04-10-2026, 03:40 PM
(This post was last modified: 04-10-2026, 04:49 PM by sharath841. Edited 3 times in total. Edited 3 times in total.)
The next day passed unusually slowly.
Padma kept herself busy with household work, cooking, and small errands. But somewhere in the back of her mind, one thought remained.
5:00 PM.
That was when the two days would be over.
She checked the time.
2:47 PM.
She frowned.
Why am I even checking?
She put her phone down and continued what she was doing.
A little later, she looked again.
3:26 PM.
Then—
4:05 PM.
Her eyes stayed on the screen for a moment.
She knew exactly what she was waiting for.
At 4:38 PM, she sat down with her phone beside her.
She told herself she wasn’t waiting for Rajan’s message.
She was simply curious about what he would do when the two days were over.
4:51 PM.
Her heart began beating a little faster.
She opened their chat.
Nothing.
She closed it.
4:56 PM.
She opened it again.
Still nothing.
Padma looked at the clock.
4:59 PM.
She took a slow breath.
Then the minute changed.
5:00 PM.
She stared at the phone.
Nothing happened.
For several seconds, she simply sat there.
Then she whispered to herself:
? Padma: “So… what now, Rajan?”
And almost as if he had been waiting for that exact moment—
She typed:
“Rajan, please don’t contact me again.”
She stared at it.
Then deleted it.
She typed:
“I have thought about it.”
She stared at that even longer.
What am I doing?
Delete.
She put the phone down.
Her restlessness increased.
She walked into the kitchen, poured herself water, came back, and immediately checked the phone.
She sat on the edge of the sofa.
What if he doesn’t text?
That thought surprised her.
She had spent two days telling herself she wanted him to stop.
So why did the possibility of him saying nothing make her uneasy?
That day went no msgs from both the end..
The two-day deadline had passed, but Padma still felt strangely unsettled.
The next morning, she decided to do something ordinary—go downstairs and buy a few groceries.
She opened her wardrobe and noticed one of the newer outfits she’d bought recently.
It was stylish but still modest: a well-fitted top with comfortable trousers.
She held it against herself and looked in the mirror.
For a moment, she imagined walking through the apartment lobby wearing it.
Then she remembered the watchman.
What if Vinay sees me?
Then the other residents.
What if someone stares? What if they start talking again?
She almost put the outfit back.
Instead, she changed into it.
She looked at herself once more.
She actually liked how she looked.
But the nervousness remained.
Padma grabbed a light jacket from the wardrobe and slipped it over the outfit.
? Padma: “Just for going downstairs.”
She picked up her shopping bag and walked toward the lift.
Her heart was beating slightly faster than usual.
When the lift doors opened, she stepped inside.
Nobody was there.
The doors opened in the lobby.
She stepped out cautiously.
The watchman’s chair was empty.
She glanced toward it automatically.
Nobody.
She walked outside.
The strange thing was that nobody seemed to notice her at all.
A delivery man passed by without looking twice.
A couple walked past, talking to each other.
A car entered the gate.
No one stared.
No one commented.
No one cared.
Padma slowed down.
She suddenly realized how much of her fear had been coming from inside her own head.
She smiled faintly.
Then she pulled the jacket slightly closer around herself and continued toward the grocery store.
For once, she wasn’t being watched.
And somehow, that felt almost more surprising than being noticed.
After finishing her work, Padma noticed a clothing store on the way back.
She hesitated for a moment, then walked inside.
She placed her grocery bags in the storage box near the entrance and removed the light jacket she had been wearing. Without it, her blue outfit felt a little more noticeable, but she was beginning to feel comfortable in it.
She walked through the racks, looking at different styles.
A few tops caught her attention, but one was too bright, another too formal, and another didn’t feel like something she would actually wear.
Then she found a long casual top in a soft colour that would look good with jeans.
She held it against herself in front of the mirror.
? Padma: “This is nice.”
She took it with her and entered the trial room.
But instead of changing immediately, she first stood in front of the mirror and looked at herself in the blue outfit she had arrived in.
She adjusted her hair.
Turned slightly.
