An Unfading Desire

Untapped miracles

Saaz's POV

As I entered my room, exhaustion pulling me towards the bed. 

Barely a moment passed before the room's light converted into darkness. "Power cut?" I mumbled, but as my gaze darted on the ceiling fan which was still working, my words caught in my throat. It wasn't a power outage.

Reaching for the bedside lamp, I flicked the switch. I reached for the bedside lamp and turned it on and as expected it turned on and brightened the room. I was confused so switched off the lamp again. I got up from the bed and flicked the switch but the bulb remained stubbornly dark.

"I think this bulb is burned out. If the power were off, the fan and bedside lamp wouldn't be working either."  I muttered, suddenly my attention went towards the damaged bulb again, it was now flickering. But then, just as I was about to replace it, the dead bulb started flickered back to life.

This flicker sparked a memory, that cluttered storeroom and a stammering girl... no, not a girl, what was her name....Ehsaas

Isn't her name quite unique and......and cute, I chuckled at my own words without having any particular reason.

I closed my eyes, sinking into the bed. Yet, her image persisted behind my eyelids, a vivid picture despite the darkness. Her dark brown eyes, wide and captivating, held my gaze even in my mind. Her thick hair, cascading down her waist in a braid, seemed to tangle around my thoughts. A memory flickered - the way the strands of hair danced around her face, disturbed when I placed my hand on her mouth...

I stopped the thought abruptly, a wave of guilt washing over me. I opened my eyes and looked at my hand which reminded me of her 'not-so-delicate hand' . Her hands, strong and capable, weren't like my 'veiny yet soft' hands at all. They bore the mark of burnt rough patches interrupting the smooth skin. 

The sight sent a pang of curiosity through me. What story did those hands hold? Was she lying from me? Was her hand actually burnt in kitchen?

Unwantedly, my heart screamed 'YES'. 

Tangled in my own thoughts, I didn't realise when I slept.

POV ends...

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NEXT DAY 

Saaz and Aahan were heads down in their studies at the library when Kritika slipped into the seat next to Aahan.

"Hey guys!" Kritika greeted them with a smile.

Aahan mumbled a response, "Morning, Kritika"

Kritika chuckled. "Good morning! No need to whisper, the place is practically empty."

Aahan flushed slightly. "Oh, right. Sorry, I didn't realize."

"Don't sweat it," Kritika said, gesturing to their books. "Cramming for an upcoming exam?"

"Yeah," Aahan replied a little too eagerly.

"But there aren't any exams scheduled soon, are there?" Kritika raised an eyebrow.

"We figured studying is better than sitting around doing nothing," Aahan stammered, his gaze flickering between Kritika and his textbook.

Kritika chuckled again, the sound drawing a small smile from Saaz, who noticed Aahan's sudden lack of focus. Saaz shook his head playfully and dove back into his studies, leaving Aahan to fumble through his explanation.

Suddenly, her phone chimed. Kritika excused herself and stepped away to answer it. When she returned, she slid back into her seat, a forced smile clinging to her lips. But her eyes, usually sparkling with mischief, now held a glimmer of unshed tears. Saaz, sensed that she was trying her best to not shed her tears, he tried to offer her a silent understanding by giving her a warm smile. He knew better than to pry, allowing Kritika the space to compose herself.