Ch 14. Inkless promise

Mere dil ke lifafe mein,

Tera khat hai janiya, Tera khat hai janiya

Nacheez ne kaise paa li,

Jannat yeh janiya ve,

Tu nazm nazm sa mere

Honthon pe thehar jaa,

Main khwaab khwaab sa teri,

Aankhon mein jaagun re 💌✨

[A/N- Happy reading!! 💗]

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Everyone stood in the market, holding shopping bags in their hands while their faces were filled with relief as their task of shopping was finally over.

Sahil looked around, shifting the bags in his grip, and spoke, "What should we do now? We've done all the shopping." He asked, his tone relieved, making everyone nod.

"Now only jewellery is left but we're planning on buying it another day." Rushika spoke, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, already thinking ahead.

"So, should we go home now?" Aashvika asked while holding the bag of her lehenga, her fingers curled protectively around the handle, the weight of it reassuring.

Everyone nodded in agreement except for vedansh. "No," He suddenly spoke, making everyone look at him in confusion.

"Why?" Sahil asked, his brows frowning.

Vedansh shook his head, a dramatic sweep, and spoke, "Chalo na kuch khaane chalte hain! I mean...hum sab bahar aaye hain...aise bhookhe ghar chale jaayenge kya?" He asked while looking at all of them, his eyes wide, turning from Sahil to Rushika to Aashvika to Vivaan.

[Let's go get something to eat! I mean...we've all come out...are we just going to go home hungry like this?]

Sahil considered it for half a second, then he agreed. He spoke, "He is right, we should eat something."

Aashvika looked at them reluctantly as they all begged her to agree except for Vivaan. Rushika clasped her hands together, Vedansh and Sahil pouted. She felt cornered, her fingers tightening on the lehenga bag.

Aashvika turned towards Vivaan, her gaze being on his hands. She didn’t look at his face, she couldn’t. His one hand was still in his pocket, relaxed, while the other held shopping bags and she focused on them instead. "What do you think..should we do?" Her voice low and soft.

Vivaan stared at her face, at the way she wouldn’t meet his eyes, and spoke, "Whatever you say."

Aashvika's breath hitched inside her throat as her face turned pink. The words were simple, but the way he said them knocked the air out of her. Her throat got dry and her fingers trembled due to the sudden rush of blood inside her body, her grip almost loosening on the bags before she gripped it tightly once again, her knuckles going almost white.

Vedansh looked at vivaan with a knowingly smile before speaking, "Whatever you say...hmm..hmm," He spoke, his tone dripping with tease, making Aashvika's blush deepen.

Vivaan glared at him, before looking away, his jaw tightening. 

Aashvika slowly turned towards Rushika, Sahil and Vedansh. They all still showing her puppy eyes as she sighed, a long, defeated sound that was more fond than annoyed, and then with a soft smile, she nodded, making all of them cheer in happiness. Vedansh let out a quiet “yes!” while Sahil and Rushika grinned. 

They all walked back towards the car. Vivaan reached it first and opened the passenger seat's door for Aashvika as she settled in, carefully placing the lehenga bag on her lap.

And this time Vedansh took the window seat, making Sahil sit in the middle with a resigned grunt. 

Rushika stared at the empty seat beside Sahil, her mind contemplating on whether to sit there or not. Her eyes flicked to Sahil, then away. She took out her phone, her thumb moving fast over the screen, and texted Aashvika.

Rushika: Yaar! I can't sit beside sahil!

The notification lit up Aashvika's phone screen inside her purse as she took out her phone out of it.

She opened Rushika's message and rolled her eyes before replying her. Her thumb hovered for a second before she typed.

Aashvika: Ab car ke bonnet par toh baithegi nahi, so just sit there!!🥱

Rushika huffed at her response and typed back. Her lower lip was caught between her teeth as she gazed at Sahil from the corner of her eyes.

Rushika: Yaar! It's awkward for me!! Tu to meri behen hai na?🥺

Aashvika snorted softly, careful not to let Vivaan hear from the driver’s seat. She typed again with less patience this time.

