The Girl With the Red Scarf | ✔️ [DriKshit]

Shooting Stars (Part -2)

RAKSHIT'S POV

After dinner, I took Drishti upstairs, stopping on the landing beneath the door to the terrace. The landing was small and the white candles placed in the candle stands made it warm and cosy. Her face glowed as the candlelight reflected off of it, enhancing the sparkle in her eyes. My heart beating in excitement and anticipation, I told her to close her eyes. She looked surprised, but she obeyed. I covered her eyes with my right hand and placing my left hand on her left arm, I guided her to step into the terrace, strangely aware of how close her neck was beneath my lips. She followed my instructions and before letting go of her arm, I took a quick look at the arrangement, my heart bouncing with relief. Everything looked so much better and perfect than I had imagined it to be.

I removed my hand from her eyes and she slowly opened them. The sparkle in her eyes expanded as she took in the surprise and gaped. There, in the middle of the small terrace was a small white tent, standing upright beneath a sky full of stars. Inside the tent, there were cushions, an array of soft toys, a blanket and a small lantern. The lantern was the only source of light on the otherwise dark terrace. And on the mattress upon which the tent stood, there were rose petals scattered around. To be honest, initially, I thought the rose petals would be too much, but then, I really liked how the entire scenario looked.

I didn't know why but I wanted this to be the perfect night, a night that I will cherish as long as I live. I wanted each event to be memorable, each moment to be special. Throughout these five months of getting to know Drishti, I felt myself inclining towards her. There was a feeling between us, a feeling that I could not quite name or describe. But Drishti makes me happy, happier than I have ever been in my entire life, I daresay.

Growing up among tragedies, I have never known what peace felt like, but looking into Drishti's eyes right now, I felt the word seep into me. She looked so happy, laughing, jumping around like a five year old girl - in that moment, I felt like nothing else in the world mattered except her happiness. And then, she did the unthinkable. She opened her arms wide and bear hugged me, her bracelet clinking. Up close, the combined smell of her perfume and her jasmine scented hair tickled my nostrils. I knew this scent would imprint itself upon my memory.

I stroked her back and whispered into her hair.

~ "Did you like the surprise?"

~ "I did. I loved it."

And that is when I sensed that something was wrong, terribly wrong. Drishti was crying. I pulled back just enough to see her face, which she dabbed frantically with her hands now that she knew I was looking.

~ "What's wrong, Drishti?"

~ "Nothing, something went in my eye..."

~ "You are the worst liar I have ever seen."

She smiled. Genuinely.

~ "What's wrong?"

~ "Rakshit, it's actually - I - I have - I mean no one has ever done something like this for me... I feel so special... It's almost like someone cares whether I  live or -"

Before I could give it a second thought, the index finger of my right hand was touching her lips, indicating her to stop speaking. Beneath my finger, her lips were smooth like glass.

~ "Sssh... Not another word. Of course I care Drishti, I do care. And you are special. Not only today, tomorrow - but forever. You hold a place in my life that no else can ever have."

She looked slightly surprised, even I was a little shook by the last line that I said. But the truth was the truth. No amount of lies will alter the fact that Drishti matters to me, in a way no one else has ever does.

I removed my finger from her lips and wiped her tears with my thumb, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she looked  into my eyes, unblinking.

~ "Rakshit, can I tell you something?"

~ "Feel free."

~ "Since the day you entered my life, it has never been the same as before. Rakshit, you know, you make me a better person. You make me want to live, not just exist."

I was so surprised I couldn't even react when she pulled apart. I thought it was me who had been affected by her entry in my life, what I didn't realize was that this entire feeling was mutual. Masking my surprise, I led her towards the tent.

~ "So, we are even I think, you and I - we did some good to each other."

She laughed, her hair swaying slightly in the cool night air.

I opened my coat and we settled in the tent. I put the blanket around her shoulders, but instead of wrapping it around herself, she took the blanket and laid it on our legs. She rested her head on my right shoulder, wrapping the blanket around us. Reluctantly, I slid my right arm under her waist and she cuddled closer, her eyes fixed on the sky.

~ "Rakshit, do you know any fairytales?"

~ "What?"

~ "I thought so. Businessmen are not supposed to know fairytales."

I tried to remember a fairytale and to my utter surprise, I actually knew one story - a story that mom used to tell me, Sikhar and Rashi during bedtime.

~ "I do know one. But why?"

~ "At school, I always tell fairytales to my students during the storytelling class. Just once - just once - I wanted someone to tell me a story. Will you -?"

She looked up into my face and it took a ridiculous amount of willpower to not touch her hair, which now fell in tufts around her face, ruffled by the night air. And so I told her, the story I had heard so often in my childhood. She closed her eyes, her head rested peacefully on my chest, only looking up occasionally to throw in a question or remark.

It was almost midnight when I finished my story. Drishti was asleep peacefully, cuddling to my side. Realizing that she was cold, I grabbed my coat and laid it around her shoulders. She moved in her sleep and clutched my hand tightly. Knowing that it was wrong, I still couldn't refrain from stroking her hair. It felt so nice, lying with her, alone, with only the stars to witness the chapters of our story. My mind wandered back to the night when Sikhar told me that I was falling for Drishti. Now, tonight, when Drishti was sleeping on my chest, I felt like maybe, just maybe - Sikhar was right.

Drishti stirred, squinting in the faint light of the lantern. She took in her surroundings and realized the posture we were lying in, but she didn't react. Instead, she looked up into my eyes.

~ "Rakshit, did I miss the shower?"

~ "Nope. The shower will be seen in the early hours of the morning. It's just past midnight. You can go back to sleep... I will wake you up."

She nodded but took no initiative to go back to sleep. She continued to look into my eyes.

~ "Rakshit?"

~ "Hmm?"

~ "Can we do this everyday?"

~ "I am afraid meteor showers are occasional, Drishti, otherwise, we could have done this everyday."

I tried to smile, but she didn't return it. I could feel the tension increasing between us. She moved a little closer to me, there was barely an inch between our lips now. I dared to move a little, just a little bit closer, without breaking the eye contact. My mind became empty, my heart beating at an unnatural pace. I knew what we are about to do will jeopardize our relationship forever...

My phone rang, breaking our trance. Drishti immediately moved away, the colour rising to her cheeks. She avoided my eyes as she ran a hand through her hair, fixing it. I glanced at the screen of my phone.

Divya.

I picked up the phone and my remaining trance faded away, Divya was crying.

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Do let me know how you guys liked this part! Also, comment down below why you think Divya called Rakshit after midnight, crying.

Spoiler Alert - Huge twist upcoming.