JAAN ( Darr 2 )

After travelling from morning until the last light of dusk faded into the deep indigo of night, they finally reached their stop for the day.

 The air was cool as they stepped off the train, the quiet hum of the station quickly falling behind as they began their walk. 

The hotel where they were staying was perched on a small mountain, Rahul had told her about it and she had agreed without an after thought, He was the one who planned the journey after all.

 It was a little distance from the main path. It was a charming, rustic place, the kind of building that seemed almost like it had grown from the earth itself, with its sturdy wooden beams and small windows.

Kiran paused for a moment when they arrived, taking in the surroundings. The air smelled of pine and the faint scent of a nearby fireplace. It was peaceful here, quiet in a way that made her feel like she was in a completely different world. 

They were given rooms next to each other, and the porter showed them the way.

Once they reached their doors, Kiran gave Rahul a small, tired smile.

 "Good night," she said softly, her voice carried gently by the night air.

"Good night," Rahul replied, his tone quiet, though something lingered in his eyes, exhaustion, yes, but also an unspoken tension that still rested between them.

Inside her room, Kiran quickly got ready for bed, slipping into the comfortable clothes she had bought earlier. She tried to settle under the blankets, but sleep wouldn't come. The thoughts swirling in her mind kept her restless, Her body was tired, but her mind refused to quiet down.

Finally, with a frustrated sigh, she got out of bed and walked over to the balcony. The cool night air brushed against her skin, the stars scattered like tiny diamonds in the black sky. She noticed Him sitting there already, on the far side of the shared balcony, leaning back in his chair seemingly lost in his thoughts.

She hesitated for a moment, unsure if she should disturb him, but at the same time it felt wrong to leave him alone there. Or rather she didn't want to be alone,  which one was it ?  a mix of both perhaps? Slowly, she stepped forward, crossing through the small gate and moving toward the table.

"You couldn't sleep either?" she asked gently, taking a seat across from him.

Rahul looked up at her, his eyes catching the faint glow of the stars above. 

And there she was brighter and more beautiful than any of those stars could ever be, but instead of saying that he just shook his head slightly. "No... too much on my mind, I guess."

Kiran nodded, understanding that feeling all too well. "Me too." She glancing up at the sky. "It's peaceful here, though. Almost makes you forget about everything else."

He smiled faintly, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yeah... almost."

They sat in silence for a few moments, the quiet hum of the night surrounding them.  It wasn't uncomfortable, though. They both needed this moment, to let the weight of the day settle in.

"Do you ever think about... how strange this all is?" Kiran asked suddenly, her voice soft, laced with a deep thoughtfulness. "Us being here... like this?"

His gaze flickered, expression unreadable for a moment. Then he finally nodded, his voice quiet, almost hesitant. 

"All the time. And, to be honest, it still feels like I'm walking through a dream."

The weight of his words hit him too late, and he realized what he had said, the significance of that phrase, the memory of when he had last uttered it. And what it had resulted in.