Lady Enigma

Chapter 15

Tension...

While being young, that is in my teenage, if there was anything poetic I thought in my entire life, then it was "What if, the air had a color?"

Well... For starters, I won't be able to see the road ahead of me because of the tension between us.

I wonder which color it would be...

From the morning itself, Kiran was not behaving her usual self. She was making a lot of haste to leave and even declined when I offered to drop her off. Due to this, I didn't even have my morning coffee, which is a prerequisite for me to have a good day.

She is seated on the passenger side of the car, her gaze reaching for any faraway land but not me, which is not quite settling to me.

"Kiran," I say while rubbing my palm over my face "what is it? Why are you so... Tensed?" I ask, maybe for the millionth time in the day. And she also replies the same thing for the millionth time. Nothing.

"Did I do something wrong? ...Because I enjoyed last night," I say.

"Of course! Me too! It was the best date night in my entire life." She says with a hint of rose on her cheeks.

"Then what is it?" I repeat, and when we are just a few paces away from her place, it strikes me while I hit the brakes. "It was the morning, wasn't it?" She visually tenses.

~
(A few hours back)

It's been a long time since I've slipped into a peaceful slumber. A warm sensation spread over my body as time passed. A tickling sensation? It was from my jaw to the underside of the neck, bringing incoherent noises out of me.

The sensation immediately stops and I stretch my sleep away, only to find a blushing Kiran.

Oh, God! It must be my noises! Shit!

~
(Present)

"What?" Kiran asked calmly, but with a sense of grave. Horror.

Were my sounds that weird?

"Aren't you overacting about this issue? I'm sure you might have seen those who even sleep talk." I blurt, really annoyed by her behavior. She's not like that.

My blabber somehow puts her at ease. "Uh... Yeah... No— it's nothing. Let's forget about it." She heaves a sigh and goes back to her complete normal self!

How does she do it!?

"I'll make some coffee at my place. We couldn't have it at yours..."

We couldn't because of you...

-

"So... I was meaning to talk about this, but I couldn't find the occasion," I say, gulping my coffee like crazy. Her eyes scan mine inquisitively "...what is it?" Her doe-like eyes, staring dead at me.

"The Ramabai's case is being reconsidered. In your terms, it's being reopened." I say putting a straight face, not showing even the slightest hint of happiness, only to see her's first.

"What?" She croaks, disbelief washed over her voice, making it feeble to hear.

"Yeah. The opposition party has got some interest in it, and the home ministry is quite pressured to take care of it. Our department is—" I was abruptly cut off by an embrace, small, but strong enough to crush my ribs. Her fists clenched my old sagging, soft cotton shirt "Thank you." She whispered faintly into my chest. "Thank you so much!"