𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒆 𝐌𝐞

#41: A Storm of Words

The train came to a stop after about an hour of travel. Aarohi sighed, pulling out her earbuds and ending the music she had been listening to. For the past hour, she had been lost in the scenery outside her window, letting her thoughts drift with each passing landscape. She checked the time on her phone and realized she hadn't eaten breakfast.

Peering out the window, she scanned the platform for something to eat, but her options looked limited-mainly vendors selling tea and samosas. She scrunched her nose, not quite in the mood for samosas so early. As she debated what to do, she noticed the man sitting across from her watching her.

She turned to him and asked, "What are you looking at?"

The man gave a small, playful smile and said softly, "You."

Aarohi felt her cheeks warm slightly and quickly cleared her throat. "Huh? What do you mean?"

He chuckled, then corrected himself. "I just meant... I saw you looking around. Were you searching for something?"

"Oh, yeah," Aarohi replied, glancing back at the platform, "I was hoping to find something to eat, but it seems like samosas are the only option, and I'm not a fan of station samosas."

The man raised an eyebrow. "Not a fan of samosas? That's surprising."

"Oh, no," Aarohi clarified, "I love samosas! But only the ones from home, you know? There's a shop near my house that makes the best samosas, but the ones at stations... not so much."

She paused, realizing she'd just shared a little too much with a stranger. But he seemed genuinely interested, nodding as if taking mental notes.

"So, would you like some chips, or maybe a coffee?" he offered. "I could get them for you if you want."

Aarohi hesitated, "Well, yeah, but aren't the shops a bit far? You might miss the train."

The man shook his head, smiling confidently. "Don't worry about that. I'm also a bit hungry, and now I have a reason to go. Wait here-I'll be right back."

He stood up and stepped into the aisle. Just as he passed by Aarohi's window, he glanced over, smirking, and gave her a quick, playful wink before heading off to find something to eat.

After a while, Aarohi leaned back in her seat, feeling a bit amused and surprised by this stranger's sudden eagerness to help. She hadn't expected anyone, especially a stranger, to take such interest in her. She thought to herself, Why am I even letting him go get food for me? But there was something so confident and effortless in his manner that she couldn't help but feel at ease.

As she waited, Aarohi glanced around the train car, noticing other passengers settling in with their snacks or reading books. She pulled out her phone to check her notifications but found herself absentmindedly watching out the window again. The sight of people moving along the platform, the hum of distant chatter, and the sound of vendors calling out added to the train's lively atmosphere.

Just then, she saw him returning with a small bag in one hand and two cups of coffee in the other

As Aarohi took the packet of snacks and coffee from him, she offered a grateful smile. "Thank you so much. How much did it cost? I'll pay you back."

He shook his head dismissively. "It's nothing, don't worry. It's on me."

Aarohi tried to insist, but he waved her off with a warm grin. Realizing he wouldn't take no for an answer, she said, "Alright, thank you again."

The train started moving again, and Aarohi was about to plug her earphones back in when she thought she heard the man muttering something. She glanced up. "Did you say something?"