Sidharth had casually asked, "So.. It's a date?" and expected an obvious no, which he did get in the answer but then. 

"Pata nahi.. Bol bhi sakte hai.." she shrugged. This came unexpectedly. He had seen that guy Amit in her performance and also that the two looked good together. He had just wished that they just didn't realise it, this thought again crossed his mind today. Not having anything else to say he had hung up the call on her, but like other times she didn't call back. She better be kidding about this because he didn't find the date thing believable enough. Shehnaaz and him were like two ships sailing in the sea with the same pace, simultaneously. They weren't sure about the other person's perception but had a feeling that the other person was involved too. This doubtful date thing she had dropped into his mind would not have affected him, if there wasn't a headache. He did feel his temperature rising with time and the headache was increasing. The sensitive he was to the weather change, getting wet in the rain a couple of times and the habit of sleeping in a room completely chilled were helping the fever. On top of everything, the department meeting was arranged suddenly. He had somehow prepped himself with the help of Aspirins that he had been consuming since the morning. 

"We've been doing good so far.. No complaints about the hospitality yet.. But I'd like to mention the need to appoint someone to look after the pharmaceutical department.." the CMO said. It wasn't a necessity, it was just a meeting to check on the staff and the doctors. The CMO kept talking about how they should work on some management stuff for another half an hour. 

"Abey ye sadi si meeting me mera weekend barbaad ho gaya! Ye CMO ko ghar jane ka man nahi hota toh bhenchod apne ko kyu rok leta hai?" Akbar ranted. Enough for Devi, who was walking with them, to listen and chuckle. 

"Even I would have gone for dinner with my husband.. Sab flop! Ulta ghar jake usko manaungi.." she said, looking equally helpless as Akbar. 

"Iska sahi hai.. Family.. Husband.. Happening life hai.." Akbar commented. 

"Huh! You wish! Jitne dates nahi utne arguments hote hai.." she rolled her eyes at him. "Meri life me toh utna bhi nahi hai.." he shrugged. 

"Inki jaisi kismat kaha.." he added, eyeing Sidharth.

"Excuse me?" Sidharth asked. 

"I mean just neighborhood things.. Woh konsa gana hai Devi.. The one from Padosan?" Akbar answered. 

"Uh.. Ha! Mere samne wali khidki me.. Ek chand ka tukda rehta hai.." he sang. 

"Abey jaa na! Paka mat!" Sidharth slapped his back, enough to make him jump from the impact and yelp in pain. They bid bye to each other and pulled their cars out, Sidharth was about to take the turn towards Shehnaaz's dance academy when he realised it was her day off. Also, that reminded him about her date! Yeah, she must have enjoyed her weekend, no? The mere thought irritated him, every single thing was irritating him as the fever took over. He had rolled up the window and switched on the AC as the windscreen fogged. 

Upon reaching home, he changed to his comfy casuals and didn't bother himself to bathe, feeling cold. He had plopped himself on the mattress, as his head felt heavy and sleep was far away, just then the doorbell rang. Once, twice, thrice and multiple times by now. He reluctantly got up and opened the door. 

"Kya hai?" he barked and stepped aside when she entered. 

"Tu phone kyu.. Sidharth tu theek hai?" she was almost barking back at him for not receiving her calls, but then his drained face made her change her words. She had just returned and she saw his car entering the compound. She had tried calling him but he didn't pick up so she landed up here. She cupped his face with her right hand and it almost burned when she touched him. 

"Tujhe fever hai!" she shrieked. 

"Ha pata hai.." he snapped. 

"Dawai li tune?" she asked, concerned. He just hummed, not wanting to even speak with the amount of headache still there, he feared he might yell. 

"Kuch khaya tune?" she quired. 

"Nahi.. I would like to sleep now.." he answered, rubbing his temples and gesturing to her to leave. 

"Sar dard ho raha hai? Mai daba du?" she asked again. 

"Why do you care so much? Just go.." he snapped at her. 

But she didn't back off, "Tujhe na..sar dard hai isliye itna gussa aa raha hai! Mai chai bana ke lau..adrak..tulsi aur kali mirch karke? Aur ye balm hai ye sar pe lagale.. Better lagega.." she suggested and pulled out a small box of balm from her handbag she was carrying. He almost melted at his place when she said that. In spite of his rudeness, she had so casually offered him such raw, warm and homely help that he chest heaved with guilt to snap her. 

"Tu lagade.." he answered. She smiled and gestured to him to get on the couch, good that he wasn't resisting her now. And letting her in. She kneeled in front of him as he laid down. The smell of camphor and menthol filled his nostrils as soon as she opened the lid and when she massaged his temples with her finger tips, he let out a deep sigh and relaxed. A coolish warm tingly feeling helped him soothe his muscles and calmed his mind as she kept on massaging his forehead for a good time. He was even feeling hot and started sweating as the effects of antipyretics kicked in and he felt better, all over. 

"AC chalana.." he mumbled with his eyes closed, she obliged and got up. 

