Turbulent Hearts

Chapter 1.

The insistent chirp of the clock mocked her with its relentless tick-tock. Twenty days, two hours, eight minutes. Each second a tiny eternity, a reminder of the promise broken. Hadn't he sworn to be here in two measly days? Anger simmered in Saanvi's chest, a storm brewing beneath the calm facade of her brow.

Bursting out of the library, the scent of aged paper clinging to her like a forgotten memory, she surveyed the bustling university campus. Yet, all she saw was the mirage of his absence. He'd get an earful, a verbal hurricane the likes of which even the most seasoned fighter pilot wouldn't forget.

"Saanu!"

The voice, a whisper on the wind, sent a shiver down her spine. Was she hallucinating? Whipping around, she expected nothing and no one to prove she was in fact hallucinating, but there he stood, bathed in the afternoon sun. Bashir, in his crisp Air Force uniform, a glint of mischief dancing in his hazel eyes.

"Bashir! You liar!" She yelled as she made her way towards him.

"I'm no liar!!" he declared, a playful smirk tugging at his lips.

Saanvi narrowed her deep brown eyes, the storm within threatening to erupt.

"As if that would scare me!" He exclaimed. He feigned fear, then winced as her hand, swift as a falcon, swatted his arm. But behind the mock anger, a tear glistened, a silent testament to the worry etched on her heart.

"Do you know, Saanu," he murmured, his voice husky as he tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, "you've grown old."

She shook her head, the tear forgotten, her lips pursed in mock indignation. But before she could unleash another playful tirade, he turned, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Into an old witch, too!" he declared with a laugh, hopping onto his gleaming Royal Enfield Bullet, the chrome winking in the sun.

Saanvi gaped at him, then a smile tugged at her lips. This was Bashir, always pushing her buttons, always knowing how to make her laugh. With a sigh, she swung onto the back of the bike, her fingers instinctively finding their way around his torso, anchoring her to him. Leaning her head against his shoulder, the wind whipping her hair into a frenzy, she closed her eyes. This, the rumble of the engine, the warmth of his presence, this was home.

"So," she began, her voice playful yet firm, "Mr. Lying Pilot, didn't you promise to be here in two days? Twenty days have flown by faster than a rogue missile!"

"CO denied leave at the last minute," he explained, his voice apologetic. "Important things, classified and all that."

"Classified, huh?" she snorted, her voice laced with mock suspicion. "How convenient. How many times do I have to tell you, Pilot Officer Bashir Khan, when you come home, I am your commanding officer."

He chuckled, the sound rich and warm like dark chocolate. "Yes, ma'am!"

As they dismounted, the weight of his duffel bag a comforting presence on her shoulder, her mother emerged from the house, her face etched with concern.

"Saanvi!" she exclaimed, her voice laced with relief. "Bashir, thank goodness you're here. This girl, she never listens. So many good proposals, doctors and engineers, all wanting to meet her, and all she says is she wants to teach! You're the only one who can talk some sense into her!"

Saanvi groaned, rolling her eyes. "Ma, please! He just got here, let him breathe!"

But Bashir, ever the charmer, simply smiled and launched into a captivating tale of his latest mission, his voice weaving magic in the twilight air. As the laughter died down and the stars emerged, painting the sky with a million tiny diamonds, Bashir rose to leave. Three houses down, he was practically a neighbor, a constant presence in her life.

They had grown up together, two kites dancing on the same string, their laughter echoing through the streets of the colony, their secrets whispered under the watchful gaze of the banyan tree. And as he walked away, the scent of jasmine clinging to his uniform, Saanvi knew that no matter where life took them, the thread that bound them would remain, strong and unyielding, like the love between a girl and the boy in khaki.