Holding hands 2

Walking along a deserted road, Mridul tried figuring out where he was at and how did he even know this place. It clicked in a while, it was the same area where he usually dropped Maaya, for she was too particular about not being seen by her neighbors. Weird as it was, Mridul did understand her duality, from being fierce and outspoken at college and to being all shy and wanting to be inisible around her neighborhood. She liked attention, but only from selected sources, and his was on her list for sure. 

It was quite chilly, and the road was lit with street lights that glimmered on the wet pavement making a beautiful rust orange hue. Mridul liked this weather, but he couldn't understand why was he walking until his hand brushed against that of Maaya, who was walking next to him, lost in thought. Her hand was icy cold against his, and in reflex he held it. Her cold, little hand fit perfectly in his and Maaya didn't seem to mind at all. Mridul was surprised, she was usually not even okay being seen with guys around her street, and here she was walking hand in hand without a thought. 

" You sure you don't mind?" Mridul asked, a little puzzled by the sudden boldness in her.

"Kyun?" Maya pouted at him. 

Mridul pointed her attention to their entwined hands. 

"It's cold out here, and you're my personal hand warmer." Maaya looked at Mridul with a playful mischief dancing in her eyes. 

"Achha ji, aisi baat hai to mujhe apna kaam sahi se karna chaiye ni?" Mridul chuckled as he reached for her other hand. Holding onto her right, he pulled out her left hand from her pocket, which was equally cold despite the insulation of her pockets. 

" Be tu vampire hai kya? Your hands are freezing cold man." Concerned about her well being, Mridul cupped both her hands in his gently. His hands warm against hers he felt an overwhelming urge to embrace her and protect her at all cost.

"Netflix kam dekha kar, vampires k hath thande hona zaroori ni hota. And in such cold weather why are your hands so warm huh? Not that I'm complaining" Maaya looked at him with a glimmer in her eyes that was not very difficult for him to decipher.

"Main to das saal pehle b hot tha, aaj bhi hot hu. Tu dekhti ni alag baat hai."

With a sudden jerk, Mridul wakes up in his bed. His mother by the side, 

"Mridul, uth ja beta office k lie late ho jaega. Aaj jaldi uthane kaha tha na tune. Ja ready hoja main nashta laga ri hu. Mera bachcha" His mother caresses his face softly before leaving.

Mridul realizes it was all a dream, and Maaya was no where around. Wondering if it meant anything or if he was just tripping, Mridul stepped into the shower. Stepping out of the shower, he was rushing to his dresser when he received an unexpected text from MAAYA. The name flashed on his screen, it was too early for her to be texting him and the text read 

* Had a strange dream, and you were in it.*

Unable to decide whether to tell her about his dream or ask her about hers, Mridul decides it's best to get dressed and get going before his mum scolds him for skipping breakfast again.

During the day, Mridul's mind keeps circling around the dream he had in the morning. The overtly concerned feeling of care that made him hold Maaya. The look in her eyes, what was it? Did he still have feelings for her after all these years? Was there more to their friendship, or Was it just a dream? Dreams often bridge connections that the subconscious knows and the concious fails to recognise. 

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