"Ruhani,I ain't in any mood to joke around..chal abb bata,what are we supposed to do" Alina asked after changing her posture in her seat.
"I ain't joking Miss Oberoi,We'll travel from the metro...Ofcourse only if you want to. We can go back,if that's what you want"
"How's any of it going to help me with -"
"You'll know Alina"
"I have never travelled from Metro before"
"There's first for everything, Ma'am"
Alina seemed to be lost in some thoughts. She sighed. "Let's go"
"WHAT?????YOU ARE AGREEING?"
"Don't make me regret this already! ...You know what--"
"I'm sorry..I'm sorry..let's Go"
Both of them exited the car. Alina was unconsciously fiddling with her fingers.
"Is that something you do,when you are nervous?"
"What?? N..No"
"Caught"
"I'll literally kick you,Ruhani"
"Voilence is never an option Mi-"
Ruhani Ahuja was found lying on the ground. Police says she was surely on brink of her death & it was tough for peramedics to save her.
Alina was pacing up. Ruhani quickly gained her foot and followed behind her.
"Do you know the area,Miss Oberoi?"
Alina didn't responded & kept on pacing. Ruhani stopped following her. Alina seemed to notice and stopped a few steps away as well.
"That's the exit,Miss Oberoi" Ruhani shouted
"I know,I was just..uhm..looking for Duty free"
"This ain't airport Alina" Ruhani bursted into a laughter
Alina came back and moved towards the escalators,leaving Ruhani behind. Ruhani followed her through stairs.
As soon as they entered the metro station,Ruhani could see Alina's expressions,as if the woman almost couldn't believe. The crowd was too much for her. Watching people running,shoving each other aside,everyone's shoulders colliding. Office men,women,housewives,children,students, All kind of crowd running around only to get over with their day. Alina just stood their observing them all.
"Alina,We can go back if you want..you don't have to push yourself"
"No,it's fine..I'll go"
"Ohkay then"
Ruhani hurriedly went to the counter and bought two tickets for Sector 18. Alina stood patiently next to her.
"Let's go,Don't worry..It's just the next station"
Ruhani showed Alina the way through the security check. She looked around to see the platform they have to board on. Ruhani made sure to make her professor feel comfortable. She chose the station closest to them and the timing being afternoon would help them to face the least amount of crowd which was still a lot for the other women.
"There,There's our platform" Ruhani pointed towards their station
Again,The escalator was adjacent to the stairs.
"Let's take the stairs"
"WHY? My heels have quite a length..there's an escalator right?"
"Yeah..but you know..stairs will keep us active & uhm..fit"
Alina eyed her & stepped on the escalator while she saw Ruhani following her on stairs. They boarded the metro as soon as the one came.
"It's Women's coach...it would be fine here" Ruhani said as they entered
"And what's wrong with the other coaches" Alina arched her eyebrow
"That's story for another day"
"Won't we sit?" Alina took notice of her surroundings
"I guess there's no seat,I'm sorry"
"Why are you apologizing?" Alina left a chuckle
Ruhani shyly moved her eyes away,Alina's voice doing things to her.. She was seriously messed up.
"Hold this metal rod tightly or you'll fall..Metro moves quite a lot" Ruhani told Alina
"And you won't hold any ?"
"I'm a pro like I d-"
The metro moved slightly & Ruhani lost her balance,falling straight in Alina's arms,her head in crook of the other women's neck. Alina held the small of her back from each side and Ruhani could feel her soft breath on top of her hair. The intoxicating smell of her professor's perfume almost making her feel drunk.
"Are you okay Miss Pro?" Alina mockingly asked her
Ruhani gained her foot and moved away slightly.
"Galti insaan se hi hoti hain,Ma'am" Ruhani moved her gaze away
Alina sighed "Now hold tightly"
Ruhani seemed to be hesitating at first but then moved forward and wrapped her hand around Alina's waist.
Alina slapped her shoulder."I mean the rod, Duffer"
Realization hit her & Ruhani's face was flushed with embarrassment. She moved back and Alina broke into a laughter.
"Why are you laughing?" Ruhani frowned her eyebrows
"You are seriously stupid" Alina couldn't contain her laugh and she was laughing hysterically. Ruhani broke into a smile as well. Watching her professor who always had her guard up,smiling & laughing like this,with no care in the world..This picture was going to be stored in her memory for ever & ever.
