Hey guys... I know I am supposed to be on a break from writing, but seeing the topic for 4th Anniversary OS Contest (Arhi First Meet), I could not control the itch that almost forced me to pen down this story. And voila!! It won!! Thank you so much to all those people who voted for Yellow winter and I do hope, that the rest of you'll enjoy it as much. Due to peer pressure... I will be penning down a second part of this cold winter story... to finally bring in some warmth for our beloved couple. It shall be posted sometime next week. Miss you guys!! 🤗
The cool nip in the wind felt exhilarating as Arnav Singh Raizada, made his way through the almost empty streets of Delhi. He loved riding his bike on such wintery Sunday mornings, when people preferred to stay indoors. The winters had just set in, giving the entire city some respite from the sweltering temperatures. So the cold was bearable and the fog not too thick.
The gloomy weather gave the city a mystical aura, making him joyous as he sped on the wide roads. The final exams of MBA were over, giving him respite for a few weeks, before he began assisting his father at Raizada Industries... one of the biggest fabric mills company in India. He knew there was a huge responsibility on his shoulders being the only son in the family, making these last few weeks, more precious that ever.
As he paused at a traffic signal, he lifted the shield of his helmet, wanting to feel the chill in the weather. He had no destination in mind, no agenda, no plan... getting away from the chaos of friends, family and college, felt really great. The circle he lived in, consisted of fake people, always pretending to be something they were not. His mother, even though being a housewife, was more interested in her kitty parties and social gatherings than spending some time with him.
She loved him no doubt, but he felt suffocated the moment she would try to force one of her friend's daughters into his life... coaxing him to date. Even the girls in college were too shallow, making it not too difficult, to keep his distance from them. He was simply happy to hangout with Aman, Lavanya and NK... who seemed to be genuine. With Lavanya and NK dating each other for a while, they had been keen on setting up Aman and him with different girls... trying to convert their gang into a couple's paradise.
He cringed at the thought and was thankful to have slinked off from meeting them today. A day spent alone, would do him good... help him clear his muddled mind and make him feel at peace. As he turned around a corner to head towards the Red Fort, he was blinded by something bright that he could not comprehend. Before he could realize exactly what had just happened, he lost control over his bike and rammed into a nearby tree.
One second he was upright and the next moment, he was sprawled on the road. Everything seemed to be hazy as he tried to gather his bearings. He was still somehow blinded, making it difficult for him to fathom the accident. Thankfully while taking the turn he had slowed his bike, which had reduced the damage of this collision. His foot seemed to have got stuck under the weight of the heavy machine, as he tried to get up.
He winced in pain as the yellow veil lifted. His eyes focused and refocused onto a beautiful face that was hovering over him with worry. "I am so sorry... Humein maaf kar dijiye. Are you hurt? My annoying dupatta just flew away and then it landed on your face. I was simply trying to untangle it from my bag. Hey Devi Maiyya... is your head hurting? Have you lost your memory? What am I going to do?... Ohh bhaiyyaji... Dekh kya rahein hai? Help in picking up this bike. It is so heavy. You think a thin girl like me can manage on my own... People just want to gather and watch. Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere? Please say something... You are scaring me."
Arnav could only gawk at the nonstop chatter of this beautiful angel. He wondered if he was already dead and transported directly into heaven. He observed her stunning face, the sharp nose and the devilish nosepin, her pink translucent skin... but what made his heart skip a beat were those dancing hazel eyes, that changed expression every damn second. She was beauuutiful...
As the bike was lifted off his feet and carefully parked at the side, he felt the pain in his left foot spreading with vengeance. That was the first time, his eyes shifted focus from the constantly blabbering girl to his slightly bleeding leg. She was still giving instructions to the people gathered... as they followed her every command silently. There was some magic in her and his pain seemed to ebb away the moment he turned his attention back to her.
"Please carry him to the clinic nearby. It is my brother's clinic," she was requesting the men, who helped him up, as he limped while walking to the small clinic, a few blocks away. He noticed her bright yellow traitorous dupatta... the main culprit of his accident... dancing in the wind. He smiled at the thought, bedazzled by her beauty.
As he settled into one of the comfortable chairs in the small yet neat clinic, the gathered crowd dispersed, leaving only the two of them, in complete silence. However, the silence lasted for just about a minute, as she gathered the supplies needed to clean the wound. She was back to her talkative self, muttering more to herself than him.
"Thank you Devi Maiyya, that Shyam bhai's clinic was right where this accident happened. Atleast I get to take care of him. Khushi, how many times does everyone have to tell you to be careful!! You always fall into trouble and now see what you have done!! She was admonishing herself one moment and the next she suddenly looked up at him. Khushi... her name lingered in his mind as she got back to her task.
