21-07-2025, 06:35 PM
Later, On the Couch
After dinner, the four of them migrated to the living room.
Sirisha sat cross-legged on the rug,
Scrolling through a few memes she kept showing Ravi with giggles.
Neetu sat on one end of the couch, legs tucked to one side, a light shawl around her shoulders.
Ravi leaned against the armrest, sipping chai Vamsi had brewed.
The lights were dimmer now.
A soft playlist hummed through the speakers.
The air had the feel of an easy night, where people didn’t feel rushed to be anywhere.
“Ravi,” Neetu said suddenly, gently interrupting Sirisha’s laughter.
“You don’t talk much about your past. Anyone special back home?”
Ravi looked up, a faint smile crossing his lips.
“Special? Too many people are special in my life. But no… no one that special.”
“Hmmm,” she said thoughtfully, almost teasing. “Good. That means no girl will fight me when I flirt.”
Sirisha’s eyes widened as she choked on her laughter. “Bhabhiiii!”
Vamsi, still in the kitchen area stacking plates, shouted, “Eh, what’s going on there?”
Neetu grinned like a cat. “Nothing. Just teasing. You go stack bowls.”
Ravi laughed but his gaze locked with hers briefly.
And in that moment, her smile changed.
It held a trace of seriousness.
A kind of awareness.
She looked away first.
- o -
As Ravi Prepared to Leave
Ravi stood, stretching slightly.
“Thanks for the lovely dinner, bhabhi. Sirisha, I’m holding you to the Rasmalai plan.”
Sirisha jumped up and gave a mock salute. “It’s already in the prep pipeline, Bhayya.”
Neetu walked with him to the door. The corridor was quiet now.
“I’m glad you came,” she said softly.
He turned to her and nodded. “Me too.”
“Text me when you reach. Just so I know you’re not eaten by ghosts in that flat now,”
She added playfully, tapping her phone.
Sirisha giggled behind her, “Ghosts will be scared of Bhayya. He’ll talk them into therapy.”
Ravi smiled, waved, and turned toward 205.
As he walked back, he could still feel Neetu’s gaze on his back.
And Sirisha’s laughter in his ears.
After dinner, the four of them migrated to the living room.
Sirisha sat cross-legged on the rug,
Scrolling through a few memes she kept showing Ravi with giggles.
Neetu sat on one end of the couch, legs tucked to one side, a light shawl around her shoulders.
Ravi leaned against the armrest, sipping chai Vamsi had brewed.
The lights were dimmer now.
A soft playlist hummed through the speakers.
The air had the feel of an easy night, where people didn’t feel rushed to be anywhere.
“Ravi,” Neetu said suddenly, gently interrupting Sirisha’s laughter.
“You don’t talk much about your past. Anyone special back home?”
Ravi looked up, a faint smile crossing his lips.
“Special? Too many people are special in my life. But no… no one that special.”
“Hmmm,” she said thoughtfully, almost teasing. “Good. That means no girl will fight me when I flirt.”
Sirisha’s eyes widened as she choked on her laughter. “Bhabhiiii!”
Vamsi, still in the kitchen area stacking plates, shouted, “Eh, what’s going on there?”
Neetu grinned like a cat. “Nothing. Just teasing. You go stack bowls.”
Ravi laughed but his gaze locked with hers briefly.
And in that moment, her smile changed.
It held a trace of seriousness.
A kind of awareness.
She looked away first.
- o -
As Ravi Prepared to Leave
Ravi stood, stretching slightly.
“Thanks for the lovely dinner, bhabhi. Sirisha, I’m holding you to the Rasmalai plan.”
Sirisha jumped up and gave a mock salute. “It’s already in the prep pipeline, Bhayya.”
Neetu walked with him to the door. The corridor was quiet now.
“I’m glad you came,” she said softly.
He turned to her and nodded. “Me too.”
“Text me when you reach. Just so I know you’re not eaten by ghosts in that flat now,”
She added playfully, tapping her phone.
Sirisha giggled behind her, “Ghosts will be scared of Bhayya. He’ll talk them into therapy.”
Ravi smiled, waved, and turned toward 205.
As he walked back, he could still feel Neetu’s gaze on his back.
And Sirisha’s laughter in his ears.
-- oOo --
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