'There is a beautiful thing inside you,
that is thousands of years old.

Too old to be captured in poems.
Too old to be loved by everyone.
But loved so very deeply
by a chosen few.

-Old Soul by Nikita Gill

_____________________
The Date day

Sadhvi's POV

I was totally dressed to impress today.

Outcome of the date was yet to be seen but I wanted something worth making me smile. I wanted a feeling to linger at nights when I lay drowsy in bed with the upcoming nights sweet memory.

I wanted something to dream about.

I took Pilates class in the afternoon and review patients as usual and by half past five thirty I was free.

I had a plan, a plan to be fashionably late today.

Instead of meeting him by 6, I will be there by quarter past six. Yes, late but not too late. I wanted him to wait but not too much wait.

You get me right?

I was wearing my favourite shady blue A-line kurta and dark blue pants today.

After attending patients and classes I decided to do some touch-up, when Rajveen left the clinic wishing me good-bye and the most required good luck.

I walked inside the bathroom on my floor and wore my accessories, I wore my silver jhumkas, combed my hair after that I ran my hands through them.
This make them look settled but not finely, this gives them a nice look. Messy but neat.

I was strapping my heels when the intercom ringed, I walked out of the bathroom and received the call, almost everyone left by now.

Me and the receptionist and a boy from pantry were there.

“Hello”

“Ma’am your father called, he said that his driver is on his way to arrive, if you haven’t left than could you check him?”

I sighed. Here goes my plan.

“Okay, I will call my father”

Papa ji is aware that my phone is usually on silent mode when I am at work, the reason being him calling at the reception.

I called my father immediately,
“hello, Papa ji”

“Hello bacche. You are still there?”

“Yes but I was about to leave”

“It won’t take long beta, can you please assess him once, he is in pain today a lot. I will talk to your mother, she won’t say anything about you coming late.”

“Yes, but…Avru…”

“He is calling me, look he must be outside the clinic”

I walked to look outside the window of my cabin and indeed my dad’s driver was there, he was paying the cab.
“Okay, I will see him but papa ji I was going out for dinner”

“Oh… oh I totally forgot about that. I am sorry I should have asked you earlier.”

As if it’s ever going to happen.
He never informs anyways. Just any normal police officer he got the same habit of rading in.

“Its okay I’ll make it quick”

“Thanks, bacche god bless you”

“Bye” I disconnected the call and called him inside.
.
.
It was quarter to seven when my phone went off and Avrudh’s name flashed on the screen. I wanted to cry.

Fashionably late was altogether a different controversy but being forty-five minutes late on your first date with your soon to be husband was a big big cry.

There were still five minutes left for Papa ji’s driver to be done with the hot pack and by this hour everybody has left, I was alone.

I needed to switch all the lights off and then leave.

I was in the common room taunting my fate staring at his call ringing my phone when I picked up, “Hello”

I closed my eyes, I wanted him to speak before I decide what excuse to make.

He sighed.

No word, no comment, nothing, the man showed his disappointment with only a sigh.

And then I sighed,
“I am sorry”

“Forty-five minutes” he said, he was so calm but one can hear the hurt from my receiving end

“I was done before six but then… a new patient came up and he was in so much pain that I needed to give him a hot pack….” I was rambling now.
In so much embarrassment I couldn’t comprehend what was coming out of my mouth.

“I cancelled the booking” he said

And my heart dropped, I said nothing just counted my heart beats to ten before saying,
“I understand”

He said nothing but hummed.

I waited ten seconds for him to say something when he said nothing I once again tried testing my luck. If I had any.

“Just ten more minutes and I will be done”

“Okay” he said and cut the call.

I wanted to scream, I don’t know what to make out of it.

Was he going to wait or was he going to come here. I was in no state to understand.

The bell ringed informing fifteen minutes of hot pack are over.

I freed the patient and switched all the lights off of my floor and locking the door descended downstairs to lock the pantry and main gate too.

The sprint in my stance was something beyond my understanding.

I planned to call Avrudh once inside my car. I will apologies again and take him out on dinner on my treat.

I smiled saying bye to the security guard when my eyes rested on a man holding a bouquet of flowers in hand leaning against my car.

My whole world stilled.

This was never imagined.

I stood him up on our very first date and he came here for me.

Just when I thought I fucked up he gave me another chance.

There was this huge rock in the pit of my stomach which was asking me to cry, there was this heaviness in my heart which wanted to do things I have never done before.

The streetlight made the colour of his grey suit visible, the bouquet of carnations shine but hide his face, he had a paper bag too which was hanging from his wrist, the hand which was holding the flowers.

The other hand was tucked under his pants pocket, his face was looking to the left, maybe absently staring or counting the minutes. I wanted nothing but to hug this man at moment.

I took tentative steps towards him and when I was on his side of the road he looked up and met my eyes.

Take me home.

Please.

I wanted to cringe but his face showed no response.

Two more steps and I was in front of him just a foot apart. I clutched my purse with my right hand in nervousness. I didn’t know what to say.

We said nothing but stared.

Maybe he was reading my eyes to look for the truth. It wasn’t intentional, I could never.

He suddenly looked at the pendant in my neck and sighed, looking relieved.

Why? Wasn’t he expecting me to be wearing it regularly? 

“I ruined your plans”

He nodded looking into my eyes, “You did”

“It wasn’t intentional. I only wanted to be fifteen minutes late… all planned” I admitted

He looked at me with raised eyebrows and gave a short laugh, “You shouldn’t be joking, you know that right?”

I smiled, “I want to make you believe. What can I do?”