Her hands were busy cleaning the wound as she said, "I assist my brother, whenever I can. So I am not a novice at this. Plus I am studying medicine to become a doctor. We came all the way from Lucknow to Delhi, so I could finish college from a prestigious institution here."
Arnav smirked at her giving away so much of personal information, to a complete stranger and he realized how frazzled she really must be for causing this accident. The pain in his leg had reduced and he realized that he had been lucky to get away with only some grazed skin. His foot had not hurt while walking and hence there was no chance of a fracture. He knew he would be fine... but who would convince this girl in front of him.
She washed her hands and removed her sweater, the shine of her yellow clothes, bedazzling him. She was like no other he had ever seen. No pretense, nothing artificial... no makeup for gods sake! She had this innocent aura around her, which tugged at his heartstrings, making him wary of the effect she was having on him. He tried to focus on the words... rather than the full pouting lips that were instigating amorous ideas in his brain.
"This wound will heal in a few weeks. Keep the bandage on for a few days. It will help you heal. Also I am writing down a few antibiotics that you can pop in if your leg starts hurting. If there is swelling, then use an icepack. It will reduce the inflammation giving you tremendous relief. Thank you Devi Maiyya for not getting him seriously injured," she continued talking, while dressing up his wound. He chuckled loudly, not being able to take in her monologue silently.
She looked up, her eyes boring into his. He knew she was worried and he wanted to wipe off that crease from her brow. "I am fine Khushi," he whispered hoarsely. She seemed taken aback for a moment, finally realizing his presence and the way he was staring at her intently. Her fingers lingered onto his leg for a few moments before she pulled them back as if scarred.
"Its done," she whispered as she cleared the mess. Arnav tried to get up and winced in pain. She was by his side in a jiffy, holding onto his hand for support. The wound was fresh and would take a while to heal. However, the impact she had made on him... how was he going to deal with it? He tried to place the foot down and walk a couple of steps with her help.
In a few minutes, it became easier to walk as he teased, "Looks like I can walk again and I have not even lost my memory... I remember my name is Arnav Singh Raizada and I was blinded by something yellow before I rammed into the tree." She flushed at being reminded of her rambles and said, "I am so sorry. I keep spewing nonsense whenever I am worried. I actually talk a lot anyways and I am accident-prone. But I was worried when I saw you crash into the tree because of my dupatta. I thought what if you were dead! Hey Devi Maiyya... I would have to spend all my life in jail."
Arnav could not stop the laughter bubbling within him, as he clutched onto his stomach and burst out laughing. She joined in, as two crazy people laughed at the workings of fate. For Arnav it was the first time his heart had skipped a beat for a girl... the first time he had been lost into someone's eyes, the first time a girl's laughter had drowned his pain... their first meeting was going to be etched into his memory forever.
He felt restless, as she helped him walk towards the exit. Was it time to part already? He wanted to meet her again and drink in her constant chatter... her mesmerizing laughter and everything bright and sunny, through this cold winter. She felt like a mug of hot chocolate, in the freezing cold. He wanted this warm feeling to last forever. Without thinking of the consequences, he said longingly, "Is it okay if I come to this clinic to get my bandages changed?"
She lifted her long lashes, not being able to hide the blush at their proximity and said, "Offcourse. Please do come. My brother would be available during the day. I only help him around in the evenings, after my college." He looked at her and replied honestly, "Then I shall definitely come around in the evening." She blushed at his intention and his heart swelled at the fact that he could garner such a reaction out of her. She was adorable and he wanted to know her more... and a little more... and a much more.
As she closed the clinic doors and locked them, he could not keep his eyes off her. The gloomy weather suddenly seemed brighter... like the sun had risen out of the dark clouds. She hailed a taxi for him to ride back home. As she helped him get settled into the taxi he asked expectantly, "Can I drop you somewhere?" She shook her head and said that she had to walk for a few minutes to reach her destination.
His heart plummeted at the thought of parting ways when she said softly, "I am so sorry for whatever happened today..." He looked into her verbose eyes, the yellow of her dupatta reflecting onto her face, making it glow. Arnav whispered, so that only she could her, "I am not at all... sorry." He saw her eyes widen in shock, as her cheeks flushed with colour... the corner of her lips lifted slightly... slowly turning into a bright blooming smile.
That was the image he carried with himself, as the taxi pulled away. The fog had lifted off the streets... the chill in the weather seemed to have been replaced with warmth. Was it the weather or the condition of his heart? This first meet... her bedazzling eyes and that glorious smile... would remind him of this yellow winter for an eternity.
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