Shehnaaz stood in front of her wardrobe in towels wrapped around her head and body as she went through her clothes to come up with a nice outfit for her date with Sidharth in the evening. She wanted to wear something good since he'd pick her up from her office but she didn't want to wear an outfit that might look too much for work at a Saturday. But she wanted Sidharth to think she could look good even in her work outfits as well.

"Sana jaldi kar, nashta tayyar hai!" She heard Madhu calling out for her.

"Haaye, kitna time ho gaya?" She worriedly looked at her wall clock and quickly grabbed the pink crop top she had been thinking about and paired it with black wide leg jeans.

"Aa gayi." She sat on the dining table while checking if she had her phone and charger along with her in the handbag.

"Aaj kyu baal dhoye? Kal hi toh sunday hai, late ho gayi na. Baal abhi bhi geele hain, la mai sukha du, tu nashta kar." Madhu asked her daughter, serving her parathas.

"Woh na Mummy, bade oily-greasy se ho gaye the. Acha nahi lagta, waha office me sari ladkiya badi tip-top tayyar ho kar aate hai." Shehnaaz replied, getting started with her breakfast while Madhu brought a towel and started drying her daughter's hair with it.

"Aaj tu jaldi aayegi na?" Madhu asked them.

"Um, nahi Mummy. Meeting hogi message aaya tha, kya hua?" Shehnaaz, biting her cheeks inside her mouth and wondering if her mother wanted to go somewhere.

"Nahi bas aisi, neeche 4th floor wali Mrs Waliya ne ghar me Sundar kaand ka path rakha hai. Mai waha jaungi." Madhu replied.

"Acha, ha thik hai na. Aap chale jana, mere pass chabi rahegi. Mujhe nahi aana waha." Shehnaaz replied, almost done with her breakfast.

"Chal thik hai. Woh puchti rehti hain na tere bare me, maine socha kabhi mila dungi." Madhu nodded, combing her daughter's hair.

"Ha, mil lungi phir kabhi." Shehnaaz shrugged, checking her whatsapp to find a text from Sheena.

The best friends were in their lives with work and personal stuff yet they managed to text each other often. They would at least video call each other weekly and sometimes talk for hours and sometimes cut it short because of work, such was life and the two weren't roommates anymore.

In the office, all Sidharth could think about was her upcoming date. Not that he was nervous but he had seen it coming. The way he had been around her, he knew someday they'd talk it out and maybe go out together. Because if not him, he knew she'd do the required talking and she did, didn't she? And what did he do, he had let most of it for her to choose. Not really a thing, he was proud to offer but it is what it is.

He wouldn't have initiated anything if Shehnaaz wouldn't have acted indifferent the other day. The fact that he sat next to someone and indulged with them in an over friendly banter affected her was somewhat nice to know. She clearly looked upset that night and it was at that moment, he realized that he couldn't be at peace when she was disturbed. If not her feelings, her friendship had really mattered to him and now that she was his girlfriend, he was slowly realizing that he needed to be vocal and expressive for her sake, she needed and deserved that assurance.

"Chal, I'll see you on Monday." He told Vardhan, picking up his laptop.

"Baith na, kahi jana hai tujhe?" Vardhan asked.

"Kaam hai." Sidharth nodded, walking out of his friend's cabin.

"Mira puch rahi thi, tu dinner wagera roz bahar khata hai kya? Chal ghar?" Vardhan offered.

"Nahi, manage ho jata hai. Shehnaaz ke yaha kha leta hu." Sidharth answered, taking off.

"Shehnaaz? Abey wo- wohi Delhi wali? Sidhar-" Vardhan asked once he felt like the name of the girl sounded a little too familiar but by then, his friend had left.

On his way towards her office, Sidharth looked into the rear view mirror and checked if his hair looked fine and popped in a mint mouth freshener. He decided to drop a text to let her know that he was coming over.

'On my way.' he sent. It was a quarter past 5, thanks to the weekend traffic.

'Ok, waiting.' she replied within a few minutes. Been thinking about him all day, Shehnaaz had wrapped up her work in time and was waiting for him. It was a wonderful coincidence that she was going to text him to check if he forgot about their date. Well, he wasn't going to forget, she was just planning to tease him into it.

"Guys, did you check your mail?" Kriti, the manager asked everybody when she was ready to leave.

"You leaving? Shehnaaz?" She asked.

"Uh- mam, I was just leaving. Mai ghar ja kar.." Shehnaaz replied and looked around to find almost all of her colleagues still working. She hated them at the moment.

"Actually, Mummy ko thoda check up ke liye clinic lekar jana hai.." she was quick to come up with an excuse.

"It's okay. It's just regarding your pay slip, everybody's salary will be credited by the 5th of this month. Just some tax issues, check with the accounts department for the verification causes if needed." Kriti announced and went back to her office.

'Outside ur building.' a text from Sidharth pulled her out of her thoughts and she decided to go ahead with her plans.

"Hii, mai nikal gayi thi ke manager aa gayi." She entered the car, looking at him apologetically that she made him wait.

