Okay, I would care. So if you hate it, tell me why!
Are You With Me?
Rain Is Falling Down On The Sidewalk,
I Won't Go Until You Come Outside.
Meera rushed into the station but stopped short as she saw the train begin to pull away. Her eyes widened as she realised she was missing her train. Getting a hold of herself quickly as she knew better than to just gape and gawk and moan at her situation rather than do something about it, she chased after the train.
She managed to grab hold of one of the bars at the doorway of the cabin, even as some of her friends hung out of the windows and called for her to pull herself onto the train. Thanking God that she had opted for sneakers rather than the flip-flops she had been eying, she continued to run along the train, not gathering the strength to pull herself onto it with only one hand. The other was not managing to get a good grip on the bar at the other side of the door.
A hand reached out in front of her, and she grasped at it quickly. It tightened around her own, and pulled her in. She stumbled slightly as she entered the cabin and fell against her saviour. She looked up in his dark eyes, and blushed slightly at their proximity. Both looked at one another silently for a few awkward seconds before bursting into laughter.
"Prem, agar tum nahin hotey, toh aaj train choot jati," Meera thanked her best friend.
"Come on Meera, mere hotey hue, tum kabhi piche reh sakti ho kya?" he teased.
Still chuckling, he put an arm around her and pulled her into the cabin where the rest of their friends were waiting.
Check Yes Juliet,
Kill The Limbo.
I'll Keep Tossing Rocks At Your Window,
There's No Turning Back For Us Tonight.
"Shit!" Sometime later, Nonee rushed into the cabin they had taken control over, interrupting the raucous music with her rather panicked cursing.
"What?" Adi asked his sister, frowning at her as her dramatic entrance had caused Bhav to pull away from her half-asleep position on his chest.
"The conductor is on his way!" There was much scrambling as those with tickets began ruffling through bags and purses, and among feathers (courtesy Preet and Shabz) for their slips of paper.
Meera screeched as she was pulled into the toilet. She was just about to scream when a hand covered her mouth and Prem leaned in and told her to shut up. Her eyes were wide as she gazed at him, wondering just where her more mild-mannered best friend had disappeared to. Prem rolled his eyes, knowing exactly what she was thinking.
"You don't have a ticket, and if you get caught, you can't go with us," he explained, as though to a small child as he let her go.
"And the others?" Meera shot back, annoyed.
Prem raised an eyebrow. "They're better liars than you," he said drily.
Meera rolled her eyes. "And what do you plan to do then, Prem? You do realise the conductor will check in here," she crossed her arms across her chest.
Prem smirked, taking out something with a flourish even as the conductor rapped on the door and his annoyed voice filtered through. Meera watched in astonishment as Prem opened the door slightly, and his annoyed voice reached her ears. She did not need to look at him to know that there was a scowl on his handsome face as he reproached the conductor for his interruption of 'business'. She turned slightly pink when Prem pulled back into the toilet, smirking at her again, and she realised just how small the toilet was.
(Ay Oh, Ay Oh)
Here's How We Do.
Preet and Manav exchanged mischievous grins, even as Mayank frowned in disapproval at their juvenile behaviour. Both knew that he was not really against their plan, it was obvious from the slight twitch of his lips that he was fighting back his smile. In unison, they reached out with feathers in their hands and brushed them lightly against the two slumbering girls in front of them. Nonee and Shabz awoke with shrieks, colliding with one another and falling in a heap onto the ground. Preet and Manav collapsed into giggles (there was no other word for it), holding one another up. The girls glared at them, and then at Mayank, who had emitted a chuckle as well. He hastily covered his face with his book as Maddy adjusted herself against his shoulder, still fast asleep. Bhav and Adi looked up from where they were sitting together, before smiling indulgently and settling back into their discussion of the works of Poe (something that had had Radz rolling her eyes, burying her nose back into her worn copy of The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe).
Prem lifted his head off Meera's lap, blearily taking in the scene, Nonee and Shabz having started an argument with Preet and Manav (again). They were flinging feathers at one another, and a pillow landed on Radz. Briefly, Prem wondered where that pillow had come from before deciding that it did not matter, and settling back into Meera's lap. She continued to comb her fingers through his hair. He did not have to look at her to know that she was grinning at their friends, especially now that Radz had been disturbed. The four troublemakers were going to get it from the hot-headed girl, and the only one of them capable of calming her was the one they had all taken this trip for. He felt rather than saw Meera sigh, before pulling out her phone and dialling Ravjot's number.
