DEVI’S POV:

Life has never been so easy. I have had my share of struggles but I have been living merely ever since I became independent financially and well, in every other way. When ever I think about my olden days it brings me nothing but an extreme headache. So I chose to leave it behind and live in the present and seek for better days in future.

Currently I am heading home seated in a metro after my shift has ended. It's been a hectic day. My team is currently working on a project and as the Team lead I had no break at all, leaving out the ten minutes I spent to finish a veggie wrap in the lunch time. The deadline was approaching and there is a lot to take care of. But this is temporary, once it finishes our work gets lighter.

Meanwhile, my stop has arrived. I got off, the big clock in the station is showing 10:10PM. Sighing I get to the stairs that take me to the main entrance of the station, my home is nearer from the back entrance but it is not worthy because the area is so dark and the auto people are creepy there. Coming out the main entrance I find so many autos there. Quickly I make my way to the prepaid auto booth and get my auto, it is safer this way and just the right amount.

The auto arrived, I sat in. I just want to get home soon.

Opening the door to my flat, I inhale the homely fragrance and sigh. I am home. This is my flat, I bought it on my own a year ago with the help of a loan ofcouse. Slipping into my indoor footwear I make my way to the kitchen, I lay my bag on the couch on the way and enter the kitchen and fill a glass of water and sip it until I finish and make my way to my bedroom and proceed to prepare for a long and warm bath.

After the bath, I cut some fruits for my dinner. I am so tired that I just want to sleep so I am in no mood to cook but I cannot risk my health though so a big bowl of fruit is good. I switch on the tv to watch my favourite series while I munch on my dinner.

Later, I make my way to my balcony and sit on the small swing there, my favourite spot in the entire world. I gaze up at the sky, its summer season so the sky is pretty much clear and the stars are visible. The cool breeze hits my face making me sigh at the peace I felt that moment.

After a while I make my way into my bedroom, close the door and get inside my blanket. The temperature is moderate, just like I like it. I lay down and watch my ceiling, I decorated it with radium stars and moon, it's pretty.

I love my life, but it's gets quite lonely though. But this loneliness seems better than any kind of possible heartbreaks and stress that a relationship could put us through.

…..

RUDRA'S POV:

I wake up to my alarm. It is 6:00 In the morning. I sit up supporting my back to the bedpost and look towards the window, the sun is rising up slowly and the soft morning rays are falling on my feet and the blissful sound of birds chirping is like a blessing to my ears. After the laziness has subsided, I make my way to the kitchen and see my mom preparing her morning tea, I grab the electric kettle and fill some water in it. After the water is heated up I pour it in a glass and add a spoon of honey. I make my way towards the living room and switch on the tv and put my favourite news channel. I sip into my drink and watch the news, After five minutes or so, the door bell rings. I make my way towards the door and open it to see Aarna. She saw me and immediately drops her gaze to her hands. Before I could even ask her why she is here, she forwards the box in her hands, I grab it, it's heavy, I open it to see Upma, my not so favourite dish. She starts speaking "Is aunty up?"

"Yeah she is in the kitchen" I answer her

"Can you pass my gratitude to her for the meal she gave me day before yesterday."

"Well.., you could come in, thank her directly" I replied her. Opening the door wider.

"Oh..I.." before she could complete her sentence, mom came in from behind me " Oh Devi! How have you been Amma. Come in" (Amma here it indicates daughter) She cut her in between and ushered her into the house and pulled her onto the couch.

My mom picked up a liking for this woman from the day she shifted next door. I am not different either, I would not say 'like' though, it is a strong word but she definitely is on my good side, she is a simple looking, well mannered and decent type of girl. Very rare type of woman, I would say. From the day I saw her till date she has never had baseless and unwanted conversation with either of us, my mom and I thought she is just another busy and modern woman who would not care about these little things, you know like sharing, caring and random typical Indian behaviour towards neighbours. It is a homely behaviour you have towards your neighbours that involves sharing good words, food and also going as far as giving them access to take care of our home when we aren't around like my mom, who gave the keys of our home to Devi telling to Look after her little garden in the balcony attached to her bedroom when we needed to leave to our hometown for a week or so and believe me or not, she did that just after five months of Aarna’s arrival next door! Which was quite shocking because my mom like any other typical woman of her age would not believe anyone so easily.  Don't know what this girl Aarna Devi has in her that there is literally positive energy oozing out of her and her presence just lightens up the whole space she is in, like how Goddess Lakshmi Devi is represented.

My mom and I are very different when compared to any mother and son duo, she is my best friend and we basically gossip about anything and everything like the neighbourhood aunties. And the one we actually never talked about was Aarna, mom never brought up anything about Aarna in front of me. Not even the good part, alright there is only good part so far.

Currently they have been gossiping for like twenty minutes ignoring my presence like one of the teddy bears sitting on the couch next to me. And I don't know when I actually shifted my 'oh I'm annoyed' gaze from my mother to that beautiful pair of eyes, they have something in them, a story, a sparkle... their gaze fixed on my mom and that's when I noticed her nose, not the kind of nose that are in those 'beauty standards' though, but I found it cute and it compliments her face well. Just before my gaze dropped a little low my mom finally seemed to remember me, “Rudra aren't you getting late for your office”, I immediately shifted my gaze to my mom who is smiling like she has caught me eating the cookies she hid and still loved the act I played. Why is she acting wierd? "Mom is it not second Saturday today?" I asked her

"Still, go get fresh, there is something I need you to do for me today" she said still smiling.

Well something is wrong with her. "Ok" I replied nonetheless and started to leave, not before giving a polite smile to the guest though, but she is already busy with mom so I just proceeded to follow my darling's command.