Hello there!

I know I have made you all cry a lot but now I'm here with beautiful light-hearted stories!

Give them a chance to imagine AvNeil in new shade.

Happy Reading!

Leaning sideways, through the windscreen of the car, dodging the pole as the barrier, Avni's eyes could easily spot him at the other side of the road.

Standing at the entrance stairs of his police-station, he was firing instructions one after the other to his junior. It's not hard to identify him even from this far, his uptight, staunch policeman attitude oozes generously from his personality yet his eyes held warmth and kindness in them.

Slightly turning the rear-view mirror, she made final touches to her light make-up, applied a faint layer of lipstick and primped her hairs. Her hands ran down to smoothen the almost non-existent creases over her tank-top.

Not letting him go away from her far sight, she turned the wheels in style and accelerated the car only to stop outside the outer-gate of the police station, not even bothering to enter the driveway or looking at him.

His brief nod to his junior was an indication that his peripheral vision has caught her car and he's more than eager to end his previous discussion. Not more than five strides later, he hopped inside the passenger seat, right beside her.

"You are late by... 1 minute 35 seconds!" he said, flicking his wrist and in the process flaunting his well-carved biceps.

Adopting a bored expression, she rolled her eyes. "Typical! Someday, for a change, you can try some other line, Mr ACP."

He smiled at her annoyance on being called out, that made her look more beautiful. If only she knew, he deliberately says such things to elicit these reactions from her. "Someday, for a change, you can try coming on time, Miss Driver!"

"As if! Police in India should be banned to comment on time." Shaking her head with displeasure, Avni looked out to pull the car back to the permitted lane but immediately cursed as she forgot to adjust the rear-view mirror. Nevertheless, she managed, deftly.

It was when she threw a casual sideways glance at him, she found him chuckling at her previous jibe on police. Instantly, she found herself smiling too.

Stopping for the red-light indication at the signal, she asked, "What's the progress with the smuggling case you were working on?"

"Ahhh! We are close, more and more leads are coming as we are digging deeper!"

"Great!" She chirped with the smile that sparkled with genuine pride. Probably because she knew how horrendous this case is and how much he is working hard on that. He felt appreciated.

"Did you finally choose the subject for your majors?" His eyes followed their ways down from her eyes to her lips as she clicked her tongue in denial.

How could she be so expressive just with a few of her actions! He would surely like to explore this art!

A few moments of silence passed! Her eyes were engrossed on the road ahead while his eyes were on her!

"So.. Avni, what's wrong with Shankar?" He placed the question with his calculated intention and gauged her reactions carefully.

"He's not well!" she replied, absentmindedly, busy in honking horn for asking the side from an Audi that's going rash just ahead of them.

"Even after 2 months?" He wriggled his brows, curiously.

She recoiled in her position, her eyes getting wide with alertness! She was more attentive to the conversation now. Damn! His ACP acumen of interrogations!

"Yeah! I mean it could be something serious! I'm sure Mom would have more details."

He hummed folding his arms against his chest and she felt relieved. But it didn't last long. "What about other drivers?"

She pressed her tongue in between her teeth, her typical 'getting caught' expression. A small smile was threatening to make its way over his lips.

"ACP Khanna, it's a rush hour! After a long tiring day, people need nothing but to run back to their homes and loved ones. We have almost all our cabs booked and all our drivers working, esp at this time of the evening!" She said with the irritation dancing over her nose, like usual.

"Do you mind being driven by the owner of your cab-services or what?" She asked, giving him a narrow-eyed pointed look. He shrugged and clicked his tongue in response, similar to her.

"Then stop interrogating and lemme focus on my work!" She turned her face to other side and smiled heartily that she was holding from long.

"I think, It's your Mom who is the owner!"

"Whatever!"

A moment later, she turned to him smiling playfully and asked, "Btw, Why did you extend the deal with our cab-services for 2 more months?"

He closed his eyes and faced away. He didn't anticipate this coming. "That.. that.. you know the circumstances na.. the threat on my life.. getting low-key.. n all" He knew he's worst in lying and the hampered flow of his words coupled with stuttering just proved it more.