He peeked through slitted eyes as the phone reached Radz and Ravz berated her friend over it. He shifted, and Meera hit him on the head.
"Stop fidgeting, you idiot," she hissed. "It hurts. You're not all that light you know."
"At least I'm not a moti like some people," he teased, before he heard her outraged gasp and felt himself get pushed off her lap and onto the floor of the cabin. He grunted once in pain, before settling himself on the floor, putting his head on someone's bag.
Don't Ever Look Back.
They'll Tear Us Apart,
If You Give Them The Chance.
Don't Sell Your Heart.
Don't Say We're Not Meant To Be.
Run, Baby, Run.
Forever Will Be,
You And Me.
"Prem," Meera began, unnervingly calm. "Did we just miss our stop?"
Prem looked down at her, and then out the door as the train pulled away from the station. They could see their friends waving at them frantically, and could hear their shouts for them to get off the train.
"Meera, take my hand," Prem instructed.
"What?" Meera looked at him in shock.
"Trust me," he coaxed. Meera had never been able to say no to those imploring brown eyes and so she slipped her hand into his. He gripped it tight, and then he told her to jump. With a shriek, she did, and they landed (luckily) on soft grass. Tumbling down a short slope, they stopped just short of the tracks as the train picked up speed turned out of sight. Breathlessly, Meera laughed.
She lay her head on his chest, hearing his heart race as she was sure her own was. Their friends rushed towards them, calling their names frantically. They were both laughing helplessly by then, tears pouring down their cheeks due to the adrenaline and the hilarity of the situation.
Sitting up, Prem helped his friend up as well. Maddy engulfed the two in a tight hug before taking a step back and hitting both. She glared at them then picked up the bag she had dropped.
"Ab chale?" she snapped.
I'll Be Waiting.
Wishing, Wanting,
Yours For The Taking.
Just Sneak Out,
And Don't Tell A Soul Goodbye.
They had hitched a ride on a tractor, much to the amusement of the city folk (which, granted, all were, but sometimes some of them acted β well, not very refined would be the polite way to put it). Radz had a hard time getting onto the tractor, and Preet was too busy laughing at her to help her up. Adi was helping Bhav, and no one was paying her much attention. She pouted, brightening when Meera held out her hand. She hoisted herself up with Meera's help and both went flailing backwards. While Radz fell onto the driver (a man who introduced himself as Rajveer; Radz blushed when she recognised him as Yug's elder brother), Meera braced herself for impact but instead felt Prem catch her.
The rest of the group 'ooh'ed as Prem smirked down at the blushing girl in his arms.
"Prem, let go," Meera ordered, embarrassed at the situation. Prem shrugged and did as she asked. She fell on her behind. The group laughed and she glared at Prem. "You just wait," she muttered darkly.
"I will be, sweetheart," he teased.
Here's The Countdown.
3, 2, 1, Now Fall In My Arms Now.
They Can Change The Locks,
Don't Let Them Change Your Mind.
There were loud squeals of delight as they reached Yug's place and found Ravz waiting outside for them. The girls grabbed each other into one big group hug. The guys rolled their eyes, sticking to handshakes and 'man-hugs'. Ravz led her friends into the house, chattering excitedly about her upcoming nuptials. Meera tossed a look over her shoulder, dropping her bag as she did so.
"Get that for me would you Prem?" she called, smirking at him as she did so.
He sighed, glaring at her, but still running forward to pick up Meera's bag. The rest of the guys snickered, whispering about how Prem was whipped to one another. His annoyed yell for them to pick up their pace only furthered their amusement.
(Ay Oh, Ay Oh)
Here's How We Do.
Meera made her way down the stairs, letting her hand trail the banister, soaking in the results of a weekend's worth of hard work in the details of the decorations. Her hair fell in waves down her back, her deep purple anarkali-churidaar flattering her frame. She did not notice the eyes that had not left her form since she had reached the top of her stairs, but she did notice the snag in the carpet when her heel got caught and she almost went tumbling down. It was only Prem's quick reflexes that saved her from supreme embarrassment.
She grinned wryly at him from her (rather comfortable) position. "You always seem to be saving me."
"Maybe you're finally falling for me," he flirted. She turned pink and looked away, not being able to meet his eyes.
