Hearing the voice of door being opened, I raised my head in the middle of work and saw the peon entering. He kept a file infront of me, and, raised his pan filled mouth, apparently, so that his precious pan won't fall of his mouth. And I understood he's going to say something important only.

"I asked her to come tomorrow, but she is adamant, saying it's urgent."

"Send her in!"

I ordered him and again started typing! Who knows why this girl is adamant? I told her right, she could have come tomorrow, as this day is almost ending. I looked at my wrist watch, it's fifteen to five. I could give her fifteen minutes

"Knock knock"

"Come in!"

I was typing hurriedly and didn't look at the person. Had to finish that work before going home. Feeling no moment from the person infront, I had to look up.

There she was, standing nervously in the middle of my huge air conditioned cabin. A girl, presumably in her late twenties, Wearing a pair of white salwar and kurti, clad properly with the white chiffon dupatta. Staring strangely sometimes at the floor, or sometimes at the wall, as if they're the only things which wouldn't make her uncomfortable. Her big eyes didn't stay at a place for more than a nano second, considering she was standing there merely for five seconds.

"Umm..sit down!"

Not wanting to increase the awkwardness, I forced myself to start the conversation and indicated at the chair Infront of me.

She silently sat on the chair, still uncomfortable. Tangling and untangling one of the two right side corner of her Dupatta in her fingers.

Averting from her, I shifted my eyes on the file brought by peon, to check what was the matter.

"Miss Amaya Sharma!"

I read the name depicted on it.

"Yes, Sir!"

I again looked at her who nodded lightly with hesitation and again started reading the file.

"So, why do you want the loan?"

I asked her as it was stated in the file, she needed a loan.

"I..I want.."

I wondered why she seem so afraid? I'm not going to scold her for wanting a loan. She took a deep breath and gathered some courage to speak properly.

"I need the loan to open my own boutique!"

She spoke as if someone was behind her with a stick. Or as if a kid running away after ringing door bell of neighbors' house, scared to get caught.

"And amount?"

"Ten lakhs!"

I didn't ask anything further, checked all the papers and signed them. Then I told her about further process!

"Thank you,
....sir!"

She whispered, before she was gone out of my sight, till I could come out of my thoughts!

"Trin trin"

Shrill voice of the phone, caught my attention. It was Mom,

"Hello!"

There were sound of utensils, she must be in kitchen.

"Hello, Siddhant!"

"Yes Mom!"

"It's raining here. You better start from office on time, otherwise you'd get stuck in traffic and all."

"Okay Mom!
Everything is fine there, right?"

"Yes, everything is fine. Wish you were here to handle your dad, he has started throwing lots of tantrums with his increasing age!"

I grinned remembering their funny fights. Life seems so empty without them!

"Don't laugh, okay?
It's not a joke, living with him. When you'll come here, I'll go in hibernation happily. Then you both will have to take care of eachother!"

"As your wish!"

I said while laughing!

"And don't you think to have food outside in this weather. Cook something light and easy at least!"

"Humm, okay I'll cook. Now you cut the call then only I'll be able to finish the work and start for home!"

"Take Care!"

"You people too, and don't cook delicious food until I come there!"

She laughed before disconnecting. I went back to my work. When people started leaving the office one by one, I also started gathering my things before going out of office.

Before I could reach the parking area, it started raining, and within a minute it was raining so heavily, as if it's raining since forever!

While trying to save myself somehow, I ran to my car, and immediately got inside it. I wiped my face and head with handkerchief and started the car.

I reached the road from parking lot and started gearing up the car for a fast ride.

That's when I saw her again. She was standing on the footpath Infront of the bank, trying to cover herself with her white chiffon Dupatta at the same time trying to save her handbag and trying to stop the electric rickshaws which passed by the road.

I checked the time, it was going to be six o'clock soon. I thought for a few seconds. It would be difficult to get rikshaw in this rain and it's getting late too. So I brought my car Infront of her and opened the door for her.

"Get inside. I'll drop you!"

"It's okay sir, I can manage!"

She said while trying to stop another rikshaw, which seemed in hurry.

"You'd not get a rikshaw at this time, get inside!"

This time I said a bit strictly and after thinking for sometimes she got inside the car.

Water was dripping from her hair and face, which she wiped with her handkerchief. While I started the car, she tried to adjust herself.

