Shreya called Jatin.

Jatin first shut down her request saying it was too short of a notice. Shreya persisted and asked him over and over again, promising she would come down to the lab at 7 the next day and work until 7 in the evening and contribute as much as she could so as to not hold the team.

She added that she had not once asked for a leave for more than a day.

"Bring prasad for everyone on the team," he said in an indifferent tone.

"Thank you, sir."

She then informed Lata the dates.

"Tell that idiot to apply for a leave." Once again Lata's tone switched and it became caustic.

"Yeah."

"Let's enjoy this trip!" Now she sounded like a happy little girl.

"Yeah."

Shreya looked at the phone in her hand. She had to return it to him. Whatsmore, she had to tell him to get this leave.

After a while of deliberation, she decided to leave his phone on the table in the kitchen.

After two hours, dinner was ready.

Shreya sighed and knocked on his door.

He did not open it right away, but when he did, he did not even spare her a look.

When he sat down at the table, Shreya pushed his phone towards him.

"We should leave on the fourteenth. Five days..."

"Day after tomorrow?" Lakshya was shocked. "Why so soon?"

Shreya slowly responded, "Lata di said it's easy for you to get a leave... I should work from morning 7 to evening 7 tomorrow because of my leave... Can you take leave for tomorrow as well and cook and pack?"

She could actually manage it all on her own. But she especially wanted to ask him for help. She did not know why. She was definitely not looking to make him angry and she guessed this was not something he would like. But still she asked. Just to see, perhaps a bet with herself. Shreya glanced at him a few times as she served him food.

When Lakshya saw the curry, it added to his fury, as if what she said was not enough.

"Fuck!"

He opened his phone and messaged his manager. His manager was actually very easy going. His sister knew that of course. Luckily, the manager responded quickly with approval and wished him a safe journey.

Lakshya carelessly pushed his phone to Shreya.

She looked into the screen. "Thank you."

Lakshya did not respond. He took care of the packing but he could not bother to do the cooking. He glared and turned his face away from Shreya throughout that time. He kept up his behaviour right until he was scolded by Lata.

"What's gotten into your head!" Lata hissed, but soon realised her words had to be corrected. "No, why the hell is nothing getting into your head!" This hiss was more dangerous. Akshita threw her own punch at Lakshya's thigh.

Just then they saw Shreya approaching them along with Amulya and Lakshman.

"Take the bag from her," Lata whispered.

"That much I would. What do you think of me?" Lakshya walked to the three people and took the luggage bag Shreya was dragging along.

Then they all boarded the plane. Naturally, Lakshya found his seat right beside Shreya. Neither spoke.

Somewhere in the middle of the journey, Shreya woke up from her slumber. She rubbed her eyes. Beside her Lakshya was swiping whatever stories his instagram had loaded before he put his phone on flight mode.

He tapped away on them quickly at a steady pace, but that was only until he saw Moksha's story. He pressed on the screen and paused it, looked at it for a second too long and continued to tap.

Shreya noticed it all.

She turned away and looked out of the window. Within a minute she fell back asleep.

It was time to land. They had a connecting flight. When the crew announced to secure seat belts, Shreya was still asleep.

"Hey."

"Hey."

He then shook her knee. "Seatbelt," he said just as she woke up.

Shreya put on her seatbelt.

This time she did not even say a thank you to Lakshya. He noticed.

Shreya had quite a deep sleep. Yet the first thing on her mind when she awoke was Lakshya's phone screen.

She sat with her thoughts, with him beside, but with herself, and only herself as the flight landed.

When they walked through the airport to the departure terminal, Shreya and Lakshya trailed behind the rest of the group. Shreya looked at Lakshya's hand for a long time before she lifted her own to hold his sleeve. She held it very lightly.

Lakshya noticed her actions quite quickly. He rolled his eyes at her and let her be.

His sleeve slipped from her hand quite a few times within the time it took for them to reach the terminal, and Shreya held it again and again, just as loosely as she had before.

When they finally reached the terminal, Lakshya excused himself to use the restrooms. He did not return until Lata called him to say that the boarding started.

He walked back to the terminal brooding. He regretted it. Telling her not to hold his hand.

He boarded and found his seat. Of course it was beside Shreya.

Lakshya's mood was sullen. He knew he could not take back his words or his actions.

Shreya fell asleep even before the flight took off this time. Even before he could try to talk to her.

