We Found Love In A Hopeless Place

Chapter 8 : Stars

Sidharth, with the help of his mom, had packed all the necessary things in a suitcase the night before. Maa had been so loving to him, his heart pained when he thought how he wasn't able to pay her back the love and care she needed at this age. He had been so busy in his life - studies, then business, and then the backstabbers who turned his heart cold - all of it kept him so occupied, he hardly had time for himself. He often felt guilty for being ignorant towards Maa.

She, on the other hand, understood and cared for him all the time. She was a mother, after all. And the most prized possession a mother can ever have is her child. He had believed all his life that the only form in which true love exists is the love a mother has for her children. It is pure, unconditional. It never dies, unlike all other relations in the world.

"Double check kiya na sab? Kuch rah to nahi gaya?" Maa asked him.

He nodded in affirmation, indicating he had everything packed in that suitcase.

"Dhyan rakhna apna" she said, after giving him hundreds of do's and dont's.

He touched her feet, seeking her blessings, and left.

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He made himself comfortable in his seat, preparing for a 3 - hour long nap, till the flight would land. He closed his eyes for a moment, and it was then that he felt a tap on his shoulder.

He opened his eyes to find Shehnaaz standing there.

Shehnaaz with a beautiful, slight smile on her lips.

She smelled of lavender and roses, as she brushed past him to the seat adjacent to him.

He closed his eyes as the flight took off.

She hesitated to initiate a conversation, but the little banter they had gave her the boost.

"So, you'll be sleeping all the while?" she asked.

"Seems so" he said, his eyes still closed.

"What a boring company to have!" she remarked with a frown.

He chuckled thinking of all the interesting things he could do to her, but well, never mind.

"You like clouds?" he asked a while later when he found her staring at the scenery outside in awe.

"I love them." she said, emphasising a bit too much on 'love'

"Clouds, stars, moon, sky! I love every bit of it!" she continued.

"Interesting!" he remarked.

"You know what's even more astonishing? This-" she said pointing towards the skyscrapers and tall huge towers, that appeared so small to them.

"It feels like you're watching over the world. Like you're a part of it,but you're also not a part of it." she tried to explain.

He smiled at her. She was so innocent, and so naive. She gets happy over little things. He could tell this bt the way she'd smile in satisfaction everytime the big, huge iron container would get lost into the fluffy whiteness of the clouds.

She caught him staring at her and blushed at the action,and then proceeded to read a book she carried with her.

'A reader. Hmmm.' he mumbled.

Sleep took over him in a few minutes, while Shehnaaz was engrossed in the book.

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