Blueprints of Love

22. Kiss

The sky had been calm only minutes earlier, painted in soft hues of orange and lavender, but now the weather turned in an instant. A curtain of rain fell, drenching everything within seconds. Thunder cracked in the distance, and gusts of wind whipped through the palm trees, bending them in its fury. Savi and Rajat sprinted across the sand, both soaked to the bone by the time they reached the nearest shelter—a small beachside bungalow nestled at the edge of the dunes.

The storm slammed into the coast with relentless force. Savi leaned against the doorframe, catching her breath as lightning briefly lit up the dim interior. "That came out of nowhere," she muttered, pushing wet strands of hair out of her face.

Rajat, standing beside her, wiped water from his brow with the back of his hand. "Well," he said with a grin, "it's the monsoon. It likes to surprise you."

Savi glanced around the bungalow, small and rustic, with only a couple of wooden chairs, a low table, and a bed draped with a faded quilt. A lone candle flickered on the windowsill, the only source of light apart from the occasional flash of lightning outside. The sound of the rain drumming against the roof and windows created an oddly soothing rhythm.

"We're stuck here," Savi sighed, wrapping her arms around herself.

Rajat chuckled softly. "Could be worse."

"Oh?" She raised an eyebrow, already sensing the teasing coming.

"You could be stuck with someone else." His eyes sparkled, the playfulness unmistakable.

Savi rolled her eyes, but a small smile tugged at her lips despite herself. "Don't push your luck."

Rajat grabbed a blanket from the bed and walked over to her. Without asking, he gently placed it around her shoulders. "You're freezing."

The gesture was simple, but it felt intimate—too intimate for Savi's comfort. She stiffened under the weight of the blanket but didn't shrug it off. Rajat's hand brushed hers for a second longer than necessary, sending an unexpected jolt through her.

They sat down across from each other on the floor, the flickering candle casting dancing shadows on the walls. The scent of wet earth drifted in through the open windows, mingling with the salty air from the ocean. Outside, the storm roared on, cocooning them in a small bubble of time that felt removed from the rest of the world.

As the rain poured outside, filling the bungalow with a soothing rhythm, Savi found herself relaxing. Something about the storm's chaos made her feel less guarded, like it was okay to lower her defences for a while.

"You remember that night in college?" Savi asked suddenly, surprising even herself. "The time you stole those ridiculous paper lanterns from the festival because the organisers wouldn't let us have any?"

Rajat laughed, his eyes lighting up with nostalgia. "How could I forget? You dared me, remember?"

Savi grinned, the memory washing over her like a warm tide. "I didn't think you'd actually do it. But you did. And we lit those lanterns on the terrace while everyone else was at the fest."

"And then the dean almost caught us." Rajat chuckled. "You were so scared you swore you'd never speak to me again if we got expelled."

Savi shook her head, smiling despite herself. "And yet, I kept talking to you."

The warmth between them grew with each shared memory, the weight of unresolved emotions starting to lift, even if only slightly.

The candle flickered as another gust of wind swept through the bungalow. Silence fell between them, thick with unspoken thoughts.

Rajat shifted closer, just enough for their knees to brush. Savi's heart raced, the proximity sending her nerves into overdrive. She told herself to move away, to put some distance between them—but she didn't. Instead, she stayed exactly where she was, drawn to him in a way that felt both terrifying and inevitable.

Rajat reached up slowly, his hand brushing against her cheek as he tucked a damp strand of hair behind her ear. His touch was gentle, tentative, as if asking permission without words.

"Savi..." he whispered, his voice low and steady, carrying more meaning than just her name.

Savi's breath hitched, her pulse thundering in her chest. For a moment, the storm outside and the world beyond ceased to exist. All she could focus on was the warmth of his hand, the softness in his gaze, and the undeniable pull drawing her toward him.

And then it happened—their lips met, hesitant and unsure at first, like a question waiting to be answered. But as Savi leaned into the kiss, it deepened, becoming something more. It wasn't just a kiss—it was a release, a letting go of everything she'd held back for so long. Years of pent-up emotions poured out in that brief moment, raw and unfiltered.

The kiss was slow, tender, filled with unspoken promises and long-buried feelings. Rajat's hand cupped her cheek, his thumb tracing gentle circles against her skin, grounding her even as her heart threatened to fly away.

For the first time, Savi allowed herself to feel—to really feel. And it was terrifying.

Just as the warmth of the moment began to melt her defenses, reality came crashing back. The weight of her emotions—of everything they had been through and everything still left unresolved—became too much to bear.

Savi pulled away abruptly, her breathing ragged. "I can't," she whispered, panic flickering in her eyes.

Rajat froze, his expression shifting from longing to concern. "Savi..."

"I thought I could handle this, but..." She shook her head, overwhelmed. "It's too much."

Rajat lowered his hand, giving her space even though every part of him wanted to pull her back into the moment they'd just shared. "It's okay," he said softly. "We don't have to rush. I'll wait, Savi."

"You don't understand," she murmured, her voice barely audible. "What if I can't ever get past this? What if I push you away again?"

Rajat leaned closer, but not too close, his gaze steady and patient. "Then I'll keep waiting. As long as it takes."

Savi's heart twisted painfully at the sincerity in his voice. It was both a comfort and a burden—knowing he was willing to wait for her, knowing he believed in something she wasn't sure she could give.

The storm outside began to ease, the rain tapering off into a soft drizzle. The candle burned low, its flame flickering one last time before going out, plunging the bungalow into darkness.

But in the quiet that followed, something shifted between them—not fully resolved, but changed. Savi felt lighter, as if a tiny part of the wall she had built around her heart had cracked, letting in just a sliver of light.

When Rajat stood to leave, he turned to her with a soft smile. "Good night, Kitty."

"Good night," she whispered, watching him disappear into the adjoining room.

As the door clicked shut, Savi leaned back against the wall, exhaling slowly. The storm in her heart was far from over—but for the first time, she wasn't entirely sure she wanted it to end.

Maybe, just maybe, Rajat was worth the risk after all.

----------------------------------------------------------

That's it guys!❤️

How was the Chapter? Did you like it?

I hope you had a wonderful time reading. Thank you for your love. Keep voting and do put positive comments and please share your thoughts. Looking forward in the next chapter.

And do hit the follow button for updates.