7.2.2021

Picking up her purse from the side table Kashish walks towards the door to leave for office. The moment she pulls the door open she gets surprised to find a boy standing at the door holding a red rose in his hand. Kashish knits her brows lightly and asks in astonishment,

"Haan?"

"Ma'am ye apke liye!",

saying so the boy forwards the red rose to Kashish which she accepts, knitting her brows tighter in confusion.

"Mere liye?",

she asks, surprised.

"Kisne diya?"

"Wo to nahi pata.",

he says. Smiling he leaves.

Kashish stares at the rose again unable to decide whether to keep it or throw it away. Neverthless, Kashish puts it into her bag and leaves.

Walking towards the street as Kashish was about to search for an autorickshaw, one autorickshaw reaches her and Kashish quickly climbs in. Before resuming the drive the driver forwards a rose to her without turning to look towards her and says,

"Ma'am ye apke liye!"

Kashish gets shocked upon hearing those words yet again.

Keeping her eyes wide opened out of shock Kashish takes the rose from him and asks harshly,

"Kisne diya hai ye? Ya aaj jo bhi tumhare auto mein baithega tum usse gulab dene wale ho?"

"Nahi Ma'am wo mujhe kaha gaya tha to....",

says the driver, nervously.

Kashish realises that she shouldn't have used the tone. She immediately turns polite and apologizes,

"I... I am sorry... wo... mujhe gussa aa gaya...please mujhe maaf kardo."

The driver smiles politely and says,

"Koi baat nahi Madam."

"Kisne kaha tha tumhe mujhe ye dene ko?",

asks Kashish, politely.

"Main unhe nahi janta. Bus apki photo dikhayi aur kaha ke apko jahan jana ho wahan chorh dun aur ye apko de dun.",

he says.

Kashish looks away, frustrated.

At the traffic signal a little girl walks to Kashish and gives her seven roses and says, smiling,

"Didi ye apke liye."

Kashish's chest expands and contracts in quick succession out of anger, staring the roses.

She looks back towards the girl. The smile on her face succeeds in melting Kashish's heart. She smiles back at her and accepts the roses. Despite trying to control her emotions she fails to keep herself from asking,

"Beta ye kisne diya hai apko?"

The little girl points towards a car standing across two rows of cars in the traffic signal, which makes it impossible for Kashish to understand exactly which car is the little girl pointing towards.

The girl runs away as she realizes that it is time for the traffic signal to turn green leaving behind confused Kashish.

Reaching the office as Kashish was about to pay the driver, he stops her from paying by saying,

"Rehne dijiye Ma'am mujhe paise de diye the unhone."

Kashish boils with anger. Turning she leaves to enter the office.

Walking to her desk, Kashish puts her purse at a side too loudly and on the other side she puts the bunch of roses. Resting her elbows at her desk she shoves her fingers into her hair, burying her head down in anger. Her eyes fall on the roses. Frustrated and angry Kashish clenches the bunch of roses and was about to throw them away when Sujal reaches her and says,

"Arey... arey... arey... itne pyar se wo phool bhijwaye maine aur tum unka ye haal kar rahi ho?"

Kashish's heart skips a beat hearing Sujal's voice. She immediately turns to look towards him in utter shock.

She finds him in a mood exact opposite to hers!

The dazzling smile stretched on his face and his twinkling eyes succeed in vibrating the strings of Kashish's heart.

She finds herself in a complex situation at one end she wants to scold him for sending her the roses without informing her prior to sending them and on the other hand she wants to show her gratitude and shower him with love for making her feel special. Suddenly the cloud of anger and frustration gets cleared and she finds herself surrounded with bubbles of love.

"Tumne?",

she asks in utter shock.

Sujal smiles wide staring Kashish throughout.

"To aur kon bhejega?",

he asks, his eyes filled with love and naughtiness.

Blush creep Kashish's cheeks. Smile stretches on her lips.

