The next morning at 6AM, Pallavi wakes up before Raghav, like always, but today she's very tired. She barely slept last night, and when she did fall asleep, she was haunted by one of the most beautiful dreams she'd ever had. The bracelet on her wrist started feeling tighter and tighter. She kept thinking about the night before last, she'd never gotten drunk before, did drunk people actually say the truth? Does Raghav actually want me to stay here, stay married to him? Why? Instead of getting up she tried to go back to sleep. She was having the most wonderful dream. She and Raghav were on a beach in Goa, there were tons of people around, but Raghav and her didn't seem to notice anyone but each other. They spent what felt like hours walking along the beach, hand in hand. Raghav playfully pushing her into the water, and after she pushed back, he'd carry her and dunk her in the water. The dream shifted into them at a dance club on the beach. Raghav pulled her onto the dance floor, and swung her around, both of them equally bad at couple dancing even though they were classically trained dancers, laughing as they noticed everyone else on the floor snickering and staring at them. She turned around, and instead of getting her dream or her questions out of her mind, seeing Raghav's sleeping face made her more confused. She felt herself moving closer to him, breathing in his scent. Her hand carefully, hesitantly moved to his chest. If she could feel his heartbeat, maybe the universe would send an answer to her questions. The slow beat-beat-beat of his heart it felt like a lullaby, singing her back to sleep again.
Around twenty minutes later, Raghav opened his eyes. Instead of the familiar sight of the back of Pallavi's head, he was looking at her sleeping face. Barely inches away. He could still smell her jasmine perfume from last night, she hadn't taken off the necklace. God, she was right, simple does look beautiful, mainly on her. He looked down and realized the warmness on his chest might not have been coming from his heart, but Pallavi's hand. Her fingers were so small and delicate, he imagined what it would feel like to have that hand in his. To be walking down some dark street in Hyderabad late at night, after a whole day of adventures. Chaat at her favorite daaba, her favorite bookstores, my favorite views in the city. Wrapping his arms around her from behind on the balcony after this long day, and just enjoying the stars winking and the moon shining on her beautiful face. He shifted a little in bed, to move closer.
And then Pallavi woke up.