"Abhi tujhe thik lag raha hai toh mai jau?" she asked, as she saw him cuddling with the pillow and comfortably dozing off on the couch.

"Tune bola tha chai banayegi.." he said, with a frown forming over his face yet eyes closed. 

"Thik hai.. Lati hu banake.." she agreed, came closer to ruffle his hair and walked past him towards the kitchen. Sidharth got up and sat straight, stretching his arms and yawned. Glancing at his phone, he saw it was 10 at night and as far as he was right, she had been here for an hour. He entered the kitchen to warm up food for himself and saw her straining tea into two mugs. God bless her, he said. 

"Yaar tera kitchen bada sahi hai.. Neat and clean! Humare yaha Arohi poora gand macha ke rakhti hai.." she said. 

He chuckled, "It's all Tai.. Mai toh bas khana garam karne aata hu.." he said and placed the bowl in his hand into the microwave. 

"Tune khana khaya?" he asked, taking his mug and standing next to her. 

"Maine bahar hi kha liya tha.." she answered, taking a sip from her mug and tasting the amazing tea she prepared. 

"So.. The date went well I guess.. Coffee se dinner tak.." he nodded, recalling what she had told him over the call. 

"Koi date shate nahi thi yaar!" she whined, almost wanting to slam his head against the wall for how he connected the dots. 

"10 minute ko date bolte hai?" she asked, sarcastically. 

"Acha thik hai.. Toh bata tune kya kiya aaj shamko?" He asked for a change of topic, sipping the tea. 

"Hmm.. Toh mai pehle orphanage gayi thi.. Woh Nonu vale kapde aur toys dene.." she answered. 

"Phir.. Vaha se coffee peene.. Phir Megamart.. Phir bhook lag gayi thi toh Marco's.." she added. 

"Wait! Tu Marco's gayi? Mere bina?" he cut her words and asked. Marco's Eatery was the first diner they had been to and used to go there often, together. 

"Megamart se paas hai na.. Bhook lagi thi mujhe.." she shrugged. 

"Without me?" he asked again, emphasizing on 'without'. 

"Because I was hungry! So I went there.. Without you!" she replied, copying his tone. 

"Yeah right.." he nodded and left the kitchen. 

"Konsa tu mera phone uthata? Meeting me tha na?" She followed him to the dining table and took a seat next to him. 

"Ha toh? Bola maine kuch?" he questioned. 

"Aha! Toh ye shakal kyu banai hai?" she asks, inquisitively, pointing at the small frown at his face. 

"Aisich shakal hai apni.." he said. 

"Dekh! Abhi phir gussa ho raha hai.. Tu meeting me tha na? Call karti toh kaha se aata?" she argued and frowned when he didn't reply. 

"Aur maine kuch naya try nahi kiya!" she answered the unasked question.

"Maine pucha?" he arrogantly asked. 

"Mai phir bhi bata rahi hu.. Trying new cuisines is our thing.. I wouldn't do that without you.." she replied. If possible he could not be any happier. But him being him, preferably focused more on his tea than the person next to him. 

"Sun raha hai?!" she nudged his shoulder, when he didn't reply. 

"Ha suna.." he replied and got up to keep the cup inside in the sink. What was that? He is now childishly dragging it, she thought. What else should I say now? Should I just go, grab his hand, turn him around and just say it? Well, she was sure that she was genuinely and earnestly fond of him. Sidharth turned to see her standing right behind him, with arms crossed against her chest. 

"Kya?" he asked. 

"Tera zyada nahi ho raha ab? Teri problem kya hai? Mai coffee pe gayi ya mai Marco's gayi?" she whined, he's been behaving edgy since she's here. If it was about the not-so-date thing, she had already cleared it. 

"Mujhe kya problem hai? Tumko jaha jana hai jao.. Jiske sath jana hai jao.. Why would I mind?" he said, more to himself. They had always been to that diner together and used to try certain continental cuisines, it was their thing. Special! Special to me atleast, He thought. 

"Thik hai.. Sahi hai tu apni jagah phir.." she nodded.  "Mai bas bata dena chahti hu ke tu mere liye special hai.. Like.. Alag hai tere sath jo attachment hai..acha lagta jab sath me hote hai.. Miss karti hu tujhe jab tu hospital me hota hai.. Ya jab bhi ghar chala jata hai.. Kisi ke sath coffee pi lene se kuch change nahi ho jayega! Kyuki teri jagah yaha hai.." she said, placing her hand in the air at a good height and continued. 

"Tune itna kiya hai mere liye.. Acha laga mujhe.. Hurt bhi kiya kabhi kabhi lekin sabse acha bhi feel karaya.. Hum jabhi baate karte hai.. Masti karte hai.. Ladte hai.. Meko humesha tere se kuch seekhne ko milta hai! You just don't know how much you mean to me and how much I love spending time with you.." she added. Some people make the world special just by being in it. He was that person for her, only if he knew. Sidharth didn't know how to answer, he was dumbfounded would be an understatement, she had literally blown him away with her words. 