When they were about to land, Lakshya wanted to wake her up, but he caught her seatbelt intact. She had not touched it in the middle after all.

∼•∽

The family landed in Tirupati.

"Shreya, you go keep a watch at the start," Lata said as they stood at the baggage claim. Then she eyed her brother.

Shreya nodded and went to the start of the conveyor belt. Lakshya followed.

He was still not completely willing to speak to her, especially now that she seemed to have given up completely. When they were walking just before, she did not try to hold his sleeve either.

He took the opportunity his sister bestowed upon him and spoke first.

"Tell me if you see them coming."

"I can grab them."

"Tell me so that I can grab them if you miss, okay?"

Shreya nodded.

She soon zoned out though.

Shreya noticed the first bag when it almost went past her. Thankfully Lakshya pulled it aside. She did not dare look at him.

The second one came soon after.

She grabbed it, but could not manage to pull it off the belt completely. Lakshya helped her. For the rest of the bags, Lakshya took Shreya's place. "Go and play with Akshita."

"I'm sorry..."

Lakshya fisted his hand. "Go."

Shreya obliged and turned away. She felt useless. Very useless, in fact.

Had it not been for her, he would have had a happier life. He would have been a part of that Instagram story. He would have had a better person by him. He would have brought the girl he loved on this trip. Maybe they would have collected the luggage together.

Lakshya did not make a single sound after that, for the fear of lashing out at Shreya. Her little worries were stacking up way too high for his sanity. He was mad of course, looking at her taking tedious steps so listlessly.

∼•∽

Tirupati is a place known for its spirituality. The seven hill trek has more than 3,500 steps to climb. It would take 6 hours for an average person to reach the top of the hill, the temple.

Considering Akshita, it might take the family 7 or 8 hours, if her tantrums are manageable, that is.

Lakshya watched from the sofa as Shreya lingered around unsure. She looked like she tried to say something, then decided against it, and continued moving through the limited space. He knew what her worry was. They were not sleeping in the same bed at home. Now here, there was one big bed. Shreya stopped walking and stood leaning on a wall.

Another half an hour later, they were in the same situation.

"Go to bed." He did not know if she heard it. Just as he was about to repeat his words, Shreya walked to the side of the bed closest to her, laid down and closed her eyes.

Lakshya silently scrunched up his nose. Had she looked a little mad instead of sad, he'd probably feel much better.

The next morning, by the time he woke up, Shreya was fresh and ready in a pretty blue cotton salwar kameez. She had her phone in her hands. If he didn't look closer, he'd have thought she was scrolling away on her phone.

But she wasn't. Her thumb was hovered over a black screen. The screen must have gone to sleep.

She must have zoned out along with it, Lakshya thought.

"I don't even have half an hour left. Could you not have woken me up?" He sat up, throwing away the blanket.

Shreya was startled. "Sorry... I was about to.."

Lakshya clenched his jaw and rushed to the bathroom, banging the door. There. She said it again. "What a great way to start the day," he mumbled to the mirror. He wished she was gloating outside seeing him scurry, but what awaited him when he stepped out was her sitting like she had been. Phone still in her hands, unlit.

∼•∽

At the foot of the hill, Lakshya took Akshita from Rajat. He took the baby bag from Lata as well. "Isn't uncle the best, Ashi?"

The little girl nodded in his arms.

"Put her down. Let her walk until she's tired. After that we will have to carry her anyway."

Akshita noticed her mother's unkindness and shook her head.

"Leave her to me."

Soon the journey up the hill started. Lakshman and Amulya were relatively fit for their age. This was definitely not the last time they would climb these steps. They walked fast. But faster were Rajat and Lata. It almost seemed like they were running away from the little girl.

Since he was carrying Akshita, Lakshya naturally climbed slower than the rest.

Shreya was with Lata and Rajat in the beginning, but she fell behind in an hour.

At the two hour mark, Lakshya overtook her.

"Ashi, want to eat something?" Lakshya stopped at one of the stalls that flanked the path.

Akshita quickly pointed to a stall selling colourful peas.

They bought some peas and sat to the side eating.

When Shreya reached them, she smiled at Akshita and went on her way. Her eyes did not meet Lakshya's.

When they were done snacking, Akshita said she would walk on her own for a bit. Minutes later she asked him to pick her up.

They once again overtook Shreya.

