Hum Tum

The flight

"This might be a bad time to mention it, but your skin is flawless. What face wash do you use? Cera Ve or KraveBeauty?"

Abhira shot glares at Armaan.

"Let me guess, an herbal mix you ground yourself in Manali!" Although Armaan's perky voice got Rohit and Roohi's attention from the seats behind, Abhira refused to indulge him. Instead, she tapped her foot on the ground restlessly.

The pilot's announcement of unforeseen and severe turbulence ahead bogged the flight down with anxiety and panic. Many tried to get up and leave, not recognizing that they were thousands of feet up in the air with nowhere to go. The flight attendants eventually got people seated, but they could do little to settle everyone's nerves, especially Abhira's, as it was her first time flying. Armaan took over instead.

Armaan waited a few moments before trying again. "You know, your eyes are absolutely stunning," Abhira rolled her eyes. "I'm serious. Their hazelnut with specks of honey that become golden in the sunlight. Oh, and when you roll your eyes like that, I'm floored." He fawned over her in that hayee mera dil pose she taught him, with his hand across his heart and a fainting motion. Nothing.

Abhira cursed her fate for sending her on this trip; then she cursed Armaan for choosing by air over a friendly road trip or a convenient train ride.

"Abhira, there is no road or train that can take us from Udaipur to Amsterdam," Armaan retorted. Abhira despised him for being so nonchalant about their situation.

"Toh Goa chal jaate! Ya Chennai ya Sikhim. Kahin bhi!" Like a child, Abhira pouted with her arms crossed against her chest. Armaan knew she wasn't squabbling for the sake of being petty. She tried comforting herself by doing what she does best - arguing like a lawyer. The arms across her chest were as close as she thought she'd get to her mother's hug and so, she stiffed and stared blankly ahead.

When Abhira felt his arm wrap around her shoulder, she rebuked him. "Armaan, please-."

"Dekho." He said.

Armaan's firm hands were replaced with the soft blue sky and starry blanket from her brother's childhood. Words could not describe what this blanket meant to her or the solace it brought when it was near. It was like a warm cup of Chai on a cold Manali morning. It was her mother's laughter and her brother's dreams. It was memories of a family her parents built together.

Abhira buried herself inside the blanket like a burrito and braced herself for the storm they were flying into. She turned to Armaan, and before she could express her gratitude, he slowly blinked in understanding and shared a gentle, loving smile. His smile said 'your welcome'. Or maybe it's saying, 'I love you,' a hopeful voice suggested in Abhira's head. She shushed it, for she felt too young to relate to such passion and too unfit for the Poddar family. Mostly, she ignored it because she knew their contract would end soon.

As their flight picked up speed in the storm, it felt like they were driving on a bumpy road—the kind of bounce you'd expect from a car driving over a pothole. As the atmosphere pressurized and strained their shifts, Abhira shifted closer to Armaan. Gone were the days when she felt comfortable enough to tug on his sleeve. Now, she felt a haq on him she couldn't explain. Unconsciously, she intertwined their fingers and brought them close to her heart, praying on them.

"It's okay, main hoon na." Armaan inched closer to her seat, offering her his shoulder to rest on. She believed him, for she shared Abhir's blanket with him, and soon, she fell asleep snuggled at his side. He picked her feet up and sprawled them across his lap so she'd have greater room. "I got you, betu."

He was her safe space. He was her home. He was Abhira's Armaan. 

I hoped you liked it, @angelica77895 !