“Thank god, finally it’s over and I can tick the worksheet.” he sighed as he was leaving from work.
“Hey, Raj wants to hang out tonight? We are going to that new pub. Want to join?” Shruti from the HR asked Raj.
“No yr. Just want to go home, eat, and straight to bed. But for this weekend plan count me in” Raj replied. As he was moving towards to get his bike the phone in his left pocket buzzed, it was Naina’s WhatsApp message. After glancing at the screen for a while. He decided to click, it reads, “Hey Raj, don’t you get late today. You remembered right today is the day. We have to reach there by 9. Come home early.”
“No not today. Why these family functions have to be on such a hectic day. I won’t go. Naina will understand today.”
Naina was in the balcony waiting for Raj, hearing the sound of his bike she ran towards the door to welcome him, as she knew that Raj has arrived. “Welcome home darling. How was your day?” Naina welcomed him.
“Hey honey, Pretty much exhaustive. Naina, don’t be mad but baby I am not coming today Not today, please I am totally exhausted” Raj stated. “It’s okay If you want to stay at home today. But one of us has to visit them” Naina smiled.
“Naina. Why not we order your favorite biriyani and both can stay at home today. Just Netflix and chill. It’s not compulsion to visit them.” Raj tried. Raj felt an eerie feeling about Naina’s reaction. “Is she mad? Something was different about Naina, Is she okay? what happened to her, why didn’t she forced me to come with her. That’s strange” Raj thought.
After an hour later when Naina was done with her dress and makeup she went to the living room and scanned her eyes and he was sitting right there in front of the TV, watching him with an amused expression she asked: “Raj, Will you come with me?”
Seeing Naina in front of him Raj replied “Oh hi!! Are we going? Please Naina, I can’t I told you I am tired” Raj replied. The next moment, when Raj looked, Naina was standing right next to him waiting to get answered the same question again,
“Tell me Raj are you coming with me? Now.”
Raj’s heart skipped a beat when his eyes rose. Naina was staring at him, Her stare was fiercely soft, as a lioness toying with her next meal. Raj knew that he has already been hunted down. But Damn!! she looked mesmerizing in that red dress.
“You know what? I hate this Now part. Seriously I hate this trick of yours. And now I hate you.” Raj replied.”What did I do? Okay come on tell me fast are you coming with me now? Did you change your mind? Or should I leave alone?” Naina asked and Raj nodded in agreement.
“Raj. Now there is very less time left. Get up and get ready fast.” Naina screamed in high Kumaoni pitch.
As Naina settled her hair behind her ear, Raj realized it was the same trick he had fallen more than a dozen times. And she was the same girl he had fallen in love a dozen more times than he wanted to fall out. It took him few years but it’s not just him, nobody can deal with that, nobody can say no to these fluffy cheeks, the way she smiles, the way she tucks her hair behind the ear, the way she asked him today. How can someone say no to that? And with the red gown adorned with small rounded crystals sparkling on the neckline, and with that dress tight at the waist and flowing freely. Making her look breathtaking.
Not sure exactly what changed his mind. Was that the dress? Or was it the extra Now at the end? Maybe It was the stare or Maybe It was she and her flawless trick. Raj was confused.
“I don’t know what changed my mind but all I knew that I don’t want to leave that hands for the eternity, don’t want to leave that warmth which left me as soon as she left my hands, made me feel empty inside.”