She held his palm in between hers and smiled lightly, "Tera toh pata nahi but I..I really like you.." she said, looking straight into his eyes and another bombshell was dropped. His heart leaped up with joy, immensely elated with her words, his face broke into his most beautiful smile and held her hand more tightly. 

"Tera toh pata nahi ka kya matlab? Mai kai ke liye tere sath terrace pe jata phir? Mujhe koi shauk hai tujhe pick up aur drop karne ka?" he chuckled. 

"Ha?" she got confused for a minute with his reply. 

"Abe gadhi.. Of course I like you!" he replied and saw her laughing and squealing happily. It felt awesome, this feeling, like they got everything they ever wanted. 

"Hug kar!" she demanded and engulfed herself in his arms. Wrapping arms around and stood there for a while. 

"So.." she asked him, easing out of the hug. 

"So?" he repeated, backing his arms slowly and running his fingers through her hair. The act was as casual as it could be but it erupted the goosebumps out of her. She looked up at him and kept her palm on his chest, she totally forgot what she was about to say for the moment and then she saw him looking at her, intently and intensely for the very first time. They haven't ever been this close, there was always a reputable line the two had maintained. His fingers curled around her face, cupping it lovingly as he simultaneously glanced between her eyes and lips and again her eyes as she inched closer. As they filled the gap between them that hardly existed and kissed each other, giddiness took over both of them as they mirrored a dumbstruck smile and lightness. She wrapped her hands around him, pulling him more to her to feel more of his soft lips and he warmly welcomed himself into her mouth, tilting her face and losing himself into those plump soft pairs of petals. 

"Tera bukhar poora utra nahi hai.." was the first thing she mumbled as they broke the kiss and she checked his temperature by keeping her palm over his forehead. 

"Yahi mila tujhe abhi bolne ke liye?" He rolled his eyes, as he replied. But couldn't defy how much she cared. 

"Sorry.." She giggled and pecked his lips. 

"Khana khayegi? It's been a while you've eaten.. Sath me khaye?" he asked then, taking out food from the casserole and heating it up in the microwave. She smiled at his genuine concern and nodded and arranged their dinner on the dining table. 

"Yaar.. Kitni barish hoti hai yaha!" she whined. 

"Tujhe toh bheegna pasand tha? As far as I remember.." he commented, how could he forget the day they had rejoined the terrace and she was being all romantic about rain. 

"Ha lekin ek limit me! Itni zyada bhi pasand nahi hai ke apna nuksan ho!" she replied. 

"Dekh.. Pehli baat ke hum terrace nahi ja sakte?" she said, sticking out her index finger as she started counting the demerits of rain. 

"Hmm.." he nodded, while chewing the morsel, he just rolled in. 

"Dusra.. Tu bheeg ke bimar ho gaya.." she counted, sticking out another finger and he nodded again with a small smile. "Teesra.. Traffic jams! Aur ek aur nuksan hota hai.. Ruk yaad karne de.." she said, thinking for a moment and making him chuckle. He was enjoying his meal with this package of entertainment. 

"Ha! Meri balcony my pani bhar jata hai phir living room aane lagta hai.." she pouted. 

"Kaise?" he quired. 

"Arey vo jo hole banate hai na zameen pe.. Yadi pani aaye to usme se chale jaye wapas.." she mentioned. 

"Outlet?" he asked again. 

"Ha.. Ha wahi.. Usme kachra bhara pada hai plus junk lagi hui hai.. Replace karvana padega.." she said. 

"Oh..karwa le phir jaldi.." he suggested. 

"I'm only waiting for TiwariJi.. Unhone bola unke permission ke bina kuch change nahi karna aur wo humesha ki tarah out of town hai.." she shook her head, TiwariJi was such an unhelpful and strict landlord. Arohi was always right about him. 

"Hmm.. Kal phir bolna.. Sunday hai toh ho sakta hai free ho.. Otherwise get it done by yourself.." he replied. She nodded and finished her food. 

"Haaye mera pet bhar gaya.." she sighed loudly and sprawled over the chair she had been occupying but got up to keep her plates in the sink and sat properly this time. Manners! It wasn't her place to act all lazy like that. 

"Toh..uh.. Mai ja rahi.. Kafi raat ho gayi hai.." she said, walking over to grab her handbag, it was over 12 when she saw the time ! He didn't want her to leave though and it was too soon to ask her to stay. 

"Okay.." so he agreed, walking after her. 

"Yeh balm rakhle.. Sar dard hoga toh laga lena.." she turned to hand it to him but found him standing right behind her, almost towering her. 

"Hmm.. Good night then.." he said, taking her hands into his and bending to take her lips one last time tonight. He bent back her head across his arm and kissed her, softly at first, and then with a swift gradation of intensity that made her cling to him. His mouth parted her lips, sending wild tremors along her nerves that erupted from her chest till the pit of her stomach. She had fisted his T-shirt to balance herself and kept holding him till they were done. 

"Shit.. Bye!" she muttered as she panted and left his apartment immediately, feeling extremely diffident and unable to look at him. He laughed, closing the door after her and blushed for everything blissful that happened a few moments ago. 

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