Aashvika: Aaja phir behen ki lap mein baith jaa!😒

Rushika rolled her eyes and looked at Aashvika through the windshield. Aashvika glared at her through the window, her stare flat and unyielding.

Rushika made a face, scrunching her nose and sticking her tongue out for half a second, and then turned towards Sahil who was talking to Vedansh.

With a long sigh, she settled in the car beside Sahil. As she pulled the door shut, her shoulder slightly touched his, just the edge of her kurti sleeve brushing his shirt.

It was nothing yet it was everything.

Her body stiffened instantly. Her spine went rigid, her fingers freezing on the seatbelt buckle. Her face turned warm and red. She hesitantly looked at Sahil from the corner of her eyes but he was still talking to Vedansh while being oblivious to the fact that Rushika was literally a blushing mess beside him.

Her heart was hammering, too loud for the small space. She clicked the seatbelt in, the sound sharp. She sighed, and immediately looked out the window. The world outside blurred. She pressed her cheek closer to the window, trying to hide her red face before he could notice it. Her reflection stared back at her: wide eyes, flushed cheeks, lips pressed together, while she didn’t dare move.

"What do you guys want to eat?" Vivaan asked, making everyone's ears perk up.

"Biriyani!" Vedansh yelled, immediate and loud.

"Chole bhature!" Sahil yelled after him, not to be outdone, raising a hand like he was bidding at an auction.

Rushika's voice followed after him, quieter, "Momos?" She was still angled toward the window, but her head turned at the mention of food.

Vivaan shook his head at the demands, a small, amused exhale escaping his lips. His gaze drifted towards Aashvika, who was busy counting the money from her purse.

Vivaan frowned and asked, "What are you calculating?" His tone curious, a line appearing between his brows.

Aashvika didn’t look up immediately. She kept counting, her thumb flicking past a five hundred-rupee note. She spoke, "No..nothing...we..we are going to eat..so..." She spoke, her focus still on the money in her hands.

Vivaan's frown deepened before he spoke, "The food is on me." He announced it without looking at her, eyes steady on the road, knuckles flexing once on the steering wheel.

The words made Aashvika's hand freeze in the air, her actions coming to a halt mid-count. She frowned and looked at him, her head snapping up. "What?" She asked.

"I'm giving a treat." Vivaan spoke, his eyes focused on the road.

"Why?" She asked once again, her voice lower now, more confused.

"Because it wouldn’t be very masculine of me to let a lady pay in my presence." He spoke, his gaze still on the road, tone matter-of-fact, like he was stating a rule of physics.

Aashvika stared at him for a while before she exhaled, a short, sharp breath, and opened her mouth but before she could say anything, Vedansh spoke from the back, leaning forward between the seats, "Let him pay Aashvika! Bohot kam mauka milta hai isse treat lene ka!" He grinned.

Aashvika looked at him and was going to interject, her expression tightening, but sahil cut her off, shifting in the middle seat, "Let him bhabhi!" He spoke, his tone final, brotherly.

She stared at him for a moment, her jaw tightening. Then she sighed and turned back. She looked outside the window, observing the scenery calmly. 

Vivaan could feel the conflict in aashvika's mind. He saw it in the way her body stiffened, in the way her thumb kept rubbing the edge of her purse. But he decided not to say anything about it. Instead, he asked her something else, his voice softer. "What do you want to eat?" He asked, trying to ease her tension.

Aashvika looked at him, her eyes meeting his for a second before she looked back at the road, "Jo bhi baaki sab khaayein, I'm fine with it," She spoke, her tone even, polite, closed.

It made Vivaan frown but he didn't say anything. He just nodded once and kept driving.

He stopped the car in front of a restaurant. They all got out, holding their bags in their hands, the sound of doors closing one after another. They walked towards the restaurant with Vedansh and Sahil walking in the front, Rushika behind them, and then Aashvika and Vivaan walking in the back.

Vivaan stared at Aashvika, his steps slowing to match hers as they walked toward the restaurant entrance. His mind was in conflict, the quiet silence between them had stretched since the car, heavy with her unsaid thoughts.

