Umeed took a sip of her coffee, feeling the warmth of the mug seep into her hands as she stood on her balcony. The sky was filled with grey clouds, hinting at the upcoming rain. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing thoughts. Farjaad's words from earlier kept echoing in her mind, and his scolding for something so trivial still stung. It was unlike him, which made it even harder to let go.
Lost in her thoughts, she suddenly noticed a figure standing in front of her house. It was Farjaad. He looked up, meeting her gaze with a mix of apology and determination in his eyes. Umeed's heart skipped a beat, but she maintained her stern expression, not ready to forgive him just yet.
Instead of calling out or walking up to the door, Farjaad began making exaggerated, comical expressions. He mouthed apologies and mimicked pleading for forgiveness. Umeed's lips twitched, fighting against her anger, but she couldn't help but find it amusing.
And then, the rain started to fall. Umeed expected Farjaad to run for cover or seek shelter, but he surprised her once again. He stood his ground, letting the rain soak him. Then, he pulled out his phone, selected a Bollywood song, and started dancing.
The familiar tune of a romantic song filled the air as Farjaad danced with all the enthusiasm and charm he could muster. He twirled, hopped, and lip-synced to the lyrics, never breaking eye contact with Umeed. She couldn't hold it in any longer, laughter burst out of her, watching his antics. Seeing him dance so earnestly in the rain just to make her smile melted her heart.
Farjaad continued his performance, fully aware of how ridiculous he must have looked, but he didn't care one bit. He saw Umeed laughing and knew he was making progress. The rain showed no signs of stopping, but he kept on dancing, each movement a plea for her forgiveness.
Feeling a mix of joy and concern, Umeed grabbed an umbrella and rushed downstairs. She couldn't let him stay out in the rain any longer; she knew he could easily get sick. Reaching him, she held the umbrella over his head, their eyes meeting once more.
"Kya kar rahe ho? Beemar ho jayenge aap" she scolded, her tone half-serious, half-tender.
Farjaad grinned, rainwater dripping from his hair. "Tumne smile kar diya, ab its all worth it"
Umeed shook her head, unable to hide her smile. "Chalein andar. Dekhein kitna bheeg gaye hain aap" she said softly.
He nodded, following her into the house, leaving the rain and their earlier argument behind. Once inside, she handed him a towel, and as he dried off, Umeed felt a wave of gratitude wash over her. Despite his outburst earlier, Farjaad's efforts to make amends showed her how much he cared.
"Thank you" she whispered.
"Kis liye" Farjaad asked, genuinely curious.
"Har cheej ke liye" she replied, her heart filled with affection.
Farjaad stepped closer, wrapping his arms around her in a warm embrace. "Umeed jo sab aaj hua, please mujhe maaf kar do. I am sorry."
"I know," she said, resting her head against his chest. "But aapne sab kuch thik bhi to kar diya na"
They stood there, holding each other as the rain continued to fall outside, a reminder that even the stormiest moments could lead to the sweetest reconciliations.
