Ajay

The special thing about today was the train journey. Call it a promotional stunt or a simple fun plan of Ramesh and Rajiv sir, the whole cast and crew would travel by train together. A few bailed out and would reach directly by air but mostly all were present.

I wanted to bail out too due to my busy schedule but I reconsidered my plan thinking about Maya. I tried hard to keep my distance from her but it was as if I couldn't do that. 

I wanted to see her smile, her beautiful eyes and listen to her talks. If not anything else, we can at least be friends. Better than hating each other.

We settled in our cabin of four. Soon, she took her seat next to me, smiling at me widely. Lately, she has been acting weird but it feels like she doesn't hate me now. That is a good omen. But every time she flashes her smile, I am reminded of her and Ishaan.

It won't be a surprise if she seriously likes Ishaan because, from their very first meeting, they were going along well. They had quite a great bonding and even that gift she prepared tells all about her feelings.

I wonder if I am allowed to even feel jealous. Do I have that right?

" So, all ready for the TRIP!" Someone shouted, breaking through all my thoughts. Maya broke into a natural laugh which was soothing to watch. After taking a selfie and posting on our social media handles we were finally ready for the ride. 

" Poha?" I saw her opening the lid of her tiffin box as my mouth almost watered at seeing that. Does she know it is my favourite? Maybe or maybe not.

" I didn't mix any poison," she said, watching me looking suspiciously at the food. " No, thanks." I went back to reading my book.

" Poha!! Can we have it?" The excited co-stars shouted to which I felt her gaze over me but I didn't look up. Then I heard her say," Sure, all for you." As I looked up, I saw her narrowed eyes filled with anger as she started typing something on her phone frantically.

I realized why she was angry. " Ok, just give me a little." I hardly made out those words. Of course, I wanted to eat the poha and also didn't want to deny her but I was just trying hard to keep my actions measured. 

I didn't want to make it hard for myself.

" Didn't you say you don't want?" She smirked and I groaned inside my head. She is unbelievable.

After a while, I turned to see her sleeping in an abrupt position. She is going to hurt her neck. I supported her neck on my arm as she twisted and turned uncomfortably. I gently kept her head on my shoulders in a way that would be comforting to her.

She slowly drifted in sleep, her loose hair falling on her face. I removed them out of my way of admiring her pretty face.

" Protective Boyfriend!" Raghav sir whispered with a teasing tone.

" No! It's nothing like that!" I playfully whispered back, glaring at him as he rolled his eyes as if he knew everything.

I smiled to myself and pulled out my diary and started sketching. Well, a long journey shouldn't go in vain.

 ★★★

Maya

Before I could know, I had fallen asleep but strangely I woke up on someone's comfortable shoulders. I gasped when I saw Ajay, focused on his work. How did I fall asleep on him?

From the corner of my eyes, I saw him wearing a slim-fit shirt and rubbing his hands at times. He wore his specs and his hands smoothly made the curves and lines on his book. My eyes immediately caught an overcoat covering my body.

I turned to find him clasping his hands to keep them warm. I quickly wrapped the overcoat around him before he could even react.

" You woke up?"

" Long back but it seems like you are busy with something," I said, eyeing his book which he hid behind his back, making me more curious.

But I dropped the idea of arguing with him for a book. I smiled to myself thinking of his kind gesture. I noticed him gazing at me but I kept my gaze low, trying to form a few words to say.

As I turned, our eyes met steadily and we kept looking at each other for quite some time. His deep orbs depicted gentleness. I tugged my loose hair behind the ear and soon after, I noticed him shifting away.

I thought I noticed a glint of frown but it just vanished the next second. Maybe I saw it wrong.

I took out another tiffin and handed it to him. He crooked his eyebrows, keeping his diary at a safe distance from me. " Take it, " I glared at him to which he gave me a deadpan look before continuing with his scribbles. Why are my death glares not working anymore?

" Please, mister, will you gladly take it?" I made a wide smile and tried to pull a cute face but I was immediately convinced how terribly I failed to act cute when I saw him suppressing his laugh.

" Leave it." I groaned when I felt his warm pair of hands covering mine. " My cute monkey is requesting me so how can I deny it?" He rubbed my head, playfully, sending chills unto my spine. 

It's not like it was the first time a boy patted my head but I never felt this small gesture as something intimate. This time it felt different.

" Poha!" He exclaimed and I blinked as a reflex. He turned with his surprising pair of eyes and said, " I thought it finished."

" I knew you would throw tantrums so I kept this for the last, just in case." I shrugged. He seemed amused as he took a spoonful of poha. A smile crept on my face when I saw his delight.

★★★

The night is beautiful even though it looks completely blank from the train. The tea is awesome even if the sugar almost matches Ayushi's perfect level rather than mine. And my co-actor is amazing even if he is scrolling down his phone and sitting a mile away.

Looks like I am quite able to control my immense temper after all the practice.

Such a progress! Wow!!

I pulled the curtains close and sighed heavily. 

" Why are you sighing? Are you bored?" I nod innocently when he asked me. He shook his head and kept down his phone, at last.

" Come let me show you something," he said calmly with a glint of excitement. I raised my brows when he stood upright glancing at me.

I was confused but way enthusiastic to think anything. I just put on my shoes and replied, "Take me." I gave a small smile as he walked ahead of me. 

Soon he came to a stop and turned, making me halt on my tracks. " Look at it."

I went a little near to see the washbasin and the two washrooms opposite to each other. My smile faded and turned to see his indifferent face.

