Rajat moved a bit closer and lean in close enough for her to smell his cologne, she inhaled sharply and was about to whisper his name in question when he flicked a leaf off her shoulder. Somehow, she still couldn't tear her eyes away from his but before anything else happened.
The door swung open to reveal a very excited Tara once her eyes landed on Savi, "Savi! It's so nice to see you yaar"
She wrapped her arms around Savi in a tight hug, her excitement contagious.
Before Savi could respond, Lucky, Rajat's little brother, peeked his head around the corner. His eyes widened with glee. "Savi Di!" he shouted, bouncing into the room and clutching at her arm.
Savi laughed, the sound light and full. The scent of fried pakoras wafted in from the kitchen, mingling with the warmth of the house. Just then, Shree, Rajat's mom, called out, her voice a mix of curiosity and humor. "Why is everyone making so much noise out there?"
"Ma, I brought Savi home," Rajat replied, a hint of amusement in his tone.
There was the sound of hurried steps, and Shree emerged from the kitchen, a smile breaking across her face as soon as she saw Savi. Without a moment's hesitation, she enveloped her in a soft, welcoming hug. "Savi beta, it's so good to see you."
The genuine affection in the room made Savi's eyes sting with unshed tears. It wasn't just the warmth of the hugs or the familiar scent of pakoras that overwhelmed her; it was the unconditional love that filled this house, a stark contrast to the strained silences and sharp words she'd faced at home.
Tara tugged at Savi's arm, pulling her further into the room. "You're staying for dinner, right? You have to."
Savi glanced at Rajat, who simply raised an eyebrow, as if daring her to say no. She chuckled softly, wiping away the stray droplets that had clung to her cheeks. "Looks like I don't have much of a choice."
"Good," Shree said, patting her cheek. "Acha chal, tum dono fresh hoke aana jaldi!"
Rajat handed Savi a towel from the hallway closet, their fingers brushing as he did. The small touch wasn't lost on either of them, and they exchanged a brief look before Rajat turned to lead her to a spare room where she could dry off.
Once she was alone for a moment, Savi wrapped herself in the towel and took a deep breath, letting the warmth of this home wash over her. It wasn't her house, but for tonight, it felt like a place she could belong.
A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts, and Rajat's voice came through, softer than usual. "Savi? Everything okay?"
A smile formed on her lips as she answered, "Yeah, Chashmish. Everything's fine."
She could almost hear his smirk from the other side of the door. "Good. Everyone's taking their due of pakoras, you better hurry up before their all gone"
With a soft laugh, Savi hummed in response. Drying herself off, she slipped Rajat's green sweater back on, and the small voice at the back of her teased her,
A bit too comfortable
her cheeks heated up at the thought, but reasoned with herself, "It was just Rajat and the sweater was warm"
***
Tara and Savi settled on the large wooden swing, its gentle creaks blending with the sound of the rain, sharing a plate of pakoras mainly to stay away from the boys who seemed to argue on who was eating more .
"So, tell me," Tara started, a playful glint in her eyes. "Any boyfriend I should know about, Savi? Don't think I don't notice how you avoid talking about these things."
YOU ARE READING
INVISIBLE STRINGS // SARAJ
RomanceWhat if Savi and Rajat knew each other from college, but due to their individual stories they split ways and never saw each other again, until Savi was Rajat's daughter's school teacher. Savi Chavan and Rajat Thakkar have a brewing animosity with bu...
