Night of 25TH

CHAP 41: Masked Emotions Within

Past :

Shubman

As we stepped out of the airport, a wave of pollution and heat greeted us. Chucky and I concealed behind masks, caps, and sunglasses, moved purposefully through the bustling airport to the secluded parking lot where our cars were stationed. In that more private space, Chucky spontaneously wrapped me in a hug, whispering, "Make sure to come to my place after meeting your ex. Would love to have you."

Reacting swiftly, my hands circled her waist, lifting her off the ground to ensure she didn't stand on her toes for too long. "Hopefully, it all goes well," I murmured, holding her close.

"Don't overthink it. Whatever happens, we'll deal with it," she reassured me, her voice calm as she rubbed my back.

"Hmm," I hummed, finding comfort in her embrace and burying my face in her shoulder.

"Now, let go and put on some decent clothes. We're in Mumbai, and it's scorching out here," she teased, laughter resonating in my chest as I set her down.

"You're such a party pooper at the wrong times," I playfully huffed, a smile lingering on my lips as I kept her on the ground.

"I don't know if I'll get to do that again after your meeting, so let me do this," she said, bringing her mask down. Standing on her tiptoes, she gently brought my face down and tenderly kissed my forehead. "Take care and text me when you reach. Bye."

As she turned to leave, I caught her wrist, pulling her towards me. Bending down, I placed a kiss on her forehead. "Even if anything happens, no one can take this away from you. And you must text me when you reach home."

She smiled, nodding in agreement, and quickly turned away before I could catch a glimpse of my favourite sight-her dimples, and perhaps something more I missed that time: a blush. Observing her settling into her car, once it was out of sight, I made my way towards my vehicle. It had always been a habit to ensure she reached her destination safely.

Sitting in the car, gearing up to confront my past after two years, I gulped nervously. "Chalo Bhaiya," I muttered, ready to navigate the complexities of the impending meeting.

After visiting Rahil's house, I decided to unwind a bit before meeting Anika. I shared all the recent happenings with Sanket and Rahil, and they agreed with Chucky's advice. Putting on my black t-shirt, I ran my hands through my hair. I must have checked myself in the mirror at least five times, a habit I couldn't shake off, especially when meeting Anika. Sighing, I started to remove my t-shirt once again, contemplating my appearance.

However, before I could change my shirt yet again, I felt hands on both of my shoulders. To my left stood Rahil, and on my right was Sanket.

"You won't change your T-shirt anymore. You've already gone through a hundred in the last hour," Sanket remarked, glancing at the bed, which was now covered in a pile of shirts, a combination of Sanket's, Rahil's, and mine. "And watching you change is exhausting, so please stop," Rahil added, plopping himself on the bed.

"Mum is going to kill me if she sees this mess," Rahil said, rubbing his face and sighing.

"I'm sorry, yaar. I'll clean this up after I come back. It's just that I'm stressed," I said, holding onto the dressing table, shutting my eyes tightly and shaking my head occasionally.

"We understand, but calm down. Panicking won't help. And where did you learn that head shake?" Sanket asked, tilting his head in confusion.

"What?" I looked at him, puzzled.

"That head shake, where did you learn it?" Sanket inquired again.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm leaving," I announced, grabbing the car keys from the stand and mumbling to myself about what I would say to Anika.