The hostel corridor buzzed with its usual Sunday laziness, doors half-open, girls lounging with cups of tea, soft music playing from someone's speaker. But the moment Thabal stepped inside her room with a duffel bag slung over her shoulder and a quiet glow on her face, things began to shift.
Meera spotted her first from the bed. She gasped dramatically and sprang up from her bed.
"Dekho woh aagaya. Dekho woh aagaya!" Meera declared, loud enough for the entire floor to hear. Thabal groaned, already regretting this.
"I was gone for two days, not returning from war" she said, walking past with a raised brow.
"You say that" Meera followed her, arms crossed with a grin.
"But you are glowing like you have seen heaven and by heaven, I mean Vikram's jawline in sunlight" she smirked playfully.
Before anyone of them could say anything Shreya jumped in from the bathroom door. Running to Thabal like her life depends on it.
"OH MY GOD! You came???" She shrieked, jumping happily. Thabal sighed and face palmed herself.
"Aagayi dusri tufaan!" She exclaimed under her breathe and shook her head. Shreya whereas smiled widely in excitement.
"Bol na kya kya kiya. Kidhar kidhar gaye. Night camps and all. Me and Meera were dying to hear it" she place a hand over her heart dramatically. Thabal reached her bed and threw her duffel onto the bed, sighing.
"You people are worse than journalists" she rolled her eyes but smiled. Meera grinned and jumped on her bed.
"Okay, but seriously kuch nahi huwa?" She raised her brow playfully. Thabal raised an eyebrow at her back.
"N.A.H.I" she spelled out loud and moved to unpacking her bag. But the two weren't leaving her any soon. They continued pestering her, buzzing around her continuously.
"Aare bol na hamse kya sharmana" Shreya nudged her playfully.
"Ishh! Chup kar na. Kuch nahi huwa" Thabal hissed and pushed her away gently.
"Bhai yeh kisi aur ko bolna. Humko sab malum hai. Aab khulke bolde. We want the teaaa!!!" Meera squealed excitedly as if she was the one experiencing the moments. She had now officially taken over half of Thabal's bed, sprawled across it like she owned it. Shreya sat cross legged on the floor, looking up at her like a courtroom lawyer about to grill a witness.
Thabal, still trying to unpack, gave up and plopped down on the bed with a loud sigh. She covered her face with her palm and then followed the silence. The room quietened which was full of chaos just a minute ago. Thabal for a moment thought maybe they finally gave up. She slowly parted her fingers and peeked through it to see Shreya grinning up at her.
"Tum log nahi sudhroge," she muttered. Meera smirked at it.
"We take that as consent." Shreya clapped like a seal. Laughing with a wide smile.
"YAY!! story time!!" Thabal rolled her eyes but couldn't help the soft smile tugging at her lips.
"Itna bhi kuch nahi tha. Just we reached in a quiet forest near a river. Built a tent. Khana khaya. Raat ko sogaye. Subah we took a dip in the river. Then we strolled over the forest. Oh! Isse yaad aaya. See I collected some fruits from there" she stopped herself and rummaged through her bag excitedly. Then she moved back to them, hands filled with oranges and some unfamiliar fruits.
"Wow! It looks so fresh and good" Meera widened her eyes seeing the shining fruits. She grabbed a green one and crunched on it.
"Mujhe bhi de". Shreya stood on her knees, practically snatching a fruit away. She smiled widely and crunched on it.
"Damn! It's really nice!" She commented, grinning. Munching over the fruit more.
"By the way what did you mean by 'we took a dip in water'. You two swam? As in together?" Meera raised her brow, cleverly pointing out the words. Thabal realized what she have said and buried her face in her pillow.
"Okay, I am done talking now" she muttered, cheeks red. Meera gasped dramatically at it.
"Oh my God. You saw him shirtless, haina? Tell me you did" Shreya squealed in excitement.
"You lucky woman!" She added again. Thabal burst out laughing, throwing a pillow at her.
"You are insane" she laughed slapping her shoulder.
