| NAINA |

"You sound quite confident, Naina. Are you going to tell this to Meeta?" Charlie patted my head.

"Of course. But after my chaos ends." I sniffed my nose and wiped my tears.

"What do you mean?" She furrowed her eyebrows.

"It's evident Meeta has to face many things because of me. Amidst all these, I don't want to be this issue as one of the pains in her ass. So... I have to wait for the right time." I nodded my head slowly while plotting things for Abhi.

"So, will you be telling it to Angad?" She looked deep into my eyes.

"No," I refused.

"Why?" She raised her eyebrows.

"I don't feel like it, Charlie. I wonder how he would approach it. If he is the man I saw in Delhi and New York, he would be the first person to know it." I placed a pillow and lay down.

She lay down near me and asked, "Are you sure?"

"I am."

***

Me: Are you still online?

It was three in the night when I received a message from Angad. I sat upright to text him comfortably.

Angad: You told me you would call, didn't you?

Me: I was with Charlie.

Me: Why did you leave?

Angad: Sorry, Desi Girl. Meeta forced me to come with her. She asked Abhi to take care, didn't she?

Angad: Did he drop you at your house?

I was on the verge of typing, "Yeah. He did many things before dropping me at my house." Yet, I resisted it and re-drafted my message.

Me: Yeah.

Angad: How is he?

Me: Why are you asking me? Am I your girlfriend or his?

Angad: No. That was not what I meant. I mean, whether he did something like you feared.

I typed, "Yeah, my love. He surpassed his level." But again, I had to re-draft my message.

Me: No.

I preferred not to type more. I was waiting for his message. Perhaps something like, "Why were you crying that time?" or "Are you okay?"

Angad: Why did you cry back then?

Okay, the romantic guy in him is alive.

Me: When?

Angad: At the boutique? I saw you.

Me: Oh, that?

Me: All because of your fiancee.

Angad: Don't call her so. It will be only you.

Should I ask, "Why can't you rather fuck off?" Will it complicate things?

Me: That's sweet.

Angad: So am I. <3

Angad: Anyway, tell me what happened.

Me: I asked her something.

Angad: Don't tell me you told her about us!

Me: I didn't, but what's wrong with so?

Me: Anyway, I'm not done. I asked what she would do if she found you having an affair with her friend.

Angad: Did you tell her it was you?

Me: I told you I did not tell her about us. Calm down.

Me: And she said she would unite them together.

Angad: Isn't she interested in me?

Me: Since when did that matter to you?

Angad: What is wrong with you, Naina? Why do you sound so curt to me? What did I do?

Me: You did nothing.

Angad: As if you did it all.

Me: I did. I dropped hints to Meeta. I was not like you to allow yourself to tell it to your father and let something stop you.

Angad: Anyway, I feel sleepy. Spill the beans soon and go to sleep. Sorry for disturbing you.

Me: You don't have to sacrifice your sleep for me. Go to sleep. Good night!

I switched off my mobile data and threw my mobile on the chest drawer near my bed. I lay down to sleep and tried for it, but terrible moments didn't let that happen. I turned to the left. I turned to the right. I lay down with my stomach on the bed. I faced the ceiling. I changed my direction from pillow-hugging to a soldier stance, spread-eagled starfish, foetal posture, stargazer, and freefall form. Yet, nothing helped. All that was left was to Google for the best sleeping postures. And also, "How to prevent awkward fights with your boyfriend?"

***

Angad: Come outside, please!

His text was the first thing I saw when I woke up. Isn't it a great way to start a day? I checked out the time: half past eight. And he texted at eight.

Me: Why?

Angad: Please!

Me: Okay, wait. Let me change my dress. I'm in my nightwear.

Angad: Nightwear, as in? Gown or T-shirt?

Me: T-shirt.

But the problem lies in my cotton pink hot shorts. Not my black T-shirt.

Angad: No issues.

Me: Angad, my bottoms are the problem.

Angad: Oh!

Me: I'll change and come.

By then, I had thrown away my shorts and wore black sweatpants. Charlie, who woke up after seeing me changing my dress, asked, "Are you going somewhere?"

"Yeah. Angad asked me to step out now." I looked at the mirror to ensure I looked decent enough for someone who woke up just then. And yeah, I looked decent indeed, if we exclude my messy hair. "Do I look good?" I looked at the sleepyhead Charlie and asked for one last time.

"Hot as ever," she whispered sensually as if she were to pound on me.

