The silver pitters came pouring down, and Avani cursed under her breath, lamenting over her bad fate of not carrying an umbrella and not having her car.

" Why is it that you bless me with your blissful presence only when I'm stranded out on the street without any help?" She murmured, shooting the sky an accusing look and as if giving her a playful, teasing reply in order to answer her question, the showers increased their intensity, pouring down the grey-blue sky.

Scowling adorably, she glared at the rains, expressing her displeasure.

She looked down at her wrist watch as it ticked away, and it turned ten.

Her driver was supposed to reach an hour ago.

But he still wasn't here, and there were no signs of him reaching anytime soon.

She couldn't ring him up either, her phone's battery was dead.

She had no whatsover way to reach out to him.

The people on the road, sending occasional glances her way, were beginning to creep her out.

She decided to distract herself out of this.

Remember when Kalix asked Luna out, remember when Kalix flew overnight to get another chance, forgetting his sleep? Remember when—

A familiar BMW halted before her, and the car window rolled down.

A sigh of relief escaped her lips, her pretty features that were creased into a frown, now relaxing.

" Get in." He said.

She blinked, taken aback at his clipped tone, but nonetheless opened the door and quietly sat in, quivering.

He turned on the heater, and took off his jacket, and gently placed it on her lap.

But she did not take it. Neither did she even spare it a glance.

Her gaze, casted out of the window, stayed fixated.

Hoping that she'd take it in a while, Raghav continued to drive.

But she refused to touch it, and it twisted his heart.

Realising the consequences of his brusque way, he let out a barely audible sigh.

" I'm sorry." He murmured, his voice small.

Avani's heart tugged at his apology, and she hated how earnest he sounded.

However, she chose to ignore him.

" I'm genuinely sorry. It was not you I was furious with. It..it was them. I hated the way their eyes lingered on your body, and I hated their lustful gaze on you. I detested how instead of offering help, they made you feel uncomfortable. It was wrong of me to have vented it out on you. I'm sorry."

" Avani?" He murmured again, and the sadness in his tone that twisted her heart made her wrap the jacket around her, but she still refused to spare him a glance.

Raghav was happy at the mere action.

He'd rather have her not look at him than stay cold and uncomfortable.

He meant to make her feel safe, which, unknown to him, she already did in his presence.

" Y'know...I passed by a library and bookstore today. They'd had so many hard covers, I was reminded of you. What new book did you read?" He began, in an attempt to start a conversation.

Avani, who, like the old days, got easily distracted at the mention of books, bookstores and libraries, immediately turned towards him.

" Oh this one's involving everyone's favorite medium to have their Bollywood moment—trains! So, these two were friends, now acquaintances, and meet after ages! And he helps her catch the train when she was almost going to miss it and have an accident! It's such a cute story, the author's writing it so so well—" Avani stopped midway, and shot Raghav a glare, realising he'd tricked her, and looked away.

" What? What happened?" He asked with such innocence laced in his tone that made her want to snap at him.

" You...you tricked me!" She shot him an adorable glare, frustration tinged in his voice and he chuckled.

" But I just asked what new story did you read! How was that tricking?" The innocence continued to be there and she grumbled, refusing to look his way.

Throwing his head back, he burst into laughter and she looked back at him, her heart tugging at the laughter, as fondness twinkled in her eyes.

Ugh, why did he still have to be just so...aggravtingly beautiful?

As he finally stopped, he looked back at her with a smile, and then turned his gaze ahead again.

When they'd reached her house, he looked at her, his pretty obsidian orbs boring into hers as he smiled.

" I've got gifts for you." He told her and she slightly frowned when he turned towards the backseat, and got a huge bag, something quite heavy which she placed on her lap.

She peeked to take a look what really was in there, and to her utmost delight, it turned out to be a bag of books!

Hard copies!

Each and every one she'd been meaning to buy!

Grinning, she looked back at him.

" So am I supposed to take this as a token of apology?"

" Consider it that way. Like I said, books reminded me of you. So I got them."

" They're hard copies. You didn't have to spend so—"

" I had to. For you, I wanted to." He cut her off.

Surprised, she blinked at him.

" I...should go. Thank you for the lift, and the books. Drive safe." She mumbled, her cheeks heated up as she got out of the car and rushed away.

A smile spread across his lips seeing the crimson tint on her cheeks.

His heart warmed at the tantrums she threw his way, evidently because she felt comfortable enough with him to do so.

Oh could this get any better?