Chapter Twenty Seven
"I'm not going to leave you, don't worry."
à ANANYA Ã
"Hiiiiiiiii" I waved at the dog which was peacefully sitting. The dog noticed me and looked into my eyes, I smiled. My smile vanished the moment the dog stood up from his place and barked at me, loudly.
I, unknowingly, ran towards my God's Angel and held his hand tightly in fear, while the dog glared and barked at me as if I stole his food.
Damn, I was just greeting him. Guess, I should stop that too. The world is too bad.
It took a step forward and stumping on my greeting I slowly walked aside while dragging Sahil, muttering "Bhai sirf hi bola, offend kya ho raha hai?"
[I just greeted him, why is he so offended?]
"Bohat keede hai tujhme. Aur pareshan kar usko" I pouted and looked back to the dog, who barked again at me. I showed him my tongue and he barked again, loudly this time. I ran, and dragged Sahil too before the dog could catch us.
[Go and trouble him more.]
"Hi bhi nahi karna kisiko aaj se maine. Last time too this happened, that dog of your Favourite Aunty almost jumped on me giving me a heart attack for 10 seconds. I didn't learn my lesson that time" Sahil smiled and shook his head.
[I'm not going to greet anyone from today]
What was funny in this? Aaevi hasta hai yeh Banda.
[He laughs at anything]
We sat on the rickshaw before asking the uncle if he'll take us to the station. I took my phone out and took a video of myself and Sahil from the front camera in which the guy was too awkward to do anything so he ran fingers through his hairs. I laughed at his awkward look.
When he asked me what that video was for, I told him that I'll make a reel of our day out and post it on Instagram, tagging him. He declined and the whole auto rickshaw ride was me convincing him to let me do that. We finally settled on the fact that he'll repost only if he likes it. I mentally noted to make him repost.
If we are acting like being in a relationship then we should atleast act properly? Like do everything with dedication.
We walked towards the station and the train in which we had to go in was arriving in another platform. We bought the tickets, and I asked him to run to another platform as it was only a few minutes time till it arrives.
Panting heavily, we reached the platform, I opened my purse to get my water bottle out. I offered him some first and he drank, after drinking the water he questioned. "There is so much crowd here. How are we going to catch the train?"
"Why to fear when Ananya is here!"
"What if you missed the train while I catched it?" He asked and I gave him a look.
"Do you really think that could happen?" He shook his head.
"What if I missed it?" He asked again.
"You've never travelled in local train, have you?" He again shook his head. I smiled a little and patted him arm lightly.
"I'll make sure, both of us catch the train. You go first, I'll come behind you." I comforted him like a child.
"There is a ladies coach too,right?" I nodded at his question. He thought for a second and I eyed him curiously.
"You won't go there, na?" He asked in a low voice. Aw, he is afraid.
"I'm not going to leave you, don't worry." I said and continued "Why are you so scared?"
"I'm not scared and honestly, I've never liked local trains, people pushing each other like crazy and then there are so many accidents because of it. They are risking their life for it."
"They have to, no option is left. Either they get late to their workplace when they miss one train and everything other opinion of travelling is time consuming and expensive. This is cheaper and faster." I tried to make him understand but he still made that child like face. Pointing towards the train which could be seen I told him "See it's coming, you go first I'll come behind you"
"We really have to do this? I'm still asking you, we can go by cab. Metro is an option too-"
"Go, Run" he joined the crowd looking at me disapproved. People pushed that poor guy and he wasn't able to climb on the train. And neither was I. After a few minutes, the train started to go off and I pulled him back.
"We missed it!" He said happily. "See this is a sign from God, let's go by Uber"
"Shut up, the next one is arriving in 10 minutes. We'll take that one. And this time I'll be in the front, and you follow me" the next ten minutes, he put whole efforts on trying to convince me to go from Uber.
I do not have any issue to take a cab but he needs to get rid of his fear and see the brighter side of travelling too. He needs to have his first experiences. He needs to get rid of his anxiety.
When the next train arrived, the crowd was a little less comparatively this time. I went ahead, holding his palm and pulling him. Both of our hands intertwine together tightly and that managed for him to climb on the train.
I expected him to leave my hand when we entered the train but he didn't. Rather his other hand was holding my other arm tightly in the crowd. We were standing in a position where my back was touching his front. Whenever he got a little push from his side, I would get a push from his.
"Don't worry, after two stations most of the people would leave" I said and squeezed his hand. He nodded.
"Ananya, woh latak rahe hai train ke bahar. Ghir gaye toh?" he whispered in my ear and gasped.
[Ananya,they are hanging on the outside of the train. What if they fall?]
"Nahi ghirenge. Unhe aadat hogi"
[They won't fall. They are used to it]
"I hope not" he passed an uncomfortable look.
Now, I feel bad for bringing him with me. Specially in local train, knowing he doesn't like it. But I just wanted him to experience new things.
But why would you want him to do things when he isn't comfortable? A dumb human, you are.
