Waited For You

Chapter 48

{ The Present} :-

Sometime during the night-
without either of them realizing when-
they fell asleep.
Still tangled together.
His arm around her waist.
Her cheek against his chest.
And then-
knock knock.
Nothing.
knock knock.
Still nothing.

Then suddenly-
Sanchi's phone started ringing.
Both of them jolted awake.
Atharv blinked in confusion, hair a mess, still half asleep, instinctively reaching for the ringing phone.
But Sanchi snatched it first.
"It's my phone," she whispered sharply.
Then looked at the screen.
And froze.
"It's Ma."
Atharv sat up instantly.
Sanchi answered hurriedly.
"Haan, Ma-"
Then her eyes widened.
"What?"
A pause.
Then-
"Oh... you're outside?"
Atharv's soul visibly left his body.
"Haan, one minute, I'm opening."
She cut the call.
Both stared at each other.

"Mumma is outside."
Pure panic.
Atharv jumped out of bed.
"Oh God-where do I go?"
He looked around wildly.
"Blanket ke andar ghus jaun?"
Sanchi stared.
"Are you mad?"
"Then where?"
"Washroom!"
She grabbed his wrist and dragged him toward it.
"And stand in such a way that if the door opens you can hide behind it."
"Very tactical."
"Shut up and go."
He stepped inside.
Then she snapped again-
"Phone!"
Atharv blinked.
"What?"
"Apna phone le jao and silent karo!"
"Oh."
He hurried back, grabbed it from the bed and vanished inside again.
Just in time-
Because there came another knock.

Sanchi quickly opened the door.
"Haan, Mumma?"
Swati ji immediately walked in, gently pushing her aside.
"Sanchi, 6 baj gaye hain."
Sanchi blinked sleepily.
"Mumma... bas 6 hi toh baje hain-"
"Shut up."
That woke her fully.
"I came here to help you with things," Swati ji continued briskly.
"So go freshen up."
"Take a bath."
"And come out."
"I will get you ready first and then move out from here to check other arrangements."
She adjusted the dupatta on her shoulder and kept speaking.
"Everyone has made sure everything goes smoothly."
"And I don't want anything going south."

Sanchi had stopped listening halfway.
Because-
Atharv.
Was.
Still.
In.
The bathroom.
Her bathroom.
Her eyes widened.
Swati ji noticed immediately.
"What happened?"
"Nothing!"
"Then go."
Sanchi stood frozen.
"Go."
"Actually Mumma-"
"Go."
"...yes."
There was no escape.
So Sanchi picked up her towel and toiletries mechanically and walked toward the bathroom like a soldier walking toward battle.

She entered.
Locked the door.
Turned.
And immediately-
Atharv wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.
His grin was criminal.
"This is so romantic."
Sanchi whipped around.
"What kind of romance is this?!"
"Mumma is outside!"
"She will kill both of us if she finds out you are here!"
"She expects me to freshen up, take a bath and step out!"
Atharv looked entirely too calm.
"So?"
"So?!"
"I don't mind."
She stared.
"And if you do," he added generously, "I will close my eyes."
Sanchi gaped at him.
"Tumhare sar pe chot lag gayi hai kya?"
He laughed silently.
Then-
Outside-
Swati ji's phone rang.
Both froze.
They listened.
A short conversation followed.
Then Swati ji's voice sounded loudly from outside-
"Sanchi! Nihanshi needs me for something. I will return in some time. Until then, do your work."
Then-
click.
The door closed.
Silence.
Sanchi and Atharv looked at each other.

Slowly-
Sanchi opened the bathroom door slightly and peeked outside.
The room was empty.
She exhaled dramatically.
"Anshi toh farishta hai."
Atharv crossed his arms smugly.
"Tumhara real farishta idhar hai."
She turned.
"What?"
He grinned.
"I texted Advik to do something."
Sanchi's jaw dropped.
"You-"
"Haan."
She stared at him in pure admiration.
"Hayye, Kya dimag hai."
"I know."
Then she pointed toward the door.
"Ab chup-chaap jao yahan se."