"Aashvika?" He called out her name but it came more like a question like he wasn’t sure he had the right to break into her thoughts.

Aashvika asked, "Hmm?" Her gaze on the road as she walked carefully. 

"You should do what your heart wants to do," Vivaan said, the words leaving him before he, himself could even register them in his mind.

Aashvika frowned, the small crease appearing again. "What do you..mean?" She asked, her steps coming to a halt.

Vivaan also stopped before turning in her direction and spoke, "Some moments ago you said that...you were okay with eating whatever they all ordered." His voice was even, but his hands had gone back into his pockets.

Aashvika nodded at his answer, waiting for him to continue.

Vivaan sighed and spoke, "I know I don’t have the right to say this...but I think… instead of eating whatever they like, you should eat what you like. You’re not supposed to live for other people’s happiness. It’s your life.. live for your own happiness, and do what you want." He spoke. His gaze scanned her face for any expression but she just held a blank expression over her face.

The silence that followed was different from before. It was dense. Vivaan, suddenly feeling embarrassed by the sudden silence, coughed awkwardly and turned, walking away to the restaurant, his steps faster than necessary. "What was the need of giving her a lesson?" He muttered under his breath as he cursed himself, running a hand through his hair.

Meanwhile, Aashvika aashvika stood there, frozen. The sounds of the street continued around her but she didn’t hear them. This was the first time someone had told her to live her life on her terms.

Before, people used to tell her to be happy in other's happiness, live for others and don't be too much selfish. Sacrifice was a word she’d grown up with, stitched into her.

But for the first time, in her life... someone had told her to live for herself. Even if it was just about food, yet someone had told her to eat something of her choice. Not what others like but something that she liked. The thought hit her harder than she could believe.

Her eyes welled up but she immediately blinked her tears away. She slowly looked up, her gaze settling on vivaan's back. He was a few steps ahead, shoulders a little too stiff and head ducked.

A calmness washed over her entire body as her lips curved into a smile. It was small, tentative, but a real smile.

Slowly exhaling a warm shaky breath, she ran behind him. Her heels tapped against the concrete, the lehenga bag bouncing lightly against her side. Just as she reached him, she slowed down her pace and walked beside him. She did not say anything but her lips were curved into a faint smile, and she didn’t hide it this time.

They all reached the restaurant and settled in the table in the corner. The chairs scraped softly against the floor as they pulled them out. Sahil, Vedansh and Vivaan sat together on one side, Sahil taking the middle seat again, Vedansh by the window, Vivaan on the end. Rushika and Aashvika stood on their opposite side for a moment, adjusting bags, with Vivaan sitting in front of Aashvika. The table between them was dark wood.

The waiter came with the menu, notepad flipped open, pen poised, ready to write down whatever the customers wanted. His smile was polite. Sahil and Vivaan ordered chole bhature, Sahil adding “extra chole, bhaiya” with a grin, while Vedansh ordered biryani. Rushika, who had now changed her mind, tapped her finger on the menu and ordered a pizza. “Thin crust, veg supreme,” she said.

As the menu reached aashvika, her eyes started observing every single dish carefully. After a few moments, she looked up, coughed lightly, and spoke, "I want to eat pav bhaji." She ordered with a faint smile, her voice steady, her eyes on the waiter. The waiter nodded and went away, scribbling it down.

For everyone, Aashvika's sentence was completely normal — just an order, just food.

But for Vivaan, it was enough to make his eyes sparkle. His face lit up as he looked at Aashvika, who just stared at her phone with a shy smile.

His lips curved into a small smile before it vanished, swallowed by something bigger. A feeling of gratitude and pride washed over him, warm and unexpected. He dropped his gaze to the table for a second, letting it settle.

It was a normal thing, very normal thing but for vivaan, it was more than enough. He was enlightened to see Aashvika choosing what her heart desired instead of settling for what others gave in her plate.

He didn’t say anything. He just watched her, the way her shoulders were less tense, the way her smile stayed when she thought no one was looking.

"Seriously, what is happening to me?" He thought before looking away and waving his thoughts away.

