9

It was around four thirty am, and Rahul was still sitting beside Ayesha, on the bench in her garden.

"What do you think will happen?" he asked.

"Um... about what?"

He smiled, in a goofish manner. "Your parents thought if they locked you outside, you'd learn a lesson. If you slept one night out of your house, you'd learn a lesson. But instead you were with me the whole night. What do you think will happen when they get to know about it?"

She smiled, along with him. "They wouldn't lock me out again, for sure."

The two chuckled at that.

"Did you ever have a boyfriend before? I know you don't have one now," he said.

"Erm, to be honest..."

"Yeah, go on. Go on," he urged. He felt way more comfortable asking her personal questions now.

"I had one boyfriend, from school," she answered honestly.

He raised an eyebrow. "Only one?"

She nodded. "Only one until now."

"When did that happen?"

"In ninth grade. He was my crush, you know. We were together 'till tenth ending."

He didn't reply but just nodded.

"What about you? Any girlfriends?" she finally asked, letting the curiousity get the better of her.

"Now?"

"You have one... currently?"

Rahul smiled when he heard the jealousy in her voice. No matter how hard she tried to say it in a noncholant way, it was obvious she didn't like the idea of Rahul having a girlfriend.

"No, dumbo," he said. "If I did, I surely wouldn't have spent these many hours with you."

She smiled, as if she realized it just now. "You're right. No one will."

There was silence for a second, before she remembered what she had originally asked. "Wait," she said. "What about before?"

"Two," he said, simply.

"Okay." She was just happy he didn't have one now. She realized she couldn't care much about his past lovers.

She looked at him, to see he had closed his eyes. But she could tell he wasn't sleepy.

Ayesha decided to ask him one thing, finally. "Rahul?"

"Hmm..."

"Um, don't you - don't you wanna be in touch with me or something? Like... we're close now... and - and it would be nice if you took my - my number or something... right?"

Rahul suddenly opened his eyes and looked at her.

She widened her eyes. "It's absolutely fine if you don't! I was just... wondering..."

"No you idiot!" he said. "Of course I want your number! I was dying to ask you for it, but didn't because I thought you might feel like I'm clingy... or maybe even creepy."

She grinned. "Awesome. Where's your phone? Take it down."

He took out his phone from his pocket, and Ayesha took a look at it.

"Hey," she said. "How come your phone was fifty percent battery left?"

"In case you didn't realize, this whole night I was with you and hadn't used my phone much. That's why so much battery is left. Now give me your number."

She gave him her number, and saw him feed it as Ayesha R.

"Do you want me to put heart beside it or what?" he joked.

She blushed a little, and shook her head. Luckily, he didn't notice the tint of red on her face.

When he was tucking the phone back into the pocket, Ayesha decided to tell him the one thing she was dying to tell him.

"Go home, Rahul."

He looked at her. "What?"

"Go back to your home."

His eyes hardened at it. "I have no home."

"You think you don't, when in reality you do. You have a roof on your head to call it a house, and people who love you - your parents - to make that house a home."

"A house is simply not home."

"They love you, Rahul. I know I shouldn't say it like this, but maybe they might not love each other so much, yet are together for you. Think in that way. Or think in this way: they love each other a lot, so no matter how much they fight, they aren't seperating."

"You make it sound simple," he said through gritted teeth.

"It's not. I know."

"You do?"

"I do. Go home, Rahul. Your parents must be worried about you."

"If they were worried about me, they wouldn't fight so much... at least when I'm in a position where I can listen to it."

"Yes, in a way. They might be ignorant of your feelings but just because they do doesn't mean even you have to be ignorant of your feelings. It's obvious you want to love your home but -"

"But I find no love in it."

She smiled. "I'm the one trying to convince you, but it seems I might be the one getting convinced or something."

He chuckled, softly.

She knew she had to stop for now. But she had to convince him to go back.

He was destroying himself, by running away and being forced to go back again. If he ever runs away, he should be in such a position that he can afford to not come back again. That would make it worth.

She closed her eyes.

This won't do, she thought, think, Ayesha. Think from his perspective.

She started imagining herself in his place, in a house where both of the people you love are yelling at each other all the time... and she hated it. She suddenly felt pity for Rahul. She even felt tears, but blinked them back. It would be a mess.

"You're right," she said. "It's horrible."

"Told you."

"Can I ask you something?"

"What?"

"What do you actually want?"

"Huh?"

"What would make you stop from running away from your home like that?"

He thought. "Some peace. I know they can't be like a normal married couple anymore, but at least they can just ignore each other."

"Dude, all you're asking is for low volume," she deadpanned.

He chuckled. "But that's the hardest part."

"I simply don't get it. You run away, cause it's hard. Yet, when I ask you want you want, you expect no difference in the situation. Then... what's the point of running away when what you want is not that different from what you have?"

He looked taken aback. When he pondered about it, he realized she's actually right.

"Am I that used to it?" he finally asked her.

"I think so."

"You do?"

"I do."

"Ugh, this sounds so messed up."

