Originally posted by: Diaa
Later that evening, Mannu insisted that his Bua should try the saree that Masso had brought for her from their trip, and after a few futile attempts at convincing her nephew that it was best to keep the saree for her to wear on a special occasion; Amala knew it was not her thing to win over Mannu's stubbornness and just decided to do as he said.
She was delighted that she did though, as she witnessed the excited glances of her Pau and Mannu as she emerged out of her room clad in the most beautiful piece of clothing she'd ever worn. Amala hugged Masso and thanked her once again, before she'd started to turn around on her spot to give everyone a proper look of her gorgeous attire... Upon stopping to face the happy faces of the trio in front of her though, she'd felt it... A fuzzy sensation at the back of her neck. She sharply turned behind her, and indeed it was him...
Abeer stood at the threshold, frozen in the middle of taking a step so it seemed, as he gazed at her... Too mesmerized to even blink. And Amala could swear that his eyes had the ability to read her inner most thoughts at that moment, for the intensity with which they'd met hers was something that held her breath captive in her own throut.
After a few seconds, or maybe hours, Amala couldn't really tell, he entered the living room and silently seated himself on the armchair. She could see him stealing glances at her every other moment though.
"Uhm... Mannu, since you've made me dress up for no reason, should we go out for dinner tonight?" Amala asked, trying to alter the way of her thoughts towards her nephew and brother, "I haven't seen you all for ages now it seems, and it'd be great if..."
"Nooo Bua..." Came the surprising answer from the little one, "I'm too tired tonight! I want to sleep a lot."
"But..."
"You can go out with fufaji for dinner instead." Mannu said with an innocent smile, completely unaware of the impact of his suggestion on his horrified aunt.
"Yeah..." Raghu added, sounding equally as innocent as his kid, "we all are tired and want to rest for tonight. But you and Abeer were here only, right? You two can go together."
Amala turned towards Abeer with a nervous look, and he simply smiled up at her. If you'd like to. She could comprehend from his silence.
"Okay." Amala said as a red hue started to colour her visage mercilessly. She really couldn't say no... Not when she was the one who'd suggested the outing in the first place. That'd be too rude. Plus, they're good friends now.., so a little dinner together was nothing really.
"But you'll need to fetch us a rickshaw first..." Amala said in a small shying voice.
"No need for that!" Abeer retorted, that breathtaking smile still at play on his features.
And when she looked down at him with a puzzled expression, Abeer took out the gift box that Masso had handed him earlier and opened it... It held a key in its silken insides.
"A key..?" Amala muttered, looking so confused still.
This time, Abeer didn't answer her. Instead, he just held her hand into his gently, and led her outside.
Down the staircase leading to the road in front of their house, Amala saw a solitary vehicle standing where there was nothing before; she thought that grey jeep looked a little familiar to her but wasn't so sure...
Only until they came to a stop in front of the vehicle did she recognize it, and she turned to gaze wide eyed at a grinning Abeer.
"Masso had made a transportation company deliver it here from Dharmshala." Abeer informed her. "My baby!"
Amala smiled quietly besides him, his last words making her blush all the more for some silly reason.
****
After an awkwardly beautiful dinner at one of Abeer's favourite places in town, they silently walked together to where his jeep was parked. He had asked her to wait at the restaurant lounge so as he'd drive the jeep to the entrance, but Amala didn't really like the idea of being left behind.
And as they walked side to side in the dimly lit parking lot, Amala was surprised to catch herself smiling a little... And then, her heart skipped a beat as their hands brushed against each other in the slightest bit. She could see Abeer glancing at her from the corner of her eye, and she bit her lip in nervousness.
A few moments later, she felt Abeer's fingers grazing her wrist in a soft and slow motion that sent her insides jolts of crazy sensations as they wounded their way to hers... The warm of his palm rested against her own securely as their fingers locked into place. And she mustered the courage to look up at him, he smiled at her lovingly.
Abeer helped her get into her seat and be comfortable, probably not really ready to let go of her hand just yet, Amala reflected with a tiny smile. And then, after asking her a number of unbelievable times if she was seated well, he'd reluctantly left her hand and headed to the driver's seat.
"Are you okay with not going back home just yet..?" Abeer asked after some time, his voice sounding so husky in comparison to the sounds of traffic, it made Amala's stomach flutter.
"Yeah..." She answered softly, "but where are we going now..?"
"You'll see in a while." He simply replied with a grin.
A few detours later, Amala could see their destination clearly... The beach...
"Remember the last time we came her together..?" Abeer asked softly, "I don't think you enjoyed much back then.., so... I thought I might as well change that memory to a better one."
He drove the jeep till the nearest point possible to the shore, and then got off and came to her side... Helping her get off the car, yet again.
There weren't much people around at that time on the beach, and only a few minutes after they'd walked together on the shore Amala started to feel fresher, and a lot more happier moments replacing those old uncomfortable ones of the last time they'd been here.
After some time, they started to march back to where Abeer's jeep stood, and upon reaching it; Amala simply leaned on to the bonnet of the vehicle... Not quite ready to go back home yet.
"Thank you, Abeer." She murmured, loud enough for him to hear only, as he supported his weight against the jeep's bonnet beside her.
"What for..?" He asked, turning to look at her.
"For... Everything." She replied absentmindedly, her thoughts drowned in the depths of his light eyes.
Abeer didn't answer her... Instead, he only grasped her hand in his tight and yet reassuring hold yet again. And they silently gazed into each other, lost... And too oblivious to the mischievous sea breeze that was the sole witness of their budding love.