The ride was smoother now, but to Akshara, every second still stretched unbearably long. Her grip on Arjun’s waist remained tight, her breath coming out in uneven bursts. She wanted to yell at him to hurry, to fly through the traffic, but her pride wouldn’t let her admit just how close she was to breaking down.
Arjun, for his part, seemed almost relaxed. He hummed tunelessly as he steered them through the lanes, leaning the bike just enough to skim past cars and autos. The wind tugged at his hair, and every now and then he glanced back to check on her.
“Don’t worry,” he said finally, his tone surprisingly gentle. “The place isn’t far. It’s the cleanest restroom in this whole area. You’ll thank me later.”
Akshara pressed her lips together, nodding silently. She didn’t trust herself to speak.
Just when she began to hope the ordeal would end soon, Arjun braked suddenly, pulling the bike up in front of a small juice shop tucked between two grocery stores. Brightly painted, with hanging garlands of plastic fruit, it gave off an oddly cheerful vibe amid the dusty road.
Akshara blinked at him in disbelief. “What are you doing? I can’t stop here! I told you—”
“Relax, relax,” Arjun cut her off with a grin, sliding off the bike. “Two minutes. Trust me.”
She was about to protest again when he leaned toward the counter, exchanging a few quick words with the shopkeeper. Moments later, the man handed him two tall plastic cups filled with orange-gold juice, beads of condensation rolling down the sides.
Arjun turned and held one out to her. “Here. You have to try this. It’s the best in the city. One of a kind. You won’t get it anywhere else.”
Akshara stared at the cup as though it were poison. “Are you insane? I told you I’ll explode if I drink anything! I can barely hold on as it is!”
He chuckled, holding the cup closer. “No, no. This isn’t just juice. This is magic. Once you taste it, you’ll forget all your worries. Even… well, that worry.” He tapped the side of his head knowingly.
She shot him a look of pure exasperation. “This is not funny, Arjun. Please, I can’t—”
“Trust me,” he said again, his voice softer this time. There was something in the way his eyes met hers, playful yet reassuring, that made her hesitate.
Her pride flared again. She didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of calling her weak. And maybe, just maybe, part of her was curious if he was right.
Snatching the cup from his hand, she muttered, “Fine. But if this makes things worse, I swear—”
Before she could finish, she tipped the cup back and drank. The juice was cool, sweet, tangy in a way that shocked her tongue awake. She hadn’t realized how thirsty she was until that very moment. Within seconds, she drained it to the last drop, her chest rising and falling as she set the empty cup down with a thud.
Arjun’s eyes widened slightly, then his grin returned. “Whoa. Didn’t expect you to finish it all in one go.”
Akshara wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, glaring at him. “Because now I really can’t stand anymore. If you don’t get me to that toilet in the next five minutes, I’ll—” She stopped, too mortified to complete the sentence.
Behind the counter, the shopkeeper chuckled softly, clearly amused by the scene. Arjun looked at him, and for a brief second, the two exchanged a smile. It was the smile of boys who shared a secret, who enjoyed watching someone squirm just a little too much.
Akshara noticed. Her cheeks burned with indignation. “You two think this is some joke?” she snapped.
Arjun raised his hands in mock surrender, though the laughter in his eyes betrayed him. “No, no. Not a joke. I just… wanted you to try it. See? You loved it. Admit it.”
She crossed her arms, still perched on the bike seat, her legs pressed tightly together. “I admit nothing. Now drive.”
Arjun chuckled again, tossing his empty cup back onto the counter. “Alright, alright. Let’s get you to salvation.”
As he swung back onto the bike, Akshara shifted forward, her grip even firmer around his waist this time. The juice had refreshed her throat but worsened the storm in her stomach. Every second mattered now.
As the bike roared back to life, she leaned close enough to his ear to mutter, “If you stop again, Arjun, I swear I’ll never forgive you.”
He only laughed, the sound swallowed by the wind, as they sped off toward what she could only hope was the cleanest toilet in the city.
Write a comment ...