The Lost Thread

Moonlight Rendeavour

So sorry for the late update. Too many things happening in life right now. I hope you all have kept safe.

Dhruv waited impatiently. He looked around him and snorted. If someone had told him a few days back he will be waiting on a barely stable terrace, in biting cold, for a girl, he would have laughed like anything.  Yet here he was, waiting, while that silly girl is late. Is she still sleeping?

He had a plan and he needed to convince Maya for it to succeed. He needed a few days away, in peace, to know her and get her to love him. Attraction was not enough anymore.

Light footsteps were heard on the steps. He knew she would come. 

Maya could not believe she was back in square one. Again leading to the same treacherous arms that have total control over her. But she knew she had to let go of her pride if she wants to give them a chance. She is in love; her very first love. And this love deserved this chance and many tiny more chances like this for this to go somewhere. 

Maya looked up at the shadow that is Dhruv and wondered how he managed to look so predatory. It was not just the bulk. It was a feeling of anticipation that always seem to buzz around him. but instead of warning her, it caused a fresh wave of excitement to flow through her. 'Is this attraction all about?' she thought. 

Dhruv came straight to the point. 'I am not engaged, nor do I plan to marry.' Maya sucked in a breath. 'However, that does not mean that I don't feel anything for you.' Dhruv hurried to add. 'And I missed you these past few days'

Maya nodded in understanding. 'I missed you too'

Both of them stared at each other in solemn solidarity shared by most people in love for the first time. They were both the victim and the perpetrator. Some forces were just too powerful to deny or ignore. All you do is flow with them. 

Maya made a move to rush into his arms, but Dhruv moved back. 

'If I touch you now, I will not be able to stop myself. Maya we need to spend some more time together. Not for sex, but for getting to know each other. I am sorry I moved too fast....it was not planned. I did not plan to have sex with you that day'

'Make love' Maya corrected, 'We made love that day and I don't regret it'

Dhruv let out a breath he did not know he was holding. A battle was raging in his heart. 

'Will you come with me for a few days? We will a little way up for trekking, just across the river. It will be a two day trek, we will come back in two days'

'What about my work here? I am not on a holiday you know'

'We will see about that. I will talk to Sneha.'

'No' said Maya worriedly.

'Why?' asked Dhruv impatiently, 'Are you ashamed of me'. Any other time, and any other girl, Dhruv would have heaved a huge sign of relief. Instead all he felt was anger. Here he was, ready to shout it out to the world, and all this girl can say is no. 

Maya looked at him sadly.

'Will I fit in your world Dhruv. This is not our world, I belong somewhere else, and you belong somewhere else. It was just chance that we met. Do you think out of this uninhabited, misty land, there is a place where our worlds will meet?'

Dhruv took his time to answer. 

'We will not need a world if we have each other'

A very cheesy dialogue, fit for a 70's Hindi movie, but it was there out in the open, what Dhruv thought about the world in general and what this relationship means to him.

Maya looked unconvinced. She knew a world, it had conventions, it had reality, and it have cruelty, yet she had not being able to do without it. She wondered which world he was talking about and how on earth did he get away with ignoring it. 

Dhruv put his hands on her shoulder and peered deep in her eyes. Even in the cloudy night, with the wind putting a chilly spell around them, he still felt warm and happy. He knew Maya was not convinced, and he decided to put her mind to rest. 

'Fine, we will discuss this tomorrow. You can tell me what you think tomorrow. Now go sleep.'

He kissed her forehead and gently pushed her towards the stairs. 

Maya was beyond confused. What on earth is going on here? Did Dhruv just give in. Instead of pressuring her into agreeing to the trip, he just let her go? What did he have in mind?