Hiding Behind Smiles

7| On sky and freedom

Naina's POV

We are now at his penthouse and I'm cleaning the dining table while Ridhhant is working as usual.

I completed my work and was walking to the kitchen to start making good for dinner when someone grabbed my hands softly as of a feather. "Uhmm hey."

I turned to see Ridhhant, I looked at our hands and he immediately let it go. "Huh?"

"I can cook today." I was shocked to hear like it's my job why would he cook?

"Why would you cook it's my job remember? I'm paid for it and not only this, your health is my responsibility Ridh." I said and realized I just called him by the nickname his friends and family call him.

"You must be tired.." that I am "because you were working all the time in lunch because of me and then went to the party, that too for me." He said rubbing the back of his neck and man did he look so adorable.

"So you wanna make the dinner? You know how to cook?" I asked. As far as I remember Nandini ma'am said he doesn't know how to cook..

"Noodles se kaam chalao na aaj." He whined like a child.
(Adjust with noodles na)

I let out a small laugh at his demeanor and agreed.

I went to the couch and turned on TV just to watch some random movie.

I wasn't even watching the movie, all the time my eyes were on Ridhhant who was biting the side of his lips concentrating on making the noodles.

After some time he came with two bowls and rather than sitting on the dining table we decided to have the noodles on couch. I moved to the smaller couch while he took the huge one.

I tasted the noodles and I wanted to puke it but controlled. "How's it?" He asked it with so much hope so I couldn't sound rude, "it's nice." I said.

"Oh I've been eating this thing since so many years..I've adjusted to this taste. Hahaha" he laughed to his own lame joke while I couldn't believe he eated this tasteless things since so long.

"Oh you don't like noodles and salt?" I tried my best not to sound rude aur attitude-ish.

He sucked in a breathe and said, "My cooking sucks. Teach me someday?"

"Sure" I said with a smile.
"Till then give your noodle, I'll add salt." He nodded and I added salt and he looked at me as if I was extracting colours from the rainbow.

We ate the noodles and headed to our rooms.

~•~

12:44 am.

It read on the digital clock. I decided to walk to the terrace hesitantly for last time was not a good experience. I again saw him sitting on the couch on the terrace watching the moon.

His hair blew with the night wind, his eyes searched for hope in the sky and he looked like a lost dandelion bristle carrying the seed. The seed of brokenness.

I cleared my throat and literally hid behind the curtain, he turned around and gave a smile, "Come." He said and I was shocked yet I composed my self and sat in some good distance from him.

I was happy he was opening up to me, as a friend.

"Not sleepy?" He asked.

"Nope, you?"

"Same." He said still looking at the sky.

"Why are you staring at the sky?" I asked.

"Mumma..Mumma lives there." He said.

"Mumma? Isn't Nandini ma'am your mom?" I asked.

"She is, not the one who gave me birth but the one who helped me grow. Can we drop the topic for now?" He said looking lost..
"Sure." I said and stared the clouds.

"What's your favourite colour?" He asked out of nowhere. I turned to him and he gave me a quick glance.

"Light blue, it reminds me of freedom."

"How's blue related to freedom?"

"Sky." I said simply.

"Sky can also be the worst cage, when you don't know where's your home." I turned to him and he was staring at the clouds with a unique haze in himself.

"A tiny apartment and the person whom I love can be all for my freedom, sky makes me realize how lonely I am. Different worlds. Different fears." He said and I was beyond amazed.

"I hope you get it, everyone does you know." I said, referring to his freedom.

"Who knows." He said and I looked at him again and this time he was looking at the city below.

I don't know what jolted up on me I extended my hands and held his. Softly as if he were to burn with the subtleness. He tensed at my touch but after seconds he relaxed again. He looked up at me with so many emotions that I couldn't decipher what they held.

He turned his hand around and held onto my hands and I felt completely complete. I looked at our interwined hands, seems like the god had woven it, it looked heavenly to me. The greatest feeling ever I got.

We stared into the night sky together, noticing how the clouds took over the moon and sky.

"Now they'll have some privacy, some insomniacs won't stare at them now." He said and I let out a soft chuckle.

"And we should also sleep now." I said to which he nodded and I pulled my hand away and went to my room and fell into deep slumber with a smile.