The Universe of You and I

Chapter 5

Them - The Terrace

She made her way to the little mat that was set up. He was following her with a mug in his hand when he stopped. He reached out and held her wrist to stop her. Unaware of her flippity-floppity heart, he asked, "Why don't we sit there?"

She looked up and saw him pointing at the water tank area. She replied uncertainly, "I don't think we're allowed to sit there."

"Oh, is there a rule?"

"Uh...no. But...I've never sat there."

He smiled and said, "Well that's no reason to not start now. There's a perfectly good staircase there, see?"

"So...like Ranbir and Konkona in Wake up Sid?"

He laughed and said, "Sure. Like Wake up Sid. Now come on."

The next thing she knew, they were sitting atop the water tank. It was a completely different vantage point to the sights she was so used to seeing before.

He sat next to her, cross-legged, almost as though he did this every day, hanging out with a fan on the terrace of her building, sipping tea.

She sat next to him. All was quiet for the next few minutes. Just the wind passing by and the low hum of traffic. He then quietly asked, "May I ask you a question?"

She looked at him quickly and then looked at her knees to nod quietly.

"Why is this so hard for you?"

He was looking at her. She knew she wouldn't be able to meet his gaze. At least not right now while she tried to formulate an answer to this question. An answer that she could actually give him.

After a seemingly long time, she responded.

"I guess...Because you've always only existed in my head? Or on a screen. I never ever expected to actually see you or meet you in this lifetime. Now I have to try and ensure I don't sound stupid or boring. See, such kinds of problems don't exist when you're not in front of me."

He laughed lightly. After a brief pause and a sip of the tea, he said, "Okay. First of all, don't worry about sounding stupid or boring. That's too much pressure you're putting on yourself for me unnecessarily. Trust me. And second of all... Tell me whatever you'd tell that version of me. The one in your head. Or the one across the screen. Maybe then it would be easier."

She chuckled and looked up for a brief moment. There he was again. All beautiful and real. He was just as kind as she had imagined though.

He then nudged his shoulder with hers and asked, "Do you have any questions for me?"

"So many..."

"Why don't you ask them?"

She drank a sip of the tea before responding, "I feel like you must be tired of answering questions all day long for interviews. And I understand tired very well."

He looked at her suddenly with such an intensity that she quickly looked down at her feet again. He shined too brightly in that moment.

He smiled and looked away, realizing his effect on her.

He then said, "It's okay. Go ahead. Just don't ask me about my gym routine."

A laugh escaped her. She then scratched her nose. After a few quiet moments, she asked, "Why did you choose to come here today?"

"Because it felt right. And it felt even more right after I read your sister's letter. Her writing put your quirk on full display." He smiled goofily.

She felt warm hearing that. She had always known how well her sister wrote but hearing it from him made it feel all the more cemented in her heart.