“A flat tire again!”
Inspector Raavi Joshi couldn’t believe it. It was the third time her tire had been punctured within a week.
She pulled out her mobile to book a cab.
“Shit!” She remembered.
"It’s a motor strike today," She muttered to herself as kicked the tire in irritation.
______________
Shiva closed the mechanic shop and let out a deep sigh. It was 2:30 in the afternoon so all other shops were already closed. Even the watchman at the ATM opposite the shop was snoring deeply.
If someone had told him that one day, he would leave thievery to work hard to earn one day, he would have either laughed at him or punched him hard on his face. But here he was, working harder than ever.
As clichéd as it may sound, he had decided to change after meeting Raavi.
She was constantly in his thoughts. It was hard for him to believe that he couldn’t lie to her that day. He had come across police officers before that day and had had escaped successfully, but with Raavi there was something that he couldn’t understand.
"Ouch!"
The loud exclamation brought him out of his trance as he turned to look at a woman who was tending to her apparently wounded leg.
Without further thought, he ambled his way across to her.
Raavi tried to stand on her feet but she felt the pain again. She had didn't know why she so got si irritated sometimes. She took the support of her car as she continued her attempts to stand straight.
Suddenly, she felt a warm hand on her feet and ingles shot through her body.
Startled, Raavi stopped moving as she took in the loose slippers on broad feet, registering that it was definitely a male. As she tried to straighten to her full height, she stumbled and held on to him for support.
"Careful!" she heard him say, as he kneeled down to touch her hurt foot.
She looked down at the tufts of brown wavy hair and held onto his shoulders, her heart started beating faster.
She finally got a good look at his face when the warm honey eyes looked up at her. She blinked once. Then twice and then again. Trying to register if it was really Shiva kneeling down in front of her.
She did not have time for a relationship considering her hectic schedule, and family responsibilities. But that night at the pub changed something in her. She let the romantic in her spread their wings and take flight in her imagination. She knew, that their had stolen her heart that day.
And for Shiva, every movement around him stopped as soon as he looked at those eyes, even his heartbeat. It was just like one of his dreams, he was kneeling down in front of Raavi. Just that in his dreams, he did that to propose her.
Raavi’s phone buzzed and brought them out of their bubble. Shiva put her foot on the ground and Raavi looked at the caller id.
“Hello?” she answered the call while both of them tried to control their racing hearts. “Yeah, my Jeep broke down.... I know it’s a motor strike today! I am trying!” she screamed irritated and cut the call.
“Where do I find a mechanic at this hour!” She muttered to herself, pushing the phone in her jeans' pocket.
"You need a mechanic? What happened?"
"My jeep has a flat tire," she said pointing towards the tire.
"Do you have a spare?" Shiva asked again.
“I have never checked. Every time I have a puncture, I just pick a cab and someone else takes care of it." She answered sheepishly, looking away from his eyes.
"Can I check?"
She nodded and Shiva walked towards the back of the jeep to look for a stepney.
Raavi looked at him as he got out the tools and systematically went through the drill. No one spoke a word till Shiva finished his job.
“Done!” he smiled in satisfaction.
“Thanks,” Raavi said. “What were you doing here at this hour?"
“I work as a mechanic there,” Shiva pointed towards his shop. “I left all that.”
“Really?” she asked, surprised. “What changed?”
“Just wanted a lead a respectful life,” replied as he put the tools back in the jeep, avoiding his eyes.
“Come on, tell me. What happened to you?”
“You threatened that you’ll put me in jail if I robbed someone again,” he chuckled. “And I fell in love.”
And I got scared, he wanted to lie.
They looked at each other without blinking until Shiva looked away.
“Thanks for the help,” Raavi stated. “Can I drop you somewhere?”
“Thank you for the offer but I live nearby, I can walk home.”
“I can drop you, Come on.” She said as she climbed the jeep.
“You really don’t need to bother. Why do you want to drop me?”
Consider it your fees, she wanted to make an excuse but what left her lips, shocked both of them.
“Because I want to spend more time with you.”
____________
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