Twisting and Turning the key, the door opened and recieved a person. As the person saw a feminine figure on the couch, the person took something from the bag on the shoulder.

Closing the door, the curtains were soon shut off and the blinds were kept off. Approaching Maya who was so tired after the stunt shoot as per the photos which leaked from the sets, the person saw her sleeping on the diwan in an uncomfortable position. Smiling hastily, the person waited until the sleeping beauty woke up from the sleep.

It must have been hours since the stranger came in because the sun had started to cast a yellow glow. Maya twisted and turned feeling uncomfortable all of a sudden. With sweatbeads forming on her forehead, she opened her eyes to get scared seeing the man in front of her which made her yelp.

The person turned back with a mug of something along with a black diary in his other hand just to be revealed as Rudra.

" A cloud of happiness is lingering around,
I can't stop smiling,
The starting point wasnt today,
It was 4 months back

Everything of his made me smile,
The presence, the small kisses, hugs,
Everything was special !
It gifted me a warmth I had never got.
The warmth was filled with assurance,
It included Care and most importantly,
Love for a friend and his crush!

But,
It changed dynamically!
2 months back I realized,

"I am in Love"

A new feeling arose throughout my body!

There was a new smile with red cheeks!
It changed me for something better!

When an external stimulus exerted a pressure,
I confessed my feelings!
There wasn't any instantaneous answer!
Fighting for his 'yes' was difficult!

The thoughts of why I kept trying for him troubled me once,
But his conversations and him urged me to move forward!
I haven't been in this extreme other than to suicide!
When I experienced his magic,
I didn't feel like leaving him.

I justified my questions!
Maybe I was selfish,
But I hadn't been one before.

Finally, he accepted me into his circle
A circle which would take infinite turns..
The feeling of him being with me is the best one!
The best feeling a woman can experience!
Maybe, I am too lucky for him..

Life has indeed taken a u-turn
A romantic u-turn!
Love you man!
I can say that thousand times but to only my Rudra..

Love you lots Rudra!

Keeping her hand on her chest, she sighed in relief seeing him. She had just woken up from a bad dream and that was.. Umm.. Never mind!

"Good Morning.." Rudra wished keeping the cup on the glass table along with the diary before he sat next to her.

"You aren't in my dreams right?" She asked poking at him to which he smiled or maybe blushed profusely and took hold of her finger at his heart,"

"Wow, you dream of me? That's cool!"

He noticed that same colour which was evident on his was creeping onto her cheeks while she tried to take her finger back. He held her fingers in a wrestle position and made her sit straight. 

"By the way, how did you enter?" Maya asked confusingly as she leaned against the handle of the couch while he said," Extra keys, my dear! The ones you said to use.."

"And by the way, I have even prepared breakfast for you!" He announced while she was in awe but at that same time frowned thinking of her stomach. She had shoot today! Will she be able to complete it peacefully? Without any irritation or loose motion? She highly doubted his cooking abilities.

"Go and freshen up. I will serve everything." Rudra said and she asked if he was sure to which she got a peck as a reply. Getting up, she waahed her face in the common wash basin instead of going up. As she remembered that she had to grab a few things, the twinkle of whatever happened reached her eyes! Twinkle Twinkle Little Star! Rudra's parents? Shit!

As she went into the kitchen, everything was being served.

Rudra felt a hold on his hand, halting him from what waa doing and he turned back to see her worried face. Asking what happened as he was about to cup her cheeks, his hands automatically stopped in the air and went down when she asked, "Uncle and Aunty?"

He just looked here and there and was about to resume his work while she tugged him and asked with eyes filled with concern," Rudra, my answer!

"I have shifted to this house!"

Maya was so shocked hearing that answer! She didn't want to remove him from his parents. She asked desperately," Rudra, what are you saying? What happened after I went?"

