Word Count: 2666

October 16, 2022

SAMARTH stepped out of the Uber, balancing bags brimming with delicious takeaway meals. Uncertain about what to do with the surplus food he had ordered, and with no idea when Niti had paid for it, he found himself standing in front of his family-home. The thought of wasting the scrumptious cuisine or giving it away to strangers on the street didn't sit well with him.

He closed the cab door in an awkward yet respectful manner, nudging it with his body since his hands were occupied. The driver gave him a quizzical look before driving away.

Feeling disheartened that he couldn't surprise Niti despite securing the tickets, Sam entered his house, his spirits dampened.

Even after moving out, he always kept the spare keys to his family-home with him. They served as a reminder of the comforting warmth his home offered, especially on days like these when he longed for familiarity. Prepared for any emergency or problem that might arise, he couldn't afford to feel helpless when it came to matters at home. With his parents often away on business or vacations, he had taken on the responsibility of managing everything else.

Although moving out had been a challenging decision, it was a crucial one to prioritize his career and personal growth.

"Well, well," chimed his younger sister, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "That was fast. Came to say thank you?" she mocked.

"Thanks my foot," Sam retorted, rolling his eyes as he continued to set the food up on the dining table. "Your timing is the worst. Couldn't you give me the tickets yesterday?"

Tara's mouth hung open. "Excuse me, if it weren't for Luna here, you wouldn't even be holding them."

"Stop with the Luna nonsense," Sam grumbled. "Just use your name!"

Tara had a passion for writing and used the internet alias 'Luna.' She was crazy for fanfictions and had started her own blog, which surprisingly garnered a lot of attention. She went by the pen name 'Author Luna' for fellow fanfic enthusiasts, keeping her real identity a secret, which made her feel accomplished.

"Woah, dude, calm down. Who hurt you?" She came closer and helped him set up the food on the table.

Sam sighed and started opening the food boxes. "Did you guys have lunch?"

"No, it's just three."

"Normal people have lunch way before three, Tara."

"No, they don't!" Tara feigned shock and leaped up to observe him putting the dishes in place. "Plus, if you had kept your promise and bought me food earlier today, I wouldn't be hungry right now," she said in one breath.

"I was late because of you!" he scowled.

"I will go call Nani," the eighteen-year-old said, and she ran upstairs, into another room.

After preparing the table for lunch, Sam carefully set the tiny package meant for Niti in the drawing room. He groaned and slumped down on the sofa next to it.

Why is it I always fuck up important tasks? If only I had not wasted time in printing the tickets, a digital copy would have made her equally happy, instead I made her angry.

Ten minutes later, he was still slouching when he heard Tara and Nani coming down the stairs.

"Nani!" He went over, his heart filled with affection, and lightly touched her feet as she gave him her aashirvaad (blessings) before pulling him into a warm hug.

"Why don't you visit us more frequently, beta?" she huffed, a hint of disappointment in her voice.

The question was a familiar one, and he felt a pang of guilt for not being able to visit more often. Still, he had his reasons.

As the three of them settled around the dining table, their grandmother's loving presence comforted him.

"What's all this?" their grandmother asked, curiosity twinkling in her eyes. "What about the food made at home?"

"Nani, we can eat that for dinner... plus you won't have to cook anything else!" Tara chimed in, her excitement evident.

"Alright, alright, but what's the occasion?" Grandma questioned, her smile growing wider.

Both Tara and Nani looked at Samarth eagerly, their eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"Err... nothing?" he responded, feeling a mix of emotions. He didn't want to mention Niti in front of his grandma, let alone tell them about the minor argument they had.

Tara being Tara, couldn't contain her excitement as she knew what Samarth had planned for the day.

"Oh right! How did it go with Niti Di today?" Tara squealed.

Samarth's heart raced, and panic filled his eyes. He shot an accusatory glance at Tara, trying to convey his discomfort discreetly. He couldn't understand why she would mention Niti in front of Nani. Tara knew the kind of response it would evoke.

"Sorry," she mouthed, realizing her mistake, but their grandmother was already intrigued.

"Did you go to meet her?" Nani asked.

"Yes, I met her today."

"Is that why you have been looking like a dejected soul?"

"It's not like that..."

"Then what is it like?"