Then tried a different pose.
She smiled at her reflection.
And suddenly, Rajan’s message came back to her.
What if I had been standing behind you while you were taking those pictures?
Padma looked at the empty space behind her in the mirror.
A strange excitement passed through her.
She picked up her phone.
First, she took an ordinary mirror photograph.
Then she became more playful.
She turned sideways, placed one hand on her waist, and gave the camera a teasing pout.
Click.
She looked at the picture and smiled.
Then she turned around and posed from the back, glancing over her shoulder toward the mirror.
Click.
She looked at the photograph.
For a moment, she imagined Rajan standing several steps behind her, quietly watching and choosing which pose looked best.
The thought made her cheeks warm.
She bent slightly toward the mirror and lifted her hips into a deliberately cheeky pose, then glanced over her shoulder at her reflection.
Click.
Then she straightened up and tried another expression.
A little pout.
A mischievous smile.
Then she leaned closer to the mirror and gave it a playful air-kiss.
She immediately laughed at herself.
? Padma: “What am I doing?”
But instead of putting the phone away, she looked at the photographs again.
Then she turned toward the mirror and, almost as if Rajan were actually there, asked softly:
? Padma: “Do you like it?”
![[Image: 72151334-7-B90-49-DA-ACA1-EB2111-FA2-D8-D.png]](https://i.ibb.co/hx4gv64w/72151334-7-B90-49-DA-ACA1-EB2111-FA2-D8-D.png)
![[Image: BCBE5113-0173-4-B90-BF76-A6-BB3-C1-BDC74.png]](https://i.ibb.co/1Y06QwTn/BCBE5113-0173-4-B90-BF76-A6-BB3-C1-BDC74.png)
Silence.
Only her own reflection looked back at her.
Padma’s smile slowly disappeared into an embarrassed expression.
She shook her head.
? Padma: “This is getting ridiculous.”
She finally put the phone down and looked at the long casual top hanging beside her.
But before trying it on, she glanced at her photographs one more time.
And wondered why imagining Rajan watching her had suddenly become so exciting.
Padma finally put her phone away.
She looked at the long casual top she had picked.
? Padma: “I’ll think about it.”
She changed back into her jacket, collected her grocery bags, and walked out of the trial room.
At the entrance, she retrieved her bags and stepped outside.
The evening air felt cooler.
As she walked toward the apartment, her mind kept returning to what had happened inside the trial room.
Not the clothes.
Not even the photographs.
It was the strange imaginary version of Rajan she had created in her head.
Why did I imagine him standing there?
She shook her head.
? Padma: “It’s just a thought.”
She reached the apartment building.
The lobby was quiet.
Vinay was at the desk, he was shocked to see her in this avatar and kept his mouth open in shock !!
Padma walked toward the lift as if she didn’t see Vinay ..
For once, she didn’t feel the need to pull her jacket tighter.
The lift arrived.
She stepped inside and watched the doors close.
As she looked at her reflection in the mirrored wall, she remembered the poses she had taken.
A tiny smile appeared.
She immediately caught herself.
? Padma: “No.”
The lift reached her floor.
She walked into the apartment, placed the grocery bags on the kitchen counter, and removed her jacket.
She stood there for a moment.
Then she looked at her phone.
The photographs were still there.
Her thumb hovered over them.
She didn’t open them.
Instead, she locked the phone and put it face down.
But somewhere inside, she already knew she would probably look at them again later.
Padma after reaching home ,
Padma sat in front of the television, changing channels absent-mindedly.
Nothing caught her attention.
She switched again.
A Bollywood music channel was playing old songs.
She left it there.
One song finished, and then the opening of “Yeh Mera Dil” from Don began.
Padma recognized it immediately.
She watched for a while.
The actress danced across the screen, playful and confident, performing directly toward the hero.
Padma smiled.
Then, somewhere around the middle of the song, an unexpected thought entered her mind.
What if I were dancing like that… in front of Rajan?
She froze.
Her eyes remained fixed on the television.
The thought didn’t disappear.
Instead, it became more vivid.
She imagined herself dressed differently, moving confidently while Rajan stood watching her.