Aashvika was scrolling through her phone but her mind was somewhere else. Her eyes were shining because of the brave act that she had done today. It was nothing more than just ordering the food she liked but after being told to settle for less and be happy in other's happiness, constantly for years, it was an act of courage for her and it was all because of Vivaan's words.

She thought for a moment before grabbing her purse from the chair beside her and rummaging through it. Her fingers moved past her wallet, her lipstick, her mascara, until they found it. She took out a pen and then picked up a tissue from the table, the thin paper crinkling under her touch. She slowly wrote something on it, her handwriting small, careful, her head bent to hide the words and then, she folded it.

Her gaze drifted towards others who were busy talking and scrolling through phone. Sahil was showing Vedansh something on his screen, Rushika was typing with both thumbs. No one was watching. With a bit of hesitation and nervousness, she slowly passed the tissue towards Vivaan across the table before looking back at her phone.

Vivaan, who was lost in his thoughts, finally noticed the tissue sitting in front of him. He frowned before picking it up.

His gaze drifted towards Aashvika, who was staring at her phone trying to act casual. Her head was bent, her hair falling forward to curtain her face, but the way her legs were shaking under the table— a faint, restless tremor he could feel through the floor, and the way her fingers were fiddling with the phone, gave it all away.

He stared at her amused before turning a little away from Vedansh and Sahil, angling his shoulder to block their view. He slowly opened the tissue and read the message written in it. 

"Thank you for making me realise that my choice matters too :)"

The message was simple, written in small, neat handwriting with a little smiley at the end, yet it told him all the emotions that aashvika was carrying within herself right now. His lips curved into a faint, amused smile as he stared at the message written for him. He read it twice, letting each word settle.

He slowly folded it back again, before quietly keeping it in his pocket.

He slowly looked around and saw Vedansh and Sahil talking to each other. Taking the opportunity, he slowly extended his hand and picked up the tissue from the table but his moves came to a halt when he realised that he didn't have a pen.

He coughed, grabbing everyone's attention as he spoke, "I am coming in a few minutes." He said and stood up, pushing his chair back quietly, walking away. Aashvika stared at vivaan's retreating figure in confusion.

Vivaan walked towards the counter. "Sir, do you have a pen?" He asked the man sitting there but the man shook his head in a no.

Vivaan sighed and walked out the restaurant, the bell on the door jingling behind him. The heat hit him immediately. His gaze wandered around the market, trying to find a stationary shop but to his shock, he found none. He sighed in frustration, running a hand through his hair, before his gaze settled on a nearby salon.

His face lit up and he immediately jogged to the salon, dodging a man with a vegetable cart.

He opened the door and walked in but froze right at the spot. The AC was cold, the air thick with the smell of nail polish and hair spray. The salon was filled with ladies, some under dryers, some getting their eyebrows done, two in chairs with foil in their hair and they were all staring at him as if he was some sort of wild animal.

The owner walked up to him, wiping her hands on her apron, and asked, "Sir, is your wife here?" Her tone was polite but wary.

Vivaan's eyes widened as he immediately shook his head. "No," He spoke, and then looked at the tissue in his hand before looking back in front. "Ma'am.. actually...do you have alta?" He asked. The word felt strange in his mouth.

The lady looked a bit taken aback, her eyebrows rising, but nodded slowly. 

Vivaan immediately spoke, "I want to buy a bottle."

The woman nodded and walked towards a box near the back wall. She took out a fresh bottle of alta, the small glass catching the salon’s tube lights, and then handed him the small bottle. The liquid inside was deep red. He gave her the money, a hundred-rupee note and then looked around the room. His gaze settling over a small wooden table "Can i...use the table?" He asked. 

The woman nodded and without wasting any time, he walked towards the table. The eyes of three women followed him, curious, but no one said anything. He sat on the chair, the vinyl creaking under him, and then unfolded the tissue, gently laying it on top of the wooden table. The paper was thin.

