Prologue

Arnav

"Excuse me'you dropped your mannat key" someone called out behind me. I stopped in my track. For some reason it felt like the question was directed at me. But I was sure I put the key in my pocket'.and that voice..something about that voice'

Confusedly, I turned and my heart skipped a beat, fell silent for a tenth of a second and then roared ahead like a jack-hammer.

But her reaction was something else'her eyes were shocked. Her eyebrows pulled together in a frown. Her breathing quickened.

So did mine. In my mannat, just a minute ago, I had asked to meet her again at least once in my life, and here she was. Standing before me. Wearing a neat white suit, her dupatta over her head, hale and hearty.

The key dropped from her hand. She clutched the cloth of the dupatta at her neck in a fist and with the other hand, she grabbed the end of her kurta in a fist. A habit of hers. She did that when she was nervous or worried'.or scared.

I wanted to run to her. To embrace her. But I couldn't move a muscle. I felt the stinging in my eyes as the tears came.  The burning agony in my heart for the helplessness of my state.  Despite the distance of mere ten steps, I couldnt, for the life of me, figure out how to move.  Seeing her in front of me had stunned me into that big of a shock.  Unfortunately, her control on her muscles was a lot better.

She took a scared step backwards. Then another. And another. By the time I could summon the strength and will my hand to move in her direction, she had turned around and run away.

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Khushi

"Excuse me'you dropped your mannat key" I said to him as he walked away oblivious to the fact that he'd dropped it.

He stopped walking but didn't turn around. That confused me. I stood there with his key in my hand. Sheesh. Just turn around and take the key already. I don't have all day.

And then he turned around. The sky fell at my feet. The earth from beneath was gone. I don't know how I managed to stay standing. My heart felt like it was going to explode. I could feel the tremor that started in my heart and radiated to my hands until they were shaking. They were shaking so bad that the key fell from my hands. I felt a sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach.

I saw his face but didn't register the expressions. I felt the surprise but didn't know if my face showed it. I wanted to run but I couldn't move. It was like I was cornered and he had me under his laser move. It felt like he would counteract any movement I made. Visions and memories flashed before my eyes like a movie.

I regretted everything I'd done in the past one minute. From picking up the key till now. Why did I have to pick it up? Why did I have to call out to him? Why was I still standing there?

As soon as I said that, my body took a step back. I didn't realize that I'd run away from him until I'd reached the exit of the dargah.

What the hell was he doing here??