A moment flashed before they took their eyes off each other. Pranay smiled sheepishly, not able to ascertain the fact that the girl in front of him was also blushing. Anushka looked away at the rain and said, " If you want you can come inside for some time till the storm subsides". Pranay nodded in acceptance. he followed her inside. He sat quietly in the cosy drawing room, which was warmer due to the room heaters installed. 

The room was sparsely furnished, and had just a comfortable sofa and few chairs. There was not a sign of anyone else in the house. There was a light 'BLUES' music playing in the background. Pranay was relieved that this girl had not recognized him, so he could be himself, not the Superstar Pranay. Anushka sat on the chair opposite to his sofa. Anushka wondered  what was this handsome young man doing in her sleepy town, he seemed to be so large in frame that he had almost occupied the whole of the sofa he was sitting on. Moments of silence passed between them when Pranay decided to break the ice.

'So, Ms.Anushka, dont get me wrong but, from which part of India are you?' Pranay gave a dazzling smile. Anushka's heart skipped a beat, when was the last time she talked with some one!!! when was the last time she really interacted with someone from her own country!!! ......... she couldnt even remember. But looks could be deceptive, she didnt even know the stranger, and what if he took advantage of her, she had to be careful.

'Where are you from in India?' Anushka teased smilingly. ' You are new here and you need to tell me that first'

'Oh!! I am from South of India.........to be precise, I am from Hyderabad' Pranay replied earnestly.'And you?? now you can tell me ' he grinned.

'My parents were from Mangalore, but I have grown up in lot of places as my father was in diplomatic corps and he used to be transferred every three years. So here I am now!!' Anushka replied in a single breath. 

 Pranay was intrigued by the beautiful girl sitting in front of him, and she had so much melancholy in her eyes, he couldnt pinpoint the emotions flooding through them. 

'Your parents were??? where are they now?' Pranay asked. 

'Well..... I lost both my parents to a car crash three years back, and I am the only child, I was studying in Germany at that time......had to complete my studies... and ' Anushka's voice choked at the mention of the ill fated accident her parents died in. She wondered why after all these years she was mentioning it to a complete stranger and still feeling like she was talking to someone she knew. 

She had been an emotional wreck all these years, she couldnt go back to india, nor she could call any other place her home. She had then decided, she would find work in the quaint little country of Georgia, where she was as anonymous as the people around her. 

She had tried to find love in Andre, but he had also ditched her. Everything in her life was just temporary, just like the childhood she had spent. The moment she started making friends, her father used to be transferred to a totally new country, again new people, new hostility, new everything. She wanted something permanent, something to be there all her life. She was tired of change,of altering her life every now and then.....

She was working in Market Analysis group, but it was a home based job, so she hardly stepped out of her house. Her head office was in Berlin in Germany, where she occasionally flew down, once in a while. She had come to Georgia after her parent's death, she had purchased this dainty cottage and made it her home. Although she was now all alone, she liked the anonymity it gave her. She had few friends, but no one close enough, and she was scared to seek love again. THe emotions were totally different in these people here. She had met quite few indians in her growing up years but no one had gone beyond the social interactions. Here she was with a complete stranger, surprisingly, who didnt feel like a stranger to her. 

There was something so genuine in the eyes of this stranger, his smile, his demeanour. It was not attraction but something more, something different. She wanted to know him more, wanted to listen to his story. she wanted to talk endlessly with this man. 

'Well, can we just switch on the TV' Pranay's voice startled her out of her reverie. 

'Oh yes, sure' Anushka blushed as she gave him the remote. 

The TV blared to life with a breaking news.......

'TOTAL LOCKDOWN TILL FURTHER NOTICE'

They was a complete lockdown due to the ongoing viral pandemic, airports, offices, everything was to come to a standstill. There would be no movement, no stepping out of house, nothing. 

She watched the look of amusement on Pranay's face. She was unable to understand what was so entertaining in this news. 

Pranay looked at her in amusement, 'Do you have an iPhone charger? i need to make a call, but my battery is dead'

'Well no, i ...you can use my phone' she said handing over her phone to him.

'Thanks so much for that' he sounded so happy, she was so puzzled. 

He immediately called someone and was speaking in a totally different language 'Nēnu bāgānē unnānu, pratidī sthirapaḍinappuḍu nēnu mim'malni pilustānu, dayacēsi nannu sampradin̄caḍāniki prayatnin̄cavaddu, nēnu cālā surakṣitamaina sthalanlō unnānu'(I am fine, i will call you when everything settles down, please dont try to contact me,I am in a very safe place)

She gave him a puzzled look. Pranay smiled at her and gave back her phone, ' My folks out there, was just informing them about my whereabouts' 

'oh!! which language was that?' Anushka asked.

'it is Telugu, i was speaking in my mother tongue, which language did you speak with your parents?' Pranay immediately took back his words at the mention of her parents. He could understand that it was a very sad  for her to talk about her parents. so he just apologised.

'No. no. no problem, i spoke in Tulu with them sometimes, but mostly i spoke in english.' she replied. 

'well Ms. Anushka, the situation is very bad out there!!! i mean due to the pandemic, the government has banned everyone from going out, and as my car is also wrecked, do you mind if i stay the night here, i will be gone tommorow morning..... at this time, not even a hotel will accommodate me, but only if you are willing... else i wont force stay here' 

Anushka looked at him long..... he seemed to be genuine, he wouldnt do any harm.......it was just a question of one night!!!!