Yours, With Love

With him

Wish you a very happy Diwali guys :D

"Raj", Radhika called out sweetly. Both of them knew that he was feigning anger, and also that she was being playful, but this was about the sweetness and the newness of their relationship. These playful banters, and feigned anger.

Rajeev stifled a smile hearing her overly sweet tone.

"Sorry", she held her ears in between her fingers and pouted.

"Yaar Radha.", he groaned, "first you look so cute, and then you tell me to not complement you. How is it even possible?"

Radhika simply giggled at his words.

"So Mr. Ranawat, now that you have stopped being dramatic, please Rajeev, batao na (tell me), how did you begin to crochet. And no distractions this time.", she pointed a warning finger in his direction as she spoke the words towards the end.

"Promise, no distractions. And, by the way, I wasn't being dramatic. You had hurt me by calling me old.", he said with narrowed eyes.

"As if.", she scoffed playfully.

"Ohk, so the thing is, none of the typical stress busters worked for me, and I was browsing Facebook one day. I stumbled across some photos of crocheting. The lady had made some clothes and had also posted a photo of her crochet kit. Now that got me interested and I browsed on the internet. We used Internet Explorer more prominently then. You know that right?"

"There you go again. First you say things as such, and then you say that don't call me old. We are just eight years apart, you big idiot, and not some twenty years apart or so.", she shook her head.

"Radha."

"What? Don't you complain about it now. Who started huh?"

"You know that right?", she mimicked his tone, and then listening to how horrible it sounded, and also seeing an offended look on Rajeev's face, she burst into a bout of laughter.

'Man, if this is what we get to hear, I am ready to be a subject of her jokes forever.'

He was mesmerized by her laughter. It was pure, innocent, and so very beautiful - just the way she was. She laughed without a care of the world, and he felt a smile lighting up his own face seeing her laugh that way. No, he wouldn't describe it as melodious - that was too filmy, and seemed unrealistic. But it was beautiful, because it was heartfelt - as though she had forgotten every possible inhibitions in that moment and had set herself free. And it was beautiful, because it was all her.

"Ohk, that's enough.", she calmed herself.

"And no distractions now.", Rajeev added.

She did the signature act of zipping her mouth.

"And she says I am dramatic.", he quietly muttered to himself.

"So, I found more information about this on internet. Spoke with mom and pops, and they got me whatever was necessary. Thankfully, found a few videos on YouTube and followed them. That was so good, I tell you Radha. Whenever I used to take up the crochet kit, I would find myself lost in it, and then all the stress would just magically vanish. Initially, it was majorly a stress buster, but later, I took it up more seriously as a hobby. I began with tiny things and clothes, but now, I mostly make these little toys.", he had a fond smile on his face as he reminisced those days of the past.

"Any particular reason?"

"Yes, I told you right I visit orphanages often?"

Radhika quickly nodded.