"That's okay. Bas abhi park kiya maine." He replied, turning the car around. Not failing to notice her cute top, she usually wore a shirt to the office.

"How was your day?" She asked him.

"Fine, the usual. Tu bata?" He asked her back.

"Arey yaha ka Saturday culture kitna bura hai, everybody wants to leave early but they won't get up until someone else gets up. Bas ek dusre ko dekhtey rehte hain." She told him and it made him smile.

"Well, humare yaha aisa nahi hai." He replied.

"Kash yaha tere office jaisa hota. Aaj mai apne office me sabse pehle uth ke ja rahi thi ke aa gayi manager. Woh mujhe ghoorne lagi ke jaise mai time se pehle bhaag rahi hu!? Aur baki sab manager ko dekh ke bilkul alag hi character me aa jate hain! Maine bola ke Mummy ko leke check up ke liye ja rahi, varna woh toh mujhe wapis bitha deti!" She complained and he chuckled at her words.

"Aise mai jhoot bolti nahi hu, lekin aise situation me bolna pada." She justified herself.

"Right right. It's okay, corporate me aisi hota hai." He chuckled, squeezing her hand a little to console her. And then he let his hand rest on her lap.

It was a warm gesture and a bold move that Shehnaaz grew a little conscious about herself there. She had planned to use the washroom and check if she was looking fine before leaving with him. She carried her lip gloss for that purpose but totally forgot to apply it after Kriti came unannounced. She wondered if her lips were looking chapped and if her hair was in place or not. She held his hand back nevertheless, wishing she didn't start sweating there.

"So, uh Pizza Hut coupons? Aata jata rehta hai?" She asked him for a change of topic.

"Ha, Adi ke sath. Mostly raat ko order karte rehte hain, last month hum sab movie dekh rahe baith ke toh maine kafi Pizzas order kiye, usi me yeh coupon mila. I thought, why waste it." He replied and she nodded.

"Tu kya khati mostly, if not pizza?" He asked her.

"Momos! Mai aur Mickey, kabhi kabhi Guru bhi. Humne itne momos khaye hain, Chandni chowk, Rohini nagar, poori Delhi bhar ke momos khaye hain. Uske alawa toh wahi apna regular street side Panipuri ho gaya. Haaye, mai ghar se bahar niklu aur kuch na khau, aisa hota nahi tha pehle." She answered, recalling those good old days.

"Abhi bhi ja sakti hai." He shrugged, offering.

"Ha, bilkul yaar. You could be my new momo partner! Or Pizza or whatever we want to eat." She chuckled, agreeing with him.

"Could be? Baby, I am." He replied and she giggled as blush coated her cheeks.

"Aa gaye." He mumbled, pulling the car to the side when they reached Pizza Hut.

Walking in together, they occupied a table at the corner and indulged themselves into yet another conversation.

"Pata, meri Mummy ko yeh sab bilkul pasand nahi. Unko ek bhi snacks nahi pasand especially jo Indian nahi hote. Unhone kehna- Issey acha toh mai ghar pe bana lu. Aye ki hai? Har chiz vich cheese pa dide han!" She told him and momentarily mimicked Madhu and the duo chuckled.

"Meri Mom bhi, unko Chinese nahi pasand kyuki un sab me itna sause use hota hai. Aise toh unko bahar ke almost sabhi items se problem hoti hai, lekin Adi khata hai isliye kuch bolti nahi hain." He told her.

"Typical mothers!" She shook her head, commenting.

"Mam sir? What would you like to have?" A waiter came over to their table.

"Hmm.. bata kya pasand hai tujhe yaha pe?" She asked Sidharth.

"Tujhe sirf Pizza chahiye ya uske sath side me bhi chalega?" He asked her back.

"Arey sab chalega, aise bhi sahi time pe aaye hai. Mujhe bhook lagti hai shaamko." She shrugged.

"Okay." He nodded and turned to the waiter, ordering two non-veg onion meatball Pizzas and potato wedges on the side along with two cans of diet cokes.

"Paneer ki variety bhi hai, you wanna try?" He asked.

"No, no! That'll be all." She replied, gesturing to the waiter to go.

"Haye, hum aate rahenge na yaha! Sara ek hi bar me thodi try karungi!" She told him, picking herself a glass of water from the table.

"Aise ambiance acha hai. Khusboo bhi aa rahi hai dusre table se." She giggled, pointing out and so did he.

"Toh, teri family phir wapas kab aa rahi hai?" She asked.

"Kal aa jayenge, shaam tak. I guess, shaam ki flight hai." He replied.

"Miss kiya tune sabko?" She asked him with a smile, watching him nod.

"Ha, matlab ab har weekend mai unke sath rehta hu toh.. upar se Neetu bhi aayi Indore. Unke sath jata toh usse mil leta, woh phir wapas Bangalore chali jayegi." He replied, a part of him had later on wished if he could have kept his inhibitions aside and enjoyed a small outing for the weekend with his family.

"Aw. Toh chale jata na, dekh tera mann tha jaane ka!" She replied.

"Indore chala jata, toh aaj ka apna Pizza miss ho jata." He replied and she smiled, taking hold of his hand across the table.

