ArNi OS: Never Let You Go

She poked her head out of the open door of the train as it chugged into the Mumbai railway station. Her eyes scanned for the face amongst the crowd waiting on the platform. She had missed him. But she wasn't going to admit it to him, she thought. The train blew its whistle as it pulled into the platform. It hadn't even stopped when the coolies started shoving past her into the train. She cursed at them aloud as she swung her duffel bag at them, knocking one coolie down. But he didn't seem to be bothered by it. He picked himself up and threw her a menacing look before tightening his turban and making his way into the train.

She got off the train and started to make her way through the busy crowd. She realised she had actually missed the crowd. It was good to be coming back home.

"Roshni!" A voice reached her through the crowd.

She turned around to see her brother Sameer making his way through the tide of people waiting on the platform. Her face lit up at the sight of her brother.

"Sam!" She made her way through the crowd and ran straight into his arms.

"I missed you, Roshni! Kitni patli ho gayi hai! Ab tu kahin nahi jaa rahi!"

"Come on, Sam. Sirf do hafte ke liye toh gayi thi, that too because of work. Responsibilities li hai, nibhani toh padegi."

"Arrey, kaam tha toh khana peena chod diya tha kya?"

"Please. Now you are making a mountain out of a molehill. Acha, ummm... Arjun kahan hai?" She scanned the crowd again, trying to look for that familiar tuft of dark hair and those dark eyes which always made her weak in the knees.

He rolled his eyes at her and said, "Haan haan. Jabse usse mili hai apne bhai ko toh bhool hi gayi hai. Main yahan hoon aur tu abhi bhi uske bare mein pooch rahi hai jo yahan hai bhi nahi."

"Aisi baat nahi hai, Sam."

"Acha? Jab se aayi hai, aankhein idhar udhar bhatak rahi hai."

"Whatever. Ghar chalein?"

Sameer nodded and grabbed her duffel bag.

As they made their way to the exit, she turned and glanced one last time at the crowd. He really hadn't come. She was coming home after two weeks and it seemed as if he hadn't even missed her.

***

It was too windy. The white, translucent curtains fluttered in the wind and hit against his face as he stood by the balcony. The wind was creating a havoc inside the room which had been lying abandoned for two weeks. But he hadn't let any dust gather upon the books that lay on her desk, or the photos that adorned her bedside tables.

Her memories had kept him alive these two weeks. He hadn't realised how much he would miss her until she had left. He missed spending time with her. He missed sharing things with her. He missed her laugh, her smile, her hand in his.

"Are you going to miss me, ACP Arjun?"

"Miss you? ACP Arjun kisi ko miss nahi karta."

He remembered her pout as he had said that intentionally, just to annoy her. He wasn't very good at blurting out his feelings. Not like she did anyway. He wasn't that outgoing.

He had fallen in love with her, and he hadn't been able to tell her. Yet.

The fact that she was his best friend's sister, didn't make it any easier. Every time he took her out, it would attract a scrutinizing glare from her protective brother. But as time had passed, Sam had accepted their relationship. He had let him come into their house, every day, after she had left. Sam had watched as he cleaned her room every day, not moving a thing out of its place. Just the way she liked it. Somehow, being in her room brought her closer to her, even though she wasn't there.

And now, she was coming back home.

He hoped that things would go according to plan.

***

"You aren't coming?"

"Nahi. Kuch kaam hai. Tu jaa, thak gayi hogi na?"

"Haan, lekin..."

Roshni wondered why her brother was behaving so weird. He hadn't spoken much to her on the entire journey from the station. This wasn't how he usually behaved.

She got out of the car and grabbed her bag from the backseat. Sameer threw her another weird glance and then towards their door. It felt as if he was hiding something. His behaviour was reminding her of the time he had planned a surprise birthday party for her, on her 16^th birthday.

She raised her brow at him again and asked, "Sam, is there anything you are hiding from me?"

