As they sat down for dinner, Ved casually asked,
"You made this?" Reha didn't meet his eyes, her tone laced with something sharp yet subtle. "No. Your Shikha dropped it off." Ved paused, spoon in mid-air. He caught it instantly, the edge in her voice, the flicker in her eyes.
Jealousy.
And it made him smirk, just a little.
She was irritated. Not because of the food... but because another woman had done something for him.
And that woman wasn't her.
Ved leaned back in his chair, watching her, watching the way she tried to act unaffected but failed miserably.
Why did it bother her so much? Why did the thought of someone else caring for him ignite a fire in her chest?
And more dangerously, why did that thought thrill him so much?
Dinner was quiet, but their silences had begun to speak more than their words.
As they prepared to sleep, Ved looked at the single bed and spoke softly, almost cautiously, "It's okay… You sleep on the bed. I'll take the floor."
Reha paused. Her hand stilled mid-air as she turned to look at him. Her voice was calm, but the meaning ran deeper. "There's no need. You can't sleep on the floor for a month. We can share the bed."
Ved blinked. That wasn't what he expected.
His mind spiraled. What did that mean? Was it care? Comfort? Or... was it something more?
She didn't like him. He knew that. Or at least, he thought she did. But then… why did it feel like the lines between protection and affection were beginning to blur?
All night, he lay beside her, not touching, barely breathing, drowning in questions.
And sleep? Sleep never came.
Because Reha had unknowingly shaken something inside him… something far more dangerous than the world outside.
But the night didn't end there.
Reha lay with her back to Ved, eyes wide open, sleep miles away. The silence between them was thick, but not empty. It was charged.
And then she turned… slowly… her voice barely above a whisper."You're not asleep either?"
Ved's gaze was already on her."Neither are you… Why?"
She exhaled."I don't know… I can't seem to sleep."
Then, after a pause, her voice softened, a hint of nostalgia."You know… Yash—my fiancé… back when I lived at home, he'd take me to his favorite cafe. Those waffles, God, I'm craving them right now."
She sighed, a faint smile tugging at her lips."I wish I could go there again. Just once."
Ved didn't look away."Then let's go."
Reha blinked."Right now? Ved, it's 2:30 in the morning. The cafe must be shut."
He chuckled."Yeah… you're probably right. But… would you like to see my favorite place instead?"
She sat up a little, curiosity lighting her features."Your favorite place? Sounds... interesting. I'd love to. Maybe I'll get to know you better."She smiled, genuinely.
Ved's eyes lingered on her."Why? Why would you want to know more about me?"
Reha leaned closer, just slightly, her breath brushing his skin. Her voice dropped to a mischievous murmur."So I can get you arrested, obviously."
Ved raised an eyebrow, amused.
And then… she burst out laughing.
A laugh so real, so alive, it wrapped around Ved like a thread he didn't know he wanted to be tied in.
He stared at her, that smile, that spark, and he couldn't hold back anymore.
"Oh, really?" he grinned."Let me see if you'll laugh just as hard now…"
And with that, he pounced, tickling her until she squirmed beneath the sheets, laughter echoing off the walls like a melody neither of them realized they'd missed.
"Okay! Okay! I'm sorry! Stoppp, hahaha!" she gasped between giggles.
In that moment, under the weight of a night that had begun heavy… they both forgot the world outside.
For a second, it was just them. And maybe, that was enough.
There came a moment...
A moment so fragile, so charged, it felt like even breathing too loud could break it.
Ved was now on top of Reha, his face hovering above hers. His eyes weren't just looking at her; they were studying her, like he was trying to memorize every inch of her soul.
He slowly brushed her hair away from her cheek, his fingers lingering for a second too long on her skin, and that touch? It burned.
Their eyes met.
And in that gaze, there was something ancient. Like they'd known each other forever. Like their hearts had spoken in a language only they understood.
Reha slowly closed her eyes.
A silent invitation. A quiet surrender. She wasn't saying "kiss me," but her heart was screaming it.
Ved leaned closer. His breath was warm on her lips. Their faces are barely apart. His upper lip grazed the edge of her lower lip, not quite a kiss, but so close it ached.
She stayed still, her eyes still closed, her heartbeat wild.
