Khwahish

Sixteen

Naina looked outside the window of her apartment and sighed. It was raining and rain in Mumbai is the worst. Luckily she didn't have to go to the office for work. She still hasn't rejoined the company she used to work in. She doesn't know if it would be right, since she is dating the owner. Her dog, Mac is asleep on the rug with her cat, Cheese, on top of him.

She had a cup of hot chocolate in her hand. It's never exactly winter in Mumbai but it's still late November. She leaned back and rested her head on her backrest, which at the moment was Sahil's chest. He was seated on a recliner with her in front of him. Pluto was sleeping near their feet. Mac warmed up to Sahil and Pluto instantly, Cheese still had to come around. She doesn't run away at their sight but she isn't exactly fond of them yet. It's a cat thing as Naina puts it.

Sahil wrapped his arms around Naina's chest and dropped a kiss to her temple. "Do you not like rain, flower?" She sighed again. It was comforting. Just them, sitting there doing nothing with his arms wrapped around her. It was oddly domestic. "Is it that obvious?"

Sahil smiled, she felt it against her temple. "Sort of," He murmured. "Any specific reason? For hating it, I mean." She closed her eyes. She hated that day. She doesn't remember much, but she hated whatever fragments of memory flashed infront of her eyes.

"I was very young, probably three or four. I don't remember anything. Just that, it was raining heavily and two police officers had knocked on our door, saying my father passed away. I don't know what happened or how he died, I just remember the rain and my mother's cries, and how I didn't even hear them after a while. I don't remember them but the head of the orphanage used to tell me that my parents loved each other alot and that my mother couldn't imagine a life with my father. And I remember another rainy night. It's always raining in Mumbai afterall, they came to collect my mother's body. She apparently committed suicide because she couldn't live without my father. The rain, i- it's all I remember while losing everything. It was a constant. It's a bearer of bad news for me. It scares me. I don't want to lose more."

Silent tears fell down her eyes for the little girl that she was. The girl who didn't understand or remember anything but rain and then everything changed. She wasn't in her home, the one she doesn't even remember. Her parents weren't around anymore. She doesn't remember much of them either.

Sahil tightened his hold on her. He knows exactly what she is going through. He doesn't remember anything about his parents either, he was too young back then. But he had his family to fill that void for him. His flower didn't. She went through it all alone. And she still came out of it all, stronger than ever. "You're one of the strongest people I know, Naina." She furrowed her brows and turned her face to the side, to give him a bewildered look. "Me?"

She asked him like he was crazy. She is squeamish, she jumps away at the smallest sounds and not to forget, she is scared of almost everything. Sahil smiled, he knew exactly what she was thinking.

"You won't have to lose anything or anyone, ever again. I'll bring you whatever it is you desire, and I'll make sure it stays with you for as long as you want. You won't have to weep with the rain again, flower, that's a promise."

She turned around to give him a hug but forgot she had a mug in her hand. Luckily it was empty but it broke the second it hit the ground. "Nooo!!!" Sahil laughed in his fist while Naina whined. This hadn't happened in so many days, she thought she was getting better at this, but oh well.

Pluto, Mac and Cheese, looked up from their positions, at the broken mug and then fell back asleep. Sahil laughed more at that. "Even they are used to it!"

"Shut up!"

                               🦋

"The payment is done, and here are your keys. Congratulations!" Riya smiled at the cheerful man as she took the keys. He bid her a farewell and left. She looked infront of her, at the double doors to her new dream. She didn't open it, not alone. Ishaan had an important meeting so he was running late.