He slowly opened the cap of the alta and then dipped his index finger in it. The liquid was cold, thicker than he expected. He started with writing the first letter, which was a "I", but because of the sheet being thin, the paper dissolved the colour making the alta bleed through it. The edges spread instantly, turning the sharp lines into a red cloud. Vivaan frowned at the messed up "I" before tearing apart that corner of the tissue.

Determined, he once again dipped his finger in the alta and wrote the letter "I" but this time, the tissue paper tore because of the wetness, a hole opening right through the middle of the letter.

Vivaan's eyes widened as he stared at it in shock. His heart sank a little. He had only one tissue and now it was lying in two pieces, one with a bleeding smear, the other with a hole. He stood up with a sudden disappointed feeling, his shoulders dropping, and picked up the alta bottle, ready to walk out of the parlour before a voice called him out from behind. "Listen,"

He turned around and saw the owner standing there, arms crossed but her expression softer now. "Yes?" He asked, his voice uncertain.

The owner smiled and kept a tissue on the table— a fresh one.

Vivaan stared at her in confusion, his brows drawn. The owner just chuckled and spoke, "This time write it gently with patience." She spoke and walked towards her other customers.

Vivaan's gaze drifted towards the thin sheet of tissue lying on the table before he walked towards it. The new tissue was white, untouched, waiting. He sat back on the chair and rolled his sleeves up, the action deliberate, like he was preparing for something that mattered. He smiled faintly and then once again dipped his finger in the alta. The red coated his fingertip. His hand hovered above the tissue, ready to write, but then the owner's words rang in his mind,

"This time write it gently with patience."

Vivaan smiled faintly at the words and then, very gently, he started writing his message. His touch almost feather touch this time, barely grazing the surface, letting the alta transfer without pressure. Letter by letter, slow, his breath held.

After he was done, he stared at the message he had written and this time, neither the alta had bled nor the tissue had been torn apart. He stared at the paper for five minutes, letting it dry, not moving, not breathing on it. The ladies were staring at him with curiosity and murmuring to themselves while his sole attention was only on the tissue lying infront of him.

After five minutes, he gently picked up the tissue paper before folding it like before, careful not to smudge the drying alta. He looked at the owner and spoke, "Thank you ma'am!" He yelled and headed out.

The owner lady just smiled at his words, watching him go. "Men look so much better when they act like this." She mumbled under her breath with a faint smile, shaking her head as she turned back to her client.

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Vivaan walked back inside the restaurant, the bell above the door jingling softly as he pushed it open. His gaze drifted towards his table in the corner. He walked towards it, scanning everyone's movements as he crossed the floor. They all were on their phone. This was the perfect timing.

He walked towards the table, his pace slowing down when he reached the table. He bent down a little and gently placed the tissue paper in front of aashvika, right beside her hair clip so she wouldn’t miss it, before straightening up and then sitting in his seat. The chair made no sound as he pulled it in. 

"Where were you?" Sahil asked.

Vivaan just shrugged and spoke, "An important call." He spoke while resting his hands on the table, lacing his fingers together, casual.

Vedansh's gaze fell on vivaan's hand as he spoke, "Yeh alta haath mein kaise laga?" He asked, his voice cutting through the quiet, catching everyone's attention. Rushika looked up, Sahil’s head snapped toward them, even Aashvika’s eyes flicked up for a second.

Vivaan's expressions froze as he gazed at his hands. His eyes widened as he saw all his fingers being painted in the deepest shade of red. "Shit," He screamed in his mind as he tried to think of an excuse, his pulse jumping. "Uh...ek aunty ke matke uthane mein madad kar raha tha..toh shayad tab lag gaya ho unke matke ke design se..." He spoke, trying to mask his nervousness, keeping his tone light, dismissive.

[Uh.. I was helping an aunty carry her pots.. so maybe it got imprinted from the design on her pots...]

They all just nodded at his response, accepting it without much thought. Vedansh made a small ‘oh’ face and then went back to scrolling through his phone.

Aashvika's gaze shifted from her phone to the tissue kept in front of her. It was folded into a small square. Her breath hitched as she slowly picked it up, her fingers careful. She looked at vivaan, who was looking away toward the entrance, yet his face carried a faint smug smile.

