Darkhaast

~ 30 ~

"Bye," Mahi waved to Faiz and Dr. Bansal after they finished their shifts. They rode off in their cars while Mahi waited outside for the hospital, scrolling through Instagram to pass her time until her taxi arrived.

"Ding!" A notification popped up saying her taxi was parked around the corner. Mahi shook her head in irritation. She specifically instructed the taxi to come inside the hospital grounds. Mahi prided herself on being a generous tipper, but today, 100 rupees would have to do.

She walked to the corner and scanned the street, looking for the taxi. It wasn't there. The street was empty. A robust, throaty growl from a motorcycle irked her ears. A biker circled her like a predator.

"Ay, sharam nahi aati ek ladki ko chedte hue?" Mahi dove into her purse to grab her pepper spray.

"Tumhe ne toh bulaya." The motorcycle's exhaust shrouded the voice.

"Maine? Kab?" The motorcycle stopped right in front of her. Slowly, the actor removed their sterling black helmet, exposing a thick volume of hair and the pair of caramel brown eyes that haunted her these days.

"Your taxi is here, ma'am," Abhimanyu gestured a curtsy, a cheeky smile playing on his face.

"Abhi, tum-" Mahi was gobsmacked. She'd never seen him on his bike in the time they'd spent together. She recalled Manjari and Shefali saying it reminded him too much of Akshu. He'd gotten to a headspace where he couldn't get rid of it, yet he couldn't ride it.

"Meri taxi?"

"Cancelled."

"Kaise?"

"Raaste mein mili thi. Ussi waqt bhaga diya." He clicked his tongue. Abhimanyu was full of surprises.

"Aur ye notification?" He inspected the phone slowly before yanking it out of Mahi's hand and slipping it in his pocket.

"Paid him a little extra." Her eyes widened, and her eyebrows hit the sky.

"Abhiiiiiiiii"

"Aao na," he pulled her behind on the bike and passed her another helmet.

"Where are we going?"

"Na Gurudwara, na hospital. Ek aisi jagah jahan sirf Mahi aur Abhi honge." His motorcycle picked the pace, thrusting her forward against his back. She tightened her grip around his waist, and he smirked, relishing their shared comfort.

--------------------

"Abhi, tum-" He led her into the middle of nowhere, on a blank hill overlooking the city. There was a picnic set up with blankets, lanterns, glasses and wine, and pizza from her favourite restaurant. It wasn't perfect or idyllic given the beaming city lights and sky without twinkling stars. Yet, it was so perfectly her. A set-up just like this was a permanent fixture in her Bangalore house. Mahi didn't think he'd noticed. But he did.

"Kaho jo kehna chahti ho," Abhimanyu prompted.

Mahi doubted he really wanted to hear it. Her thoughts clashed with the ambiance he tried to create. Abhimanyu always romanticized every emotion and reached for the extremes.

"I'm serious." Abhimanyu insisted, blocking her view of the city and set-up, knowing it was impossible to move further while her mind was stuck on the past.

"I love you." Abhimanyu's heart leaped out of his chest when he heard those three words. "Kya itna aasaan he ye shabd kehna ki tumne ek baar socha hi nahi ki samne wale pe kya asar hoga?" It wasn't a confession. It was fury. She poked his chest and took pauses to catch her breath so her resolve doesn't falter. "I live in a house with 2 elderly women, one who considers me her bahu, and a young impressionable girl. Do you know how scary it is for a house of women to hear someone banging at their door in the middle of the night?"