When We Met

Tune jo na kaha

She arrived in her room and smashed the door behind her, her body drenched from running in the rain. She was trembling, her heart beating out of her chest. That moment was still fresh in her mind. Her eyes were darting back to the picture of her kissing Ruhaan. She tried not to think about him, holding her head between her hands, but nothing helped.

Hoping those ideas wouldn't bother her in the shower, she hurriedly hopped in, but it was all for nothing. Ruhaan would not leave her thoughts. All she wanted was to put this behind her, to not think about it, but all in vain. Why was she going through this? Her cheeks were wet with tears. She wanted to yell and cry at the top of her lungs, but she was unable to do so.

With each drop of water that slid down her body, she couldn't help but replay conversations and stolen glances, wondering why was this happening. The shower, instead of providing solace became a stage for the echoes of her emotions.

She got into bed, trying to push his thoughts away from his mind. But the more she tried to push him out of her mind, the more his presence seemed to intensify, as if he had left an indelible mark on the very fabric of her being.

She closed her eyes, allowing the raindrops outside to create a gentle percussion which mirrored her thoughts. Tossing and turning, she attempted to escape the clutches of her thoughts but those images kept flashing in her head. In the darkness, she grappled with the ache of a heart unwilling to let go.

.

.

On the other hand, in the quiet aftermath of their shared moment, he found himself standing alone, pondering the echoes of a kiss that lingered in the air. The taste of her lips still fresh on his, he couldn't shake the bewildering sense of her sudden departure.

He sat on the bench, replaying the moments leading up to her departure, searching for clues in the fragments of their conversation and the subtleties of her expressions. He couldn't understand why she ran away from him. why did she run from their connection. Was it just him, who felt that? His fingertips grazed over his lips, a subconscious attempt to hold onto the sensation of their shared moment.

As he thought the events that unfolded, doubt and self-reflection crept in. Did he misread the signals? Was there something left unsaid? The room seemed to tighten around him. The memory of her leaving played like a loop, a silent reel that replayed the unanswered questions.

Next morning

Miraya woke up with puffy eyes, because of sobbing all night long and not getting enough sleep. Still attempting to make sense of what had happened the night before, she got out of bed and went into the shower.

Trying not to cry, she sat in front of the mirror and got ready. She lightly touched her lips, reminiscing the brush of his lips on them. As she put on her blouse, she could still feel the imprint of his lips on her shoulders and the sensation of his fingers on her back. She didn't know how to approach him and what to say to him. How could she possibly meet his eyes? Her head was hurting so much, all of these thoughts were killing her.

She dressed quickly and headed out of her room to the next pre-wedding event. It was the day of Haldi. In accordance with the customs, both families had chosen to host the ceremony separately. They were being held on two lawns that faced one another. When she heard this, a wave of comfort swept over her. Thankfully, she was spared from conversing with him all afternoon.

The trees had provided support for the layout of a canopy. Still deep in contemplation, Miraya was standing by the trees. Anika and Siya came up to her. They worriedly questioned, "Di?," taking in her face and the happy expression that had disappeared from it. "Are you alright?"