Ek Moothi Khwahishon

Ki Tere Aage Khol Ke...

Zindagi Bhar Chup Rahoonga...

Baatein.. Dil Kee Bol Ke...

Na Tere Saaye Pe Bhi Aaye..

Koi Aanch Dua Maangoon....

Mai Sadkay Main Tere Apni...

Khushi De Doonga Tol Ke...

I pushed the drapes aside and looked out at the rising sun. Its golden-orange hues stretched across the sky, casting a warm glow over everything. I had never seen a morning this beautiful in Delhi. Or maybe… I had just never been awake early enough to witness it.

Last night, I couldn't sleep.

I had tossed and turned, shifting positions so many times that the bed felt like an unfamiliar place. The sheets were tangled around my legs, the pillow felt too soft, then too firm. My mind refused to quiet down, my thoughts circling around one person—him.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake him off.

Avyant Rathore.

I exhaled, leaning against the window frame. The city was just beginning to wake up—cars honking in the distance, the faint sound of bicycle bells from the newspaper boy, the scent of freshly brewed tea wafting up from the street vendors.

Yet, all I could think about was him.

The sound of my blaring alarm pulled me out of his thoughts. Who would tell this beakkal (stupid) device that I was already awake?

With a sigh, I reached out and turned it off. Usually, I loved mornings—the stillness, the crisp air, the feeling of a fresh start. But today, I felt… neither happy nor sad. Just there.

I tied my waist-length hair into a messy bun, my fingers working out of habit. My mind wasn’t restless, but it wasn’t at ease either. The thoughts of last night still lingered at the edge, refusing to leave entirely.

Time to face the day.

I made my bed, smoothing out the sheets before heading to my closet. Grabbing a fresh towel, I stepped into the bathroom, letting the warm water wash away the remnants of the night. I lathered my skin with my favorite rose-scented body wash, inhaling the sweet, familiar fragrance that had always brought me comfort.

Once satisfied with my bath, I towel-dried my hair and wrapped it up, securing the fabric atop my head. Wiping the water droplets from my skin, I wrapped the towel around my body and stepped out of the bathroom, the cool morning air brushing against my damp skin.

At my closet, I pulled out a soft pink kurta and a pair of jeans, laying them on the bed before rummaging through my jewelry box for matching jhumkas. Finding the perfect pair, I placed them beside my clothes and took a moment to prep my skin, smoothing body lotion over my arms and legs before applying moisturizer to my face.I am not really a skincare person. Most mornings, I wake up late, throw on whatever I find, and sprint to college like it's an Olympic event. But today… I had time. So, in the spirit of self-care (or just sheer confusion about what to do with extra time), I decided to pamper myself a little.

After all, who knows? Maybe my skin would thank me by looking less like a stressed-out student and more like a glowing goddess.

Then I get dressed and unwrapped my hair, squeezing out the excess water with the towel before letting my long strands fall loosely down my back. Feeling refreshed, I made my way toward the puja room.

A gentle smile curved my lips as my gaze fell upon my Krishna. He had always been with me, a silent companion, a source of comfort and guidance for as long as I could remember.

I adorned the small temple with fresh flowers, their fragrance mixing with the lingering scent of sandalwood from last night’s incense. Lighting the diya, I placed a homemade ladoo before Krishna, offering my prayers with quiet gratitude.

With a content heart, I turned toward the kitchen, the thought of a warm cup of zinger tea already making the morning feel a little more complete.

I made some toast for breakfast and plopped onto the only uncovered couch in the drawing room. The other two were wrapped up like priceless artifacts, protected from dust, though no one was around to use them anyway.

Munching on my toast, I switched on the TV, flipping through channels absentmindedly.

This flat belonged to Sadhna Mosi, a close friend of my Dadi. When she heard I was coming to Delhi for my studies, she insisted I stay here. She wasn’t even ready to take rent, but I somehow convinced her—though the amount I pay is nowhere near what this huge flat actually deserves. At least it helps me hold on to my self-respect.

I used to take tuition classes for kids to manage my expenses, but now, with my internship starting soon, I had to stop. A part of me missed it—the chaos, the kids, and even the headache-inducing math problems. But life was moving forward, and so was I.

After finishing my breakfast, I glanced at the clock—fifteen minutes to nine. Great. No matter how much I tried to relax, to trick myself into the delulu that today was just a normal day, my brain refused to cooperate. Because it wasn’t.

Today, I was going to his office.

Why, out of all the businessmen in the world, did he have to be the investor? If I had known earlier, I would have happily avoided this entire competition. Heck, I would have run in the opposite direction.

I took a deep breath and stared at my reflection. You can do it, Sanj. You can do it. But could I really? Maybe if I fainted dramatically, I could get a day off.

Shaking my head at my own nonsense, I grabbed my lip balm—because if I had to face this disaster, at least my lips wouldn’t look like a dried-up biscuit.

Slipping on my mojris, I stepped out, locked the door, and sighed. My feet moved forward, but my soul? Yeah, it was still inside, clinging to my bed and begging me to reconsider.

I walked to the bus stop and, like always, called my Dadi while waiting. It was my daily ritual, my emotional support hotline, and also a great way to distract myself from the absolute disaster waiting for me at his office. I was still nervous, but I was trying my best to put on the grand illusion of Confident Sanjita™.

When the bus finally dropped me off, I found myself staring up at his ultra pro max grand building. Seriously, was this a corporate office or a five-star hotel? Even the air around it smelled richer. Taking a deep breath, I straightened my shoulders and marched toward the entrance—only to be stopped mid-march by a security guard.

"Kaha ja rahi ho tum? Andar nahi ja sakti."

(Hey! Where are you going? You can't go inside.)

I blinked at him. Did this man just deny me entry like a bouncer at an exclusive club?

"Why can't I go inside? I'm supposed to be here!" I declared, trying to look important.

The guard gave me a once-over, his expression screaming ‘Beta, tu toh galat jagah aa gayi hai.’

"Look, I might not be highly educated, but I'm not blind. I know what kind of people come here."

Excuse me?!

"Haan toh mere mein kya kharabi hai? Kaante lage hain kya mujhpe?"

(And what’s wrong with me? Do I have thorns on me or something?)

Before I could school this man on equality and basic human decency, a very posh "Excuse me" made us both turn.

I looked over to see my friend Chanchal confidently walking toward the entrance. And guess what? The guard didn’t even breathe in her direction.

"Hey, Chanchal! Wait for me, we’ll go in together!" I called out, waving.

She turned, her eyes landing on me—then widening like she had just seen a ghost.

"Sanj!! It's you… what happened to your hair?"

Wait. What happened to my hair?

I quickly ran my fingers through it—only for them to get stuck. Oh no. My heart dropped. Not just frizzy, my hair had officially entered shock laga shock laga mode.

Panic settled in as I tried to untangle my fingers. When I finally managed to free them, they didn’t come alone. Oh no, they had company. A giant chunk of my hair was now in my hands.

I stared at it in horror, my soul leaving my body.

"I think you put too much bleach on your hair, Sanj. It smells like that."

Bleach. BLEACH?!

A wave of realization crashed over me. The fancy hair mask I had used this morning—the one I definitely didn’t check the label of. Did I just bleach my hair without knowing?!

Before I could fully process my downfall, a deep, very unfortunately familiar voice cut through the air.

"What is happening here?"

No. NO. Of all the moments in my life, why did he have to appear NOW?!

I squeezed my eyes shut. Maybe if I pretended hard enough, I would disappear. Or better, the ground would swallow me whole.

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Happy holi everyone, so here is a chapter for you.

My holi gift to all of my readers.

Don't forget to tell me how was it.