His expression.
His attention.
The way he would look at her.
Padma’s heart began beating faster.
She couldn’t look away from the screen.
Then suddenly she reached for the remote.
The song ended.
She sat there for a few seconds.
Then something seemed to click in her mind.
She picked up the TV remote, opened YouTube, and searched for the song.
“Yeh Mera Dil.”
She pressed play.
The music filled the room again.
Padma stood up.
At first, she simply copied a few of the dance movements she remembered.
Then she became more confident.
She turned toward the empty space in the room and imagined Rajan standing there.
She danced toward him.
Then away.
She turned, smiled, and continued with the rhythm.
![[Image: DA56-BDE4-D65-D-4571-9479-E01170-B10-DB2.png]](https://i.ibb.co/pv72Yg77/DA56-BDE4-D65-D-4571-9479-E01170-B10-DB2.png)
Every few seconds, she caught herself imagining his reaction.
That made her more playful.
![[Image: 11-AFA161-B646-484-A-8212-34-BBC37-F6-B58.png]](https://i.ibb.co/fYCJ3YRG/11-AFA161-B646-484-A-8212-34-BBC37-F6-B58.png)
![[Image: B44-D476-B-1-B32-4437-8641-9-F7-EAAEF85-DA.png]](https://i.ibb.co/jv6yzvbT/B44-D476-B-1-B32-4437-8641-9-F7-EAAEF85-DA.png)
![[Image: 39467727-B7-D3-4-CB3-97-D7-F46-BDC6-F7-AD7.png]](https://i.ibb.co/9kpfLKtz/39467727-B7-D3-4-CB3-97-D7-F46-BDC6-F7-AD7.png)
She laughed quietly at herself but didn’t stop.
For several minutes, she completely forgot about everything else.
There was no Mohan.
No messages.
No two-day deadline.
No questions.
Just the music—and the strange fantasy she had created in her own head.
When the song finally ended, Padma stood still, breathing a little faster.
The room became quiet.
She looked toward the imaginary place where Rajan had been in her mind.
Then she slowly smiled.
? Padma: “What is happening to me?”
Padma kept herself busy with household work, cooking, and small errands. But somewhere in the back of her mind, one thought remained.
5:00 PM.
That was when the two days would be over.
She checked the time.
2:47 PM.
She frowned.
Why am I even checking?
She put her phone down and continued what she was doing.
A little later, she looked again.
3:26 PM.
Then—
4:05 PM.
Her eyes stayed on the screen for a moment.
She knew exactly what she was waiting for.
At 4:38 PM, she sat down with her phone beside her.
She told herself she wasn’t waiting for Rajan’s message.
She was simply curious about what he would do when the two days were over.
4:51 PM.
Her heart began beating a little faster.
She opened their chat.
Nothing.
She closed it.
4:56 PM.
She opened it again.
Still nothing.
Padma looked at the clock.
4:59 PM.
She took a slow breath.
Then the minute changed.
5:00 PM.
She stared at the phone.
Nothing happened.
For several seconds, she simply sat there.
Then she whispered to herself:
? Padma: “So… what now, Rajan?”
And almost as if he had been waiting for that exact moment—
She typed:
“Rajan, please don’t contact me again.”
She stared at it.
Then deleted it.
She typed:
“I have thought about it.”
She stared at that even longer.
What am I doing?
Delete.
She put the phone down.
Her restlessness increased.
She walked into the kitchen, poured herself water, came back, and immediately checked the phone.
She sat on the edge of the sofa.
What if he doesn’t text?
That thought surprised her.
She had spent two days telling herself she wanted him to stop.
So why did the possibility of him saying nothing make her uneasy?
That day went no msgs from both the end..
The two-day deadline had passed, but Padma still felt strangely unsettled.
The next morning, she decided to do something ordinary—go downstairs and buy a few groceries.
She opened her wardrobe and noticed one of the newer outfits she’d bought recently.
It was stylish but still modest: a well-fitted top with comfortable trousers.
She held it against herself and looked in the mirror.
For a moment, she imagined walking through the apartment lobby wearing it.
