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"Bhabhi..", called Naina.

"Hmmm..", hummed Sana walking with her on the streets of her village towards the lake.

"I never imagined that bhaiyya could hide something from me. We would share everything with each other. Now I am curious to learn about your love story. Tell me everything.",said Naina.

"Hmmm.. I was working at a small office near my home earlier but the owner sold it to someone and I was rendered unemployed. I started going for interviews and finally got a job but it needed me to commute everyday by bus. It was my first day at work and I was on my way to my new office in the bus.", Sana smiled

Flashback:

The driver stepped on the brake making the bus jolt a little and stopped at the bus stop. Sana was sitting towards the aisle when a tall and handsome man got into the bus. His aura was such that it attracted many heads to turn. Sana however looked nervously at the window since she was afraid of missing her stop.

If you've ever travelled by public transport, you would know that it is a standard practice that the bus travellers who stood would keep their eyeballs moving 360 degrees to catch the slightest of movements on the creatures who were occupying the seats.

Sidharth caught a similar moment beside Sana and that's when he got a glimpse of her nervous yet innocent face. Within the next few seconds, he found himself standing beside her.

As expected, the person beside her got up to leave and Sana's almond shape eyes met Sidharth's dark brown orbs. He gestured to her to move towards the window by moving his head but she denied by nodding her head and instead moved her legs towards the aisle to let him sit towards the window. Sidharth sat beside her.

Noticing her move uncomfortably in her seat everytime, he couldn't stop himself from asking her.

"Is everything alright? You seem nervous.", He asked.

"Aaa.. I.. I am scared of missing my stop.", She answered.

"If you don't mind, may I ask which stop are you getting down?", He asked.

"Jeevanlal circle..", she said.

"Oh!! That's exactly where I would be getting down. There still sometime to reach. Relax, I will let you know.", He assured her.

"Really? Thank you", She sighed in relief and gave him one of her best smiles which was captivating all his emotions. He zoned out for a moment looking at her and that's exactly when she took notice of his handsome features. The bus jerked at the stop making both of them aware of their actions.

"Do you want to sit beside window?", He asked.

"Huh? Why? Don't you like the window seat?", She asked.

"Everyone does but due to my height, I prefer sitting towards the aisle so that my legs are comfortable.", He said.

"Okay.. let's exchange then.", She smiled like a little kid who had gotten her favourite candy. They both exchanged their seats.

"Exactly how much time is there for us to arrive?", She asked.

"Hmm.. I guess we should reach in the next 18 to 20 minutes. Just relax.", He said.

"Hmm..", she nodded her head.

"..and thanks for the seat.", He said.

"I should be the one thanking here. I could have sat in the window seat even before the other passenger who occupied it but I was so worried that I took the aisle.", She smiled.

"Hmmm.. nevermind, I am here now.", He said and she nodded her head and leaned it onto the window pane.

"Excuse me.. hey..excuse me..", Sidharth shook her by her arm as she had dozed off.

"Huh?",She opened her eyes and looked at the surroundings and then into his eyes.

"Next is Jeevanlal circle.. we have to get down.", He said and she widened her eyes.

"I am sorry, I was too relaxed after your assurance that I dozed off.", She confessed.

"That's okay. Come.", He said smilingly. They both got up from their seat and alighted from the bus.

"Aaa.. thank you.", She said.

"Hmmm.. no problem.", He said.

They both smiled and turned into opposite directions to go their way. Somewhere they were missing each other. They both turned back to look at each other exactly at the same time. For an unknown reason, Sana had a blush on her face just as they smile and nod at each other to say bye.

Somewhere they both wished and thought if they would ever meet again even though they knew nothing about each other. Something was connecting and attracting them towards each othet.

After finishing her first day at the office, she reached the bus stop. Reminiscing about her morning encounter with the stranger, she waited for the bus. The bus arrived and she got into it. Sidharth facepalmed as the bus left while he was still a few meters away from it.

Next morning, when Sidharth boarded the bus, he found the same anxious girl. He smiled to himself for having seen her yet again. She was anxiously biting her nail today as well looking outside the window. He silently went and stood beside her.

"Hey! Good morning.", He greeted her with a huge smile.