But Ved's eyes were open.
And all he could see… was how heartbreakingly beautiful she looked. Vulnerable. Raw. Real.
He could have kissed her. He wanted to. God, he wanted to.
But he didn't.
Instead, he pulled away slowly, as if dragging himself back from the edge of something they both wouldn't return from.
He sat up, cleared his throat, and with a half-smile that tried to hide everything he was feeling, he said quietly—
"Come on… Let me show you my favorite place."
Reha opened her eyes, confused. The kiss didn't happen. But her heart had already fallen.
And maybe... that was more dangerous.
They both stepped out. The whole world seemed asleep. Darkness wrapped every corner except for one soft yellow light glowing outside their house. Reha had a white shawl wrapped around her shoulders, her steps quiet against the floor.
As they descended, she looked up Shikha was standing on the terrace, watching.
Reha was confused. Why is she up at this hour? But instead of reacting, she simply reached out and grabbed Ved's hand, then wrapped her arm around his. Ved turned to look at her, surprised.
Reha caught his gaze and said sharply, "This isn't for you. It's for her."
Ved turned to glance at Shikha, and a smirk almost crept onto his face. Because in Reha's eyes, he saw it, jealousy. Raw and honest.
They got on the bike and started riding. The roads were quiet, the world hushed, stars scattered across the sky above them like secrets. And in that silence, Reha slowly leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Ved's waist.
Ved froze. His breath caught.
"What's this now?" he asked, trying to sound casual. "Still trying to prove something?"
Reha didn't even pause. With the calmest voice and no hesitation, she said, "Because I wanted to. I kinda like you, kidnapper."And then she placed her head gently on his shoulder.
Ved didn't say a word after that.
Because that… that was everything he had been silently hoping for.
Ved didn't say a word the entire ride. Not because he didn't want to, but because he didn't trust himself to. Reha's arms were around his waist, her cheek resting gently against his back, and every breath he took felt like it carried her with it. His mind was in chaos. She liked him, she said. So casually. So dangerously.
And now, she was close. Too close. He could feel her heartbeat through his shirt.
They reached the place, but it wasn't some silent, hidden garden or a lonely rooftop. It was alive. Bright. Loud. Dozens of street vendors lined the road, serving chaat, momos, noodles, sweets, and laughter. Midnight was irrelevant here. People still swarmed like it was 7 p.m.
Reha's eyes sparkled. "You come here with your friends?"
Ved shook his head slowly. "I don't have friends," he said simply. "You're the first one I've ever brought here."
Reha's smile faltered. Her heart ached a little at the honesty in his voice. No sadness. Just quiet solitude.
"it`s not some fancy cafe," he added, almost shyly. "But... I hoped you'd like it."
She didn't reply. She just looked at him, a softness overtaking her features, and gently brushed her fingers against his hand. That small, silent touch said more than any words could.
They sat down by a cart serving spicy chaat. As soon as Reha took a bite, her eyes fluttered shut.
"Oh my god," she whispered. "This is insanely good."
Ved couldn't look away. The way she moaned over food, eyes closed, lips glistening, completely immersed, made his pulse skip. She licked her lips slightly, but missed a spot. A tiny smudge of chutney stayed near the corner of her mouth.
Ved's gaze lingered.
"There's something on your lip," he murmured, voice rough with restraint.
Their eyes met. Time slowed. His hand lifted, slow, hesitant, reaching for her. His fingers hovered over her cheek. Just like in those old romantic movies. His breath caught. She didn't pull away. In fact, her eyes locked onto his like she was daring him to close the space. His fingers almost touched her skin, about to brush the chutney off her lips...
But at the last second, Reha smirked.
She grabbed a tissue, wiped her lips clean, and leaned back with a teasing grin. "Gone now?"
Ved blinked, startled out of the trance, and then laughed — genuinely, freely. "Yeah... it's gone."
But what didn't disappear was the ache. The craving. The quiet heat burning between them.
He looked at her again, not as his captive. Not even as a girl with a past.
But as his girl. And in that stolen streetlight moment, with half the city asleep and her laughter still echoing in his ears, Ved knew...
He was already falling. Fast. Hard. And maybe, just maybe, she was too.