I chuckled and said, "I guess you are horny. Call your Miss Veez and satisfy your hunger. Bye." I locked the door and stepped outside, only to see him waiting for me with a red car. I was damn sure it was not his because Meeta's father is the proprietor of two car showrooms in Amritsar. "Good morning, Angad," I greeted him.

He walked towards me, spooned me, and pecked on my forehead. He further whispered, "I'm sorry for the last night."

"It's okay," I whispered in a surprised way. I guess the hopelessly romantic man I saw in him was back. He put me much closer to him to hug me and pecked again on my head while I whispered, "What are you doing?"

"Could you please come with me for a while? We are going somewhere. It will take a day," he whispered, hoping I would say yes. His eyes said it all. "Please? It's for me."

"We, as in? Who else is joining us?" I doubted.

"You and I," he whispered with loaded romance in his eyes. "Please?"

"Fine. But wait for a while. I haven't brushed my teeth."

I broke the hug and ran inside with a tiny squeal. I closed the door, leaned on it and giggled while Charlie asked, "What happened?"

"Angad is taking me on a date!" I squealed like a student who passed in their exams with distinction.

"How sure are you about it?" She placed her closed fists on her hips.

"I know him, bro. I guess Romeo Montague possessed him last night."

***

I sighed while looking at the humid night sky of the outskirts of Agra, regretting coming with Mr. Romeo Monatgue. All he did in the day was drive and keep driving. And it had been almost a day, yet I wasn't informed where were we heading. I had received nearly a dozen messages from Charlie asking for my whereabouts. What should be my answer?

While I was yet to lose my cool, Angad asked, "Why are you quiet, Naina?"

I exhaled deeply and said, "I have been asking you the same stuff for eight hours. Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise," he whispered, his eyes on me.

"Oh! Do you mean like that surprise you gave me at Alwar?"

If you know, you know.

He clicked his tongue and coaxed, "Fine, Desi Girl. Wait for half an hour. Please? It's for me."

***

We stood in front of the literal ivory-white on the right bank of the river Yamuna in Agra, commissioned in 1631 by the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, to house the tomb of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, which also houses the tomb of Shah Jahan, also known by the world as Taj Mahal. It looked like the moon landed on the bank of Yamuna and was meant for us.

I looked at Angad, who was already looking at me with a romantic yet goofy grin. "Thank you," I whispered. I have never felt overwhelmed like then. It was not like I had never been there. But being in the Taj Mahal at night while holding my lover's hand tight was one of my teenage fantasies. I had always longed for them. Little did my younger self know her dream would come true.

"Hey! You can't be thanking me for loving you. That's it." He stood facing me and cupped my cheeks. His forehead met mine while my gaze was locked in his eyes that shone in the white light. Before I could speak further, he whispered something that took me aback. "Will you slap me I kiss you?"

"Huh?" I was surprised, not shocked. Note the difference.

"Shall I kiss you?" He asked it again. He asked for "it". I nodded a yes. Soon, his delicate lips met mine while we were having my first kiss. It was not that epic first kiss moment of every girl's life. It was my first kiss with Angad. Technically, it was my first kiss number... 101? I was blissful with the moment until the previous night's memories flashed. I could no longer feel the vibe I used to have around Angad. It was uncomfortable. The air around me was thick. I felt like someone was holding my head like Abhi did the previous night.

I wanted to break the kiss. I wanted to cry aloud. I want to drown in that river. But I knew I was having one of the best moments of my life. I didn't want to ruin it. I wanted to control that fucked-up memory. I tried, I failed. My intensity to break the kiss and his intensity to keep the kiss was equally proportional. At one point, when his tongue was coiled with mine, I felt like vipers were crawling on my tongue. I was overtaken by the flashing memories and felt like kissing Abhi. Hence, I pushed him away, applying my maximum force, while he fell into the water basin of the fountains.

"Naina," he stammered, struggling to speak. "Are you okay?"

***

This was all I could manage for today, peeps! I hope it was good.

And speaking about yesterday's chapter, I have a reason behind posting the poll. It was my very first time writing a sexual assault-based scene, and I was totally like, "Am I over-describing it? Am I under-describing it? Is Naina feeling exactly how survivors feel like? Will Abhi's reason work out? What if I was reported for it? What if I was thrown out of Wattpad? Should I get ready with another account?" And so on (and yes, I am the OG Overthinker). That was why I posted the poll.

But what happened then surprised me. I never expected positive words for that scene, especially after imagining myself being reported on Wattpad. Thank you so much, people! I love you all like I always do. <33

With that, it's your OG Overthinker signing off. Stay tuned for more drama.

See you soon!

Song Courtesy: Afterglow by Taylor Swift.