this is the correct price. Itna toh banta hai."
Nodding, Anirudh hands him a 200 rs note and takes the packed dangles. The vendor grins and wishes us a good night, making me smile back at him. "Thank you, Good night." I wish him back as we walk away from the stall.
"You want to wear these?" Anirudh asks, shaking the packet that contained the dangles. I nod eagerly at him and he takes out the dangles.
Stepping close to me, he helps me in clasping the dangles. I remove my hands from my ears, staring at a very concentrated Anirudh, putting his whole focus on the little clamp.
"Why did you ask me for lunch? Is there any truth in Rohan's words?"
After he was done, he backs away and once again hold my hands and starts walking.
"What he said about my ambition and competitiveness is true. But I am not the kind of person to use someone as my stairs to success. I indeed used to see everyone as a competition. But when for the first time my ideas were rejected I understood whatever I was doing was to show others. Now, I am learning to handle my competitiveness and my ambitions in a better manner. In a manner which will end up making me and my loved ones happy, and not just to see other people burn with jealousy."
Wrapping his arm around my shoulder, he brings me to himself and continues, "I didn't ask you for lunch because I wanted to gain favours or something. It will sound stupid but I was intrigued by your exuberant nature. I was stupid and angry on the day of your birthday so I acted foolishly. I don't even know why I did so, it didn't even make sense. Later, I realised how much of an idiot I was and that I had no reason to disrespect you because my assumptions about you were based on others' behaviours. Then I asked you for lunch just to fulfil the promise, it was meant to end there. But then our stupid pen fights lead us to being friends and gradually I fell for you, you Adrita."
"I am sorry, Anirudh. I should have acted wisely. When Rohan told me all that stuff, I was a little upset but I believed in you, I believed in the time we spent together, knowing each other. But when you said; you feel as if I am not being real with you. I just snapped. I don't even have any justification."
"Not being real with me? Damn! Adrita, I didn't mean it like that. I was concerned for you. I wanted to know if something was bothering you. Now that I think of it, I could have worded it better."
Guilt engulfs me as I realise how rash and impulsive I had been. To hide my embarrassment clad red cheeks, I snuggle my face into Anirudh's chest, earning a laugh from him. He wraps his arms around my waist, all the while laughing at me.
Realising we are in the middle of the market and earning some weird glances from the people around us, we separate and keep walking hand in hand.
The winds get a little more chilly, as we walk on the busy market roads, a comfortable silence engulfing us. My eyes get stuck on a man holding colourful hats in his hands. Leaving Anirudh, I walk up to him and buy a brown hat, giving him whatever price he asked for.
"Why didn't you bargain?" Anirudh implores as I near him. Shaking my head I ignore him and adjust the hat on his head. I smile, watching a cute Anirudh wearing a cute hat with a cute frown on his face.
"You look cute." Anirudh's ears turn slightly reddish after hearing the compliment. Once again, wrapping his arms around my shoulder he brings me to himself. I chuckle, looking at his brown hat fighting with the wind for its life, however, Anirudh stares at something behind me. Grasping my shoulders, he whirls me around, and I come face to face with a beautiful cafe named...
Happy beginnings
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Author's note:
Only one chapter and an epilogue to go and then we will have to bid farewell to Adrita and Anirudh.
Are you ready to say goodbye to them?
Lots of loveð