Thankfully, Avni didn't push much and simply nodded. Though the cheeky grin on her face kept on getting wider. Is he caught?

He could vividly remember that day when it all started, around two months back. He was working on a high profile human-trafficking case and the head of the organisation swore to kill him if he didn't budge. His senior ordered him to go low-key and hide inside the crowd of Mumbai, for the love of his own life.

Not that he was afraid but losing his life without arresting that heinous man will be stupidity more than bravery. Consequently, he adopted the common life, left behind his work-on-fields, uniform, police jeep and hired a cab-service for pick-up and drop to his work, daily. For the first 20 days, Shankar used to be the driver provided to him by Pareikh Cab Services.

Until, That one beautiful day!

The day when he was greeted by a pair of feminine big, dark-brown inquisitive eyes sweeping his length with mild curiosity and more amazement, sitting behind the steering wheel of his hired cab parked outside his house. He was captivated!

It wasn't either love or attraction at first sight but still, there was something! Something undefinable yet palpable.

And over time, the feeling kept on growing leaps and bounds. Her cheerfulness and liveliness were inviting, her expressive eyes were enchanting and her smile was contagious. She could talk about anything and everything while he could hear her all his life.

Who knew A threat to life would make him stumble over his life itself.

Now that the gangster is behind the bars, he was free to revert back to his previous lifestyle. But he is not willing! He has found a new routine, he's in love with. An hour-long drive twice a day with this chatty woman is his everything! That's the reason he kept on using the cab-services but only until his driver will be the same.

"Stop Staring! I get conscious!" Avni's warning tone brought him out of his reverie. He didn't realise all this while his eyes were fixed on the face that has made its place in his heart in no time.

He contemplated asking her something he's planning from some time now.

"What?" Her straight forward question freaked him out and when he looked up with his confused eyes he found her staring at his hands that were fidgetting with his mobile in nervousness.

"What is it that you want to say?" she asked without sparing him a glance.

Taking a long breath, I asked, "Avni.. I.. I was thinking.... I mean I want... I mean.. Will you join me for dinner, tonight?" He pushed the last line hurriedly out of his mouth lest he loses the courage.

It was not hard to miss a small gasp that left her mouth and the way her hold tightened around the steering-wheel but she masked everything behind a straight face.

"Are you asking me out, Mr ACP?"

She pinned him with her stern expression that made him regret the question he asked moments ago. His palms turned clammy and the foot begins to tap restlessly. Too much for being a fearless ACP whose presence makes the baddies tremble for their life.

"Let's.. let's just forget I said anything!"

She took a sharp left turn to the road that goes to the jungle. Before he could voice anything about it, she abruptly applied the brakes stopping unorganised at the side earthy track.

Leaping over his lap in extreme urgency, she pressed her lips over his, taking him by such surprise that even his saucer-shaped eyes failed to justify.

His hands wound around her waist and pulled her closer while their lips kept on sucking and nibbling clumsily, least caring about the not-so-synchronised movements.

They parted after few minutes heaving with short and shallow breaths and soft smiles dancing over their contented faces.

"I thought you would never ask!"

Her words weren't less surprising than her actions! She is a woman of wonders, he's more than willing to explore.

"Is that a Yes?"

"Since when a kiss started to mean a No!?Silly!" She shook her head and made the same irritated face that has started to become his weakness now.

They kept looking at each other affectionately, basking in the emotions that they share for each other. Smiling softly, he ran his thumb over the seam of her lower lip where the lipstick has been smudged. "I think you have ruined the efforts of your extra five minutes that you spent standing at the other side of the road."

Her mouth opened in disbelief and then she suddenly looked away being embarrassed. He chuckled and she smacked at his chest.

"You knew all along, still you taunted me for being late."

"Can't help it! You look more adorable when riled up."

"Now you are stuck with this late-latif, Mr wrist-watch!"

"With all my pleasure, Milady! Vaise, how about we leave some confessions for tonight too?"

"Yeah! Like for the starters, your name!"

He put his head over her shoulder and they both started laughing, uncontrollably.

"Neil! Neil Khanna!"

Life is strange! They didn't know they will find each other amidst the process of losing themselves bit by bit. In any way, It's worth it!

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