Love feels like walking on rose dusted clouds. Cathartic, Meditative, Jaunty. The feeling of curling under a blanket on a chilly day. The first sip of tea. The things poets write about, and dreamers dream about.

That's most of what Aditya felt when he woke up the next morning. Free. Like he had nothing to hide. This was one of those rare mornings where he woke up with a smile on his face. The last time he did that, Pooja was alive.
But he had grown out of that grief. Not forgotten it, but grown out of it. Taken its lessons and given himself the courage to take a fresh start.

That morning, Aditya felt liberated. Like he had just poured his heart out to the universe. Best of all, he had no expectations. He didn't know if Zoya even liked him romantically, let alone Love, but that didn't matter. Not to him at least.
He walked over to the living room to find Zoya, but after hearing a loud shatter he'd understood that she was in the kitchen.

* In the kitchen *

Aditya walked to the kitchen to find a broken cup on the floor, and Zoya besides it, trying to clean up the tea that had spilt on the floor.
Zoya looked up and pouted apologetically, and Aditya simply smiled.

Zoya: Aapke liye chai bana rahe thay, pata nahi haath se kaise fisal giya hai aur- Ouch!

A sharp piece of the cup had pierced through Zoya's palm, and Aditya cautiously held her palm in his hands before examining it.

Aditya: Tum bhi na! Ruko.

He carefully pulled the piece out, only to be greeted with an endless stream of blood, dripping down.
The pain was understandably unbearable and Zoya's eyes began watering.
Aditya grabbed them first aid kit and carefully tended to her wounds, hoping to ease her pain.

Zoya: Accha, Ab hum chai banate hai-

Aditya: Koi zaroorat nahi hai. Tumne chai pi li?

Zoya: Nahi...

Aditya: Accha baith jao, mai bana leta hoon

Zoya: Nahi, hum theek hain, aur-

Aditya: Baith jaao wahaan, chalo.

Zoya chose to sit on the platform and watched Aditya as he cleaned the mess and began preparing a fresh batch of tea.

Zoya wondered how Aditya could be so normal. As if nothing had happened between then. As if Aditya didn't literally tell Zoya that he was in love with her. Love. Love is a big deal, isn't it?

Zoya: aap kal raat theek se paaye kya?

Aditya: Haan, kyun?

Zoya was surprised.

Zoya: nahi, kuch nahi...

Aditya: tum nahi so paayi kya?

Zoya: Haan...pata nahi kyun, neend hi nahi aa rahi thi...

Aditya simply smiled to himself.

Aditya: tum bohot zyada sochti ho Zoya, tumhe itna sochne ki zaroorat nahi hai

Zoya: aapne itni badi baat keh di, Aditya, sochna toh jaayez hai

Aditya gently places the cup in her other hand, before taking a sip of tea.

Aditya: Pyaar hi hai, Zoya

Zoya felt her cheeks blush when she heard him say 'Pyaar', the kind of embarrassment you'd feel as a school going child.

Zoya and Aditya sat at their regular spot, while Tara sat on Zoya's lap, fidgeting with a toy.

Zoya: Aditya, aapse kuch baat karni thi.

Aditya: Haan, Bolo?

Zoya; Aaj subah, Ammi ka phone aaya tha

Aditya: Accha, kaisi hai woh?

Zoya: Sab theek hai, allah ke shukar se. Darasal...

Aditya: Kya Hua?

Zoya: Agle hafte meri behen ki sagai hai

Aditya: Oh! Noor?

Zoya: Nahi nahi, woh toh abhi bohot choti hai, yeh meri chacheri behen hai.

Aditya: Accha, Yeh toh bohot acchi baat hai

Zoya: Aap aa sakenge kya? Ammi-Abbu chah rahe thay ki hum sab aayein

Aditya: Of course, family function tou sabhi ko aana padega na?

Zoya: Haan...par...Auli jaana padega

Aditya watched Zoya's face turn blank and fear crawl in as she spoke.

Zoya: Humein bohot darr lag raha hai, Aditya, unn logo ko pata chal gaya toh...mujhe maar-

Aditya: Aisa kuch nahi hoga, Zoya.

Aditya held her hand in his and comforted her.

Aditya: Main hoon na tumhare saath?

Zoya: Aapko ya Tara ko kuch ho gaya toh?

Aditya: Kuch nahi hoga. Hum jaayenge. Mazein karenge, naachenge, gaayenge, dher saara khaana khaayenge. Tara ko bhi toh apne Nana-Nani se milna hoga, nahi?

Zoya: Toh hum tickets book kar lein phir?

Aditya: Haan, Mai shaam ko kar loonga.

Zoya: Thank you, Aditya.

Aditya simply responded by placing a kiss on her wrist, and she simply looked on, wondering why she hadn't fallen in love with him yet.

What would Auli hold? Fun? Or a haunting past?