She slowly lowered her hands under the table, hiding the movement with her lap and her shopping bag before opening the tissue paper. 

"It's fine :)" 

The message read, making Aashvika's heart flutter. The words were simple yet enough to make her heart skip a beat but what really caught her attention was the way they were written in a deep shade of red.

The red ink made her chest tighten. The writing was a bit messy, the lines thicker, uneven, as if it was written with fingers, and in that instant, she knew.

She immediately looked up and this time Vivaan was staring at her with a knowing smile. Not smug, not teasing— just knowing. His eyes were steady on hers, and he didn’t look away. Her cheeks became warm and her throat got dry as she tried to think of words. She wanted to ask him about the message. She wanted to ask him about why he had done this. She wanted to ask him about why he had ruined his own hands just to fill colours in that message, yet, when she saw that smile on his face,

She had unknowingly found all the answers.

They were in the red on his fingers, in the patience he’d taken, in the way he’d looked for her and not for himself.

She secretly opened her purse, her movements small, and then slipped the tissue inside it, tucking it against the side pocket, before closing it and then exhaling a breath. She looked up and saw the waiter had arrived with their dishes, balancing a tray heavy with chole bhature, biryani, pizza, and a plate of pav bhaji that steamed gently in the AC.

After having their lunch, they all walked out the restaurant. It was evening by now and the cold wind was caressing their faces gently, carrying the smell of street-side chaat and exhaust. The sky had turned that soft, dusty blue that came right before sunset, and the market lights were starting to flicker on. They all started walking towards the car, steps slower now, full and lazy, ready to leave for the house when Aashvika and Rushika spoke, in perfect, unintentional unison, "We want to eat golgappe!" They spoke with a bright smile, both of them turning toward the street corner.

The three men frowned, stopping mid-step with matching expressions of disbelief. Vedansh spoke, "You guys still have space in your stomach after eating so much?" He asked, gesturing at them.

Rushika and Aashvika nodded, their smiles widening. "Tumhe nahi khana hai toh mat khao, lekin humein khana hai!" Rushika spoke and they both started walking towards the golgappa stall without waiting for the three men.

[If you don't want to eat, then don't eat, but we want to eat!]

They all looked at each other before chuckling, a collective shake of the head, and following the two girls from behind.

They all reached the golgappa stall and stood in line. A group of young girls already standing there.

As Aashvika stood there, she gazed at her hands. Her one hand was holding her lehenga bag while the other held her purse and another shopping bag. She pouted and spoke, "Lekin hum kaise khayein?" He mumbled under her breath, her voice low, just enough for her to hear.

But Vivaan, who was standing a few steps behind Aashvika, heard her words. He looked at her hands and saw that they were filled with shopping bags. His lips curved into a smile and he shifted his bags to his one hand before walking towards her.

He reached upto her and before she could react, he bent down and took the shopping bags from her hands without uttering a word.

Aashvika looked at him stunned as he took the bags from her grip, her hands suddenly empty and light. Her lips parted, her eyes soft, while vivaan just walked away, standing a few inches away without saying anything. She gently tucked her hair strand behind her ear, the movement unconscious, her face flushed while the group of girls standing there blushed and whispered amongst themselves.

The vendor, an older man with a faded cap, handed Aashvika, Rushika and Vedansh paper-plates for their puris.

Rushika snickered and spoke, "You said you weren't going to eat?" She spoke while looking in vedansh's direction, her eyebrow raised.

Vedansh rolled his eyes and spoke, "Haan..nahi khane wala tha, phir socha ki uncle ki dukaan chal jaayegi agar maine kha liya toh!" He spoke while grinning, puffing his chest out like he was doing charity, making everyone laugh while the golgappa stall vendor stared at him deadpan, unimpressed.

The stall vendor just shook his head, muttering something under his breath, and started handing them the golgappas one by one. First was Aashvika, then Rushika, then Vedansh. The sound of water sloshing and puris crunching filled the small gap between them.

In the corner stood Sahil and Vivaan holding all the bags in their hands. Sahil was scrolling through his phone, thumb moving, Vivaan was just looking around— at the market, at the sky and secretly at Aashvika. 

