6

Generally, people aren't fond of a certain feeling.

The feeling right before you're going to do something big or great or scary. Or something like you know you are about to be caught. Or when a person is chasing you, and you're running really hard but you can feel that guy is catching up. Basically, that deep, dark pit feeling in our stomach that threatenes us to throw up any moment.

That's exactly the same feeling Ayesha was feeling right now, as she saw the policeman asking Rahul for his and her details.

If my parents know about this, she thought, I'm dead meat for sure.

She could even imagine what both her parents would say.

We locked you out a night to teach you a lesson, not for you to go run away with a boy and humiliate us by a policeman. Her Mother would say that.

Are you crazy? How can you go out daringly with a guy that too at late night, do you have any idea how dangerous that is? Her father, for sure.

She was literally trembling.

Rahul noticed it, and held her hand and pressed it discreetly. She tried finding comfort from his hand, but couldn't. She was in deep trouble for sure.

One hour earlier...

"Can we walk?" asked Rahul. "My legs are tired from sitting on the bench."

Ayesha shrugged. She didn't mind walking.

While walking, the two didn't speak much. In fact, they didn't speak at all. They calmly kept walking amd Ayesha realized it was the route to their colony. To be honest, she didn't understand how they would reach home. It was too far to walk, and not one auto was in sight.

That got her a little worried.

"How are we going to reach home?" she asked him. "I can't find even an auto."

He shrugged, and for the first time, he looked a bit lost. She could see that he was tensed for her, more than himself. Well, she reminded herself, he has no where to go to.

"Hey," he pointed to a house on the way. It was yellow, two floored building, with a little too many windows. It wasn't flawless, but it looked homely and warm.

"Nice house," she said.

"That's my old house, you know."

"Really?" She was surprised. "Why did you leave it?"

"We didn't leave it. It's still our house. We just moved to a... less suspecting place."

"Suspecting?"

"Well, the neighbours were close to throwing stones on our windows... I mean there is only so much of fighting and yelling of my parents they could handle. They had enough of the noise, I guess."

Though Ayesha was walking clamly, inside her heart was racing. This was the first time Rahul opened up about his life at home.

"So... you did, too?" she asked. "I mean you had enough?"

"Who wouldn't? Everyone is fed up of their fights yet they aren't."

Ayesha doesn't know why she did it, but she held his hand.

He was a little surprised, but then he held it tighter.

Generally, Ayesha would've felt weird and maybe a little grossed out when she held hands with people other than her parents and best friend. But for some reason, she didn't when she eas holding hands with Rahul. She didn't feel like pulling it away or find herself wishing he would leave it... in fact, she felt the opposite. It's... actually nice.

For the next two minutes, the two sloke nothing. They just walked ahead, stared at the night, and held hands. Ayesha found herself wanting to not let go of Rahul's hand. It felt so nice.

But, unfortunately, Rahul immediately let go of her hand when he spotted an auto. He waved like a lunatic for the auto driver to notice them. Luckily, he did notice. He did seem tired, but he had a heart so he agreed to give those two a ride.

"Thank you," whispered Rahul.

The ride, like before, was quite. They were heading home and were halfway through... until the auto came to a halt.

"What - what happened?"

The auto driver looked at them guiltily. "I'm sorry. I haven't checked, but we're out of fuel."

"What?!"

"Yes, and there is no place where we can fill tank, nearby."

The three got out, and were standing by the road. It was night, and they couldn't spot any vehicle they could ask lift from. Ayesha was dejected. She felt helpless. Rahul was conversing with the driver, seeing for any options. The driver himself was helpless. He was tired, but he had no other option except to walk back to his home... which was on the opposite direction of theirs. Rahul paid the driver, and grabbed her hand once more.

"Come on," he said. "We need to walk some more."

Ayesha didn't mind it. Not the walking part, but she didn't mind the fact that he held her hand once more.

She snuggled closer to him. If he noticed it, he didn't show.

"What do you plan to do?" he asked her, suddenly.

"Huh?"

"After going home. What will you do?"

She sighed. It wasn't like she didn't think about it, at all. "I guess... listen to my parents. At least 'till the situation gets better."

"What?"

"I mean, my parents are pretty chill parents. They never scolded me a lot, or gave me any sort of lectures or anything. So if they went to an extreme like locking me out of the house, I must've been wrong, right? I think I should be a bit better to them, at least."

He nodded.

"And you?" she dared to ask.

He shrugged. "No idea." He looked at her and cleared his throat. "How about..."

"How about what?"

"How about... us?"

"Um, us?"

"Yeah... I mean tomorrow when we see each other at college, maybe around the corridor or in the class, should we - should we say hi... I mean -"

She smiled as he looked flustered.

"You mean acknowledge each other?"

"Yes," he said, abruptly.

"Of course. Why did you think I wouldn't want to?"

"Uh... no... I mean... I just thought... well, yes. Sorry."

