Page 137 of Since the Night We Met
Meera laughed and flashed him a thumbs up.
Dhruv stayed silent, hanging back but offered a nod when Raghav thanked him for the orphanage suggestion.
Luv asked, ‘So, I’m assuming we’re done playing adults for the night? Can we please eat something before I start hallucinating?’
Kashvi rolled her eyes. ‘You hallucinate even on a full stomach.’
‘Exactly! Now imagine me hungry,’ Luv said, dramatically.
Siya couldn’t help the soft laugh that escaped as she asked, ‘Do we even know what time it is?’
‘It’s officially past all reasonable dinnertime standards, so I suggest we rush across the road and descend like wolves on all that delicious street food,’ Swayam chimed in.
Abhay wrapped an arm around her waist, and pulled her against him, reminding himself that this was real. He leaned down and inhaled her sweet scent before turning to his friends. ‘You can keep arguing about carbs and restaurants, but I’m taking my girl home.’
Siya arched a brow at him. ‘Your girl, huh?’
‘My girl, my wife, myjaan, you can pick whichever, but I swear to God that once we get home, I’m tying you to me so you can’t run away from me again,’ Abhay declared, looking proud of his foolproof plan.
‘With what?’
He shrugged but mischief shone in his gaze. ‘Rope, handcuffs, super glue—anything will do. I’m not picky.’
She laughed, liking the sound of that.
Luv said, ‘I feel like I’m intruding on your honeymoon.’
‘You are,’ Abhay said, without missing a beat. ‘You all can kindly fuck off. We have plans.’
Kashvi made a face. ‘God, please don’t elaborate.’
With a quick kiss on Siya’s cheek, she quickly threw a goodbye wave at them and pulled Meera toward the exit. Dhruv nodded at them and walked the other way without a word.
Siya turned to Abhay and pinned him with a glare. ‘Is that your version of foreplay? Flirting in front of our friends?’
He smirked. ‘Only when it works.’
‘You’re shameless.’
‘Married life has made me bold,’ he said, looking smug.
She had to bite her cheek to suppress her smile. ‘You weren’t exactly shy before.’
‘Well, you weren’t exactly mine before,’ he said, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek with aching tenderness. ‘Now, how about I take my wife home and show her just how badly I’ve missed her?’
Siya finally cracked a smile, loving the sound of it. She wrapped her arms around his neck and asked, ‘Are you planning on flirting with me all the way home?’
He didn’t even pretend to look innocent. Giving her a kiss, he said, ‘If it gets me certain privileges tonight, I might flirt on a loop.’
‘Then take me home, Mr Agrawal,’ she said softly, caught between delight and surrender.
‘Your wish is my command, Mrs Agrawal.’ He picked her up by her waist, and swung her around in the air once before walking out the entrance and into the cool night.
With her hand in his, and her heart brimming with his love, Siya followed him home, under the glittering sky full of fireworks, just like the night they met.
Epilogue
The bathroom mirror had begun to fog slightly with the last wisps of steam from the shower. Siya stood in front of the porcelain sink, applying mascara to her lashes. The late afternoon sunlight streamed in through the slit in the blinds.