" What the heck?"

" What, Isn't it amusing? Washrooms are important," he said in an innocent voice which made him more of an infinity level annoyance.

" What the— Seriously?? You are not being serious, right? You—" I muttered a curse under my breath and was about to stomp my way back when I felt a hand pulling mine with a force and in a reflex, my palm fisted his sleeves trying to get my balance.

He gazed at me as a smile played on his lips. My already anger-puffed cheeks turned redder with the proximity.

" Wow! It's so easy to make you angry. Look at your red puffed cheeks and nose. Calm down my angry woman," he said, letting go of his grip on my hand. I widened my eyes when he said that. 

I hit him with the bag which he dodged perfectly, giving off his best laugh which I had just seen in his internet pictures. My heart skipped a beat at his joyful laugh, my anger giving way to smile.

Realizing how close we both were standing, he took steps away from me and I just averted my gaze awkwardly.

" What was that thing… you wanted to show?" I asked with a pause to which he made a call with a satisfying look. I was confused as anything.

Moments later a man came and opened the train door and left after greeting us goodbye. I peeked through the door to see the crescent moon and the star-filled sky above us.

" It's beautiful. Wow… it's amazing!" I exclaimed, taking steps in front to get a closer view of the sky. I felt a warm hand covering my arms and turned to see Ajay carefully wrapping his right arm around me, pulling me a little aside, keeping his other arm on the handle.

" Be careful," he said, his voice sounding warmer than usual. My cheeks turned pink as I felt a tingling sensation inside my stomach.

He removed his hands when I quietly stood on his opposite side, glancing at the sky and him.

" Stars these days are so rare."

" Yeah." A silence falls between us and it's too awkward to even imagine.

" Do they just open the door like that?" I asked, just to break the awkwardness.

" Oh, I told them that a girl wants to puke," he said with a deadpan face. I glared at him, knowing very well how he was just playing the fool with me. I broke into a chuckle at his amused face. He smiled back, making my heart swell with happiness.

" Hey, I was curious about something. Why did you agree to this train trip? Many actors had their movie shoots so they opted out so I thought maybe you will too. Or are you clearly free?" His amused smile changed into a frown.

" Can't you be nice for a second?" I chuckled as he angrily fumed. He sighed and rolled his eyes. Seeing my laugh, he too broke into a smile.

" Well, I just thought I could experience a thing or two. It's been years since I travelled by train so it's good to relieve the old days. And… also I heard… you would be here," he blurted out the last words.

My breath hitched when I heard that. Did he come...for me?

" Like I can see your irritating face and make you more annoyed," he added hurriedly, which just made me twist my lips and let out an empty laugh.

" Not so easy, Mister." We both laughed.

A swift gust of wind touched my soul, almost dancing with my locks which were continuously coming in front of my eyes. I tried pulling it aside but it won't stay fixed. Soon, I turned to see his fingers twirling around my hair strands as he pulled them behind my ear.

" I… I can do," I said, trying to free the hair from his hold but he just steadily held them up in a ponytail. He rolled his eyes as if to tell me to turn around. Hesitantly, I did as instructed when he took my clip, tying my hair into a ponytail.

I touched my hair, feeling it tightly fastened. "Thank...you."

Once again, an awkward silence fell between us. 

" You… You remember what you said about forgetting past grudges and all. I thought about it and I think we can be good like… friends? See, we need to work together anyway, so why not as friends? What do you say?" I asked, hoping for a positive response.

" Ah, but won't it be awkward?" He raised his eyebrows.

" What can be more awkward than what's happening these days?" I mumbled as the flashes of these last days played inside my head. My feelings. My heart. And every emotion is being questioned.

He smiled and nodded, " Fine, Let's be friends."

" Can you say this again?" I pressed the recording button on my phone to record his voice.

" What is this?"

" What if you back out later? I want clarity. Clarity." I pointed my finger at him and the phone.

When he didn't say anything, I sighed and said over the phone, " I, Maya Padwal, in all my senses, agrees to be friends with Ajay Sharma. I swear by the Gita to keep the promise."

He looked amused for a second before saying, " Fine then. Whatever you say. I, Ajay Sharma, in my right state of mind, agrees to be friends with Maya Padwal. I swear by the Gita to never break the promise," he said, putting his right hand on his chest. He chuckled mischievously after his oath.

" That's nice." I giggled, keeping my phone back in my pocket.

He shook his head. " It's good that we became friends. Anyhow, we can't keep fighting for our entire lives. And that too, just for ice cream and a T-shirt."

I was excited that it was finally happening. "Hey, but that wasn't just for those. If you wouldn't be complaining to my mother about literally everything, we could have been better." 

" Oh, really? And who ruined my homework? The pot calls the kettle black." I felt accused but couldn't hide the fact.

" You are to be equally blamed, okay? If you wouldn't have come to lecture me and annoy me, I wouldn't have been mad at you. So, it's your fault!" I narrowed my eyes at him to which he glared but then just sighed.

" Fine, I agree I am at fault."

" Me… me too," I said, keeping my gaze low.

" So… friends?" He held out his hand, rewinding that day when we met for the first time. Our positions were the same but what changed other than the date and age, is our emotions. Smile and happiness replaced the hatred and loathing.

As I shook my hand with him, I felt a kind of cord bonding us both. But I still need to figure out what it is in reality. Did we become friends for real?

If this is just a dream, I would rather make it a reality soon.

~•~

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