Samarth hesitated, feeling the tension building inside him. "I upset her, and she got angry. We couldn't eat, and that's why we have these..." he waved his hands over the food on the table.

"Did you at least manage..." Tara tried to ask about the surprise, but Sam didn't let her finish.

"No!" he exclaimed, the frustration evident in his voice.

Both Nani and Tara were taken aback by his reaction. Sam held their gazes for only a few seconds before sighing and rubbing his face with his hand, as if trying to calm himself.

"That wretched girl! When will you listen to me and stop seeing her?" Grandma fumed instantly. "You can do so much better! Why do you insist on being with her?"

Sam felt irritation building up inside him. It was the same argument every time.

"You know what Nani, I can't do this right now," he said, his eyes closed, trying to collect himself. "I don't know what's the deal with you, but I do not want to listen to you bad-mouthing Niti."

He hastily slid his chair back and stood up, his emotions getting the better of him. Grandma looked dumbfounded at his reaction. He had never replied back to her like that before, but he couldn't hold it in this time.

"Tara, make sure to give Nani her meds after the meal. The food is too greasy for her digestion," he stated, picking up Niti's gift from the adjacent drawing room, and left without another word.

"You both can't be together..." he heard his grandma say before he let the door shut behind him. The weight of his emotions stayed with him as he walked away.

Later that day, Sam found himself in a state of constant restlessness, unable to escape the grip of his phone. Niti had promised to get in touch, but as the hours crept by and the clock struck nine pm, there was still no sign of her message. The encounter with his grandmother earlier had left him feeling shaken and emotionally vulnerable, seeking solace in video games to numb his troubled mind.

At last, the phone buzzed, and Sam practically lunged at it with a mix of hope and trepidation. His heart raced with anxiety, uncertainty gnawing at him like a relentless predator. The suspense of the unknown future gnawed at him, twisting his gut into knots. When he glanced at the caller ID, his heart sank. It wasn't Niti on the line.

"Hello," he answered the call, his voice tinged with a hint of desperation.

"What's up bhai? Did you talk to Niti di?" Tara's voice questioned from the other end, seemingly unaware of the turmoil within Sam.

"She messaged me saying she'll contact me when she feels better," Sam explained, his words tinged with vulnerability, "but she hasn't reached out yet."

He wondered why he was even pouring his heart out to Tara.

"Wait," she sounded surprised, "So did you or did you not reply to her at all?"

Sam sighed, the weight of the situation crashing down on him. "I didn't. She said she will. I didn't want to disrespect her decision."

"Disrespect? Oh dear, what am I gonna do with this idiot?" Tara's voice suddenly erupted with frustration, causing Sam to flinch. "How could you not even acknowledge her texts?"

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean, you clueless human," her words dripped with emotion, "is that you should have at least let her know that you're okay with waiting, that she can call you anytime!" She paused, taking a moment to catch her breath. "Let her know you're there for her."

Samarth's throat tightened with guilt and regret. He had underestimated the impact of his silence on Niti. The very silence that was supposed to show respect now seemed like a heartless disregard for her feelings.

"What should I do now?" Sam's voice trembled, the reality of the situation setting in.

"Call her," Tara stated firmly, her words leaving no room for hesitation, and then she disconnected the call, leaving Sam alone with his tumultuous emotions. The gravity of the situation sank in, and he knew he couldn't delay any longer. With trembling hands and a heart burdened with regret, he dialed Niti's number, praying that she would pick up and give him a chance to make things right.

✿

NITI texted her cousin as soon as she glanced at the time. 'When are you coming back? I have to leave.'

She was helping him cover his post at their small photography studio. She had done this so many times that it almost felt like it was her own job. 

"I should be paid for this," she thought, feeling a tinge of bitterness. "With so many shifts, I could have bought the tickets to Bow-Wows!'s concert," she lamented internally, a hint of sadness creeping in. She regretted her recent altercation with Sammy, realizing that she had overreacted. "He is right; I hate doing this," she admitted to herself, a mix of guilt and frustration washing over her.

The studio was small and had a cozy setup. On the ground floor was a desk, a sofa for people in the waiting line and a corner to shop for frames and photography related stuff. On the first floor was a tiny studio to click photos and beside that was the printing room.

The bells above the door chimed, and a customer walked in.

