Akhil disembarked from the bus, his steps light and carefree.
He sat on the bench near the platform.
He was waiting for Divya to arrive.
He didn’t know why she wanted to meet him.
Maybe she was worried about him.
That was the conclusion he accepted, to avoid complicating the matter more than it should be.
The vehicles rolled along the road, their incessant cacophony and clamor filling the air and the scorching sun had already done a good job of making people sweat.
Akhil glanced at his watch and saw that it was 2 o’ clock.
He pursed his lips in complaint.
“This is boring.”
His legs dangled in mid-air as he swung them back and forth.
A few beads of sweat slid down his forehead, and he wiped them with the back of his sleeve.
His eyes darted toward the cars entering his field of vision, searching for the familiar car among the cluster of vehicles.
He muttered in annoyance.
“I’m going to make her buy me an ice cream.
Otherwise, my name is not Akhil.”
Before he could mutter another complaint, a familiar car came into view which made his eyes lit up with relief.
He walked toward the curb and silently waited for her to park the car nearby.
The car stopped smoothly, and a front door opened revealing Divya in her police uniform.
She looked more beautiful than usual, her damp hair stuck to her forehead, her face glistened with sweat which did nothing to diminish her beauty and if anything, it added another touch of charm.
Her black hair was tied neatly into a bun, and police cap sat on her head like a crown, fitting her perfectly.
Her gaze found him as soon as she stepped out of the car.
A sharp glint flashed in her eyes, disappeared as quickly as it appeared.
She strode toward him in three steps and stood before him like a mountain shielding him from the scalding sun.
Her gaze scanned him from head to toe, searching for injuries, but she found none.
She let out a sigh of relief.
Her face softened considerably before she narrowed her eyes at him and commanded,
“Let’s get inside the car.”
Akhil opened his mouth to complain about how late she was but after hearing her command, he subconsciously obeyed without complaining to her.
His hand reached for the door handle, but then he realized what he had done.
He gritted his teeth in frustration.
“How dare she order me around after making me wait for twenty minutes?”
He pulled the door open and sat in the passenger seat.
He looked around, noticed that the interior was gloomy and stifling.
“Divya, why didn’t you turn on the AC?”
Divya had forgotten to turn on the AC because she had hurried all the way to the bus station after hearing that Akhil had fainted.
At that time, her heart felt a deep sense of unease and restlessness.
A dangerous idea crossed her mind, but she quickly dismissed it as too creepy and twisted.
She blinked as she suddenly realized that she had forgotten to turn it on.
She replied, her face flushed red.
“My bad, I must have forgotten.”
Akhil’s mouth twitched slightly as he stretched his arms lazily.
“Go on.
Turn on the AC.”
Divya turned on the AC and looked at him.
“Explain.
Why did you suddenly faint?”
Akhil recounted what he heard from his parents.
His face remained nonchalant and causal.
Divya frowned as she listened to his words, but her frown deepened as he continued explaining.
“Stress”
The word “Stress” felt unfamiliar coming from Akhil.
He was always a carefree and energetic person.
How could he possibly develop stress at such a young age?
For a brief moment, a heavy silent fell over the car.
Akhil shifted uncomfortably in his seat and a bad feeling rising in his chest.
“Akhil”
Divya turned her head to look at Akhil with a cold and indifferent expression.
Akhil looked back at her, a sense of alarm flaring up in him and urging him to leave the car immediately.
He feigned himself to look brave, mustered his courage, and asked her.
“Wh… What, D… Divya?”
He stuttered, swallowed a mouthful of saliva.
Divya’s eyes turned even colder as she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
“The reason you fainted was because of the police job offer, right?”
A sense of terror filled his heart as he stared into her eyes, which were filled with anger and barely restrained rage.
He couldn’t help but think that maybe he was screwed.
“Well….
It’s not really because of that.
I think it was partially because of it.”
She did not speak.
Instead, she leaned closer, her breath brushing against his ear.
When she finally whispered, her voice sent a tingling sensation through him.
“You… Idiot!
If you simply don’t want the job, you can just say so.”
Her voice stuttered at first, carrying both sadness and a silent plea.
“You had me worried sick.”
Akhil who was expecting something dangerous, froze, his eyes widening in surprise and shock.
He hadn’t expected her to say something so vulnerable.
A warmth spread through his chest, and his impression of Divya surged higher in his heart.
He silently vowed to never make her cry.
He could only manage a reply, his voice weak and barely audible.
“Okay.
I’m sorry.
I won’t do that in the future.”
Divya was still leaned toward him, her body scent was deeply intoxicating, carrying a hint of sweetness.
Akhil was so nervous he didn’t dare breathe too loudly.
“Okay.
Scoot over a bit.”
“You are making me a little uncomfortable.”
Divya’s smiled widened at his reaction, and she eased back into her seat.
The glow of her amusement lingering in her eyes.
She asked him a beat later.
“So, where do you want to go?”
Akhil felt his hands twitched slightly at her question.
“You come to pick me up, so you should decide.”
Divya pondered for a moment, her expression thoughtful.
Her face brightened like the moon in the night sky.
“I have decided.”
“Today, we are going to travel around the entire city.”
“First, we should go for ice cream, since you like it so much.”