In The Name Of Love [Indian] | ✓

Chapter 03

As time rolled towards midnight, Abhay finished his shift and reached his hostel. Tired, he collapsed onto his bed. Despite the weariness, there was a strange sense of excitement in the air.

Abhay stared at his bandaged hands and smiled at the bunnies on them. Unlike the usual thoughts of violence, he could only think of her.

Her face lingering in his mind!

" She was different. The way she looked at me, it was... comforting. Is it just because she was kind to me? ", he asked to himself.

Abhay kept replaying their brief encounter, the concern in her eyes and the warmth of her smile. The thought of her brought an unfamiliar flutter to his heart. Something he hasn't felt in years.

Right then, his phone buzzed with an incoming call. It was his manager. Nervous, he answered, expecting another set of insults being hurled at him but that wasn't the case.

" Abhay, You did it! You got your first 5-star rating and as per my promise, you can continue working at Uber Eats as a permanent employee. Keep up the good work. Good night! "

To his surprise, the manager was nice to him. A genuine smile spread across Abhay's face. He couldn't remember when he last felt happiness like this.

He hung up the call and in a moment of celebration, he kissed his hand with the bandages

As he drifted off to sleep, he hoped he would run into her again tomorrow.

---

Driven by his desire to meet her again, Abhay began strategically delivering to houses around the girl's house, hoping for a chance encounter.

Days turned into weeks, and those weeks turned into a whole month. No one ordered again from that house.

Every other day, he would pause in front of the gate, listening for any signs. Most days, it was just silence but often he could hear screams and crashing sounds. The sounds made him worried for her well being.

" I hope you're okay. ", he whispers, looking at the windows.

One day, he was delivering food to an older couple staying next door to her house. While waiting for them to go in and come back with the money for the food, Abhay overheard their conversation.

" I wonder how that girl, Saanchi, is. Ever since she moved here, I keep hearing her screams from that house. ", the older woman said.

Abhay felt his heart skip a beat.

" It's been going on for a while. I haven't even seen her step out of that house. Do you think we should go see if she is okay? ", her husband asked back in a whisper.

" Why should we bother? She isn't our own- ", the old woman was about to say something more when she saw Abhay, still waiting for her to pay.

She quickly cleared all dues.

---

Abhay returned to the Uber Eats building to return the company provided bike after completing his shift. It was almost midnight and he was dead tired. Tejas, his co-worker and the delivery guy who works after midnight was already there to begin his shift. Abhay handed him the keys.

As he started walking home, he saw a last order under his name. He was about to forward it to Tejas, when he noticed the address was familiar.

It is from her house!

Abhay jumped up, all the tiredness leaving his body instantly.

Without hesitation, he ran towards Tejas who was on the bike, about to ride off.

" Hey, I'll cover this order for you. You mind? ", Abhay asked and Tejas looked confused. Abhay wasn't friendly or even a little considerate. This was probably the first time they even talked, so he was confused.

" You want to... work extra? "

" Sure! I can complete this last order for you. You can take this hour off. You don't even have to pay me for working your shift! ", he reassured him and Tejas shrugged.

Who would give up on not having to work but still getting paid!

Abhay took back the keys and drove towards the resturant and then towards her house. After taking so many routes there, he didn't even need to look at the directions.

He hoped to catch a glimpse of her this time, atleast.

Taking a steadying breath, he knocks on the door, his palms slightly sweaty.

" Your order is here from Uber Eats. Can I hand it to you? ", he called out loudly and waited for a response.

" Just leave it there. I'll get it later. ", the girl on the other side said and Abhay knew it was her. Even though he heard her over a month ago, he replyed her memories so many times that he remembered exactly how she sounds.

Abhay was also a bit disappointed by her answer but he hyped himself up.

" It's me! the delivery guy from last time. Remember? Pizza and Garlic bread. ", Abhay asked.

" Oh, it's you! ", her voice seemed to get excited as well. " How are you? Did your cuts get better? I hope you didn't get into more accidents. "

Abhay smiled, " Haha, no. I've been doing well since we last met. "

" That's good... ", she answered and he could sense sadness in that answer.

Abhay mustered up all his courage to say, " I was hoping to see you again... "

A long pause followed after his words.

" I- Well I am a bit sick. I don't want you to catch whatever I have. You should leave the food and go. ", she said, followed by a sneeze that anyone could tell was fake.

Abhay felt a mix of disappointment and concern. He couldn't understand if she was refusing to meet him because he is a delivery guy or she was trying to hide herself from him.

" Alright. Take care. Enjoy your food. ", Abhay says, trying his best to not let her know that he was let down.

Leaving the food at the doorstep, he walked out of the front yard.

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