"Sujal... tum... tumhe ye sub karne ki kya zaroorat thi?",

asks Kashish, trying to escape looking towards Sujal directly, smiling in shyness.

Sujal tilts his head a little towards the left and asks her with an intention to tease her,

"To kya nahi bhejna chahiye tha?"

Kashish immediately looks towards Sujal. Her whole body warms up hearing him. She of course didn't mean that.

She gets nervous and shakes her head slowly into negative, staring him throughout.

Sujal teases her further by mirroring her gesture.

Kashish laughs silently, shyly, cascading her eyes.

Sujal laughs too, silently, enjoying her gestures and reactions.

Holding the roses properly, Kashish touches the petals of the roses tenderly, staring them throughout, Kashish shows attitude by saying,

"Waise achi baat hai tumne theek time par mujhe aakar rok diya warna itne sundar phool mere haathon mein milne ke bajaye tumhe dustbin mein milte. Bekar mein mujhe phekna parhta."

"Aise kaise phekne deta tumhe mere bheje hue phool?",

asks Sujal, straightening up, acting to be feeling offended by her words.

Kashish laughs secretly and continues teasing him,

"Mujhe to laga pata nahi mere kis Majnu ne bheje hain ye phool!"

Sujal smiles hearing her.

"Madam, mere alawa apka koi aur Majnu nahi hai samjhin aap?",

says Sujal, smiling throughout.

Placing the bunch of roses at her desk; smiling at them lovingly, Kashish touches the flowers, feeling the warmth of Sujal's love in them before picking up her file and walking towards Piyush's cabin.

Walking ahead, holding the file against her chest, Kashish teases him again by saying,

"Aisa apko lagta hoga.... Sir!",

she emphasizes on 'Sir', laughing secretly.

Sujal widens his eyes out of shock hearing her. Little smile stretches on his lips, on being teased by Kashish.

"Dhoondh kar dikha do Kashish, koi bhi aisa jo tumhe mujhse zyada pyar kare!",

challenges Sujal, staring her way.

His serious tone arrests Kashish at her place. Her smile falters a little.

His each word succeeds in touching the core of her heart. She could feel her body temperature rising.

"La sakti ho koi?",

asks Sujal, challenging her.

Kashish slowly turns to look towards Sujal, smiling in shyness.

They stare each other, transmitting their feelings for each other through their eyes.

*****

Kashish becomes the last one to leave the office after the working hours get over.

She collects the flowers from her desk and was about to turn and walk to Sujal's cabin to inform him about her leaving when all the lights get turned off except for two. Kashish looks up as the sudden turning off the lights gives her a mini heart attack.

Sujal slowly walks towards Kashish, staring her throughout.

Kashish, whose back remains turned towards Sujal, turns her face to her right, staring him through her peripheral vision. Smiling, blushing throughout, Kashish waits for Sujal to reach her. Her stomach churns out of anticipation. She could feel her legs turning jelly gradually.

Sujal enjoys turning her shy and nervous gradually by his each act.

He understands merely his presence there is affecting her deeply.

The way she is rotating the bangle adorning her right wrist, makes Sujal to laugh a little, silently. It conveys to him of her impatience of having him next to her. She is waiting to feel his warmth around herself! She is waiting to hear him again!

Kashish takes deep breath every now and then in order to calm down her nerves, but all her tries go in vain! Suddenly the short distance between Sujal and herself feels the longest distance ever!

Reaching behind her, Sujal takes the bunch of roses off her hand. Kashish lets her hand go loose on them immediately.

Standing behind her, Sujal forwards one rose to her, smiling throughout, staring her throughout.

Kashish smiles in shyness and accepts the rose.

Sujal then forwards the second rose.

The moment Kashish takes her hand to accept it too, Sujal traces her lips with the rose.

In reflex to his move, Kashish closes her eyes and knits her brows lightly, her breath turns shallow.

She opens her eyes only when she doesn't feel the rose on her lips anymore.

She finds him holding it in front of her, waiting for her to accept it.

