Twin Flame
Vikrant pulled the dupatta over their heads and took a step closer to her. It didn't take longer than a couple of seconds for him to realise that pulling over the dupatta wasn't a wise move. There, Mannat was just mere inches away from him. The tip of her nose almost touching his, their breaths mingling, her bangs colonising the specs and her eyes locked with his. The dusty wind became obscure and his grip on the dupatta tightened. So were his heartbeats. The fact that she was sitting on the elevated seating step didn't help either. She was at his eye level and there's no escaping from her gaze.
A similar memory flashed through his mind. They were beneath such a canopy that day at the gurudwara. It was when he noticed the slight stir in her eyes it dawned on him. Her palms were rested on his chest. He was certain that she picked up the fact that his heart is going crazy underneath her palm. He heard her drawing in soft breaths. His heart did a somersault the moment he caught her eyes traveling to his lips for a mini second and hopping onto her palm rested on his chest. She did the same at the haldi function when they were dancing. It didn’t go unnoticed by him then either.
And at that moment he doubted if he could stand still any longer. The baby hairs on his nape stood up. As if on cue, he gently closed his eyes and leaned in. The moment their foreheads gently rested against each other, a sense of comfort, fulfilment washed over him. With her breathing next to him, he felt home. The howling wind, the susurration of the sea right behind them, the chitter chatter of the people around, the exclamations from the tea seller nearby..... nothing mattered anymore.
His lips curved up the moment the familiar notes of jasmine seeped in. He had lost count of the number of times he wanted to just run his fingers through her long flowy locks. And just like that, her right palm slid up to his shoulder gingerly. Something stirred in the depth of his stomach. Many a times he was surprised at the way his mind and body behaved whenever she's around. Every fibre of him yearned to be everything she adores, to be everything she would love to be surrounded with. It was not just a crush. He has crossed that bridge and he realised that just the previous day. She's indeed his twin flame.
It's been a while that he has been playing hide and seek with the truth that what he feels for her is not just mere attraction. Like his father rightly pointed out, he's way past all those rose tinted phases of friendship. He's in love. He loves her like a man loves a woman. He knew that the moment he accepts the truth, there will be no going back. There's already so much going on in her life, the equation his family shares with her is not right and he didn't want to burden her with the load of his love. At first, she deserves to be in a better place and at peace.
But standing this close to her, breathing on each other’s breath, Vikrant could feel the threads of resolve slipping away from his hold. Tilting head a little, he gently nuzzled into her hair. And in the next moment she fisted his T-shirt near the collar and wound her other hand around his waist.
"Babaji... has he fainted again?! Sir..."
His eyes flew open at her exclamation and he bit back the 'what the..' that almost reached up to the tip of his tongue. Every part of him went to a pause. He couldn't wrap his head around the fact that how clueless this woman could be. Hasn't he been dropping hints since she reiterated the boss-employee tag at the outhouse corridor? All the while he was savoring the moment closing his eyes, leaning against her forehead and nuzzling her hair..... the horses in her head were galloping on some other lane.
Now that she has taken him for being dizzy, how is he supposed to pull back and face her? The mere thought made him cringe. And he did what he thought is the best thing to do. He shut his eyes, loosened his grip on the dupatta and put his weight on her. Though got staggered a little, Mannat managed to balance them both. She made him sit on the seating step and sat down next to him. He opened his eyes wearily to find a panic-stricken Mannat.
"What is happening to you? Why do you faint these days?" She gently held his face.
"Nothing, I just... felt a little dizzy."
"Are you okay? I was scared," she took him in a warm embrace, scolding him for dragging her for the outing instead of taking rest and telling him how scared she was.
It was the moment he realised. That he's not alone in this journey. She has crossed the bridge too. She's also way past all those rose tinted phases of friendship. Just that she hasn't realised any of it yet. A smile crept up his face. Before he could wrap his hands around her, she pulled back with a frown.
"Didn't I tell you that there was no need for this outing? You wanted to be bossy, right?"
Thank youuu! 
Vikku boi and his legendary KLPDs
Chef Punnu has rightly knighted him as Lattu for a reason
Pati Patni Aur Panga
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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