"Let's have breakfast! Come!" He diverted the topic and kept a hand on her shoulder and forcefully tried to take her to the dining table to which she vehemently protested. As her legs reached the table which wasn't far away, she moved back and remained adamant to get an answer with her arms crossed against her chest.

"Rudra, tell me whatever it is." Maya said sternly while he looked down. There was a few moments of silence before he felt her palm on his cheek. Holding onto it, he kept it there not wanting that touch to go while he asked," Do we have to talk about this?" Rudra asked softly to which Maya reinforced her decision,

"Yes Rudra! I need to know it. I will talk to them or maybe.."

"They have already hurt you. I mean they could have understood you right?" Rudra told as he recalled whatever happened..

BEFORE A FEW HOURS

As the door closed behind them, Rudra's eyes still remained on the door until Ashwin spoke," Don't you dare go for her! You will spoil your future!"

"My future was made by her who gave her interview. Otherwise I would not have got an appointment as an investigative journalist!" Rudra argued..

"Rudra, she is not good for you! This is the initial attraction which you both have named as 'love'. At least you should understand this. Maya is mentally..."

"She is very much stable and who knows it better than me when I was with her when I had bunk my offices and family gatherings? I love her dad! (Taking a pause) And..."

"Look at your ages Rudra! You are 27 and she is 33. She will dominate you and she will rule over you and you will be obliged to do everything even if you don't like it! This will pave way for indifferences and other problems! Why do you want to love someone who had trust issues? Why do you want marry someone who has been rap..."

"Enough Dad! Not a word more. In love, age is not a factor which determines me or her. And if it is about dominance, love is the factor which would dominate us. If it's about the decisions she would take, I will agree to it if there is any point in it. We will weigh it and talk it out! She has learnt her lessons and even now, she is living on the basis of it. If it is about being raped, it was something in which she was betrayed. I don't care if she was broken because I am no less and even I have had my own share of personal relationships which no one knows except Ritwik. This decision is not to support her because she is good all by herself and even without being my lover, she would live. She has no problem with that but for me, she is the person  whom I would love as my life-partner."

As Rudra finished, he went to his room and banged the door tight which echoed in the living room As he looked at himself in the mirror, he gripped his hand on the dressing table with his head dropped below his shoulder level.

Soon enough, he got Ritwik's message on whether he had talked to Maya to which he explained the whole thing. As he was talking to Ritwik, Rishi entered looking at his phone.

As Rishi settled on the chair, Rudra continued until he finished his call. There was an awkward silence until Rishi spoke," How was the proposal?"

"It was so lovely... Wait a sec, how did you know about that?" Rudra asked to which he said," I was the one who helped her since she didn't want anyone else to interfere."

"It was okay!" He teased his brother and Rishi got a bit furious and said," Okay huh? What did you tell before? It was lovely.." Rishi ran behind Rudra and they took a few rounds around the bedroom until Rudra slumped onto the floor next to the bed.

Rudra pulled Rishi next to him and they sat down taking heavy breaths. Rishi asked," What is Next?"

Rudra just hummed confusingly before he understood what he had meant. He sighed thinking about what he had to do next. 

"It don't know Rishi. On one side, it is mom and dad and on the other side it is Maya. I don't want to hurt her anymore. But mom and Dad, I am confused.." He spoke out in an irritated manner.

"Bhai, mom and dad will be against it. They had talked about your marriage and all but they even enquired to mom's friend who is her doctor."

"I don't know what to do. It's just.. "

"Bhai, you know her feelings for her and you know how she might be hurt. This may sound eccentric but I think you should go to her.."

"But..." Rudra tried to refuse while Rishi asked, "Do you think they will accept her? They would accept her but not now. When you prove that you both can live peacefully, they will accept you both. Prove it to them."

"But Rishi, if I leave... There is no surety that.. they will accept me..."

"They will but you need to give them some time... Both of you have fought for each other and they will accept you when they feel you both will live perfectly. Being parents, it's their insecurity and if you want to be with her, prove it! You decide who is greater for you.." Rishi advised while Rudra leaned against his shoulders.