I kept my concentration on road. People were trying to reach their destination as soon as possible while creating ruckus on road. That caused to break all the rules and regulations, and within few minutes, we were stuck in traffic. Horrible traffic!

More than getting stuck in traffic, I'm scared of the noise. The voice of honks and people, it's so frustrating, specially when you're returning after working whole day, and when you just wish to fall on bed. And I don't understand, why do people think that honking would clear the traffic? I rolled my eyes.

When people go to know, that honking isn't working, they gave up on the idea, and I'm glad they did.

I looked at Amaya, she was looking outside while tightly holding on to her bag, as if I could snatch it and run away. Or something very precious was kept inside the bag? Like, hope of getting her dreams fulfilled.

She has covered herself up with her Dupatta, like a cocoon. There was nothing applied on her face, no make up. Seemed like she didn't even know name of any cosmetic product. In the name of jewellery, she was wearing just a pair of tiny earrings, nothing else.

To distract my mind from tiredness, traffic and Amaya too, I switched on the radio.

"Timtimate taaron wali raat hai na?
Uspe dheemi dheemi barsaat hai na?
Dil mein aa raha haseen thought hai na?
Lonely se dil ka koi sath de na!

Lo aa gaya, tu saamne, ittefaq ban haseen sa,
Mili ek ajnabi se, koi aage na peeche,
Tum hi kaho, yeh koi baat hai?
Ek ladki bheegi bhaagi si, soti raaton mein jaagi si...."

Is it the only song they get to play when it's raining? Everytime? Now that they're bored of old version so this remake?

I looked at Amaya, she was unperturbed with anything and kept looking out, as if watching a movie.

But, I didn't like the idea of listening this song. Infact, I never listened to that song after that night.

That rainy night, before eight years....

As usual, I was sitting in my cabin. Too busy in finishing up the piles of work and as always, Mom called to check on me.

Till I could finish up everything, It was too late for a bank manager to go home. Everyone has already left when I came out of the building.

I took my car from parking lot and sped up to home. It started raining in a few minutes, and I had a long way to go, as home was around thirty kilometres far from the office.

It wasn't possible to see clearly in that heavy rain. Yet, I had seen someone on that highway, indicating for a lift. I brought back the car Infront of the person who had asked for lift. When I brought down the mirror of car, I had found a girl. A very pretty girl, in her early twenties. She was breathing heavily like running since hours.

"Could you please drop me off at my home?
It's raining heavily and getting late too, and I'm not getting any vehicle."

"Yes, of course. Come inside!"

I said and opened the door for her. Even though I've heard about many cases of robbery, I couldn't deny the girl, seeing her situation. She got inside the car and I started again. Soon after getting inside, she was trying to wipe the water from her face and head with a handkerchief.

As the road was empty because of rain and I kept the speed minimum, I could take glances at her, easily. She was wearing a red saaree, which complement her white skin and pink cheeks. She had kohl and red coloured lipstick applied on her perfect shaped eyes and lips. She was wearing big earrings and a dozen of red bangles on each wrist. These weren't less when I had felt the smell of jasmine flowers, which were dangling upon her long black hair. She was fidgeting with one lock of hair which was hanging down from the upper part of her right ear and looking out of window.

It was suffocating to see someone decked up from head to toe, but somehow everything about her seemed so good and perfect, as if those bangles, earrings and other things were just made to be adorned by her.

After getting comfortable in the car, she started speaking,

"Actually, I went to attend my friend's wedding and got late. Thanks for your kindness, otherwise my father would have been so angry, cause you know it's not quite safe for girls at night, that too alone!"

"No need to thank me, it's not a big deal. Anyway I was going this way."

I tried to count every word I have spoken, after all I didn't want a bad impression about me.

"Where should I drop you?"

It shouldn't sound like I was keen to know her address.

"60 feet road, I live there."

She said while smiling. Her smile was beautiful. I knew, that area was around four-five kilometres before my home. Maybe I was grinning in my mind.

"Can I know your name? If you don't mind?"

I was hesitant for a few minutes before I asked her gathering some courage.

🌧️🌧️🌧️🌧️🌧️🌧️🌧️🌧️

I wanted to finish it within one update but it was getting so long!

Anyway, hope it was understandable!