Salt to Taste

My other half.

An awkward stare that continues for minutes makes both Neil's and Pallavi's hearts go thump with each passing second. Neil finally clears his throat snapping the beauty in front of him from her to reality. There is still some reddish tinge to the back of his neck will is hidden properly with his free-flowing hair.

"I can come later if you want to"

He says in his husky voice moving his adam's apple that happens to catch Pallavi's eyes making her gulp the lump grown in her throat.

It's not like I have never seen a man's adam apple before then why the hell am I behaving as if I am in my sweet sixteen's for heaven's sake.

I must shoo away the inner devil.

Taking a deep breath, Pallavi pulls the pallu of her saree draping her completely and says looking at Neil who is trying his best to avoid her gaze.

"It's okay you can come in, should I turn on the fan? You look hot."

Neil's eyes jolt towards making him pause his actions of trying to pull a chair out from the study table.

This woman is intending to kill me today making me blush to my limit!

Realising her words could be intended in another way Pallavi panics and starts explaining herself with her head moving negatively the whole time

"No, no I was not intending to say that, in that way, you know. Do you get what I mean? I mean I was not intending to tell you you are hot! Like you are, but I was not saying it another way. I mean can you...you know...I just...."

He stands there ready to hear my further explanation while I stand in front of him with total loss of words.

Realising her babbling which she wanted to make as an explanation going down the waters she stares at his eyes mouthing inaudible words which he is trying to understand but is quite not successful in it. They both pause their actions of miming and finally break in laughing about the entire situation.

I am not used to talking to girls, especially the pretty once and here I am laughing wholeheartedly with a person I have known for almost about the past nineteen minutes. And one thing is for sure, she holds the most beautiful laughter I have ever heard. Makes me feel to make her laugh like this again.

Our laughter subsides gradually and by the time we both are sobered up I find my cheeks increasing their temperature making me turn on the fan involuntary. This intur. Make my saree pallu flap away escaping the loose grip of my palms.

I look at Neil devastated, but he seems cool about it, he swiftly removes his blazer offering me to were that instead which I gladly accept. Though it has been only a couple of moments between us I find us accustomed to each other already. As I swiftly drape his oversized blazer over my limbs the masculine cologne on his blazer surrounds me overpowering my florescent perfume.

It's warm and feels nice. I pull the sleeves of his blazer folding them near my elbow to allow my wrist to peep out of his blazer. I sit on my bed while he occupies the study chair placed nearby. Light laughter still playing on his face makes me smile deeply.

"So?"

I ask breaking the silence and he nods slowly speculating what to say further.

She sits there like a tiny bead of pearl wrapped in a black cloth wearing my blazer. I had soo much on my mind to ask her but looking at her present situation especially her wrapped in my clothing can't seem to leave my brains at the moment. 'Neil stop all this, and ask her something, after all, it's about your future.'

What must I ask, 'you like women who had never been in a relationship isn't it? Ask her if she had any past relations.' I dont think that will be a polite way of starting our conversation.

Neils life has taught him that women switch men based on their bank balances, so he always intended to marry a person who will be his first and he shall be her first for all life experiences. To others, his idealogues may sound a bit cruel in comparison to the current world, but to him, he needed a life that's the opposite of his fathers.

Adjusting himself on the chair Neil crosses his legs one above the other straightening his t-shirt he looks straight into Pallavi's eyes.

"May I ask you a question?"

"Yes," she replies nervously.

"Forgive me if I have crossed my boundaries but since we happen to get married soon if everything goes well, then I wish to know about your past life, a brief idea of what kind of person you are who did you meet and etcetera."

He wants to know about my oast, as in about the people I have dated before, 'red flag girl, he is one of the men who judge you based on you passed while they hold the shadiest once. '

I dont think so, he looks quite contemporary. 'Dont believe the aesthetic honey you never know'

But he is right about one thing, I also intend to know about his past, if he had any story with any girl or something, it's mutual. He just wants to know me before meeting him is all, and so do I. I dont see any harm in this.

'So what? You want to tell him about Alok?'