Kashish could feel her heart thumping inside her chest. She accepts the rose and simultaneously she tries to control her heart which beats shamelessly in front of Sujal.

Taking the third rose, Sujal traces her right ear, making her to feel the tickling sensation.

Her breath after calming for a brief moment turns shallow again.

She doesn't make any effort to stop him, she rather enjoys whatever he is doing to her.

Somehow Kashish understands his game and gets ready to accept the rose right at time, keeping her eyes closed.

The moment Kashish tries to get the rose in her hold, Sujal changes its position taking it to her left. Kashish upon not getting hold on the rose, knits her brows, her eyes still closed. She tries again in the opposite direction. Realizing her move prior to her taking her hand to the opposite direction, Sujal changes the direction of the rose with full intention to tease her, laughing secretly.

Kashish opens her eyes in fake anger and takes the rose from Sujal.

Sujal laughs at her annoyance.

Turning she holds her waist from the left and with the rose held on her right hand she beats him lightly, playfully on his head, knitting her brows.

Sujal laughs out loud.

Kashish turns away, folding her arms upon her abdominal.

Sujal embraces her loving, resting his chin on her right shoulder.

"Kashish laal sirf inn gulabo ko hi rehne do na! Apne gaal gusse se laal kyun kar rahi ho?",

teases Sujal then laughs at her.

Kashish takes a deep breath, showing her fake anger.

"Aur agar laal karne hi hain gaal to... jab sharm se tumhare gaal tamatar jaise laal ho jate hain wo mujhe bohot ache lagte hain!",

teases Sujal, laughing.

Kashish smiles and blushes further hearing that.

"Sujal...!",

she says, feeling shy, cascading her eyes.

Sujal slowly turns her towards himself, holding her by her shoulders.

Giving her back the remaining four roses, Sujal bends into her to kiss her lightly on her right cheek. Kashish closes her eyes feeling his lips against her cheek. She turns her face a little towards the left out of hesitation. Her face expression remains serious as she feels the depth of his feelings for her.

"Sujal tum to mere liye ye gulab le aye...",

says Kashish, touching the delicate petals.

Looking towards Sujal, Kashish says sadly,

"Ab iske badle main kya dun tumhe? Kaise special feel karwaun tumhe?",

Kashish stares him, innocently.

Sujal smiles at her innocent question.

"Kashish, meri zindagi mein aakar tumne mere har lamhe ko inn phoolon ki tarah mehka diya hai. Kya wo kam hai?",

smiles Sujal, staring Kashish.

Kashish stares him awestruck!

Shaking his head into negative in slow succession, staring her throughout, smiling, Sujal says,

"Mujhe tumse kuch nahi chahiye Kashish. Agar ho sakey to bus itna karna ke jab jab tum saans lo, apni har saans mein mujhe yaad karna! Jab jab tumhara dil dhadke; apni har dhadkan mein mujhe mehsoos karna. Ek pal ke liye bhi mujhe apni soch se; apneaap se durr mat hone dena. Ye ehsaas ke tumhari zindagi ke har lamhe mein main tumhare saath maujood hoon, usse behtar tauhfa mere liye kuch nahi ho sakta!"

Kashish knits her brows lightly feeling the depth of his emotions for her while Sujal keeps smiling at her.

Speechless, Kashish hugs him tight. Sujal, who had already anticipated her move immediately reciprocates her gesture. Their knitted brows and their eyes reflect their innate feelings for each other.

*****

Standing against his desk at his cabin, with Kashish standing next to him mirroring his posture, Sujal peels off the petals of a rose and showers them on Kashish in short intervals. Kashish smiles and blushes in shyness and turns her face a little away from Sujal. Sujal laughs a little, silently, enjoying her reaction.

"Sujal!",

she scolds him playfully, laughing silently.

"Kashish!",

Sujal mirrors her tone and laughs silently too.

Looking towards Sujal with her twinkling eyes, smiling throughout, Kashish says,

"Ghar jana hai Papa intezaar kar rahe honge."