The second round of golgappas came and they all hissed as the spicy tangy water came in contact with their tongues. Vedansh made a face. "Yaar yeh kitna teekha hai!" Vedansh screamed, making the vendor pause and the group burst out laughing.

Rushika and Aashvika laughed while staring at him. "Uncle aur teekha banaiye!" Aashvika told the vendor. The vendor nodded, dropping another green chili into the water and giving it a stir with his ladle.

Vedansh immediately frowned, his eyes widened, voice trembling as he spoke, "Arrey? Tum dono kya chaahti ho? Ki main poore din washroom mein hi rahoon?" His hands went up in surrender, the paper plate tilting dangerously in his grip.

At his words, they all scrunched their heads in disgust, shaking their heads in unison. Rushika made a gagging sound, aashvika pulled a face, even the vendor paused. Vivaan smacked the back of vedansh's head before retreating to his position while mumbling, "Kya bakwas karta rehta hai humesha!"

Later, the third round of golgappas came and aashvika, about to stuff the puri in her mouth, suddenly noticed vivaan standing in the corner. He was a few steps away from the stall, slightly, his gaze wandering around while his bags held the shopping bags firmly.

His knuckles were white around the handles, his fingers still red. The evening sun cast its soft rays upon his face, catching the edge of his jaw, the line of his nose, making his face shine beneath its rays. The light made him look quieter, softer.

She unknowingly bit her lower lip, staring at the golgappa which was resting in her plate. The puri was already starting to go soggy, the water threatening to spill. Her mind raced as she tried to think of what to do. Her heart was loud again, but this time it wasn’t from embarrassment.

After making a decision, she slowly walked towards him, determination displayed all over her face. Her steps were measured, careful, the plate balanced in her hand. 

She stopped in front of him and spoke, "Suniye.." Her voice low and hesitant, barely over a whisper.

Vivaan's breath stopped. He slowly turned and saw aashvika standing in front of him, staring at the floor while her hands tightly clutched the paper plate. The edge of the plate was crinkling under her grip. His gaze softened, his head tilting. "Sunaiye." His voice soft, gentle, almost feather light.

Aashvika didn't say anything. Instead she slowly lifted up her hand, towards Vivaan.

The paper plate placed in front of vivaan's face as he stared at the golgappe resting in the plate. He frowned and asked, "Iska kya karoon?" His confusion genuine, his brows pulling together.

Aashvika bit her lower lip and spoke, "Ea..eat it." She spoke softly, her eyes flicking up to his for half a second before dropping again.

Vivaan's lips formed into a smile as an unexplainable expression flickered across his face— surprise, warmth. He looked at his hands, both of them full of bags and then he sighed before lifting up his hands and shrugging.

Aashvika looked at his hands which were filled with bags. Both of them, one holding her heavy lehenga, the other with two more shopping bags. She stood there, her mind contemplating with various thoughts as she bit her lower lip.

Slowly exhaling a deep breath, she grabbed the golgappa in her hand, the water dripping onto her fingers, and lifted it up towards Vivaan.

Vivaan, shocked by her sudden gesture, stood there in silence. The market noise faded for him. He could sense the hesitation in aashvika's movements, the way her hands trembled, the way her lips quivered, the way she released a deep breath before stepping closer, yet, she stood firmly in front of him, ready to feed him.

Her eyes weren’t on his, they were fixed on the golgappa but her stance didn’t waver.

He exhaled a deep breath to calm himself down, to hold himself together, to curse at himself for being so helpless that he was starting to feel his heart beat rise at the smallest things possible. His chest felt tight, like there wasn’t enough air.

He slowly bent down, just enough to reach the golgappa. His eyes never leaving her face. He opened his mouth and slowly ate the golgappa, the puri crunching, the spicy and tangy water coming in contact with his tongue, but it all didn't matter to him. The heat, the tamarind, the mint, none of it registered.

He was chewing yet his mind was solely focused on aashvika who was standing in front of him, her fingers inches from his lips, her breath held.

