Rainy retreats

04: Bayleaf Blush

《Author》

Nithya woke up with a mixture of excitement and impatience. She had set her alarm early, and after a quick shower, she was ready by 3:45 AM, eager to start her adventure.

At 4:00 AM, she checked her phone for a message from Ved, but there was none. She glanced outside and saw the street was still quiet. A bit concerned, she paced around the lawn, checking her watch every few minutes. By 4:30 AM, she finally saw a car pull up outside.

Ved slid down the window, slightly flustered but with an apologetic grin. "Sorry for the delay, Nithya."

She climbed into the car, Her smile lighting up "Upgraded to car?"

Ved grinned sheepishly as he adjusted his seatbelt. "Yeah, I figured I'd give you a break from holding onto me"

She chuckled, her cheeks turning a shade of apple red. "I think my hair will thank you for not turning it into a wind-swept mess."

He laughed, "Glad you approve."

They drove in comfortable silence for a while, the hum of the engine and the early morning stillness wrapping them in a cozy bubble. The city was still waking up, with rarely any vehicles sharing the road.

After a solid half-hour of trying-and failing-to connect Nithya's phone to the car's music system, they had given up, laughing at the string of curses she had muttered under her breath. Ved's phone now lay in Nithya's lap, her fingers idly tapping it as she selected the next song from his Spotify playlist. The car was now filled with a soothing song by kishore Kumar.

"This is nice," Nithya said, leaning back in her seat as the opening chords filled the car. "You've got good taste, Ved."

Ved grinned, his eyes still on the road but his attention fully on her. "I'll take that as a compliment. Kishore Kumar's songs never get old."

"Never," Nithya agreed, humming along to the melody. "There's something about his voice that just... feels right, you know?"

"Yeah," Ved replied, glancing over at her with a smile.

They fell into a comfortable silence, the music filling the space between them as the car glided along the empty road. Outside, the landscape shifted from dense trees to open fields, the occasional village appearing and disappearing as they drove on.

As they cruised along the quiet road, The Brahmaputra River stretched out beside them, shimmering in the dawn light. Ved kept his eyes on the road, but his mind was on the moments ahead, knowing their time together might soon be limited.

After a comfortable silence, Ved casually asked, "So, when are you leaving?"

Nithya turned her head to look at him, her fingers playing absentmindedly with the zipper of her hoodie. "Day after tomorrow," she replied, her tone casual, though she noticed a slight tension in the air as soon as the words left her mouth.

Ved's heart dropped a little at her response, though he masked it with his usual playful charm. Trying to lighten the mood, he flashed her a grin and said, "Well, you better miss me while you're gone. It's going to be pretty dull here without you."

Nithya couldn't help but laugh at his flirty remark, though she noticed something different in his tone, "Oh, you'll survive," she teased back. "But I'll admit, it's been a lot more fun than I expected."

Ved's grin softened into a smile, "That's good to hear. I was starting to worry I'd just been driving you around for nothing," he quipped, his voice carrying a hint of wistfulness despite the banter.

Nithya shook her head, smiling as she turned her gaze back to the road. "No, Ved, you've definitely made this trip memorable. But don't let it go to your head," she added with a playful nudge to his shoulder.