"Thank God. You came.", She sighed and jumped in joy, surprising him that she too wanted to see him. She realised that her words came unfiltered and bit her tongue.

"Sorry.. I mean Hey.. Good morning.", She said blushingly

"What happened? Why do you look nervous?", He chuckled.

"Since I carelessly slept yesterday, I forgot to take note of where to get down.", She confessed with puppy eyes making him laugh.

"Oh! Don't worry. I am here.", He said.

"I know. I won't.", She replied instantly and mentally smacked her head for speaking without thinking.

The two seats in the front got vacant and he looked at her. Without saying a word, she immediately got up from her seat and sat near the window and he smilingly occupied the aisle seat. They both blushed quietly trying to calm their unknown feelings before they spoke.

"Are you going to your office?", They both asked in unison and laughed. She nodded her head, so did he.

"Yesterday was my first day at the office.", Said Sana.

"Hmmm.. did you like the work?", He asked.

"Hmmm.. yes. Even though it's too early to say.", She nodded. She yawned making him smile.

"You can grab some sleep. I can wake you up.", He suggests.

"Oh no! I want to see the route today and make sure to take note of any landmark which would help me get down tomorrow.", She said.

"I will be coming to the office tomorrow as well.", He said. She looked into his dark brown orbs and bit her lower lips, which made his eyes gaze at her lip for a fraction of seconds before she shyly turned her head to look out of the window.

"What time do you finish?", He asked.

"Huh?", She looked at him confused.

"I.. I am sorry for asking so many questions.", He said.

"No.. I zoned out for a second. What did you say earlier?", She asked.

"I asked, what time do you finish work.", He asked.

"5:30pm.", She said.

"Me too..", he said.

"Really? I didn't find you while going yesterday.", She said and cursed her tongue for so many slips.

"I missed the bus by a fraction of a minute.", He smiled.

"Oh!!", She exclaimed.

"Our stop..", he said.

"Huh? Oh!! Yes..", she nodded her head. The word 'Our' gave an unknown gitters in her stomach. Following his lead she got down the bus.

"So..", they both said in unison and chuckled nervously.

"..all the best for your second day..", he said.

"Hmmm.. thank you.", She nodded her head looking down at the floor.

"I will see you in the evening?", It came as a question rather than a statement.

"Hopefully, I don't plan to miss my bus ride with you either.", He said in his husky voice. They had a brief eyelock before she nods her head.

The whole day, they just kept glancing at the clock, waiting for it to strike 5:30pm. They packed their bags early so that they don't delay even a second more after 5:30pm.

When she arrived at the bus stop, she saw him standing in the queue already. They both exchanged their best smiles. When the bus arrived, they both got in but were lost in crowd of passengers standing between them. Sharing glances at each other from far, they passed smiles when their eyes met.

It had been almost over 2 weeks since they commuted together on the bus. Life was beautiful when they were in each other's company. He smiled and kept happy at workplace.

"Your face looks to be glowing and you smile very often. Who is she?", Asked Sidharth's colleague at the office.

Suddenly, Sidharth's thoughts got enlightened with the fact that they never introduced themselves and he doesn't even know her name. With the determination to ask her name that evening, he got busy with work.

"Sana, meet Deepa, our new recruit.", Introduced her supervisor.

"Hi Deepa..", Sana shook hands with her. Deepa was a chirpy girl, who shadowed Sana the whole day and they chatted over breaks. Soon, she got to know that Deepa stays close to her house and commutes by bus too. In the evening, Deepa accompanies Sana to the bus stop which Sana saw as a nightmare.

When Sidharth reached the bus stop, he saw Sana busy chatting with another girl. Hiding her face from Deepa, Sana gave him a slight smile which he reciprocated instantly.

While Sana contemplates whether to introduce Deepa to him, she realizes that she herself doesn't know his name. The next moment, she decides to not introduce her to him because she finds Deepa ogle at him. Her possessiveness didn't want them to speak now.

Sidharth and Sana travelled together, but wouldn't get a chance to speak because Deepa would always be there with her while going and coming. Sidharth felt that she was ignoring her.

