Once Upon a Time in London

Chapter 24

I stare out the open window, the sheer curtains billowing in the wind.

There's a lot on my mind.

I sigh but roll out of bed and let the cool wind caress my nightdress.

The wind pulls it in different directions and laces my hair into tangles.

I smile and break into a laugh as raindrops pepper my face, I push the balcony door open even further.

I trace circles on the balcony floor with my bare feet, laughing and dancing around in the rain until I am soaked to the core.

"My god Sharma, are you sure you didn't drink last night?"

My head snaps towards the direction of the rather familiar voice.

I blink against the rain so I can confirm what my ears have heard, I rub my eyes until I can make out Rahul's silhouette.

He looks at me expectantly, waiting for me to answer him.

I stare back defiantly, not in the mood to answer him, he was the reason behind all my current problems and was staring at me as if I was the one who'd caused this mess.

I keep standing there, refusing to even look in his direction, let alone answer him. I stare out the balcony instead, the cloudy skies bask the whole haveli and the gardens in a dusky light. The rain pours down in torrents. I smile at the feel of it against my face, closing my eyes as I focus on the sound of the rain instead.

I am broken out of my reverie by a tight grip against my wrist as I'm pulled out of the downpour, it takes me a while to understand that I'm under the shelter of my room as the sudden absence of the pattering rain against my face vanishes.

"What is wrong with you?" Rahul's voice sounds frustrated.

"You, you are the problem" I hiss, as I turn to face him, jabbing a finger against his chest.

He stares down at me, his hair drenched and falling in his eyes.

I can feel my own hair pressed against my back as my curtain bangs remain slicked against my face. I must be a sight to see, still in my nightdress that now clinged to my body awkwardly due to the unexpectant downpour.

His eyebrows furrow together as he glares daggers at me, "Enlighten me, for I am afraid I am ignoring whatever it is that's making me the problem" the way he says it makes it seem as if I am the one being unreasonable.

This has been going on for a while now.

Ever since the night of Tina's mehendi.

As I went to bed that night, I buried my face under the covers, heart thumping with the thought of how I was going to face Rahul the next day. 

I had eaten out of his hand, his fingers had brushed against my lips, and how I had reacted to that. If he hadn't heard my rapidly beating heart, he would've surely noticed my flaming cheeks.

I had tossed and turned the whole night, plagued with such thoughts.

I needn't have worried though, for as morning came, Rahul was back to being his cold self.

It was as if I'd imagined everything that happened the night before, a fantastical dream that I'd somehow gotten confused with reality.

When I walked down to breakfast, he barely looked up in my direction.

Dev greeted me warmly as he patted the seat next to him for me to take a seat. I hesitated but obliged, Rahul sat across from me and no matter how many times I looked at him, he would refuse to make eye contact.