"Aur bol kya huwa? Kiss wiss huwa?" Meera grinned teasingly. And Thabal immediately blushed at the thought of their almost kiss. But she couldn't tell them that or else they won't leave her without teasing the hell out of her.
"Hutt asa kuch nahi huwa" she brushed off dismissively.
"Umhm! Reaction dekhke toh nahi lagta" Shreya raised an eyebrow playfully. Thabal chuckled at it and shook her head.
She pulled out her clothes when her hand paused in the middle. She hesitated for a moment before turning to them again.
"He confessed" was all she said. And just like that, both girls exploded into screams, shaking the bed, pulling her into a group hug while Thabal groaned and laughed at the same time.
"Bas karo yaar! Itna bhi kuch nahi hua!" She chuckled but the two were two lost in their excitement.
"Oh my God!! Did he propose you with flowers? Ya ring? Ya kuch gift?" Shreya shrieked with wide eyes.
"Nahi nahi!! He must have gifted something very big. Banda ameer hai" Meera intervened in between. Thabal just sighed and face palmed herself. What would she even say? They weren't letting her answer instead continued to shower questions after questions and assuming the answer on their own too.
Shreya suddenly gasped, pointing at Thabal's bag. She clamped her hand over her mouth with wide eyes.
"Wait- is that his shirt?!" Thabal froze immediately. She hesitantly turned back to looked at the blue shirt peeking out of her bag.
"Shit" she muttered under her breathe. And that was the sign they needed. The other two screamed louder.
------------Flashback-----------
Thabal was packing her clothes in the tent. Birds chirped outside. Vikram was outside, near the river. Washing off some dirt sticking on his pants.
It was just her alone in the tent. She folded the clothes carefully and thrusted inside the bag gently. Making sure it fitted properly.
She exhaled softly and looked at her organised bag.
"Haah! Almost done. Bas si ama dugei loirani" she murmured to herself as she picked up a pant of hers.
(Just this and it will be finished)
She was about to zip up her bag when her eyes fell upon a blue shirt. His shirt. The one he wore. So handsomely! She blushed at the thought. Her gaze lingering on it for a minute before she grabbed it and put it infront of her face, taking a comforting sniff of his scent.
She smiled faintly and hugged it closed to herself. Her cheeks warming up. The shirt smelled just like him. Warm, comforting and something indescribable.
She was lost in her own fantasy when she flinched visibly at the sound of her being called.
"Chand!" She immediately thrusted in the shirt inside her bag and peeped outside the tent.
"H-haan"
---------Flashback ends----------
She exhaled softly, lost for a second. Remembering how she stole his shirt sneakily. One hand still hovering near the bag as Meera and Shreya practically vibrated with energy, eyes locked on the unmistakably masculine blue shirt peeking out of the bag.
"He gave you his shirt!" Meera shrieked, looking both shock and delighted. Shreya gasped, clutching her chest.
"OH. MY. GOD. My poor heart can't handle this much cuteness" She closed her eyes dramatically. Thabal groaned and threw her head back.
"It's not like that!" She whined slowly, embarrassed of her deed.
"Aacha? Fhir yeh kya hai?" Meera narrowed her eyes, folding her arms, imitating an angry old woman.
"Kuch nahi" Thabal mumbled, her face now permanently crimson.
Meera reached for the shirt like it was an ancient relic. She held it up with both hands, examining it like a prized possession.
"Yeh toh museum mein hona chahiye" Shreya added with a grin.
"Issh!! Tum log" Thabal hissed and snatched the shirt away from them, clutching it near to her chest. And that was a wrong move. Because they weren't done.
"OHHHH!" They hooted in sync. Grinning widely.
"Possessive haan! I like it" Meera smirked teasingly.
"Bas karo yaar!" Thabal rolled her eyes and looked away, but the blush on her cheeks didn't fade.
"Thabal baby, maybe you are forgetting ki tumhara doodh jaisa badan hai. Thoda sa sharmane pe hi tamatar ban jati hoon tum. So yeh 'nonchalant' act kisi aur ke samne karna" Shreya winked wickedly.
