Author's POV
Aakash ended the call and walked towards Esha, who was absorbed in her phone.
"Woh ek business call aa gaya tha." Aakash said hesitantly.
("I received a business call.")
"No worries. I think mujhe chalna chahiye, mera bhai parking mein mere mera wait kar raha hain. Usi ka message aaya tha ab." She said. We both made our way to the elevator. It was crowded, but we squeezed in, waiting quietly for our stop. Both of them were side by side, but neither said a word.
("No worries. I should go, my brother is waiting for me in the parking. I just got his message now.")
"Aap nahi uterange?" She asked, looking puzzled when I didn't come out of the elevator.
("Won't you get down?")
"Mein ne mera car neeche park kiya hain." I replied, smiling. She nodded and waved goodbye.
("I have parked my car downstairs.")
"By the way, thanks for helping." A sweet smile formed on her lips before she turned and left.
'Mein ghar jaake kya hi karoon', Aakash thought. On impulse, instead of leaving, he pressed the button for the third floor. He found himself wandering to that corner of the mall—where he'd noticed Esha's eyes sparkling earlier. There it was: a white embroidered lehenga, glimmering under the store lights. Just picturing Esha in that lehenga brought a soft smile to his face.
("What can I do after going home?")
Without a second thought, he went inside and purchased the dress. Carrying the shopping bags, he headed straight for his car, placing them carefully in the back seat, preparing to leave.
"Di, tune mere liye kya liya hain?" During our return, Abhi peeked over the backseat at the bags.
("Di, what did you take for me?")
"Oh shit, mein ne tere liye kuch nahi liya. Tu ne kaha tha par mein bhul gayi." Her expression turned mock guilty.
("Oh shit, I didn't get anything for you. You said, but I forgot.")
"Kyu ??" Abhi pouted, his face dragging into a comically gloomy frown. I couldn't help it; I burst out laughing at his exaggerated drama.
("What?")
"Liya hain baba, tere liye ek shirt liya hain tere liye"
("I have brought it, dear, I have brought a shirt for you.")
"I am proud of you sister." Abhi replied, putting on a fake cry, making me laugh even harder.
"Mein ne kaha tha thodi der ruk ja. Akeli kyu karne gayi shopping?"
("I told you to wait a while. Why did you go shopping alone?")
'Akeli kaha gayi thi?' she thought, her mind already replaying every moment she had spent with Aakash.
('I didn't go alone.')
Aakash reached home and changed into his comfort wear, slumping onto the couch, phone in hand. Half an hour trickled by before the bell rang. Meera was back from her Maasi's house, flopping onto the other end of the couch with a tired sigh. I handed her a glass of water.
We decided to order food: naan, paneer, and vegetable biryani from the local dhaba.
"How was the movie?" Meera asked as she broke a piece of naan.
"It was decent and good." I replied.
Silence fell, mostly because we were both too hungry to talk. After dinner, we worked together to clean up. As I headed to my room, my gaze landed on the shopping bags. I grabbed them and went to find Maa.
"Maa, yeh sarees kaisi hai?" I asked, handing her the bag. She opened it, examining each saree with care. She looked puzzled.
("Maa, how are these sarees?")
"Yeh kiske liye hai?" she asked, curiosity in her eyes.
("Who are these for?")
"Aapke liye hai Maa. Aapko pasand nahi aaye?" I asked the last part in a slow tone filled with nervousness.
("This is for you, Mom. You didn't like it.")
"Nahi, yeh bohot acche hain. Yeh saach mein tune liya hai?" She was impressed with the sarees. But she was slightly suspicious.
("No, these are very good. You really took these?")
"Ha ha, kisi ke help se liya hain." I teased.
("Ha ha, I took it with someone's help.")
"Kiske?" Maa pressed on. "Aur yeh doosra bag mein kya hai? Sirf ek hi bag kyun khola?" Now she was checking the other bag—a dress, hidden inside.
("Whose? And what is in this bag? You opened only one bag?")
