Cigarettes & Peonies

15

The bus came blaring in the distance. Karanvir, who until now was busy on his phone, immediately lifted up his head; his eyes flickered with excitement. The bus eased inside the bus stop smoothly. Karanvir's keen eyes read the sticker on the bus, 'Only for Girls', which means that he wasn't looking absently at some other bus. His eyes started searching inside the bus for her. The bus was nearly empty and to his horror, there was no sign of her. His heart drummed inside his chest as he once again scanned the entire bus with his hawk-like eyes but sadly he couldn't find her. Fear seeped into his skin and he could feel his bones turning colder. Anxiety flared in his dark brown eyes as he probed the bus madly but nohow he saw any sign of her. His heart felt heavy while looking in vain at the bus. However, suddenly a ray of hope gleamed in his brown eyes when he saw the combined bus approaching the stop. His fingers quietly yet firmly clasped the 'Om' on his chain and mentally prayed for a look of her. When the bus slowed down on the stop, the first thing Karanvir did was to leap into the bus and threw his eyes all around to find her. He checked the first seats where she usually sat when she used to travel from this bus but today he saw nothing of her. Anxiously he darted his eyes further into the bus but nowhere he found her pretty face looking at him with fear. His heart shattered into million little pieces. Had she left the college???? Had she left the town???? These thoughts daunted him badly. However, just a little further inside the bus, a little ahead of the last seats, he saw her brothers squabbling like monkeys. Quickly he ran to them, taking them by surprise.
"Sir Hi...."
"Where's Maahi????" asked Karanvir bluntly. Her brothers exchanged awkward glances.
"Um at home." luv said sheepishly. Karanvir was puzzled.
"Why??? Is everything ok???" his tone was laced with fret and genuine concern. Kush really was feeling weird, like why the hell is he asking about his sister??? He doesn't even know her, right???
"We don't know. We didn't get to talk to her, it was getting late." they said honestly. For a second they thought they saw a dark light flickering in his almond eyes, but then later it just disappeared like some conjuring trick. Although they were sure that Karanvir was fuming, but they didn't know why. He spun and stormed out of the bus like a wind rushing over the turf. The twins were left puzzled but they didn't bring up the topic again. Karanvir stormed towards his jeep, tensed and unhappy. His friends were worried for they had never seen Karanvir so worked up.
"Bhaiya ji it's ok!!! She must've caught a cold!!!! Trust me it's this damn weather!!!!" akhil said softly, trying to pacify Karanvir. Karanvir's restlessness was evident with his searching eyes and agitated frame.
"Akhil is right bhaiya ji!!! Don't worry, she'll be fine." said bhalla courtly. Karanvir's eyes looked unhappy and distraught which broke the heart of his friends. Immediately he thrusted his hands into his pocket and rummaged for his key. Harshly he pulled out the set of keys from his pocket before quickly turning the key in the ignition, the jeep thundered and Karanvir leapt into the driver's seat. He revved up the engine and the jeep sped off. Behind him his friends watched the jeep disappear into the thick pall of the mist driven down from the mountains.

Maahi piled up her books on her study table. She had already taken a quick shower, had a light breakfast of pancakes and was now ready to hop into the bed to sleep once again. She had nothing else to do after all. She had already studied for her upcoming class tests and today's day off was more to render herself a bit of relax from the hectic schedule of her college. Before jumping into the bed, she decided to have a quick peek outside the window and take in the beauty of the mountains before zoning out. She sauntered towards the window, pushed them open and thrusted her head outside to see what new was brewing up in her colony. However, once her eyes landed down on the road, her breath stuck in her throat and she gasped loudly. Across her house was another house which belonged to Sahas, a middle aged couple with their two boys lived there. Now, outside the gate of their house stood a jeep, an open wily jeep which was now so familiar to her that she would recognise it anywhere and anyhow. Her heart pounded heavily in her chest as she caught beside the jeep, the jeep owner 'Karanvir Roy' staring up at her window. She stood frozen on her spot as his eyes stared squarely at her own. There was something different about his eyes today, they looked relieved for some reason as if someone undergoes a medical test and the reports come out clean and unbothering, that kind of relief was gleaming in his eyes. Alongside him was the Saha's eldest son who was talking continuously to Karanvir while the latter was busy in gazing up at her. Quickly she closed her windows with a thud and ran to her bed to sleep and forget about the creepy Karanvir. But more than anything, she now had the fear that now when he knows Saha, he can come every other day to her colony which means she won't be at peace any longer in her own house as well.