But she doesn't make any effort to leave and keeps staring him, smiling.

Sujal stares her back, smiling back at her and nods his head in affirmative,

"Zaroor kar rahe honge. To?"

Kashish widens her eyes, laughing a little, she says,

"To jane do!"

Frowning, Sujal says,

"Main bhi to intezaar kar raha hoon kabse. Kabhi puri duniya ko kaha hai ke ab mujhe jane do mera Sujal mera intezaar kar raha hai? Bus dusro ki fikr lagi rehti hai tumhe!",

Sujal looks away, showing his fake anger.

Kashish laughs silently at his kiddish act.

Placing her hand on his left cheek, Kashish forces him to look towards herself, smiling at him.

"Wo bhi keh dungi ek din!",

smiles Kashish, staring deep into his eyes.

Sujal's heart flutters hearing that.

"Such? Kab?",

asks Sujal, getting excited.

Kashish laughs again looking away for a brief moment out of shyness.

Looking back towards him, she says,

"Bohot jald!"

Sujal could feel her emotions for himself; her commitment towards himself. He embraces her into a side hug. Kashish rests her head on his chest. 

Closing his eyes, taking a deep breath, Sujal lets her know,

"Mujhe koi jaldi nahi hai Kashish! Mere liye itna kaafi hai ke tum bhi mujhse utna hi pyar karti ho jitna main tumse karta hoon."

Kashish smiles hearing him and tightens her hold on him.

Opening his eyes suddenly, he corrects himself,

"Ek minute! Nahi mere jitna nahi, mujhse thoda kam. Kyunki mujhe pata hai ke main tumse zyada pyar karta hoon.",

teases Sujal and smiles, closing his eyes.

Kashish opens her mouth forming an 'O', staring up towards Sujal, still wrapped by his warm embrace. Sujal laughs silently, knowing her reaction to his words perfectly.

"Acha?!",

she asks, challenging him.

"Tumhe to andaza bhi nahi hai Sujal main tumse kitna pyar karti hoon!",

exclaims Kashish, faking her anger.

Sujal shakes his head into negative, keeping his eyes closed,

"Bilkul nahi hai! Tum batati hi nahi mujhe.",

teases Sujal.

Opening his eyes, he stares her deep into her oceanic eyes.

Kashish smiles and blushes all over again as her heart skips a beat hearing him.

"Batao Kashish, kitna pyar hai tumhe mujhse?",

he asks, slowly, his voice hushed and deep.

Kashish slowly looks towards Sujal, smiling in shyness and hesitation.

Understanding that she is overwhelmed and won't reply out of shyness, Sujal kisses her rosy lips slowly, tasting the sweet nectar of them. He feels the warmth of her skin as he slides his hands slowly on her arms up towards her shoulders.

Kashish shivers under his touch. Sujal enjoys the sound of her hitched breath as he kisses both corners of her lips, slowly, taking his own sweet time feeling her; giving her ample time to feel him. The fierce thunder of their heart as they beat in perfect synchronization, fuels their desire for each other. When the simple kiss turns into a passionate one, they fail to realize! Kashish tilts her head backwards as Sujal deepens the kiss, walking closer to her, adjusting his position. His facial muscle stiffens as his desires for her increase manifolds.  Kashish cups his face properly and kisses him back with equal fervor. Bringing the kiss to an end they rest their foreheads against each other, their eyes remain closed as they try to calm down their accelerated rates of heartbeat.

Sujal opens his eyes while Kashish keeps her eyes closed still. He gingerly puts his index finger under her chin and pushes up her chin lightly, wanting her to meet eyes with his. Kashish slowly opens her eyes. Her cheeks emit heat - which is the after effect of the intimacy they experienced moments ago. Sujal rubs his right thumb lightly on her left cheek, slowly, caressing her.

Although Sujal doesn't receive a direct reply to his question from Kashish, but her reactions and gestures convey him a lot about her feelings! Sujal smiles in contentment.

-THE END-