Maybe Rishi was right!

PRESENT

"Do you agree with me?" Rudra asked while Maya said," I don't know Rudra. I need you to be near me or atleast be with me as a best friend. I would love you to be my partner and I have wished for it like never before but I didn't want it at the cost of loosing your parents. I know how loosing your parents means."

Her face was downcast and soon enough he cupped her face and spoke," For a few days, let's live like this and see what would happen next!"

She just hummed with a smile. After having their breakfast silently, they cleaned the kitchen and sat in the living room. As Maya slumped onto the couch, Rudra sat next to her and she leaned against his chest keeping her palm on his..

"Are you coming with me for the shoot?" Maya asked to which he said," Tomorrow is my first official day in Snap 'N' Shot."

"Woah! That's great!" She said as she placed a kiss on his cheek.

"I am so happy for you!" She exclaimed in awe and he nuzzled his nose into her hair while she just held his hands tightly.

As they shared an intense eyelock after thwir withdraw, the door bell rang and she was about to get up with her cheeks tainted with red but she was pulled down.

"I don't keep anything pending!" He winked before kissing her cheeks.

"Go open the door!" He said teasingly and she nodded with her whole face being red. As she went to open the door, Rudra had a goofy grin on his face.

~~~

As Maya packed her things, she looked at her check list. Ticking everything off, she saw that the time was 1:24 am. She had an early morning shoot and she had to set apart within an hour. She knew it was difficult to leave Rudra home alone since he left his parents and it was his first day here but she couldn't help it.

Peeking into Rudra's room, she didn't see him on the bed. Getting panicked, she searched him, only to find him standing in the balcony, either admiring or contemplating the blue sky above him. Sighing deeply, she just hugged him from behind to which he jerked at the beginning but then, kept his hands on hers which hugged him.

"Didn't sleep?" Maya asked to which he removed her hands and turned towards her.

"Didn't feel like sleeping." He spoke and she knew what was wrong with this bloodshot eyes. His tired tone spoke volumes on what was going on but he couldn't shut himself mentally. How could he?

"Rudra, you can leave me if you want. It doesn't matter as long as you love me.." She spoke truly, looking into his eyes while he just said holding both of her hands in his,

"Maya, this is not only because of their denial. It's because I want to give my fullest in this relationship and maybe a 'live-in' would be a good way. So just take it in the second way."

Maya just hummed before she asked," Just suppose, What if they don't call you? Will you regret being with me?" He could see her insecurities popping up to which he just pressed her against his chest and said," They are my parents Maya. They will indeed call us.. And if they don't, I will never regret being with you because you are my true partner whom I should live with till now. "

"Don't want to sleep?" Maya asked retreating herself from him..

"Yes, maybe not now.." Rudra told her and they stood there for a few seconds before  she asked with a glint in her eyes" Do you want to see my childhood pictures?"

He smiled at her way to divert him. He knew that she knew him. Maybe more than the vice-versa case.

~~~~

As Rudra checked his phone with his legs spread on the bed while Maya had gone to take the album, he sighed as he saw no messages even from Rishi. Had they confiscated his phone? He had no idea. Just when he was about to dial Rishi's number, Maya came back with an album and settled next to him.

Opening the albums, she showed him her pictures and explained how her dad used to click these while being a hands on ohotographer just for her. She also explained the scenario behind a few photos which were so special to her heart.

Soon enough, she heard a soft snore and smiled inwardly seeing Rudra sleeping with his head leaning against the headrest. Pecking his cheek, she made him settle down properly and tucked him to bed. He was squirming and opened his eyes oncd to which Maya muttered softly," Sleep."

Placing a chaste kiss on his cheek, she waa about to leave when he tugged her hands and whispered subconsciously,

"Don't go."

- To Be Continued -