5.1 - Chaand Raat

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Tara carefully maneuvered her body among the bustling crowd trying not to touch anyone

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Tara carefully maneuvered her body among the bustling crowd trying not to touch anyone. 

She was especially conscious of keeping her hands safe from any contact as the intricately designed mehendi was still fresh on her palm and fingers. 

She had just finished applying the mehendi when her cousins arrived and dragged her along with them to the Chand Raat celebration going on the open square market. 

Even at 11 pm at night, the whole city seemed to be alive as people walked underneath the starlit sky doing their last minute Eid shopping. 

The crescent moon shone its soft silver light bathing everything in its glow. 

Fairy lights and lanterns hung from the branches of trees surrounding the various stalls where accessories and food were being sold. 

From salwar kameez , bangles , mehendi to jalebi, fuchka and flowers. There was something for everyone. 

Groups of friends and families roamed around eating, talking and buying whatever their heart desired. 

You could hear the chatter of people talking over the music as " Ramjan er ei rojar shesh e elo khushir Eid played in the background"

Tara was tired of walking around, she had already finished buying what she came for which was a pair of bangles to match her Eid outfit. She had also purchased a cute bracelet but unfortunately it felt quite loose on her wrist. 

Her cousins were far from done though and hence ran around the stalls while they haggled with the shopkeepers. 

As Tara's gaze sweeped the perimeter, she suddenly stopped as her eyes fell upon a young guy. 

He was clad in a simple white shirt and black sweatpants and was busy pushing a stroller with a toddler sleeping in it. 

He had a nonchalant, tired look on his face which was a stark contrast to the busy, smiling face of all the other people surrounding them. 

Midnight black hair fell over his tan forehead in a manner as if he had just gotten out of bed.  But this just made him look more attractive. 

Tara watched as a pretty woman in a designer pink salwar kameez walked towards the guy and said something to him before bending down and checking on the toddler. Then she went back to shopping while the guy followed her with the stroller. 

Is that his wife ? Tara thought as her heart sank. 

She shook her head to stop with her weird thoughts and continued walking around the stalls. 

But coincidentally wherever she went she somehow found herself near that guy with the stroller. She really was trying to avoid him. But fate seemed to have other plans. 

The fifth time they crossed paths, the stroller was blocking Tara's path so she paused for a second while the guy in white maneuvered the sleeping toddler to the side. 

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⏰ Last updated: Apr 12 ⏰

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