"Could you," she took her hands off him. "let me up?"
Prem (who had just realised what he had said) nodded quickly and moved to help her on her feet. The air between the two was charged with awareness, and both were hasty in their escape to separate corners of the room.
Don't Ever Look Back.
They'll Tear Us Apart,
If You Give Them The Chance.
Don't Sell Your Heart.
Don't Say We're Not Meant To Be.
Run, Baby, Run.
Forever Will Be,
You And Me.
Prem kept searching for the familiar figure in purple throughout the party. He had admired the way she had looked when she had walked down the steps, but had not been able to compliment her (or at least, that is what he told himself about why he was so eager to spot her).
Through the throngs of people, he saw a flicker of purple. He paused. Now that he knew where she was, what was he going to say?
"Oh crap," he muttered to himself, running a hand through his hair.
"Prem, kya kar rahey ho tum?" Meera's exasperated voice shocked him. She reached out and pulled his hand away from his hair. "You barely manage to bring yourself to look presentable, and here you are, messing up your hair," she shook her head.
Prem looked at her, stunned. Her perfume wafted up, teasing his senses. He gulped. She looked at him in concern. "Prem?"
"Huh?" He jerked away from her touch. She looked hurt, but covered it instantly. "Woh, main-" He closed his eyes briefly. Her hurt vanished, but she was still hesitant when she touched his shoulder.
"Are you okay?"
He smiled at her wearily. "Don't worry so much, Meera," he told her. "You'll get wrinkles."
She made a face at him, before ordering him to get her a drink for the comment. Laughing, he made obeyed her commands with a slight bow.
We're Flying Through The Night,
Way Up High,
The View Up Here Is Getting Better With
You By My Side.
Prem wrapped his hand around Meera's waist, drawing her close to him. He no longer worried about what to say, or how to act. She was in his arms, and he had reached a conclusion. Meera was not his best friend. There was no way she could be. Not with how he felt about her. She was so much more than that.
Meera's grip on Prem's shoulder tightened as she took another step closer towards him, this time without his guidance. She did not look at him, but Prem knew that she was worrying her bottom lip, and there would be a faint tinge of pink on her cheeks. Her pink lips would be holding a faint smile, just like she knew that he was gazing down at her with that intense look in his dark eyes, the smouldering one that he had begun to direct at her for many weeks now. His gaze would not waver from her, not until she looked up. So she did.
And he did not look away. This time, she got caught in that gaze. It was impossible for her to look away. She found that she did not really want to as they swayed to the music.
Don't Ever Look Back.
They'll Tear Us Apart,
If You Give Them The Chance.
Don't Sell Your Heart.
Don't Say We're Not Meant To Be.
Run, Baby, Run.
Forever Will Be,
You And Me.
"Try not to miss the train this time Meera," Shabz told her friend.
"Shut up," she shot back. "And go flirt with Preet."
Shabz shrugged and flounced off. Meera rolled her eyes. Prem chuckled behind her, and she jumped slightly, not expecting him to sneak up on her.
"She's right you know," he told her. "If you're not careful, you might miss the train."
"Then I'll come back with Radz," she informed him. "Whenever she does decide to come back," she muttered quietly, seeking out her friend. Not surprisingly, she was talking to Rajveer, who she had befriended easily. Meera knew that on Radz' side, the feelings were more than those of just friends, but neither girl would say anything, because neither knew if Raj felt the same. Radz was hesitant in the whole 'love-shove thing' as she had once put it.
Prem pouted. "But then I'd miss you so," he declared dramtically.
She giggled, hitting him lightly on the chest. "Leave the dramabazi to your brother and the other nautankis."
"Fine," Prem sighed. He grinned at the beauty by his side. "Shall we, my lady?" He held out his hand to her.
Meera knew that placing her hand in his would cause a shift in their relation, one that had been coming for a long time. It was with a glow in her face that she took his hand. "We shall."
Tucking her hand under his elbow in a gentlemanly manner, sending her into peals of laughter, the two walked towards their transport, and the rest of their lives.
Don't Ever Look Back.
They'll Tear Us Apart,
If You Give Them The Chance.
Don't Sell Your Heart.
Don't Say We're Not Meant To Be.
Run, Baby, Run.
Forever Will Be,
You And Me.
You And Me.
You And Me.
Don't forget to comment or press the 'like' button. Or whatever. π
Love,
Radz