"Hello," Niti said hurriedly, keeping the book she was reading on the table. "Would you like to get your photo clicked or would you like to browse through our shop?" She forced a smile.

The man looked at her for a moment, then continued to move towards the shopping corner without a word.

"Alright, shopping it is..." she muttered under her breath and then added loudly. "The shop closes at nine."

The man looked at the clock behind her, eight forty-three, then continued to browse. Niti noticed he kept glancing out the door and the window every other second, as if waiting for someone.

Niti eyed the man curiously. He was about her height, a little taller maybe, but definitely shorter than Sammy. He was wearing black from top to bottom and had a mask on.

Since the Covid-19 situation, it had become very normal to wear masks in public spaces, regardless of whether it was required by the government. So it was no surprise to her when this man walked in with a mask on. But looking at him, trying to act like he was interested in buying something but definitely failing to do so, made him very suspicious.

Niti fumbled around in her drawer and clasped her hands around a pen. Very carefully hiding it in her pocket, she moved towards the customer. As she inched closer to the man in black, she noticed some people were crowding the front of the shop. Following her line of sight, the man also realised what was happening and suddenly moved closer to Niti. She panicked. He extended his arms and caught hold of her hand. The pen dropped. Both Niti and the guy looked at it as it fell on the carpet, in slow motion, making no noise.

More people appeared outside the shop. Some were shouting, some had cameras in their hands.

The person in black dashed towards the door and locked it. Niti, confused and not knowing what to do, followed him and tried to undo the lock, but he snatched her away from the knob and ducked, pulling her down with him.

"Shh!" He motioned with one finger on his mask, the other holding her arms. Niti sucked in the air, trying her best not to shout. What if he hurts me if I don't keep quiet? What if he hurts me either way? Her thoughts ran wild.

"Where did he go?" they heard people outside.

"Maybe in one of these shops?" someone said.

Pause.

She could feel the heartbeat of the man beside her. They were squished in together, just behind the door, as if trying to block it by their bodies. She wondered if the people outside would notice them through the frosted glass, if they tried to peer down the upper half of the door. She took this moment to assess her situation and looked at him closely. His eyes looked tired, not scared as she was led to believe from his actions, yet familiar. Something about it was screaming Help me...

The sound of someone trying to pry open the door brought Niti back to the current situation. The customer held his breath and waited. Not making a single sound. All of a sudden, he turned towards her and found himself very close to her face, staring right back at him. Her heart did a double take as blood rushed to her face. She was caught staring at him. So fucking embarrassing! She looked away instantly, muttering sorry at him.

He chuckled, a slight laugh leaving his body.

When all the footsteps had faded away, he finally let go of her hands. They sat still for another few minutes before moving apart. She didn't know who this random person was and what he could do to her. He knew she didn't have the pen on her now, not that it was an excellent weapon. Despite all these thoughts running through her mind, Niti could not help but focus on the tangy scent he was emitting. Oranges. He smells like oranges. She made a mental note.

"Who are you?" she questioned. "Do I know you?" She had tons of questions she wanted to ask. Are you here to harm me? Why do you feel so familiar? Why are you so tired? Who were the people outside and why were you hiding? Yet what she wanted to know the most was whether they had met before. "Do you know me?" She tried again.

Her phone rang, and her train of thoughts was interrupted. She glanced at the counter where her phone was and then at the clock. It was already nine pm. It was as if she was transported back to real life.

The orange person also glanced towards her phone, then smiled. "You might." He said.

What sort of answer is that? I might? Tell me who you are because I definitely don't remember! Niti blinked unbelievably.

He stood up and gave her a hand. Unbelievable. She ignored his attempt at being a gentleman and raised herself up, dusting her pants. As soon as she was done tidying herself up, she unlocked the door, opened it and firmly said, "Get Out."

The man's eyes twinkled. She could picture him laughing softly behind his mask. There really was something very familiar about this person, but she couldn't pinpoint it.

He exited the shop in a graceful stride.

"Get a better weapon next time."

Niti's eyes grew bigger in embarrassment as she watched him go.

The phone kept ringing.

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A/N

Hello,
I hope you enjoyed the chapter. These are all first drafts so if theres any mistake you see or you stumble upon anything confusing, do let me know.

Do you like reading Niti's part or Samarth's part more?

Do like, comment and share to support.
Thank you!