"Woh mein ne ek colleague ke liye liya hai. Chodo na isse. Yeh sarees acche hain." I said as I quickly changed the subject, not ready to admit I'd bought a dress for Esha after our brief adventure together.
("I bought it for a colleague. Leave it. These sarees are nice.")
Conversation soon drifted to other topics, and we retreated to our rooms. I purchased the dress for her, but was in a dilemma about how to give it to her. If I go and give it to her directly, it would be awkward. He removed his phone from his pocket and began to scroll through his phone.
Aakash's POV
Monday could not have gone any worse. Though my team was talented, a single misunderstanding meant all our hard work had to be redone. I was exhausted by day's end and made my way to the academy.
I waited for Maa outside. Usually, she would walk out with Esha, but today she appeared alone. It felt odd, that missing presence.
"Maa, aaj Esha nahi aayi?" I asked, trying to sound casual.
("Mom, Esha didn't come today?")
"Nahi. Uske pair mein moch aa gayi thi. Woh kal aa jayegi. Abhi use hi call kiya hain. Usne kaha ki who theek hai." Maa reassured me, her voice gentle. What worse can happen to me today?
("No. She had sprained her foot. She will come tomorrow. I just called her. She said she is fine.")
"Accha, ok. Chaliye chalte hain." I told her, and we both settled in our cars. It was a mostly silent ride.
("Okay, alright. Let's go.")
"Umm....., Uske pair mein moch kaise aayi?" Maa gave me a teasing smirk, letting the moment draw out before responding, ("Umm....., how did she sprain her ankle?")
"Kal woh seedhiyon par se slip hogayi thi. Usne bola ki kal thoda zyada dard ho raha tha, isliye who nahi aayi. Par usse aaj thoda better dikha. Kal woh aayegi."
("Yesterday she slipped on the stairs. She said that she was in a bit more pain yesterday, so she didn't come. But she seems a little better today. She will come tomorrow.")
"Bechari, kal uska birthday hain aur uske pairoon mein chot lag gayi. I guess she would be better by tomorrow." I responded to her with a simple hum.
("Poor thing, her birthday is tomorrow and she has injured her feet. I guess she would be better by tomorrow.")
We reached home, and I changed for the evening. As I headed to help Maa in the kitchen, a thought struck me: Esha's birthday. I could give the dress to Maa, and perhaps she could gift it to Esha. Problem solved... maybe.
After dinner, we all retreated to our rooms. I tried to sleep, but my mind wouldn't settle. Tossing and turning, I finally scrolled through Instagram, trying to distract myself. I stumbled on a reel Esha had liked, and checked her account—she was active.
He: Hi!
She: Hi
He: Maa ne kahan tha ki aapke pair mein moch aayi hai. How is it now?
(Mother said that you have sprained your foot. How is it now?)
She: Feels better now.
He couldn't understand what to chat about more. But Aakash felt relieved knowing she was fine.
Esha had her dinner late. Though her leg was fine, she was commanded by her mother for bed rest. Due to the leg pain, her day went sour. She wasn't in the mood to do anything today.
After having her dinner, she started to sketch. Not less than 20 minutes, she stopped.
'Aaj kuch karne ka mann nahi kar raha hain.' She thought to herself. She picked up her phone from the nightstand and began to scroll through reels.
('I don't feel like doing anything today.')
A message pinged on her phone. She saw the message; it was Aakash. She replied. He further asked how her leg was.
'Inhe kaise pata chala ki mujhe pair mein dard ho raha hain. Jaroor Merra Aunty ne bataya hoga.' She thought to herself. She again replied that she was fine. He didn't message more. We are both waiting for each other's messages. Both were in a dilemma about what to talk about.
('How did they find out that I am having pain in my leg? Surely my aunt must have told them.')
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Hey Folks!!
What will Esha's reaction be after receiving the same dress she saw at the mall? For that, stay tuned!!
Hope you like this chapter. If yes, please like the chapter and comment on your favourite part.
Thanks for reading❤️ ...