Hearts Entwined (I)

The First Touch

Anirudh's POV

Almost the session is about to get over. I am scoring between good and bad in tests, and in tuitions. But keeping that aside, something memorable happened to me. Rahi. Few days back, when she told me all about what happened to her, I felt something in my heart. Something in my stomach. Like a small fluttering. I don't have any explanation, but I like to hold her hand whenever we cross the roads or pass through crowded place. I don't know why and since when, I have started feeling protective of her. 

Whole life, I have always been a very practical and self-explanatory guy. I always go for practical, realistic approach, so that I always remain goal oriented. But, with her, I feel a weird kind of giddiness which makes me feel burdenless from our busy schedule. But it scares me too. What if whatever is happening to me, is just...a trick of my mind to distract me from my goals? 

Stop, Ani. Stop overthinking. It is probably nothing.

It is a particularly bad weather day today. It is already beginning to show symptoms of winter, on top of it, the sky is cloudy, making the weather more hot and humid. I shoot a text to Rahi to come downstairs directly, as she said she will go to washroom once. It was so crowdy and just as i was about to step out of the Institution, it began pouring heavily. I was tapping my foot impatiently, when I saw Rahi rushing towards me with a panicked face. She was about to say something, but I cut her off as I held her wrist and pulled her towards me, away from the crowd, as students were rushing out messily due to the rain. 

"Do you have umbrella?" I asked Rahi impatiently. To my dismay, it was negative. So now, neither Rahi nor me has an umbrella. 

"Then how will we reach the stop now?" Rahi asked, squeaking.

"What else, we have to run our way through somehow, under people's umbrellas." I said with a bitter face. We began to adjust our bags and books and copies, so they don't get wet. We looked at each other, and I felt her hand tightening within mine. Gripping her hand firmly, we ran outside. 

A friend was kind enough to give us an umbrella, but it did no good to us, as we were already getting drenched by the sides from the rain. Our shoes were belching in the muddy puddles as we somehow made our way in the rain. 

"Bhai, I am feeling too scared!!!" Rahi gasped near my ear. I myself was panicking, but still I tried to reassure her, by holding her by her shoulder.

"Don't worry, we will get to the stop soon."

The day was utterly unlucky for us. Surely. Upon reaching the bus stop, we heard that the particular bus to go to our home, was not available that day. We felt the earth shattering below our feet. We both were drenched in rain, shivering and most importantly, we were half covered by splatters of mud.

"What will happen now? We are so wet I can't even take my phone out now." Rahi said, wiping the back of her palm over her face.

I gritted my jaw feeling frustrated. "Phone is the least of our concern now. And at this rain, I am not sure to risk any other buses to go home. I think...wait a minute." I checked my watch for the time of metro. Yes, there was time for it.

I gripped her hand and said urgently, "Rahi, let's go by metro!"

Her reaction was adorable. "Wh-what? Metro? I can't go alone in metro, I feel too scared!!!" she squeaked, trying to wriggle her hand from my grip. But I was not going to let her go.

"You aren't alone. I am here with you." I said, unconsciously pulling her slightly closer to me.

That was when my eyes fell on her lips, which were wet from the rain and her nervousness. Her lips were slightly parted, it was the colour of dark peach colour and the inner side had a hint of soft pinkish tint.