I Found You

8.

Vikram glanced at her from the corner of his eyes as the car slowed down at a red light. She had been completely silent ever since they left the hotel, as if she had zipped her mouth shut.

When he mentioned that the hotel was theirs, he noticed a sudden change in her body language. She looked frightened, and the last word she muttered was a simple "Sorry."

She had been so absorbed in looking out the window that she hadn't even glanced at him. Her long, slender fingers fidgeted with the straps of her bag, a clear sign of her anxiety.

God. She is so naive.

One thing he got to know about her today is that she is not fond of fancy things. She is more kind of a person who likes to enjoy simple pleasures in life.

Her simplicity is the thing which attracted him the most when he saw her for the first time. Her simplicity is her speciality.

As the signal turned green, he heard the honking behind him. He shifted his focus back to the road and continued driving towards the destination, with silence filled in the car.

He brought the car to a halt in front of her house, and she quickly reached for the seat belt buckle to unbuckle it. She invited him to come inside. "Some other day" he denied gently.

She looked at him with a mix of hesitation and longing, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Her mouth opened as if she wanted to say something, but then she closed it again. He knew exactly what was on her mind, her expressions told it all.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

Her words trailed off as she heard him chuckle, leaving her perplexed by his sudden change in behavior. Was he making fun of her?

He composed himself, clearing his throat, and shifted his focus back to her. "Adhira I know, just relax I am not offended. It's good that you voiced out your thoughts to me, I really appreciate it."

"Aap naaraz nahi hain?"

{You aren't angry}

"No mam"

She managed a smile, but from inside she was dying from embarrassment. Through-out the entire ride to her home, she was filled with fear, constantly wondering if she had somehow angered him.

"Chai pee kar, chale jaana."

{Let's have tea and then go}

"Kisi aur din, main late ho jaunga." He didn't want to refuse her genuine offer and spend more time with her, but he didn't want to inconvenience them either.

{On some other day, I will actually be late}

Adhira nodded and opened the car door to leave. "Bye," she said, closing the door while he nodded his head. "See you soon."

After ensuring that she safely entered the house, he made a U-turn and drove back to his own house.

As Vikram stepped into the living room, he was greeted by the sounds of his family's laughter and conversations. It was a sight that instantly melted away all his worries and brought a smile to his face.

"Mr. RV is here." Mukti's playful voice caught his attention. They were all gathered together, savoring the delicious pakoras made by his Aunt.

"Now, what is RV?" he asked, settling into a seat next to Veer and grabbing an onion pakora from his plate, dipping it into the tangy green chutney.

Dekha hai tujh ko jabse, Haaye main toh hil gaya, Lagta hai mere seene se, Dil nikal gaya.

Kabir strolled into the room, humming a song under his breath, his eyes locked on Vikram as he took a seat opposite him.