"It's okay. I understand."

"You do?"

"You think I'd be embarrased. But in reality you're the one who should be embarrased to be seen with me?"

"Why? That such a pretty girl is being seem with a normal guy like me?"

They looked at each other for a moment before bursting out laughing.

"Yeah totally," she said sarcastically, still laughing.

They were already excited when they saw a lit place - a drive in, while walking, a little far.

"Look!" pointed Ayesha.

In added excitement, she didn't look where she was going and ended up tripping on a rock. Unfortunately, while falling down she accidently grabbed a fistful of Rahul's shirt and fell. When she opened her eyes after falling down, she realized Rahul was the weight on top of her. They both were in a compromised position on the empty road. She was flat on her back, while Rahul was on top of her.

But unfortuantely for them, the road wasn't as empty as they thought.

"Oye!" some gruff voice said.

Rahul immedietly pulled away and the two got up, to see a policeman rushing towards them. The two looked at each other.

Crap.

Present

Ayesha would've loved to blame the policeman. But she knew she couldn't. If she were in his his place, she would've panicked too.

At one in the night, on a random weekday, with barely people on sight, you see a boy on top of a girl, anyone would panick.

She could see the policeman acting on panick. He didn't mind who it was, he was just worried something might happen to them. But even those thoughts didn't comfort her. She could see Rahul was conversing with the policeman, trying to negotiate and assure him they were safe and everything and they knew where they were going.

God, please help me.

And it seemed like God listened.

"Ayesha?" a familiar voice spoke up, surprised. "Ayesha Raizada?"

Three pair of eyes fell on the owner of the voice.

"Vihaan!" she cried out of relief.

Vihaan Sresht. Blue eyes, dark hair. A rather cold personality. The one whom Ayesha was least close to in her gang. In fact, she barely spoke to him. But right now, he seemed like an angel in her eyes.

"Dude what's... wrong?" He slowly stopped quizzing when he spotted Rahul and the policeman. "Hey... Rahul, right?" Though he didn't say it, he found it really confusing that those two were together.

"Yeah, you're Ria's friend, right?"

He nodded. "Um, what are you guys doing here?"

Ayesha was tensed and was pretty sure she was going to blabber something, but - thank god - Rahul spoke first.

"There seems to be a misunderstanding here," he said. "Please help us out."

Vihaan stepped forward. "Sir, what happened?"

While the policeman explained why he was asking for their details, Ayesha went red when Vihaan looked at her as the policeman explained about their compromising position.

"Sir, she is my cousin," lied Vihaan. Ayesha was about to say something absurd, but Rahul tugged her arm in time. "And he is her neighbour. They were supposed to meet us here. You can talk to my Uncle. He is in the police."

But that wasn't necessary, as the policeman widened his eyes and left the three as he heard the name of his uncle.

Rahul and Ayesha exhaled a sigh of relief. "Thanks," he replied shortly.

"Thanks Vihaan."

"It's okay. I'll give you guys a ride. Come."

The two happily oblidged.

They followed Vihaan to a black car. Vihaan slid into the driver's seat, while the two took the backseat. There was already a girl in the shotgun.

"Um." Vihaan looked hesitant and awkward. "She is Kiara. Kiara, this is Ayesha. And this is Rahul."

"Hey," the girl replied, smiling. She was a pretty girl with soft hair and dimples.
"Hi," they replied back.

Kiara gave one look to Vihaan and both of them understood the two were dating.

Ayesha almost gasped. Not one soul knew Vihaan had a girlfriend.

"Hey Ayesha," said Vihaan. "Do you need to change clothes or something?"

"Huh?" She looked down and realized her clothes and jacket were coated with a rather thick layer of dust. The road was dust filled, apparently. As Rahul fell... well, on top of her his clothes weren't as spoilt as hers. "Well, um."

"We can stop by my house," said Kiara. "It's nearby. You can grab my clothes. They'd fit you."

Ayesha liked her already.

"Yes, please. Thank you."

They drive for almost seven minutes, in complete silence, until they stopped by a bunglow.

The four got out of the car, and Kiara unlocked the door with a key. The whole house was dark, and she led the other three upstairs. They walked until she stopped before a door.

"It's my room," she said.

Automatically, Vihaan and Rahul sat on a sofa nearby, and Kiara and Ayesha went into her room.

Kiara's room was big and spacious. The walls were cream, and the bed was pushed to a wall.

"Here." Kiara handed a pair of jeans and a hoodie to Ayesha.

"Thanks. Nice room, by the way."

She smiled. "I'll wait outside."

She exited, and Ayesha quitely and quickly changed into Kiara's clothes, which actually fit her very nicely. She looked around and found an empty, plastic cover. She took it and began stuffing her dirty clothes in it.

As she kept the last piece of clothing into the cover, there was a knock of the door, and opened.

"Ayesha?" It was Vihaan. "Can we talk?"

She nodded, and he came inside.