Sugar Rush! (✓)

TBWY (8)

"Tu jo dikhaye, dekhein nighahein! Tu jo sunaye, sunu!"

A week later

The last week went by in filling up the forms & carrying out all the administrative procedures to start their respective degrees in college for both Avni & Neil. He did continue his music sessions with Neela and had successfully dodged Ali & Rhea's constant teasing about Avni so far. However, in the heart of his hearts, even he couldn't deny that the girl had definitely marked a special place for herself in his life. But, Neil being the brinjalhead that he was, was adamant that they were just friends & there was no scope for anything else to ever happen. 

For she was a beautiful bird who was meant to fly & I was just a fish who could never!

At the moment, he was sitting in his drawing room, tuning his guitar as he tried to distract himself from the nervousness that he felt about starting college from the next day. His door opened widely & Avni barged in with some stationery in her hands. 

Almost done with his guitar, Neil kept it aside as he looked up at her & raised his eyebrows at her. 

A - I got you stuff! For classes tomorrow. - she said as she placed the registers & pencils at his coffee table. 

N - Thankyou! - he smiled at her.

They had moved past the phase where one shies away from accepting help from the other person. Both of them well acknowledged the fact that the other person meant & wished the best for them, and were welcoming towards the things the other person did for them! There was this unspoken, unexplained understanding between them, sometimes felt too domestic, but none of the two, pointed it out as it had come to them quite naturally. 

In fact, it felt nice to have someone understand you so well, without having to ask for it!

A - Sing something, no? - she said while sitting besides him. 

N - Right now? - he asked while she nodded in answer. Acha, batao kya sunogi? - he asked as he adjusted the guitar in his lap. 

A - Kuch bhi suna do, Brinjalhead! - she shrugged as she turned towards him & sat with her chin in her palms as she rested her elbows on her lap.

Neil just tilted his head while looking at her as he thought hard about some song. When nothing really clicked, he just closed his eyes as he decided to sing his heart out.

Hai saaz tu, tera tarz main! 

Tu hai dawa , aur marz main!

Dildaar tu, khudgarz main!

Avni watched him with an involuntary smile on her face as he sang in the most soothing voice. She observed he always looked so serene & at peace when he was singing, or doing anything music! She loved watching him like this, she could do it forever, she deduced.

Hai geet tu, tere lafz main, 

Tu hai duaa, aur farz main,

Azaad tu, aur karz main!

Neil's mind played all the times that he had been with Avni in the last few weeks. They hadn't known each other for too long, but she seemed to understand him better than he himself  ever had. The anti-depressants that he had thrown away in the dustbin this morning were testimony enough that he was willing to better himself. Something that he realised he had stopped doing because the darkness had become so homely & familiar that he had actually convinced himself that he was happy in the dark.