Again I find myself dipping this heaviness where my emotions feel like tons of kgs more than my body. I won't tell him about it, and what's there to tell anyway. It was a misunderstanding and a teenage madness that all.

"Well, I didn't have a very colourful life, like it was a normal one, friends, after college canteen talks, first saree experience and spending time with my family, have had a smooth life, with no downs and surely no ups as well.

I have got the job of my dreams and I am working towards it.

What about you?"

"Well nothing out of ordinary here as well, just a ... Nothing much you see. We both share a common life experience I guess."

I seize my mouth as soon as I was about to talk about my family. My thoughts are interrupted as soon as a white Persian cat jumps on my lap making me eep in surprise.

"Giggles*

Pallavi giggles at his reaction while he stays still not knowing what to do further.

" say hi to Vishwa my life."

She says petting the purring cat who is sitting on Neil's lap as if he owns it.

"Hi Vishwa," say, Neil trying to pick the fat cat but its fluid body lips are on his lap and he curls himself to sleep.

"He loves you, now he won't leave you."

Pallavi enlightens him with her cat knowledge to which Neil acknowledges with a nod.

"You want me to pick him up for you?"

"No it's okay, it's just that.." I dont know where to keep my hands now that the cat has occupied my lap.

Despite my rejection, Pallavi stands up ready to pick the cat from my lap feeling the uneasiness displaying on my face. I feel kinda relieved since it takes me some time to get accustomed to any animal may that be a human or a cat.

But the interesting part that happens next is something which I am currently unable to categorise as fortunate or unfortunate.

While the first half of it is fortunate and showed me a tiny trip to heaven the second half had me in the deep ocean of embarrassment chaining me with a sunk ship beneath.

And know what happened next?

.

*slow opera musical in the background*

Pallavi while trying to pick the cat off of Neil's lap happens to trip on her saree which is not very accustomed to, and in turn, misses her balance making her leap front and about to fall on Neil,

Assuming the tension that will be created further, Vishwa lepas out of Neils lap and goes under the bed as usual.

The wooden door that was hiding this act from their family creeks open slowly revealing the smiley faces of her dad and his grandpa who were ready to interrogate the couple about their plans.

Unable to go against gravity, Pallavi holds the chair arms for support while her long hair creates a visual curtain between them and their dads standing at the threshold of her room.

Neil is staring at the beauty up close while his vision lingers between her eyes and her lips which a half-open due to the shock.

He can feel her mint breadth since her face is just inches apart. While her gaze is trying to hold his eyes so that he does not concentrate on her lips.

The urge of covering her lips with mine becomes so strong that I leap further giving in to the situation and brush her lips with mine making me want to pull her on my lap instead of the cat,

Anyway, her thick locks are protecting my act.

Her eyes widen for a split second and followed by a furrow in her brows, I am sure she is confused where the mishap of the situation is to be blamed on her stupidity of my lust.

The door creaks again with a heavy voice stating.

"We will not disturb you further"

Followed by my grandpa's voice which says.

"I think we must start the preparation of the marriage and will soon hear the news about my great-grandchild."

"Forgive me for my daughter's insolence sir, I never knew she was such a..."

"It's okay Raghav, you know this is the time when we must speak about women empowerment, she is an independent woman of her thoughts and freedom that all."

The voice dies down as they move further and Pallavi stumbles back trying to stand straight with a jerk.

She gives me a quizzical look while touching her lips involuntarily, but is silent and is still processing the entire situation in that tiny brain of hers.

Pushing the thoughts running in my mind about the kiss, I walk behind appa wanting to explain to him the entire situation too.

"it's not that Appa, it's not what you think. It was a purely accidental I swear!"

I sit calmly taking in the entire situation, and let me tell you, I am loving his panicked Pallavi. She runs behind her Appa trying to explain the situation which I dont how will the family take keeping in mind that she exited the room wearing my blazer and she did find her all over me just seconds ago.

I find myself smiling like a lunatic and my gaze falls on her Payal that has fallen on the threshold because of her hurried steps. I pick up the jewellery and watch the silvery chain shine in my palm thinking to myself.

I think I found her, my other half.

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