They both missed each other a lot.  Each moment made him anxious as he thought why was she ignoring him. The once smiling Sidharth turned grumpy at work. His only happiness was to at least see her from far if not speak. But one day, he didn't see her at all which made his mind think of all the reasons.

'Is she on leave? What if she is sick? Or did she resign? What? No.. this can't happen. How do I ever meet her again? What is even happening to me? I don't even know her name, why am I getting so restless for a stranger?' he kept asking himself.

The next day, he sighed when he saw her again on the bus and luckily her friend was also not there. He went and sat on the seat which was vacant knowing that she would only ignore him. But he was surprised to find her sit next to him when the person beside him left.

"Hi", she smiled.

"Hi..", he wished grumpily.

"How are you?", She asked.

"I am good, thanks.", He replied.

"How is work?", She asked after a few seconds of silence.

"Yeah.. Good.", He replied.

She felt sad because he wasn't even talking to her properly. There was some silence before he heard a soft sulk. When he turned, he saw her wiping her tears.

"Hey, what happened? Why are you crying?", He asked her with concern written all over his face.

"Why are you ignoring me?", She asked.

"What? I am ignoring you? It's you who is ignoring me from so many days. Do you know how much I had been longing to hear your voice?", He said.

"I am sorry. I wasn't ignoring you but I kept away due to my friend, Deepa. The girl who travels with me everyday.", Said Sana.

"What's about her? Is she your guardian that you need permission from her to speak to me?", He asked.

"No.. but the way she stares at you lustfully, I never wanted her to speak to you. She is beautiful, a very chirpy girl and makes friends easily. What if you grow close to her and start ignoring me?", Sana put out her insecurities.

"What? You are joking, aren't you? That can't be a reason for you to stop talking to me?", He asked

"It is..", said Sana.

"Then you are an idiot. Just thinking that I will ignore you in her company, you started ignoring me yourself. Why would I ignore you when I myself am longing so much to talk to you? Do you even know how much I like you?", He scolded but instead of feeling bad, she blushed which made him realise that he just confessed his feelings without even his knowledge.

She put her head down rewinding his words and blushing uncontrollably. He shook his head in disbelief.

"You are a cartoon. A few seconds earlier, you were crying and now when I scolded you, you started blushing.", He said.

She nodded her head in denial still blushing and hiding her eyes from him.

"Stop blushing and tell me your name now. I don't even know the name of the girl I like.", He said.

"Sana..", she said.

"Sana! Your name is as beautiful as you. I am Sidharth.", He said.

"Hmm.. Sidharth..", she said softly and his anger just vanished hearing his name from her lips.

"Sana, do you like me?", He asked straight forward.

"Hmmm..", she nodded her head blushing even harder.

"Will you ignore me again after your friend returns?", He asked.

"No, I won't. But I still don't want you to talk to her when I introduce her to you.", She said sweetly which made him giggle.

"I won't even look at her. Promise.", He promised by holding her hand which was resting on her lap. She shivered at his touch and nodded her head in agreement.

"Why didn't you come yesterday?", He asked and she instantly became stiff.

"Aaa.. aaa.. I took off because I had some guests at home.", Sana said nervously.

"Oh! Whose side? Hmm.. let me guess, it must be definitely from your mother's side because they are sweeter than the dad's side relatives. Hence you took off for them.", He smiled.

"No.. they weren't from either side.", She said.

"Huh? Then?", He asked puzzled.

"They came to see me. It was a proposal for my marriage.", She said giving him the greatest shock of his life.

"What? What was the outcome?", He asked removing his hand from over her hand.

"Rejected. My father didn't agree.",she said.

Her words came as a relief and he sighed.

"Our stop.", She said.

"Huh? You seemed to have memorised it. You don't need me now.", He said as they got down from the bus immediately.

"I will always need you.", She said making his heart happier than ever.

"I'll see you in the evening.", he said.

"Bye..", she smiled before turning her back to leave. When she turned around after taking few steps, she noticed him still standing there and looking at her. She raised her eyebrows to gesture "what?". He nodded his head to say nothing and gave her a bright smile which didn't cease the entire day.
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To be continued.. ❤️❤️

Don't forget to vote after reading. Your less votes demotivates me thus delaying the update.