"Can't you walk faster? Go walk with them." He nodded at the group ahead, who were having some small talk and sharing a snack as well.

Shreya was just tired, plain and simple. She really could not walk any faster.

Akshita put her fist in her pocket and presented some peas to Shreya. She had stocked up some when Lakshya wasn't paying attention. What could she do when her uncle's speed of eating was unmatched? She had to get her share.

Shreya hesitated at first but soon accepted the peas.

Lakshya eyes the little girl's other pocket and boy was it filled. He pinched her cheeks.

Akshita had no complaints. She simply rubbed her cheeks and offered another fistful to Shreya.

They walked together for a little bit when Shreya started slowing down again.

"Let's sit for a bit," he said, startling Shreya.

Lakshya got the girls strawberry milkshake and for himself a chocolate milkshake.

"You go ahead."

"What will you do? Go back down?"

Shreya sighed. "I'll take a nap and continue."

"Are you out of your mind?" A pause later, with not much doubt he asked, "That day, did you sleep?"

Shreya was silent. Was that such a bad thing?

"You slept in that open forest? What the hell is wrong with you!"

Shreya was silent and so was Akshita.

"I was tired. I am really tired now also.."

"You cannot just sleep here!"

Shreya flinched.

Akshita butted in and asked Lakshya for her mother.

"I'll go hand her over. Sit here and keep an eye out. I'll come back, you'll nap and we'll go together."

Shreya was stunned and embarrassed. "How can you climb down? That's not good.." she protested. Climbing down was marching away from the deity in a way.

"I will climb those steps again so my climbing down will be nullified."

He called his sister and almost ran carrying Akshita on his shoulders, who found it exciting and kept laughing.

It took him 15 minutes to reach them.

"What happened?"

"Is everything okay?"

Both ladies asked with concern.

"She's tired. We'll climb slowly."

After some more reassurance, he ran down to Shreya.

He saw her from a distance and she had her head in her knees.

"Fuck!"

He reached her and almost woke her up. But he stopped himself. What would he do then? Wake her up and get mad at her?

Since he was with her now, it's fine for her to sleep.

Lakshya passed his time on the phone and ate a raw mango. A monkey approached them some time in the middle. He would have glared at it and been unfriendly. But it had cautiously taken every step and slowly sat near them. So he offered it a mango slice.

It took it. Then another one came running. He did not like this one that much. He glared at it. It hissed at him, probably a curse, and ran away.

When the monkey hissed, Shreya woke up.

She remembered how he had told her not to doze off until he came back. She just couldn't help it. And now she didn't want to face him.

She slowly tucked her head and was ready for another nap.

"It's almost one. We are only half way through."

Shreya sat up.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine now."

"Want to eat something?"

She said no. She really had no idea what was with her. Had this been a tour with her family, she would not have dared to fall asleep. In fact, she never felt sleepy no matter how tired she was if her father was around. He did not have to feel she was a pushover any more than he already did.

Lakshya really had so much patience for her, unlike her father.

Suddenly some thoughts rushed to her.

She squeezed her eyes wishing to stop thinking. For this very fear, she had not called her mother at all. It had been months.

She wondered though, what wish should she make when they visit the deity?

"Let's get there before it gets dark." Lakshya said, bringing her out of her thoughts.

They continued on. This time Shreya felt much better. They walked for another 2 hours with rather short breaks.

There was a stretch of ghat-road in the middle. It was hard to keep to the mountain side always since it was winding.

They were walking on the valley side when Lakshya got a call from his mother to check up on them.

He turned back to glance at Shreya as he told her she was fine and that they're going to take just another hour.

Shreya was staring into the valley. He could not see her eyes. Her hair obstructed his view. But it was clear from the angle of her face.

She was only a few feet away, so she quickly came to a stop when she noticed Lakshya had stopped.

"Your hair got longer," he pointed bluntly.

Shreya realised she had not gotten her hair cut in a while. Silly she even forgot.

She hummed in response.

Like Lakshya said, they reached the top and met up with the rest after an hour.

∼•∽

Next morning, Shreya carefully woke Lakshya up. In the first half of the day, the family finished darshan.

Shreya thought a lot about what to wish for. She believed in god. But at some point, it left her feeling so guilty, she did not make a wish since. This time, she wished Lakshya would accept her a little more.

He already compromised so much for her.