Thabal couldn't help but let a soft laugh hearing her, heart light, surrounded by the warmth and mischief of friendship.
After a while, the room finally quieted again, the kind of peaceful silence that comes only after a storm of chaos. She laid back on her bed, the duo going to their respective beds too.
She turned her head, gazing at the shirt now folded neatly. She smiled again, this time softer, smaller, something that was only for her.
Just then, her phone buzzed on the table. The screen lit up. She sat up and glanced to see 'chiche'. A small smile played on her lips. She answered immediately.
Her elder sister's voice greeted her with a soft familiarity.
"Thoi!" she called excitedly.
"Chiche! Keidaw rammino" Thabal leaned back on the wall behind her.
(What were you doing?)
"Kaim natte da. Ng gi maram da khallammiba. Duga di call tawrake" her sister chuckled. Thabal let a soft laugh at it.
(Nothing much. I was thinking about you so i called)
"Yam nungshiba malline" she teased, earning a laugh in return. There was a pause, then her sister said gently.
(Seems like you love me a lot this days)
"Thoi" Thabal hummed in return.
"You seem happy. Genuinely happy. After months" Thabal softened her eyes hearing it. She didn't realised it until she was reminded. Her eyes darted towards the shirt, letting her gaze linger over the cloth.
"Maybe" she muttered slowly, only for her to hear.
"Is it because of a guy?" Her sister asked. A smile tugged on Thabal's lips hearing the question.
"Nongma fhajana haibige che" hearing it a warm laugh resonated from the other side.
(I will tell you everything one day)
"Hoi hoi" her sister responded.
(Okay okay)
"Your vacations just started, no?" She added.
"Mmm, yesterday" Thabal replied, mindlessly not detecting her next words.
"Well... I miss you so much thoi. And honestly, it's been months since you came home. Why don't you come back to Imphal for a few weeks? Just rest, eat properly, spend time with us. You need the break." Thabal blinked, surprised.
"Yum da?" Her voice came out slow and unbelievable. Her sister replied in a softer voice.
(At home?)
"Mmm. I miss you. We all do."
Thabal smiled, her throat tightening a little. But the smile wasn't a happy one. It was a bitter and taunting smile. They missed her? How funny. This must have been the funniest joke she have ever heard. She inhaled a deep breathe in and looked at the shirt again.
"Okay" was all she said. Her sister chuckled at it.
"Good. Ng gi flight details toh khanghallaku ko once it's done. I'll let mom know, she'll be thrilled." Thabal didn't said anything. She will be anything but thrilled and happy. They exchanged a few more words before the call ended.
(Let me know your flight details)
Thabal sat quietly for a moment after hanging up. The idea of home wrapped around her like a blanket - the familiar hills of Imphal, her mother's daily taunts, the distasteful look, the comparison and insults.
Meera, still scrolling on her bed across the room, looked up and noticed the grim expression.
"What happened?" she asked. Thabal inhaled a deep breathe in and leaned her head against the wall.
"My sister called. They want me to come home. To Imphal." This made both Meera and Shreya pause. They know. Home was never a comfort place for Thabal. Instead it was a nightmare.
"For how long?" Shreya asked.
"A few weeks. Vacation, after all." Thabal replied. Meera's brows shot up at it.
"Jarurat nahi. Ek week pe hi aajana. No need to stay at that guttaral place for more than a week" she said sternly. Shreya nodded her head, agreeing.
Thabal looked away but didn't said anything. Her thoughts slowly drifted to something, or rather, someone else.
Vikram.
Would she see him before she left Would he even want to? Would he say something?
She glanced down at her phone. For the first time that day, she considered texting him. But she hesitated, unsure if she should. Not yet.
For now, she packed her thoughts gently, like folded clothes in a suitcase, and began to prepare for Imphal.
_____________☁️___________
Hope you like it
Stay safe sweeties🌻🦋
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