The moon shines its light down on the only couple sitting on the beach, back supported by the wall of the cliff behind them.

"Raavi, ek baat puchu?" He looked at her, softly.

"Bindaas."

Shiva looked away. "Tu abhi bhi Dev se pyaar karti hai?"

Raavi turned to look at him. Not in anger, but in surprise.

She takes a few seconds to reply.

"Nahi, Shiva. Mere dil mein jo pyaar tha uske liye, ussi din khatam ho gaya tha jis din usne mujhe mandap pe chod diya."

"Galti uski nahi hai, jis Shaadi me woh kabhi khush nahi reh payega, woh shaadi koi kyu karega? Aur frankly bolu, toh mujhe mere hisse ka pyaar kabhi milta hi nahi agar usse shaadi kar bhi leti. In a way, accha hua, na?"

She calmly looked at Shiva, as he turns to look at her.

" Baat toh tu sahi keh rahi hai. Lekin, iss shaadi ne kaunse rang bhar diye tere zindagi me? " Shiva asked her.

"Kya matlab hai tera?" Raavi asked him, confused.

"Somnath me mujhe sab jahil, junglee, gawar bulaate hai. Tu mere jaisi bilkul bhi nahi hai. Mujhse kahi guna zyaada acchi hai. Tu bolti hai na, Somnath ki sabse khoobsurat ladki." He chuckles.

"Sab kehte hai, ki teri zindagi kharab hui, mujhse shaadi karke. Tujhe bhi aisa lagta hai kya?" Shiva asked her, not really expecting an answer.

She was quiet. Not because she didn't have an answer, but she wanted to know where this was coming from.

"Tune ek sawaal puch liya na? Ab meri baari, fir ye sawaal ka jawaab me dedungi." She looked on, concerned for Shiva.

"Puch" Shiva smirked, "dimaag dekho iski"

"Tu apne aap ko logo se kam kyu samajhta hai? Kyu apne aap ko compare karta hai dusro se?" Raavi asked, innocently.

"Dekh. Seedha jawaab ye hai, ki bachpan se leke aaj tak, maine yahi socha hai ki apne aap ko iss kabil banau, taaki life me kisi ki madat ki zaroorat na pade. Kyuki ye madat badi kutti cheez hoti hai."

"Uske ehsaan ke neeche log dab jaate hai, jaise mere papa. Bohot chota tha me, jab woh chale gaye. Fir maa. Mere liye 'papa' aur 'maa' sirf Dhara Bhabhi aur Gombi hai"

His eyes began to get moist.

"Dusro ki tarah kabhi tha hi nahi. Na baat karne ki tameez, na logo ke feelings ki samajh. Aur bhabhi-gombi ko laga ki ladka sudhar jaayega. College toh puri ho gayi, lekin logo se mil jhulne waale subject me zero hu."

"Ye baat logo ko pasand nahi aayi. Bachpan se sunta aa raha hu ki 'ye ladka zindagi me kuch nahi kar paayega' 'kaun usse pasand karega, uske paas bhi naa jaaye hum'. Yeh saari baate dimaag me baith gayi"

He looks at her, a single tear falling out.

"Aur phir tu aayi meri zindagi me, toofan ki tarah. Tu bohot acchi hai, Raavi. Lekin mai, tere laayak hi nahi hu. Jaise sab log hamesha se bolte aa rahe hai. Kyu bandhe rakhu tujhe iss rishte me."

Raavi shifted closer to him, and wiped away his tears. People have always made him feel so insecure, he always acted out because of it.

How much can a 12 year old boy bear in his age? Words mentally affected him so much...

" Duniya kuch bhi kahe, hume unki baat nahi sunni chahiye, pata hai kyu?" Raavi looked at him.

"Kyuki un logo ki baat ka bura kyu maane, jinki humari life me koi ehmiyat na ho? Apne din ka har kissa, hum duniya ko batate hai ya parivaar ko?"

She wrapped her arms around his, and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Tum jaise bhi ho, apne parivaar ke ho. Aur unka pura haq banta hai tune daatne ka, sudharne ka. Par duniya ki baat, dil pe nahi lete. Logo ka kaam hi hota hai gossip karna"

He looked at her, he could hear her words, and processed it. But the fact that she willingly was sitting like this next to him, made him feel special.

His insecurities have always got the best of him, and the result was always misplaced anger.

This girl right here, may make everything better.

"Aur tune pucha tha na, ki meri zindagi kharab hui ki nahi. Jawaab: nahi. Tu jaisa bhi hai, ab meri zindagi ka hissa hai."

"Aur agar tu mujhe mere liye apna sakta hai, toh mai kyu nahi? Na mai tujhse zyaada, na tu mujhse kam." she chuckled.

Shiva smiled. For the first time, he feels good about himself. He doesn't feel like he's lesser than anyone.

They both sit like that for a while. In a comfortable silence.

Shiva checks his mobile. 8:30

"Raavi, chal jaate hai." He nudges her to get up, but she doesn't.

When he looks at her, he realises she's fallen asleep, on his shoulder.

Background song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQGwtwV5YaE

He smiles, and tucks the loose strand of hair behind her ears.

He doesn't realise when he rests his head on hers, and drifts off.

The moon knows.

- - - - -

Let me know how it was, and if there's anything you'd like me to improve :)