He shook his head, “I told my driver to go home, me waiting alone in the restaurant was enough embarrassment for one night”

“It’s okay we can take my car”
I offered and buzzed the car unlock

He looked at me still holding the flowers not giving them to me. I just came to know I needed to earn them.

I stood him up albeit the reason caused him first handed embarrassment in front of so many people. A being like him wasn’t used to this- a little birdy told me.

I understand he wasn’t like those who are usually stood up and this must have hurt him bad, ego or heart whatever I needed some mending to do.

He never made his eyes move past my face, he kept reading me clenching and unclenching his jaw. He was struggling to forgive me or walk out decision. His posture unmoving still leaning against my car

I sighed and held his wrist which was inside his pocket,
“I know how to make this right”

I said this much and dragged him with me to the other side of road.

To the place where I will be me and he will see the real me. We can always order food online.

“Where are we going?” he asked when he realized I have dragged him in front of my clinic building

I smiled at the security guard who looked at me and Avrudh for long. I don’t want to know what he was thinking. Avrudh was going to be my husband anyways.

With my hand still holding Avrudh’s right wrist I entered the building and released his hand only to fish out the keys from my bag.

I unlocked the door and once again held his hand but this time I interlaced our fingers. Since I was using force then why not use it all.

Let’s be a little daring today.

The smell of air freshener with sanitizer entered my nostrils and I took Avrudh with me towards the staircase.

“Watch the steps”
I warned, the stair well was well illuminated with moonlight and streetlight both.

We climbed upto my floor and I pulled him closer to my back. I don’t know from where this boldness was coming from but I was very daring today.

We were not touching but I was certainly feeling his warmth there.

I unlocked the door to my floor and dragged Avrudh inside with me.

I never let go of his hand until we were standing in the center of the floor where I teach exercises.

“This is me. This place is where most of my time goes. I thought, if we are doing this then let us do this right”

I said and kept my bag on the floor and moved to the common room to bring a bed sheet, a towel and candles with their stand.

I entered the studio and Avrudh was looking out of the glass wall.

I lay the towel and the bed sheet over it, next to the sitting arrangement I kept the candle stand and went to the common room again to get a lighter to light the candles.

I sat down and called, “I know it isn’t like what you must have planned but what matter is people not the ambience”  

“though this is more romantic to me” I mumbled the last part.

I heard him sigh and moving.

In the blink of my eyes he was sitting in front of me, “I brought these for you”

He handed me the flowers and the bag, I felt like I won a lottery. I grinned.

“I hope you like kadai chicken and tandoori roti, I kind of ordered the food already” I said pinching my nose

He smiled at me, “You are forgiven in case you are wondering”

I smiled looking at him.
Relieved I was, very, but didn't find myself reflecting how hurt I actually was because of my fate. I was hurt because I hurt him.

I smelled the flowers though knowing the fact carnations aren’t really scented but they mean intense—My feelings are sincere.

And I know he knows that too because out of all the flowers in the world he could’ve bought roses like everyone but he chose these. This means special.

We sat there in silence, feeling a little awkward because we were alone for the first time and not in a restaurant at that.

This seemed more closer and intimate.

I wanted to hug him or kiss him in many occasions but never thought what I was to say when alone with him.
I was shy suddenly, looking everywhere mostly out of the glass, we passed what felt like a whole hour but only been five minutes.

“I heard you own this clinic” he said now attention moving to me

“I do, with my best friend, we work together”

He nodded. And once again fell silence.

It felt really strange because I put efforts to go out with him and now I am here with him, inside. Never in a billion year had I thought my first date with him will be inside my own office.

I toyed with the pendant in my neck and his eyes fell just there,
“It looks good on you”

“Thank you” I smiled

We stared at each other and he laughed, I followed.

“It was less awkward in my head, I promise”

He laughed, “I guess we are both nervous now that we are alone”

I inhaled and leaned back on my hands, “So tell me about yourself”

Came bold Sadhvi to rescue mission.

He took his jacket off and kept it aside neatly, focused his attention on me clearing his throat, he started to un-cuff his sleeves and rolled them up to his elbows.

Oh god. I ain’t no hormonal but don’t test my patience, I don’t want to come out as some creepy soon-to-be-lovers.

“Oh… you need water? I forgot to get you water” I said and standing rushed inside my cabin to bring my tumbler out

“I always keep few glasses or tea cups in my cabin in case the pantry is out of it” I said from my cabin and moving my way out

I filled the tumbler with water with the water filter on my floor and then sat in front of him

He nodded taking the tumbler from my hand, drinking water from it.

“So, you were saying?”

“What do you want to know about me?”
he balanced himself on one hand while the other patted his thigh softly, his legs folded cross-legged

“Um… let’s talk about your college life and work first”

“I did my undergrad from Delhi university a long time ago now and studied judiciary from there as well. For internship and training I used the references from Dad and my professors and I had good responses mostly about me and started my career at the age of 29 in judiciary. I was earlier placed in Saket court and now just a year ago got promoted to high court”

I nodded, “Impressive but… I really don’t want to say that but you are a nerd”

He laughed, scratching his shady jaw
“I am”

It was cute

I laughed too, “If it makes you feel better, nerds are kind of hot”

He raised his annoyingly sexy eyebrow at me and I pushed back the urge to pinch his cheeks,

“But you are an exception” I said within instant

he laughed even louder and I grinned.

This was the best idea. We wouldn’t be doing this in a restaurant.

____________________

'He loved her in a intense kind of way'
____________________

Hello,
brace yourself my dear readers because next update is going to be Avrudh's part.
His feelings will be revealed.
The guy will spill his heart's content out.
Do tell me your views about this chapter ofcourse.

With Love,
Ankita 🐿️