Aashvika slowly yet hesitantly lifted up her eyes, her lashes rising, her eyes gazing into vivaan's who stood there stunned. His heart beat rose rapidly, hammering against his ribs, and before he could even process, he started coughing out loudly while looking away.

Aashvika's eyes immediately widened as she immediately rushed to the stall and took out the water from the jug to a steel glass. The water splashed over the rim as she filled it too fast, her hands unsteady.

She rushed towards Vivaan and kept the steel glass in front of his face. The glass was cold, condensation beading on the outside. Vivaan stared at the glass and then at Aashvika, his face turning red due to embarrassment, heat crawling up his neck, as he spoke, "I.. I'm fine."

He looked away while exhaling a long breath, trying to steady himself, the coughs subsiding into shallow breaths. Aashvika stared at him in worry, the glass still extended, and walked back to the stall.

Without saying anything, she kept the steel glass back on the stall, and then started eating once again.

After eating, they all got in the car, ready to leave for their houses. The AC came on with a low hum, chasing away the evening heat that clung to their skin. The ride back was silent and peaceful. The city slid past the windows in streaks of headlights and neon, horns distant, music off.

Vivaan and Aashvika were sitting silently. Vedansh and Sahil, who had managed to form a good bond with Rushika over the day, were talking to each other once in a while.

Vivaan dropped Rushika at her place. She waved quickly, mumbled a “bye,” and hurried inside before anyone could say anything else. Then he decided to drop Aashvika. The car grew quieter. No one spoke as he navigated the last few turns toward her lane.

As he pulled up at her home, the headlights washed over the gate, the nameplate, the potted plants near the gate. Aashvika opened the door and stepped out, her heels making soft sounds on the pavement. Vivaan followed her from behind, silently, hesitant, aware of the distance that is between them. He kept the car running, the keys still in the ignition, but he got out anyway.

They both reached the main door. The porch light was on. Aashvika took a deep breath and turned around. Her hair fell forward when she moved, and she didn’t push it back. "Umm..bye.." She hesitantly spoke.

Vivaan nodded at her response. He didn’t say it back. He just nodded once, his hands in his pockets, his jaw tight. Aashvika turned around and opened the gate, the wood creaking softly, going inside. The door clicked shut behind her.

Vivaan stood at the doorstep, staring at the closed door. He didn’t knock. He didn’t call out. He just slowly extended his hand, lightly caressing the door of her house before turning around and leaving. His steps were slow until he reached the car, then he got in and drove away without looking back.

Aashvika took a deep breath as she leaned on the door, her back against the wood he’d just touched. Her eyes closed and her heart beat racing rapidly. Her throat burnt as she tried to swallow down her emotions. She opened her eyes back again and walked inside her room, each step quiet on the tiled floor. 

As she stepped inside the room, she placed her purse on the bed, and took out the tissue from inside it. She slowly unfolded it, reading the message written in it.

“It's fine :)”

The letters were uneven, some thicker where his finger had pressed, but they were whole. A faint smile played on her lips as she stared at it. The messy red ink making her heart flutter.

She looked in front and saw her own reflection in the mirror. The girl in the glass had her eyes bright, her face flushed red, her lips parted slightly. She bit her lower lip before walking towards her cupboard.

She opened the cupboard and took out a brown old diary from it. The cover was faded, the edges worn, pages thick. She opened the middle page, somewhere in the center where it fell open naturally, and slid the tissue between it, the messy red ink resting like a heartbeat against faded words. Then she laid it back inside, closing the cupboard, hiding a secret that no one knew except for two souls.

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Thank you for reading 🌸

Aashvika in the golgappa scene be like : "eat it up- eat it- eat it up" iykyk👀

I loved this chapter smmm😭

All the scenes were so precious to me, from “vivaan telling aashvika to do what she loves” to the “alta scene” to the “golgappa scenee”, i loved them all!! And most of the while, I'm not satisfied with my work but i truly loved this chapter!!

What about you guys? What was your favourite scene?

Do share your thoughts on the chapter and don't forget to vote!!❤️

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Biee! Take care<3