When Stars Descend

Noor

It was feeling like a nightmare, a scene out of a action movie. noor couldn't quite digest what he was seeing. one minute he had been under a table praying for his life, next he was shouting at the woman who had nearly beaten a bulky men to death. but here he was again, letting the feeling of betrayal and anger get to him. Aarohi did not look mad at his tone of voice but there was a promise in her eyes to do damage if he ever repeated it again. she brushed the strands of hair from her cold eyes, "i will tell you everything, the thing is i killed a man in self defence and now all his goons are after me.  These people" she gestured towards the guy, "they work trying to save my ass and unfortunately they got the air that i am here and came to kill me but obviously your problems and frustration is bigger right? go ahead shout some more." she exhaled. noor felt bad now, she had been equally flustered with the incident but he was more surprised at himself for not being concerned about the murder part, as if he was expecting it "murder?" he whispered. regret flashed in her eyes for telling him that. " you know what? we won't keep you in jail or anything" the guy chuckled " we live normally, you won't find guns under the sheets" he laughed loudly. aarohi gave him a glare. " you have to stay just for a bit and then you would go back home and all of this nightmare will go away" her eyes included herself in that . noor did not have any answer for that. "i am sorry" she looked up." i should not have shouted at you" the guy laughed again. " where did you find a saint like him aarohi!" aarohi just nodded and turned her eyes away. she fell asleep for the rest of the trip.

the place where they reached was not a house. It was a wreck. he gawked through the car window . aarohi was still sleeping and the guy driving the car was already walking inside the house. " aarohi?" he said looking at her. he almost did not want to wake her up. she looked quiet and peaceful like a child, dreaming of things she could not have. her hair had fallen all over her face. noor had a sudden urge to move them out of her face. he reached out with his fingers to remove the curtain of hair hiding her eyes, he placed the strand of hair right behind her ear and her eyes snapped open. she did not push him, nor displayed any surprise. she stared at him as if daring him to come closer, and he would have if her friend would not have knocked at the door. it was a girl this time, she had a huge smile on her face as she hugged aarohi. "are you okay, aron?" aarohi smiled, " stop calling me that tia!" and they both laughed. " and who is this?" tia said in an almost squeaky voice. " um tia that is noor, i told you right?" aarohi said, embarrassed. " oh yeah, well i did not know you looked this good" she added with a wink. tia was a short girl with dense curly hair and smile that seemed plastered on her face. noor said nothing, he was not used to compliments openly, "let us go inside then" she said, glad to end the conversations. 

The place inside was not a wreck at all. it looked almost decent, pretty even. everything was very neatly arranged and something about it told him the girl tia was behind it. "see, no jails" the guy chuckled again. and that's when another man came, almost rushed as if holding his breath, his eyes met aarohi and he released his breath. in one swift motion, he had his hand wrapped around her and held her tight. something in noor stirred, he almost felt jealous of this man. his eyes screamed that he loved her, was he was big surprise he was here for? noor felt tia's eyes on him, "that's abhi, the mastermind of this plan" she did not add what he was to aarohi, and the fire in noor burnt even more. that's when he saw aarohi pointing him out to abhi, and him nodding along. "okay, he can stay at my floor" he said examining noor. "i was actually thinking mine, he would be more comfortable" aarohi said, staring at noor. "alright" abhi said but did not look so pleased. "we are all aarohi's friends noor, we would tell you everything you need to know tomorrow, rest up till then." he said with a cold look on his face. "come i will take you upstairs" aarohi said and he followed her. he walked beside her but the jealousy was still burning, he did not want to confess he had feelings for a murderer. "so, did you find it nice here" she said more than ask, "it seems like i am in a dream" noor said. "from nightmare to dream, we are making a progress here." she said, and he knew she was smiling but he did not dare look. " this is your room," she said with a sigh. she opened the wooden door, it looked very cozy and he just wanted to pass out on the big bed in the centre, which weirdly looked romantic, " i will leave you be then, call me if you need anything" she said, turning to leave, noor stared longingly,  wanting her to stay but maybe she wanted to be with the cold-eyed, abhi. "also," she said, turning to look over her shoulder, "abhi is not my boyfriend' she held noor's gaze as he watched her ,astonished. and then she smiled, the smile that would haunt noor's nights for days.