"Sahil, Are you comfortable?" I asked him slowly. An uncle who was beside me stared at me in a way that it made me a bit uncomfortable. He might just be staring but in a way that it was not pleasant.
"Comfortable with being a tomato in a sandwich, yes. Very much" he replied sarcastically. And now I felt his hand, after many struggles encircling my front, around the front part of my neck, but there was a proper gap between my skin and his arm. I narrowed my eyebrows in confusion this time. Seconds later, that Uncle stopped looking at me and turned his face.
It took me some time to notice that the V neckline of my kurti went a bit more down. And Sahil's arm which wasn't even touching my skin, hid that from everyone's eyes. I turned my head back and an unknowing smile crept on my face. Sahil was turning his head to different directions every minute and looking at something or other, making faces.
After two stations, like I told him many people left and some new people entered but there was a little space now. Even that uncle left, and so did Sahil's arm. I adjusted my kurti first.
"Ananya, seat!" He shouted and pointed towards the person who stood up to leave.
"Go and sit, quick" I told him.
"You go" Guy chose to do formality in the train and someone else sat on the seat. He scrunched his nose.
After some time, I pointed towards the seat which was empty and this time he was quick enough to go and sit before someone else could. I stood near him and waved at the little boy sitting with his mother. He looked at me confused and then looked at his mother, she smiled and nodded, so he waved me back. I smiled and blinked my eyes, and he did the same. I laughed at his cuteness and he giggled.
He then looked at Sahil who was looking at me, noticing my gaze, he turned his head towards the little boy and waved at him. The boy didn't wave him back.
"He waves only at nice people" I teased Sahil who just got rejected by the boy.
"Then why did he wave at you?" Sahil questioned and I rolled my eyes.
"Because I'm nice,unlike you" Sahil just faked his hahaha at my statement.
After a few minutes, a boy sitting in the row just in front of Sahil, stood up and Sahil called my name, pointing the seat as I didn't notice. "Ananya, there"
I nodded and sat there. Opening my phone, I checked my Instagram which was filled by Kirti sending reels and some messages by Deven, the blue eyed coworker of mine. I was too busy in my phone when I heard my name being called out by someone beside me. I turned to find Sahil beside me with a proud smile ok finally getting a seat. I chuckled and kept my phone aside, now that he was sitting beside me.
We spoke about a few things till the station before ours arrived. Standing in the queue of people, wanting to leave the station, I heard someone say when the train arrived at our platform but didn't yet stopped, "Train rukne ke baad utrega kya?"
[Will you leave after the train stops?]
I intentionally looked at Sahil to catch his reaction and he looked so shock. Shocked in the sense as if he got to know the biggest secret of life. His reactions today, were more than every other days summed up. And it was funny.
"Huf, finally I feel like I can breathe" he muttered once we were on the station.
"Now let's go to bus stand" he made a face.
"Can I not go back in this train? Uh, no no, it has too much rush." He questioned and then answered it himself.
"You're stuck with me today, honey " I told him in the sweetest voice possible.
"We'll go by rickshaw, why to take a bus?" He asked. Even I usually take a rickshaw from here, but it's fun to see his reactions.
"It's AC bus. And It'll be fun. I'll give you chocolates if you agree" I bribed before he could decline.
"I'm not a kid!" He stated, offended.
"But you're acting like one today" I grinned and he rolled his eyes.
We walked out of the station and luckily, found the bus with number 698. Within a few minutes we got two seats beside each other to sit.
"Let's sit there?" He pointed towards another set of seats, empty and ahead of us.
"That's ladies seat. You won't be able to sit there" I told and his lips formed into an 'O'
"Ohhhhhh, this happens here too?" He asked and I nodded.
"Yep, the whole six rows are of ladies and the two rows in front of us are of elderly people." He nodded at the new information I provided him and sat on the seat.
"We have like 15 minutes. Let's listen to music"
"I don't have earphones" he answered.
"I do have. We can take share. I'll take the right one, you take the left." He nodded and picked up the left earphone.
"Which type of song do you listen to?" I asked him, wearing my light blue coloured earphone.
"Mix. But I like Hindi songs the most" he said.
"Okay. Let's play Hindi then. I'll play this underrated song. I'm sure you've bever heard it. It's called 'Aashiq tera'." I played the song and vibed to the lyrics.
It's one of my most favourite song among the Hindi ones. It's Lyrics are too beautiful.
I noticed Sahil smiling after hearing one lyric. I love capturing people's reactions to something I showed them.
After a while, when we were about to reach, I kept the earphones back in the case, not before taking a selfie. I need my reel to be good.
Really good.
"My chocolates?" I smiled and searched for it in my purse. I just hope they are there, or else I'm gonna break this kid's heart.
It is. Fortunately.
ð¦
First unofficial, just friends,fake, local train date?! Lmao. I'm in for this date.
The chapter was literally based on the life of author, the train the bus everything except Sahil part.ð¥²
I felt cute, writing this chapter.
Do share your views on it!
Bubye. Gotta sleeppppð¤ð»