Yesterday in the morning, instagram suggested her a profile she might know. It was indeed someone she knew. It was Moksha's. Shreya clicked on it with a blank mind. Unexpectedly, it was a public profile.

She clicked on a recent post. It was before her marriage. It was a group photo at the comic con she had attended with Neha and Shreekant. There were 6 people. Three guys with guitars whom she knew, Moksha, and 2 other girls. There were a bunch of photos. Lakshya's hand was on Moksha's waist. Both of them were smiling in high spirits. She sighed and scrolled to the next one.

This was from a trip to Coorg. There were the same set of people here as well. They were all holding hands. When she swiped, she saw some portraits of Moksha, and then there was a photo of Moksha and Lakshya. Their cheeks were touching and they had wide smiles on.

Next was a similar one, but with some extra people.

She scrolled down dazedly until she reached a photo of Lakshya kissing Moksha on the temple, at the crinkle of her eye as she smiled shyly. The caption said it was Moksha's birthday.

She did not look further as she had been startled by Lakshya. But she saw enough to know that what they had was beautiful. Way more beautiful than she thought. She had compromised it all.

Another guilty prayer. For Lakshya to accept her. To accept that that beautiful thing was shattered. To put it behind him and to like her instead.

∼•∽

After lunch, they shopped. Lakshya's parents stayed back. His sister, niece and brother-in-law were shopping somewhere else.

Lakshya and Shreya were left with each other.

She was, as usual, trailing behind him closely.

Lakshya knew her like an open book in these situations. He deliberately picked his shirt the day before. It was more comfortable for the trek but that was the least of his concern. He thought she would hold his hand since his shirt did not have long sleeves.

But she did not even realise it at all yesterday. She was too tired to realise. The thought of it drove him mad. It was the first time he was being neglected like this. Throughout the trek, throughout her tiredness, she did not think of holding his hand and leaning on him.

Today, he wore a shirt with long sleeves. Just for her. Holding his sleeve is definitely easy enough for her to put in the effort.

Her eyes were indeed on his sleeves rather than the shops. He slowed down with every step until he finally felt a soft tug.

He turned to smile at that with a slight turn of his head.

She did not see it. She was looking down, her eyes barely focusing.

They walked around for a whole hour. Shreya stopped whenever she found something bright or colourful, he noticed. She took a few long looks before deciding she'd never use those trinkets. She did buy a couple of pieces though. When she made a purchase she first checked where Lakshya was and then she held his shirt.

Lakshya kept their pace slow enough to never let his shirt slip off from her fingers.

They stopped at a bangle store which seemed to have much more variety. Shreya's interest piqued at a pair of pure white bangles. This kind was very new to her.

The lady smiled at the couple and tried to make the sale. "These have great significance in Bengal! It is a must for married women. You should pair these with these Pola bangles." The lady pointed to another pair of bright red bangles.

"Nice. I was just looking." Shreya said after her eyes darted to Lakshya and back.

Lakshya thought her mood dropped given her cold comment.

"Why? Are you not married?" Lakshya was not particularly interested in worsening her mood, but he felt she had to be riled up.

Shreya still looked at the bangles. She was. To him. But what about him? It was just sad. After a few moments she said with gloom, "I am not Bengali." She was not riled up at all. Lakshya sighed.

"Do you want to look at some green bangles then?" The lady persisted.

"Give the white and red ones." Lakshya said. He had a feeling she'd have bought them had he not been present. Her secret glance did not slip his view.

The lady was overjoyed. As she wrapped the bangles, she said, "We wear them throughout the first year or marriage and make sure they do not break."

Shreya gave her a small nod and put them in her bag while Lakshya made the payment. She did not have to worry about breaking them because most likely they will just sit in her drawer.

Then they walked for another half an hour.

"Let's get some tea." He was honestly worried that she would be too tired to walk back.

She replied okay. Not that she ever had strong opinions, but lately she did not have any opinion at all regarding anything. Another instance was that although she held his sleeve, she seemed even less content than when he wore shirts with half sleeves.

It was dusk when Lakshya decided they should head back.

As they walked on, he turned to his side and Shreya wasn't in view. Her slender fingers on his sleeve were also missing. He panicked on that unfamiliar road.

But she was right there, within his view, lagging quite a few steps, her attention long pulled away from him and his hand.

Lakshya's chest relaxed and then tightened. He did not like that scene.

"Can you hurry up a little?"

∼•∽