They reached their station and had to leave. Again,Ruhani took the stairs & Alina took the escalators.
"It's only a 2 min walk" Ruhani said as they exited
"Walk to where?"
"The place I'm taking you at"
Both of them were walking next to each other. Their hands almost touching. ALMOST. They were walking when Ruhani noticed Alina was shivering a bit. The other woman was fast to gain her composure. Both of them were walking amidst the market and Alina was observing it all. This kind of street market must be something ,she hadn't seen before.This kind as in The middle class stuff
Ruhani took off her slim woolen shrug and placed it on Alina's shoulders. That definitely took Alina by surprise.
"It ain't much but still it's warm"
Alina's eyes widened. "I don't need it..it's..it's fine"
"You are shivering,Miss Oberoi"
"No..I -"
"It's fine..I insist" Ruhani passed a smile
"Quite a gentlewoman" Alina whispered to herself
"Did you said something?"
"Nope...not at all..by the way have we reached?"
"Oh yeah..it's just around the corner"
A golgappe stall came into sight. Ruhani moved towards it & Alina followed her.
"Here we are Miss"
"What is this?" Alina eyed the place
"As you can see..A golgappe stall..We are about to have them" Ruhani observed Alina. "Have you ever had them before?"
"Ofcourse I hav-"
"No,I'm not talking about those shit chunks of flour & sooji topped with corriander,served for 800 rupees and that too include only four pieces..I mean the real,street side golgappes?"
"I guess I haven't"
"Then let's have them"
Alina looked at the street stall & the street vendor. She frowned her eyebrows,confusion written all over her face.
"He isn't wearing any handgloves Ruhani"
"That's where the real Masala comes from"
"Wha-"
"Just try it Miss Oberoi,we'll drop if you didn't like it"
Alina saw with a horrified expressions as the vendor dropped her first golgappa in her plate.
"Ye lijiye Madam"..Bhaiya said
"Hanji..ji" Alina complied and looked at Ruhani as if asking to change her decision. Ruhani was already busy in eating her own. Alina closed her eyes,took a deep breath and placed her golgappa in her mouth.
Ruhani noticed the woman's expressions as her mouth was chewing what was inside it. Alina opened her eyes.
"How's it?" Ruhani curiously asked
"It's actually good" A small smile appeared on her face
"Hai na!" Ruhani smirked proudly as if she won the biggest lottery out there
"Do you want mor-"
Before Ruhani could ask Alina was already shoving the crowd,asking for her turn.
"Bhaiya..ek aur" She was urging the vendor from her place.
And just like that Ruhani saw Alina having another one & another one & another one. Alina would have surely eaten more than ten of them and it was Ruhani's turn to get shocked. Neither of them said anything about it.
"Re..ready to go,Ma'am"
"Oh yes..let's go" Alina cleaned her lips from a tissue and it cleared her lipstick as well. Ruhani noticed how plum her lips were.
RUHANI FOCUS. She scolded herself.
"Where are we going next?" Alina asked
"To our last destination..let's take an auto..come"
Both of them crossed the road to get to the auto stands. They were passing through the street market when Alina stopped in her tracks. Ruhani followed Alina's eyes and they were paused on a pair of jhumkas among many lying on the street counter.
"Do you want them,Alina?" Ruhani asked
"Nope..nope,they were just pretty..Also I ain't carrying any cash right now" Alina looked at Ruhani
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah absolutely,let's go"
Ruhani looked at her again before waving for an auto. An auto came and both of them took their seat.
"Alina..Can you wait for a sec..I want some water,I'll go and buy it"
"Yeah okay" Alina replied
"Just stay here okay..Don't go anywhere"
"Ohkay"
" I'll come back in a sec-"
"Go already will you?" Alina raised her eyebrows
Ruhani looked back again through her shoulders before walking away. She again came back.
"Alina listen,I'll be back in a giffy ju-"
"RUHANI...JUST GO..I ain't a child baba" Alina sighed irritatedly
Ruhani scaredly went away . She was walking when she felt a shadow behind her.
WAIT? WAS ANYONE FOLLOWING THEM?
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