Nature in Hiding

40- Changing Dynamics

To avoid one twin, Gyaan had started walking in a random direction. However, he ended up colliding with the other twin on his way.

"Oh shit! Where you changing here? I am so sorry. I thought it was in another way. I must have made a u-turn unknowingly, I am so sorry," Gyaan rambled, worried that he had made yet another mistake.

"Relax, it wasn't in this direction," Ahana said, stopping his train of apologies. "I just came for a walk to clear my mind," she explained, the reason behind her presence.

"Oh!" Gyaan muttered, as relief coursed through his veins. One more mistake and Neer would have pummeled him to death.

"Yeah...," Ahana muttered, looking here and there, her body stiff with cautiousness.

"You look quite different," Gyaan commented suddenly, having looked at her properly, now that his apology phase was over.

"Wh..what?!" Ahana stuttered in panic, her hand immediately moving to adjust the dupatta over her chest.

"What's with your startled expression?" Gyaan chuckled, "By different, I didn't mean bad. It's just that I saw you wearing an Indian dress for the first time."

"Oh, in that way," Ahana sighed in relief, her hand falling back to its original place.

"That way?" Gyaan raised his eyebrows, "Was there any other way...?" He trailed off, eyeing to explain her weird behaviour by herself.

"Nothing, forget it," Ahana said, internally dying out of embarrassment.

"If you say so." Gyaan raised his shoulders in a small shrug.

"Alright then," Ahana muttered, and was about to move past Gyaan, when he called her.

"Wait a minute," he called with an urgency, causing her to gulp in fright.

"What now?" She asked, assuming the worst.

"Were you crying?" He asked in a careful tone, having noticed the tear marks on her cheeks and red eyes when she moved past him.

Ahana opened her mouth to reply, but shut it instantly. She took a deep breath to gather courage, and replied in her usual snarky tone, "Why? Am I not allowed to?"

Her first instinct was to immediately deny having cried at all. However, she realized that there was no use of lying when he could clearly see it on her face. And hence, spoke the truth but not before creating a wall around her, so he wouldn't pity her.

"Of course, you can. I was just...," Gyaan stopped mid-sentence, knowing that he would make everything awkward between them if he said that he was worried for her.

"You were just?" Ahana questioned, waiting for him to complete his sentence.

"I was just shocked that you can feel any emotion other than anger," Gyaan completed with a laugh.

"Ha-ha, very funny," Ahana said sarcastically, but soon a real smile formed on her face.

'Taunting and bickering with her is normal, Gyaan. Keep it at that, don't go ahead and start something weird,' Gyaan told himself, scared of his own feelings that he had been feeling since earlier.

"By the way...why were you crying?" Gyaan asked hesitantly, internally hitting his head, for not heeding to his own advice.

"Oh that...it was nothing. Just got overwhelmed with all these changes and adjustments," Ahana answered truthfully.

"I am sorry, I...," Gyaan was at a loss for words. Coming to the forest was his idea. So in one way or another, he was the one responsible for making her cry.

"No no, I wasn't saying this to taunt you or anything. I know that this is the only possible solution right now," Ahana said hurriedly, not wanting him to get the wrong idea, before apologizing,

"Actually I am sorry for being like this. Everyone else is suffering the same thing, yet I am the only person throwing tantrums like a brat. Just give me a day or two to get over all this. I promise I will adjust to the situation until then."

"Take your time," Gyaan said in a soft, comforting voice.

Ahana smiled awkwardly in response, before waving him bye and leaving.

"Why the hell was I apologizing to him? I have made tons of mistakes in the past with my head held high in full confidence. Why the hell am I feeling guilty and burdensome now?" Ahana ranted to no one in particular, confused by her own self.

Unknownst to them the dynamics between Ahana and Gyaan were changing rapidly, making them confused out of their mind.

The ones who were always annoyed by each other's presence, were now feeling worried for each other. From bickering and fighting at every possible situation, somehow turned into partners who worked in sync.