"Tu kabhi kabhi kitni pyaari baatein karta hai." She mentioned, slowly lacing their fingers together.

"Kabhi kabhi?" He chuckled.

"Ha, sara time toh ab insaan pyaari pyaari baatein nahi kar sakta na. Matlab mai nahi chahti ke tu mere se ekdum obsessed ho jaye. Woh thoda zyada ho jayega abhi se." She joked and he couldn't help but laugh at it.

Their order arrived soon and they enjoyed their Pizzas and continued to talk about something or another. It was until Shehnaaz had a little bit of cheese around the corner of her lips.

"Idhar aa." He gestured to her to lean closer and wiped it with the pad of his thumb.

"Oh, sorry. Bite bada sa liya na, toh lag-" she replied, slightly embarrassed but her words were left behind when she saw him kicking his thumb.

"Sidharth!" She was taken aback when he did that, her face heated up and she looked around, even more embarrassed.

"Kya?" He asked, his face devoid of any emotion however he had a glint of mischief in his eyes.

"Tu na pagal hai!" She shook her head, wiped her mouth with a tissue and resumed eating.

"How's it?" He asked her about the pizza.

"Arey bohot tasty hai, pehle toh aise Mera koi specific nahi hota tha. Domino's ya Pizza Hut se khana hai, but this is going to make a difference now. Mast hai." She replied, peppering oregano and chilli flakes over her plate.

Done with their meal, he paid off the bill and they took off. She was holding the diet coke can in her hand and looking right and left at the busy street when he slowly held her hand and the two crossed the street together.

She had a pretty smile on her face, how she wished to pull him close and kiss him well. He was chivalrous, kind and sweet and not just to her, to everybody. As a person, he was a kind soul and that simply made her fall for him even more in the process. However with her, he was more gentle and considerate making her feel special and it was just one of the  best parts of being with him. She walked along with him till his car, matching his steps and got in.

"Abhi-" he was about to say something just when she spoke.

"Ghar-" she said but paused herself.

"Kya bol raha tha?" She asked him.

"Ghar jana hai?" He asked her back.

"Nahi, matlab, ghar jaane ki koi jaldi nahi hai. Mummy kisi ke ghar paath me gayi hai, toh apne pass time hai. Mai yeh bol rahi thi." She told him.

"Hmm." He nodded, beginning to drive through the roads as he drove them to Carter road again. It was pleasant outside and they could use it to walk together.

"Walk karne chale?" He asked her and she hummed, smiling because she liked the idea.

"Mai bluetooth connect karlu?" She asked him, gesturing towards the stereo and he agreed, turning it on for her.

She put some soft songs on, some romantic Bollywood melodies to keep up with the pleasant weather and their drive.  

"Kal tu apne ghar jayega?" She asked him. Wasn't even a question, she knew he'd go and pick his family from the airport and then spend time with them. She felt like she was going to miss him, if she thought about it a little more, she'd start missing him immediately. Guess, who's obsessed with whom now? She laughed at herself inside her head.

"Hm. Kya soch rahi hai?" He raised his eyebrows, asking her.

"Kuch nahi. Kal se phir tu khana bhi apne ghar pe khayega, Monday ko teri cook bhi aa jayegi." She mentioned, he wouldn't really have any reason to come over to her place anymore. Not that him coming over to her place would be an exciting event, in front of Madhu they'd just eat but just having him on the dinner table felt really nice for the past few days.

"Ha, toh? Tu bulayegi toh aa jaunga dinner pe." He replied, somewhere answering her unasked question. What was she thinking? He wasn't moving out of the building, he was just having dinner at her place for 4 days because his cook was on leave. He could and more possibly he'd be around her all the time in building after work.

"Ha." She nodded nonchalantly.

Hand in hand, they walked down the road amongst the people in the evening, feeling the fresh breeze and chaos around them.

"Woh dekh, udhar pe chidiya apna nest banana chalu kar rahi hai." He told her as they walked by a pretty widely branched tree.

"Kaha pe?" She stopped in her tracks when she didn't find where he was pointing at.

"Upar, thoda right me ek bird dikhi?" He asked her again and she nodded this time. There was a small cuckoo bird on that branch.

"Teko kaise pata nest bana rahi hai?" She asked him, watching the bird together.

"Maine dekha wo udd ke aayi aur kuch kuch karne lagi yaha baith ke. Inlog ande dene se pehle apna ghosla banate hai na, usi ka saman leke aayi hogi." He answered.

"Kya saman?" She asked, holding his fingers from his hand hanging around her right shoulder when he stood behind her.

"Twigs and grasses. Kahi se chota mota kapde ka tukda bhi mil jata hai, usse banate hai." He replied and she hummed, watching the bird for a little more before they resumed walking again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hello hello! How are y'all doing?! Humble apologies for the delay but I was busy with family and my studies.. I kind of still am..

Anyways, what was your favourite thing about this chapter?

Who do you think is gonna fall harder in this story and why?!

Also, having thoughts about revealing their relationship to their parents, what do you think their response will be?