21-06-2025, 01:55 AM
“Looks like it was intense,” she said, voice half-mischievous,
Half-innocent. “You look… meditated.”
Abhi raised an eyebrow. “That’s not even a word.”
Varnika padded toward the kitchen counter.
Tying her hair into a loose bun with a rubber band she’d pulled from her wrist. “Well, you look it anyway."
"All calm and glowing. Did akka push you too hard?”
Before he could answer, Meghana appeared again, holding two cups of steaming chai.
“She didn’t push,” she said smoothly. “He kept up beautifully.”
Varnika took her cup with a grateful smile. “Hmm. I’ll have to see that for myself tomorrow.”
Meghana handed Abhi his cup without looking at him—but her fingers brushed his just a little longer than needed.
He felt it.
She knew he felt it.
Varnika slumped into one of the cushioned chairs, one leg tucked under her. “Ugh. I have a 10:30 slot at the admin office today. That cranky woman said it’s the only time she’s free. I’ll need a lift, please?”
She looked up at Abhi, her voice soft but direct.
“You promised, remember?”
He smiled. “I remember. What time should we leave?”
Varnika thought for a second. “Around 9:45? It’s a bit of a walk from the parking gate to that godforsaken admin block.”
Abhi nodded. “Done.”
Varnika looked at Meghana, who was leaning against the kitchen counter now, sipping chai like nothing had happened.
“Akka, can you iron that light pink kurti for me? The one with the mirror work? I think it’s in your cupboard.”
Meghana raised an eyebrow. “Sure. But why the mirror work? Are we applying for a PhD or getting married today?”
Varnika shrugged, fighting a shy smile. “I like how I look in it. That’s all.”
She didn’t add that Abhi had once said pink suited her.
But it was there, unspoken.
Half-innocent. “You look… meditated.”
Abhi raised an eyebrow. “That’s not even a word.”
Varnika padded toward the kitchen counter.
Tying her hair into a loose bun with a rubber band she’d pulled from her wrist. “Well, you look it anyway."
"All calm and glowing. Did akka push you too hard?”
Before he could answer, Meghana appeared again, holding two cups of steaming chai.
“She didn’t push,” she said smoothly. “He kept up beautifully.”
Varnika took her cup with a grateful smile. “Hmm. I’ll have to see that for myself tomorrow.”
Meghana handed Abhi his cup without looking at him—but her fingers brushed his just a little longer than needed.
He felt it.
She knew he felt it.
Varnika slumped into one of the cushioned chairs, one leg tucked under her. “Ugh. I have a 10:30 slot at the admin office today. That cranky woman said it’s the only time she’s free. I’ll need a lift, please?”
She looked up at Abhi, her voice soft but direct.
“You promised, remember?”
He smiled. “I remember. What time should we leave?”
Varnika thought for a second. “Around 9:45? It’s a bit of a walk from the parking gate to that godforsaken admin block.”
Abhi nodded. “Done.”
Varnika looked at Meghana, who was leaning against the kitchen counter now, sipping chai like nothing had happened.
“Akka, can you iron that light pink kurti for me? The one with the mirror work? I think it’s in your cupboard.”
Meghana raised an eyebrow. “Sure. But why the mirror work? Are we applying for a PhD or getting married today?”
Varnika shrugged, fighting a shy smile. “I like how I look in it. That’s all.”
She didn’t add that Abhi had once said pink suited her.
But it was there, unspoken.
![[+]](https://xossipy.com/themes/sharepoint/collapse_collapsed.png)