08-07-2025, 02:25 AM
Her eyes met his, a flicker of amusement dancing in them.
“So, do you do this often?” he asked, taking a careful sip. “Make tea at exactly 4?”
She nodded. “I like the rhythm. Morning coffee, afternoon tea. A little pause before the day drifts into evening.”
“You’re kind of poetic, Priya Didi.”
She chuckled. “Not poetic. Just old-college.”
“No,” Ravi said, watching her closely. “You’re… composed. You live like someone who values the little things.”
She tilted her head slightly, curious now. “And what about you? What do you value?”
He leaned back, thoughtful. “Still figuring that out. I like people who feel… familiar, even if I just met them.”
She smiled softly. “That’s a nice way to put it.”
“You know what’s strange?” he added,
Turning the mug between his fingers. “This place doesn’t feel new anymore. I’ve been here barely three days, and it already feels like I’ve known it longer.”
“That’s the apartment?”
“No,” he said, meeting her eyes. “It’s you.”
She blinked once.
Then smiled, lowering her gaze.
“Smooth.”
“Just honest, Priya Didi.”
She laughed, and it reached her eyes. “Amit said you were always charming.”
Ravi smiled. “I hope he also said I was well-behaved.”
“Oh, he did,” she said, mock-serious. “But that remains to be seen.”
They sipped quietly for a while, the conversation dipping into silence and rising again naturally.
“So what did you imagine,” she asked suddenly, “when you thought of Amit’s wife before you met me?”
- o -
.
“So, do you do this often?” he asked, taking a careful sip. “Make tea at exactly 4?”
She nodded. “I like the rhythm. Morning coffee, afternoon tea. A little pause before the day drifts into evening.”
“You’re kind of poetic, Priya Didi.”
She chuckled. “Not poetic. Just old-college.”
“No,” Ravi said, watching her closely. “You’re… composed. You live like someone who values the little things.”
She tilted her head slightly, curious now. “And what about you? What do you value?”
He leaned back, thoughtful. “Still figuring that out. I like people who feel… familiar, even if I just met them.”
She smiled softly. “That’s a nice way to put it.”
“You know what’s strange?” he added,
Turning the mug between his fingers. “This place doesn’t feel new anymore. I’ve been here barely three days, and it already feels like I’ve known it longer.”
“That’s the apartment?”
“No,” he said, meeting her eyes. “It’s you.”
She blinked once.
Then smiled, lowering her gaze.
“Smooth.”
“Just honest, Priya Didi.”
She laughed, and it reached her eyes. “Amit said you were always charming.”
Ravi smiled. “I hope he also said I was well-behaved.”
“Oh, he did,” she said, mock-serious. “But that remains to be seen.”
They sipped quietly for a while, the conversation dipping into silence and rising again naturally.
“So what did you imagine,” she asked suddenly, “when you thought of Amit’s wife before you met me?”
- o -
.