"Who? Me? Nahi, nahi. Chal, main abhi aata hoon. Ok?"

She nodded disbelievingly and walked towards her front door. Something was not right.

She pushed back her curls as the wind blew it straight into her eyes. They key wouldn't turn, and she couldn't even see properly. At last, the lock clicked open and she walked into her house.

Something was different. The entire house was enveloped in darkness. The windows and doors were wide open. The white curtains fluttered wildly in the strong wind that gushed through the open windows. She wondered why Sam had left them open. It was clearly messing things up in the room.

And then she heard it. The sound of music from her room. She put her bag down, and slowly started walking towards the door of her room.

"Roshni."

His voice made her heart stop. She turned around, but couldn't find him. She could feel him around her, but he remained invisible.

"Arjun?" She cried out his name into the darkness.

And then, she felt his arms around her, his warm breath near her neck. She stopped breathing as he whispered to her, "Hi."

She smiled as she felt him close. So close, she could almost hear his heartbeat.

Slowly, he reached out for a candle on the table and lit it. The darkness evaporated instantly and the room was covered in a golden glow emanating from the flickering candle. The wind attempted to put it out, but he carefully protected the flame with his hand. He looked up at her, beaming, his eyes glowing in the candlelight.

"Hi Roshni." He said again, his mouth curving up into that teasing smile of his.

She realised then, how much she had missed him.

***

Her face looked beautiful in the candlelight. The wind was blowing her curls all across her face and she kept brushing them away with her hand. She was dressed in a simple white t-shirt and jeans and yet, she was looking beautiful.

"Hi, Arjun." She was smiling now, her eyes glittering in the candlelight.

"Chalo, I want to show you something." He reached for her hand as she looked up at him, a baffled expression on her face.

"Andhere mein dhokha toh nahi ho raha? Tum Arjun nahi ho sakte. Mera Arjun kahan hai?"

He laughed and dragged her towards her room.

"You'll see." He said as they entered her room.

***

She stood gaping at the door as her eyes fell upon the numerous flowers scattered all over her room. Not just one kind of flower, but every kind that she had ever seen. Roses, daisies, daffodils, carnations... They filled every nook and cranny, every empty space that there ever was. And yet, he hadn't moved any of her things, because he knew that she liked her things to be in place.

A few candles flickered at the corners, brightening up the entire room. It looked magical. Just like she had imagined.

When she looked up at him, he stood looking at her, his eyes not blinking once.

She was lost for words. But he wasn't.

He held on to her hand, as he began, "I know ki maine aaj tak yeh kabhi nahi kaha. Main kabhi bhi apni dil ki baat keh nahi paata hoon...it's difficult for me. Abhi bhi kya keh raha hoon, mujhe nahi pata. Lekin, tum humesha sab kuch bina kahe samajh leti ho. You understand me like no one does. I have realised this over the last two weeks. Living without you is not only difficult, it is impossible. Main tumhare bina nahi jee sakta, Roshni. I love you. Aur please, don't leave me anymore. I don't want to let you go. Not now, not ever."

Her eyes glistened with tears as he finally said the words she had been waiting to hear ever since they had been going out. She had almost given up hope. She knew he did love her, but her heart had been yearning to hear it.

"Tum kabhi nahi kehne wale na?"

"Dil ki baatein toh tum bina kahe sun leti ho, Roshni. Toh kehne ki kya zaroorat hai?"

"Kabhi kabhi kehna padhta hai, Arjun. Dil ki baatein humesha dil mein nahi rakhte. Life is too short. You don't want to regret it later."

She couldn't speak. Words were failing her as she looked into those eyes full of love.

She buried her head against his chest, clutching on to his shirt as a few tears leaked out of her eyes. She laughed through her tears as he put his arms around her, gathering her close to him.

And then at last, she managed to whisper, "I love you, Arjun. I always have and always will. And I promise, I will never leave you. Not now, not ever. I will never let you go."

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And...hope you liked it Payal🤗