An Inconvenient Flame

Chapter 57

The balcony doors are wide open, and the lazy afternoon light spills into the room like it has nowhere else to be. The air is warm but not sticky, just enough to make you slow down.

I'm sprawled on the long cushioned couch in the balcony lounge, a soft throw pillow under my head. The view is... well, the kind that makes you forgive every bad day you've had in the past month.

Rishikesh in summer has a different kind of brightness. The sun glitters across the Ganga like it's tossing coins of light, and the faint sound of flowing water hums.

I close my eyes for a second and breathe in deep. The air smells faintly of sun-warmed wood and something green...fresh leaves, maybe.

Inside, I can hear Abhiraj's laptop keys clicking steadily. 

He's sitting at the desk by the far wall, sleeves rolled up, attention fixed on whatever serious world-saving business runs through his inbox. He didn't go into the office this week of course the trip and my pre... spending the whole time here with me. And he has. Mostly. 

I watch him from where I'm laying, the soft golden light brushing over the side of his face. His hair is slightly messy, looks like he's been running his hand through for a while.

He catches me looking. The faintest curve tugs at one corner of his mouth, and it's ridiculous how that small shift makes my chest tighten. Heat crawls up my neck before his gaze falls back to his screen.

I shift my attention to my phone, half-buried under the pillow. 

I pick it up, open my playlist, and tap on a song I've been humming since morning....a recent Hindi one, cheerful but soft. The opening notes float out, weaving into the warm air between the balcony and the room.

Abhiraj glances up. "That's nice."

"Is it disturbing you?" I ask, shifting so I'm lying sideways, my cheek against the pillow.

He shakes his head once, eyes flicking back to the laptop. "Not at all. Keep it on."

I smile, closing my eyes again, letting the music carry me. There's something about a good song that makes you feel like life has slowed down just for you. 

The sun presses against my eyelids in gold, and a breeze sneaks in from the side, lifting a few strands of my hair.

If someone took a picture of me right now, I'd probably look half-asleep. But I'm not. I'm very awake. Awake in the way you are when every little sound and scent feels sharper, like the world is quietly trying to impress you.

I open my eyes.

My phone screen has gone dark in my hand. I wake it up and absentmindedly start scrolling through Pinterest.

Feeling bored I keep my phone back.

I look at Abhiraj's again. He hasn't looked up in a while.

I lean back on my palms and grin. "Mr. CEO," I call out, sing-song.

His eyes flick up for half a second. "Hmm?"

"You do remember we're in Rishikesh and not your boardroom, right?"

He doesn't even pause his typing. "Yes. And you do remember that the company still exists even if I'm here, right?"

I roll my eyes but smile to myself. "Fine, workaholic. Ignore me."

Turning back to the view, I watch the sunlight glimmer over the Ganga like someone sprinkled liquid gold over the waves. The sound of water makes me restless in a good way. I pull out my phone, play a soft indie song, and let it hum in the background.