What is lie and what is true, she squirmed at the thought, 

She freshened up with the sun that peeked through, 

And the morning rolled in as fast as it could, 

Times were a lie, staying away was what she should, 

Crumbling back to her very day to day, 

Nandini sat behind the counter waiting for a order, her tray.

Something different rang in her, 

The old-years, lost music seemed to come back to her. 

She hummed away, an inch closer to music than before, 

A ring on the door bell, interrupted her daily chore. 

She looked up high to meet her brother, 

A cheerful smile  spread across her, the least bothered, 

"Morning bro, I see you again!"

"Yeh, and may be 'cause it's my girlfriend's reign!"

They chatted away a little light, 

Before her boss took her with her sight. 

The clock struck 10, 

The daily customers poured in, 

Coming and going was the normal routine, 

But the sudden dead-drop silence midst the rush wasn't foreseen, 

Nandini looked up high only to meet his gaze, 

After last time, he was here yet again- unfazed. 

Shifting uncomfortably, she glared at the clock,

12 it was- normal customer time not for the specials' flock. 

Her eyebrows furrowed as flirtatious gazes grazed around him, 

But, she reminded herself that she shouldn't care to the brim.

An order poured in from their table, 

He sat there happy, careless, throwing an eye to her- Amicable? 

 She scoffed at her thoughts and put together their order.

They ought to be out of here before they struck her all over- Again, 

She switched places with her fellow who was yet to train. 

For comfort much, a little corner, away from contact, with some hums- she thought would do, 

And so, her job was here till he and his band would get away from here and let loose.

The wait was long as time would have it, 

Rather than shooing off from here, their music they now played it.

Any dumb reason to her boss worked here, 

It all had to end with the popular band's nuisance here.

Soon her reasons to stay away from the main counter vanished, 

Happy or not herself, she had to keep shut and manage.

A little hum low enough for herself, kept her distracted- what a salvage!  

It wasn't long before she started again at the counter, 

A familiar figure, Mukti, lurked around ready for banter.

"So, you are here? After years, we have bumped into you!"

"Of course, I see", she replied, "But I'll keep my distance, not be any worry to you!"

"You really think that you worry us? 

Forgot we were best of friends once?"

"May be, but it seems a lot has gone by, much forgotten! 

So, may be distance is important!"

"He loved you know and may does so even now!"

"I can't come back, I have no words to explain what and how!"

"She is gone, Nyonika can't do anything, you know!"

"I won't trust that, last I remember y'll hated me till death somehow!"

The coffee machine beeped as the brew ended, 

Nandini pulled away from the counter to serve who waited.

With the counter cleared, she hummed again,

To get lost was her only option now, her wish being to go behind the newly trained, 

Stealthy footsteps approached her back, she glanced only to see him- all efforts in vain! 

A little paper slid by her, she stared at it between her eye's rims thinking what was his new game?

"I promise your singing soul would not die, 

I wish if you could come with me for a day outside!" 

She re-read the paper that asked her out, 

Glancing back at him she nodded her refusal with a pout, 

He huffed in defeat, 

Looked at her for a last time and took his seat, 

He wasn't going back on his chances, 

He and she knew there was a tingle that was getting them to trances.

A few minutes passed, her humming unknowingly was heard by all in the silence, 

Murmurs set forth and a slip came flying past her, not in violence, 

"Trust is worthy of all, I say, 

Sharing happiness and music is never a dismay! "

She sighed again at the attempts she knew came from him, 

"No!", she scribbled back and passed back the chit under the salt tin,

He read it, frowned and pulled out another napkin, 

"Come on, dear love, your cheeks are the color of love, 

Don't dishearten a poor soul who owns a dove!"

The slip traveled through the empty tray that reached her, 

She unfolded the chit only to be smitten by his words, 

Still, with fear of the unknown, of the threat, she declined the offer, 

Dismissed the paper in the bin and went back to her work after. 

A questioning look came back to her sight, 

"Why?", a sweet pout lingered on her right. 

She nodded her head and took a step back to her work, 

As much as she wanted to run to him, 

The trap of unknown lies Nyonika had set was enough for her to be dim. 

A flying chit brought her out of her reverie, 

And there went tumbling her clean glasses that once stood merry, 

Her boss glanced at her with stealthy eyes, 

And she gulped in fear and utmost fright, 

She scurried cleaning the "mess" she had caused, 

Sneaking in the chit, she hid behind the store room- locked, 

" The fear that lingers is inevitable, 

I don't know what but, you seem relatable! 

I'm not very good at words and tears, 

As you may see, but still I promise there would never be swords near, 

 I'll be honest, there are pulls here, 

I promise there is nothing for you to fear, 

I just want to know you, I don't know why, 

The familiarity creeps me yet comforts me to a sigh, 

So, if you can, give this stranger a chance and keep those cringes at bay,

A day out with me would be no harm, if you may!"

 The letter ended with love, 

Her eyes brimmed at the the sight of him, still as a dove. 

She couldn't fight more- this tug to him, 

She could give momentary happiness even if she could be long-term threat to them. 

She sighed and pulled herself from behind the cupboard, 

 Only to bump into him and his eyes astound,

He wiped the little tears that rolled down her cheeks, 

"I meant not to hurt little one, 

Happiness is all, I wish you, even if it meant you say we are done!"

She looked up to his deep orbs that leaked out truth, 

She let out a breath that hid unknown to her and spoke her sooth, 

"I do not  know what your charm holds, 

I do not know what we behold, 

But, I'll be there tomorrow, if you say!

I'll be there, don't dismay!"

Her words came out as a firm decision, 

A step forward to the unknown scared her vision, 

But, he was there to hold, he promised in his allusion!

----------------

Hey, 

Fifth is up! I know it has been long, but this is kind of my escape from other works! I know the fun is gone due to my inconsistency and also, the premise seemed more interesting than what is in there. I can just apologize for that ruin and not being here. Let me know how I can make stuff better here.

Happy reading! 

Love, 

HF