“Sonia, you can’t leave without having dinner! You must be hungry. Reena led her to the dining table.” Mrs. Nair tugged Sonia towards Reena to approach the dining room.

“It’s ok Aunty, I am really late. Don’t want to worry Mom.” Sonia explained.

“It’s ok. I will call your mom and tell her that you are having dinner here.” saying so Mrs. Nair went to call Mrs. Menon.

“Chech. Please tell Aunty not to insist.” Sonia looked with pleading eyes towards Reena.

“Can’t do. Once mom decides anything. Nobody can go against her!” Reena raised her hand in defeat.

Just then Vinod walked in the living room.

“Today was very tiring! Reena!” Vinod called her name not aware of the fact of the people in the living room.

“Hey, your home. Look who’s here.”

“Oh hi, Sonia. How are you? Long-time no see.” Vinod asked her smiling.

“I am fine, Brother.” Sonia smilingly replied.

Just then Mrs. Nair came in the living room smilingly. She gestured everyone to join her in the dining room. She side-hugged Sonia leading her to the dining room.

“No, Aunty I am full, I can’t have anymore.” Sonia crossed her hand on her plate as a gesture to stop Mrs. Nair from serving her more food.

“Have a little more. You have to take care of your health. See you have become so thin from the last time I saw you.” Saying so she loaded Sonia’s plate with food.

Sonia just smiled and started eating the extra food.

The dinner went well, wherein Vinay was constantly glancing at Sonia keeping in mind not to creep her out!

They all approached the living room. Sonia took her bag to leave. But Mrs. Nair gestured her that Vinay will drop her home.

“I-Its ok, Aunty. I will book a cab.” Sonia glanced at Vinay and said to Mrs. Nair.

“At this hour! No! we can’t risk it. Besides your mom will be worried If you went in a cab. Better to go with a known person than in a cab at this time!” Mrs. Nair said worriedly.

Vinay was more than happy to take this opportunity. Which was puzzling him and yet he wanted to spend quality time with her.

Sonia was also worried at this hour in a cab, as she was never this late out.

She thought it might be okay to go with Vinay, as he is her dad’s best friend’s son.

“Guess you are right. Hope I am not troubling you Mr. Vinay.” Sonia turned to Vinay making an apologetic face.

Awe! She is so cute with that face! Thought Vinay crunching his eyebrow.

“No! I-its ok.” saying that he took his car keys in lightning speed opening the front door, gesturing Sonia towards the front porch smilingly.

Reena and Vinod were secretly smiling at his gesture, while Mrs. Nair was totally confused at her son’s behaviour. Cause he was never this excited to help anyone besides them!

Sonia smiled at the other members bidding farewell.

Since Vinay was not aware of Sonia’s home address. He suggested for her to share her number wherein to share her house location.

“Have you got it? Mr. Vinay” Sonia asked.

“Yes. Got it.” Vinay said starting the car engine.

“Ok.” Sonia said with a confused look.

The whole ride was filled with solace with the constant shift of gears and the rumbling of the tyres, with two souls sitting on their respective seats not bothering to interact with each other.

They didn’t know when they reached their destination.

Sonia got off the car and turned to Vinay.

“Thank you for the ride. Guess its bye then.” Sonia smiled tugging her bag.

“Guess so.” Vinay said with a cold nod.

“Bye, G-good night” Sonia said waiting for a response.

“Hm”

She didn’t wait after that and turned to move in the house.

Vinay observed the fading figure disappearing through the front gate. 

Sonia came out of her bathroom wiping her wet hair with a towel. She grabbed her phone to check for mails or calls.

Ring! Ring!

She saw a notification from an unknown number.

“Hope, I didn’t disturb your sleep!”

“Who is this!”

“It’s me, Vinay. You didn’t store my number!”

“Oh, actually I forgot! And no, I was about to sleep”

“Oh, ok”

‘……’ Sonia glanced at the phone.

“Ok…?”

“Ok”

“Good night?” Sonia said with a confused thought.

“Hm”

Sonia was puzzled at his sudden call and ignoring it she went to hit for her slumber.

‘Why did I call her! What’s wrong with me!??’ thought Vinay whilst scratching his head.

He groaned and went to the washroom to do his night routine.

In the morning

“So, tell me when are you going to tell your parents about us!?” asked Ronny.

“I need time, Ronny! I can’t just tell them about us. You know how difficult it is for me to deal with this whole situation and then there is my brother’s wedding on top of it. Please try to understand.” Sonia said sipping her coffee.

“So, don’t we have to think about our wedding and future?” Ronny was getting furious.

“Wedding!? Ronny, are you mad? I just started my career. We have our whole life to settle down. Just not now.” Sonia was shocked at his sudden revelations.

Ronny crossed his arms and relaxed on the chair looking at his sides with creased eyebrows.

Sonia knew that look. She just shrugged. She grabbed his hands and caressed her thumb over his fingers.

“I know you want to tell the world about us. But think about me too. I want to get married to you. J-just not now...” Sonia glanced at Ronny for a response.

“But you can introduce me to your parents, right!? I mean there is no harm in that.” Ronny finally asked Sonia looking for her answer.

Sonia went silent looking down.

Ronny took back his hand and called the waiter for the check.

Sonia caught his wrist “Ok, how about after my brother’s wedding, I will approach my parents about us and tell them about us. Alright?!” Sonia gave a pleading look to Ronny.

Ronny nodded in agreement, gaining a smile from Sonia.

They hugged each other and parted to their respective workplace.

Ronny was Sonia’s college senior. He had expressed his feelings to Sonia in her second year of college. Primarily, she was not interested in his proposal, but in time, he was able to wring her in his little finger.

He knew Sonia was the best suited for him. He wanted her for himself. He was so possessive that he won’t even let her meet her own friends for more than a few times. Which was once in a millennium. Sonia was sometime irritated of his behaviour, but she wavered it off every time. That was Ronny’s advantage.

Knowing Sonia’s nature very well, Ronny knew that she would never betray him.

He had his separate intention with her, which even his friends were not aware of.

In their two years of knowing each other, he knew everything about Sonia. But Sonia was only aware of his parents and few close friends. Apart from that he was smart enough to not disclose about himself.

It was like he was waiting for that specific time. The time which will decide his future, his yearning, his reason to approach her and make her his own.

But only time was the answer for the present situation.

Sonia, Ronny, Vinay – the protagonist in the specific precinct of their life.

What does the future lay for them?