"Nah, you're actually pretty balanced. It's just that this matter is messing you up. You know what? I have way more respect for you now."

"Really? Why?"

Both Rahul and Ayesha, had the heads on the wall behind the bench and were facing each other from the side.

"Because," she started, "you don't let this much of mess effect you or your work. Totally opposite of my situation."

"So basically, running away from home for about four times sounds like I'm unaffected."

The two chuckled.

Ayesha looked at him laughing, while she herself had a smile on her face.

"Hey," she said.

"What?"

"I love you."

"What?" He was surprised, to say the least.

"I. Love. You. There. I said it," she said. "And... though I'd love to hear the same from you, I don't expect it."

She gave him a smile, and sat upright. About a minute later, he too sat straight with hands on the edge of the bench. He didn't say anything, neither did she.

Ayesha felt flushed. This was her first time confessing her feelings for a guy. She had done that on an impulse, and she still isn't sure why she did it.

When she saw him smiling broadly, she understood she was in love with him. And then the next second itself, she found herself expressing her love to him. She should be embarrassed, but she isn't. She tried to blush, be awkward, or regret what she did... but she couldn't. Instead, she felt light and happy. At least, she didn't have to hide about her feelings from him. Of course, if he rejected her it would hurt. A lot. But at least no regret would be there to haunt her, unlike some people she had seen in college before.

The two stayed quite for another two minutes, before Rahul spoke up.

"You know what?" he asked.

"What?"

"I'm going back home."

She grinned. "Really?!"

"Yes. I don't want much different from what I have. No point in running away. Right?" He winked at her.

She replied, "Yep. No point at all."

"And maybe... just maybe, I might see ny house as a home."

"That's awesome."

"Thanks Ayesha," he said, sincerely. "You made me realize why I kept coming back even after running away. I have no where to go except my home. I think I'll just go find something else to enjoy."

"Hope it's something that's better than this," she joked.

Rahul laughed, and then started to stare at her.

"What?" she asked, slowly.

"You know what?"

"What?"

"I found it."

"You did?"

"I did. It's something better than running away, and it's right in front of me."

She widened her eyes for a second, before he pulled her for a kiss.

The kiss was sweet and soft. Ayesha closed her eyes, and decided to kiss him back.

Both of them were expressing how much they loved each other through that one kiss. They could feel all the worries, tensions, problems, regrets, and even sleep fade away as they kissed.

The two broke away for breath.

"Wow," she whispered.

"That was... awesome."

He pulled her head in such a manner that their forheads were touching each other. She grinned. "That was the best kiss I ever had."

"Well... it could be the best one for me."

She pulled away. "What do mean by could be the best kiss? Am I not a good kisser." She was mad.

"No, no, not like that!" he said, quickly.

She huffed, and stood up facing the gate, and her back to him.

Rahul smiled, and hugged her from the back. She smiled to herself, but made sure he didn't see it. He had to try harder.

"We're so lucky," he whispered in her ear.

Ignoring the butterflies, she asked, "Why?"

"That's there's no one awake in this colony, apart from us, right now."

She couldn't help but chuckle. "So you're back to your home, right?"

"Only if I get another kiss."

She jabbed him in his stomach and turned around to face him. "You are not getting another one, Rahul."

He smirked. "Are you sure?" He stepped closer to her.

Though she did want to kiss him more, she pushed him back. "Are you going home or not?"

He sighed. "Yes. I am going home."

She grinned and hugged him. "I can't believe just one conversation about it will change your mind."

"About that..." he said, slowly.

She broke the hug and faced him. "What?"

"Well, it's not the speech that's making  me go back."

"Then?"

"You won't date me if I'm homeless, right?"

The two burst out laughing.

"God, I love you," she said for the second time, while laughing.

"I love you, Ayesha," he said, grinning.

She smiled broadly, and hugged him right there. He hugged her back tightly, wishing to stay there for a long, long time.

"Look," he said, suddenly, pointing to the sky. "Sunrise."

Ayesha broke the hug, and turned to the sunrise.

It was beautiful. Everyone said that wen sun rises, we can see red. But actually, there is much more to that. There is yellow, orange, pink, and red all mixed up in such a way that you can differentiate it yet see it all in one colour. Ayesha saw it, fascinated.

Just then, Rahul picked up his bag.

He kissed Ayesha's forhead, surprising her. "I have to go home, now."

"Bye, Rahul."

"Bye, Ayesha."

He opened the gate and starting going right. Before he went too far, he turned around to her, winked, and mouthed 'I love you'. Ayesha blushed hard, as he went away.

Almost fifteen minutes later, her mother opened the door.

"You awake," she exclaimed.

Ayesha grinned, and hugged her mother, surprising her. "I love you, Ma. And I'm sorry for everything until now. I promise I'll make it to you."

She smiled, and kissed Ayesha's hair. "Seems like our punishment actually worked, huh?"

The two laughed. "Just one thing, Ma."

"What?"

Ayesha yawned. "I still feel sleepy."