Just in a day

TIRA

I immediately knew that I asked the wrong question. As soon as the words left my mouth, his face grew sadder, he looked away and then told me about his mother.  All I could say was sorry and that's what I did.

‘You don't have to be sorry about it .It was a simple question’.

‘Are you fine?’ I asked.

‘it's been a long time, so i guess yes, whatever’ he shrugged off.

‘You know that it's okay for you not to be fine, even if it's been a long time, she was your mother and we don't have to talk about it but it's not whatever and you don't have to pretend that way and i know we just met but you can talk to me’.

He looked in my direction, nodded his head and just said thankyou. I knew what it meant. I have experienced a similar situation. Before I could go deep into my thoughts , a new yet familiar voice interrupted. A beautiful voice interrupted.

" We are almost here," he said.

I turned to the side of the window with anticipation and joy and as soon i looked out, the anticipation and joy died and i'm very sure he noticed because his very proud ‘i took you to a place you never went’ smile faded and instead he asked

‘What's wrong?’

‘You seriously think i have not been to the ‘Eden coral parks’, when it is one of the most famous tourist places in our city? I sighed(with a little disappointment).

‘Umm , That’s not my plan. My plan is–’

‘To take me to the underground aquarium that only a few people know about? I said cutting him off.

And just like that his proud smile disappeared and soon his annoyance kicked in. His annoyed face doesn't scare you  or irritate you  but it will surely make you laugh. It literally looks like a kid throwing a tantrum at a grocery store.

‘How do you know about that?’ He asked( more like demanded).

‘The name is eden and corals and i always thought why it is named like that if it is just a normal park, so when my dad brought me here for my 15th birthday, the watchman heard me asking this question to my dad and i guess he took a pity on the girl in a wheelchair and told us about the aquarium and let us in’. I replied.

‘Well, your curiosity cost you a good place,’ He said.

‘It didn't cost me anything, i have been here before’ i said while laughing and continued

‘But you did lose this round sir’.

‘What? I didn't lose anything as this is not a competition Tira’ he said as he chuckled.

I have no idea but at that moment my name felt something else. I never liked my name, it is  short and stupid, it feels like a side  cartoon character's name, like if princess sofia had a distant cousin indian sister what would her name be, Tira. However, when Rivaan said it, it felt like the most beautiful name , the perfect name, or maybe it was because of his beautiful voice, his perfect voice. It took few second to realise that im blushing and i have not answered him and to hide all of this embarrassment i quickly turned away from him and looked straight and said,

‘Everything is a competition’

‘Not love’ He replied with his smitten smile.

‘Well, we are not in love’.

‘Yet’. he replied without even thinking.

‘Do you ever  stop? I said trying but failing to hide my smile.

‘I can but i don't think you want me to’

‘I really want to just like I want to get out of this car now and go to the aquarium’, I said while unbuckling my seat belt.

‘You said you have been here before, you want to go again?’. He questioned.

‘Yes, is there a problem with that?

‘No, not at all, it will be fun. Let’s go’. He replied and unfastened his seat belt and got out of the car and came to my side and then opened my door.

‘A gentleman’.

‘For you captain’ He replied with a gorgeous smile.