THE IInd DECISION

27.When the Rain Falls

Ashi Pov:-

Our guides got us suited up, and I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. Ayan turned to me, his hands gently cupping my cheeks, his touch sending a wave of warmth through me. "Trust me," he repeated, his voice a soothing balm against my fear. "Tumhe kuch nahi hoga. Main tumhe kabhi kuch hone nahi doonga."

["Nothing will happen to you. I will never let anything happen to you."]

His words, his touch, everything about this moment felt so intense, so charged with unspoken emotions. I nodded, swallowing hard, trying to push down the fear.

"One, two, three!" the guide counted down, and before I knew it, we were running toward the edge of the cliff. I screamed, "Mummy!" as we leapt into the air, the ground vanishing beneath us. But as the wind rushed past, the fear began to dissolve, replaced by an overwhelming sense of freedom.

We soared through the sky, the world below us shrinking to a patchwork of green and blue. Ayan's hand found mine mid-air, squeezing it tightly. I turned to look at him, my heart skipping a beat at the sheer joy in his eyes. I realized, in that moment, that he wasn't just showing me an adventure—he was sharing a piece of himself with me, something we expected no to show .

As we landed, breathless and exhilarated, Ayan pulled me into a hug, his arms wrapping around me protectively. "I told you," he murmured against my hair, "It would be worth it." His voice was warm, filled with an emotion that made my heart flutter.

I smiled up at him, still catching my breath, my heart pounding for an entirely different reason now. "Yeah... you were right," I admitted, feeling a strange warmth spread through my chest.

After a quick snack, Ayan's eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint. "How about bungee jumping next?"

"No!" I blurted out, laughing nervously. "We are not doing it, please!" But his grin was already growing, and before I could protest further, he slid me toward the signing document section AGAIN!!

We reached the top of the bungee jumping platform, the wind whipping around us. The instructor helped us get strapped together, and I could feel my nerves kicking in again. "Ayan," I whispered, leaning closer to him, "Abhi toh meri jawani bhi nahi gayi, mere bache bhi nahi hue hain!"

[ "My youth isn't gone yet, and I haven't had children yet!"]

He chuckled, his breath warm against my ear. "Bache main karwa dunga tumhe," he teased, his voice low and playful.

["I'll get you kids."]

My eyes widened, my cheeks flushing crimson at his words. Did he realize what he was saying? I stared at him, my heart thudding wildly. Was this just a joke, or did it mean something more?

The instructor called out, "Ready?" Panic surged through me again, but before I could respond, we were falling. I clung to Ayan, my arms wrapping tightly around his torso, my face buried against his chest.

"I will kill you!" I screamed,  terrified. "Mummy! Mujhe ghar jaana hai!"

[I want to go home!]

He laughed, a rich, warm sound that made me feel oddly safe, even as we plummeted through the air. His arms tightened around me, holding me close, and for a moment, it felt like it was just the two of us, suspended in time and space.

When we finally came to a stop, dangling at the end of the bungee cord, I couldn't help but laugh. "Okay, okay... maybe you were right. Again."

Ayan grinned, his face inches from mine, his eyes twinkling with that familiar mischief. "See? I knew you'd love it."

I smiled back, feeling a rush of emotions—fear, excitement, happiness... and something deeper, something I wasn't quite ready to name. Being with Ayan like this, facing my fears, feeling his arms around me... it felt like more than just an adventure. It felt like falling in love and I feared this the most .