Then she remembered the watchman.
What if Vinay sees me?
Then the other residents.
What if someone stares? What if they start talking again?
She almost put the outfit back.
Instead, she changed into it.
She looked at herself once more.
She actually liked how she looked.
But the nervousness remained.
Padma grabbed a light jacket from the wardrobe and slipped it over the outfit.
? Padma: “Just for going downstairs.”
She picked up her shopping bag and walked toward the lift.
Her heart was beating slightly faster than usual.
When the lift doors opened, she stepped inside.
Nobody was there.
The doors opened in the lobby.
She stepped out cautiously.
The watchman’s chair was empty.
She glanced toward it automatically.
Nobody.
She walked outside.
The strange thing was that nobody seemed to notice her at all.
A delivery man passed by without looking twice.
A couple walked past, talking to each other.
A car entered the gate.
No one stared.
No one commented.
No one cared.
Padma slowed down.
She suddenly realized how much of her fear had been coming from inside her own head.
She smiled faintly.
Then she pulled the jacket slightly closer around herself and continued toward the grocery store.
For once, she wasn’t being watched.
And somehow, that felt almost more surprising than being noticed.
After finishing her work, Padma noticed a clothing store on the way back.
She hesitated for a moment, then walked inside.
She placed her grocery bags in the storage box near the entrance and removed the light jacket she had been wearing. Without it, her blue outfit felt a little more noticeable, but she was beginning to feel comfortable in it.
She walked through the racks, looking at different styles.
A few tops caught her attention, but one was too bright, another too formal, and another didn’t feel like something she would actually wear.
Then she found a long casual top in a soft colour that would look good with jeans.
She held it against herself in front of the mirror.
? Padma: “This is nice.”
She took it with her and entered the trial room.
But instead of changing immediately, she first stood in front of the mirror and looked at herself in the blue outfit she had arrived in.
She adjusted her hair.
Turned slightly.
Then tried a different pose.
She smiled at her reflection.
And suddenly, Rajan’s message came back to her.
What if I had been standing behind you while you were taking those pictures?
Padma looked at the empty space behind her in the mirror.
A strange excitement passed through her.
She picked up her phone.
First, she took an ordinary mirror photograph.
Then she became more playful.
She turned sideways, placed one hand on her waist, and gave the camera a teasing pout.
Click.
She looked at the picture and smiled.
Then she turned around and posed from the back, glancing over her shoulder toward the mirror.
Click.
She looked at the photograph.
For a moment, she imagined Rajan standing several steps behind her, quietly watching and choosing which pose looked best.
The thought made her cheeks warm.
She bent slightly toward the mirror and lifted her hips into a deliberately cheeky pose, then glanced over her shoulder at her reflection.
Click.
Then she straightened up and tried another expression.
A little pout.
A mischievous smile.
Then she leaned closer to the mirror and gave it a playful air-kiss.
She immediately laughed at herself.
? Padma: “What am I doing?”
But instead of putting the phone away, she looked at the photographs again.
Then she turned toward the mirror and, almost as if Rajan were actually there, asked softly:
? Padma: “Do you like it?”
![[Image: 72151334-7-B90-49-DA-ACA1-EB2111-FA2-D8-D.png]](https://i.ibb.co/hx4gv64w/72151334-7-B90-49-DA-ACA1-EB2111-FA2-D8-D.png)
![[Image: BCBE5113-0173-4-B90-BF76-A6-BB3-C1-BDC74.png]](https://i.ibb.co/1Y06QwTn/BCBE5113-0173-4-B90-BF76-A6-BB3-C1-BDC74.png)
Silence.
Only her own reflection looked back at her.
Padma’s smile slowly disappeared into an embarrassed expression.
She shook her head.
? Padma: “This is getting ridiculous.”
She finally put the phone down and looked at the long casual top hanging beside her.
But before trying it on, she glanced at her photographs one more time.
And wondered why imagining Rajan watching her had suddenly become so exciting.
Padma finally put her phone away.
She looked at the long casual top she had picked.
? Padma: “I’ll think about it.”
She changed back into her jacket, collected her grocery bags, and walked out of the trial room.
At the entrance, she retrieved her bags and stepped outside.
The evening air felt cooler.
As she walked toward the apartment, her mind kept returning to what had happened inside the trial room.
Not the clothes.
Not even the photographs.
It was the strange imaginary version of Rajan she had created in her head.
Why did I imagine him standing there?
She shook her head.
? Padma: “It’s just a thought.”
She reached the apartment building.
The lobby was quiet.
Vinay was at the desk, he was shocked to see her in this avatar and kept his mouth open in shock !!
Padma walked toward the lift as if she didn’t see Vinay ..
For once, she didn’t feel the need to pull her jacket tighter.
The lift arrived.
She stepped inside and watched the doors close.
As she looked at her reflection in the mirrored wall, she remembered the poses she had taken.
A tiny smile appeared.
She immediately caught herself.
? Padma: “No.”
The lift reached her floor.
She walked into the apartment, placed the grocery bags on the kitchen counter, and removed her jacket.
She stood there for a moment.
Then she looked at her phone.
The photographs were still there.
Her thumb hovered over them.
She didn’t open them.
Instead, she locked the phone and put it face down.
But somewhere inside, she already knew she would probably look at them again later.
Padma after reaching home ,
Padma sat in front of the television, changing channels absent-mindedly.
Nothing caught her attention.
She switched again.
A Bollywood music channel was playing old songs.
She left it there.
One song finished, and then the opening of “Yeh Mera Dil” from Don began.
Padma recognized it immediately.
She watched for a while.
The actress danced across the screen, playful and confident, performing directly toward the hero.
Padma smiled.
Then, somewhere around the middle of the song, an unexpected thought entered her mind.
What if I were dancing like that… in front of Rajan?
She froze.
Her eyes remained fixed on the television.
The thought didn’t disappear.
Instead, it became more vivid.
She imagined herself dressed differently, moving confidently while Rajan stood watching her.
His expression.
His attention.
The way he would look at her.
Padma’s heart began beating faster.
She couldn’t look away from the screen.
Then suddenly she reached for the remote.
The song ended.
She sat there for a few seconds.
Then something seemed to click in her mind.
She picked up the TV remote, opened YouTube, and searched for the song.
“Yeh Mera Dil.”
She pressed play.
The music filled the room again.
Padma stood up.
At first, she simply copied a few of the dance movements she remembered.
Then she became more confident.
She turned toward the empty space in the room and imagined Rajan standing there.
She danced toward him.
Then away.
She turned, smiled, and continued with the rhythm.
![[Image: DA56-BDE4-D65-D-4571-9479-E01170-B10-DB2.png]](https://i.ibb.co/pv72Yg77/DA56-BDE4-D65-D-4571-9479-E01170-B10-DB2.png)
Every few seconds, she caught herself imagining his reaction.
That made her more playful.
![[Image: 11-AFA161-B646-484-A-8212-34-BBC37-F6-B58.png]](https://i.ibb.co/fYCJ3YRG/11-AFA161-B646-484-A-8212-34-BBC37-F6-B58.png)
![[Image: B44-D476-B-1-B32-4437-8641-9-F7-EAAEF85-DA.png]](https://i.ibb.co/jv6yzvbT/B44-D476-B-1-B32-4437-8641-9-F7-EAAEF85-DA.png)
![[Image: 39467727-B7-D3-4-CB3-97-D7-F46-BDC6-F7-AD7.png]](https://i.ibb.co/9kpfLKtz/39467727-B7-D3-4-CB3-97-D7-F46-BDC6-F7-AD7.png)
She laughed quietly at herself but didn’t stop.
For several minutes, she completely forgot about everything else.
There was no Mohan.
No messages.
No two-day deadline.
No questions.
Just the music—and the strange fantasy she had created in her own head.
When the song finally ended, Padma stood still, breathing a little faster.
The room became quiet.
She looked toward the imaginary place where Rajan had been in her mind.
Then she slowly smiled.
? Padma: “What is happening to me?”


![[+]](https://xossipy.com/themes/sharepoint/collapse_collapsed.png)