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Sunday, 10th March, 04:05.
Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station, South Delhi.

........

The daily super fast Dakshin Express came to a halt with a loud screeching noise, on platform number six of Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station. After being operated in an average speed of 56.61 kilometre per hour, to cross distance of 1670 kilometre, the train took 29 hours and 30 minutes to finally reach it's destination on the third day of it's journey.

All the twenty three coaches of the express train got a jolt as the locomotive operator applied the brake.

Ad'ifaah Shafaq, who was sleeping peacefully till now, woke up with the sudden jolt as the train stopped and sat upright in her berth, looking around alarmed. It was as if a sudden button was switched on in her nervous system, telling her about the destination.

Raihaan Sheikh, who has been unknowingly staring at her since last few minutes, got startled seeing her almost jumping in her seat and bumping her head in the upper berth, where the old lady was sitting. She rubbed her forehead with her right palm and looked outside the window which had one way mirror glass, to confirm that she reached her station.

“May I have your attention please? 12721 Hyderabad-Hazrat Nizamuddin Dakshin superfast express has arrived on platform number six!”

As the announcement was made loud and clear, the sleepy passengers of the train started gathering their things from above the berths and below the berths. Had it been another station, passengers would have been in hurry to ascend and descend the train, but this one being the last one, made all of them relaxed as they gathered their things lazily.

The old lady above Ad'ifaah's berth, was struggling to get down, once again with her husband's help. As she fixed her dupatta properly on her shoulders, Ad'ifaah dangled her legs down on the train's floor, which had stopped moving now, after three long days of continuous moving, apart from two minutes short rests, it got whenever train halted at those past forty-four stations. She searched for her brown pair of Jutti with her feet, in a sleepy state as she found it lost somewhere beneath the berth.

She smiled at the old lady after she found her Jutti successfully. Ad'ifaah took her small bag and moved to the washroom to get freshen up quickly, to prepare herself for another long and tiring day.

Alas! How badly she wished to be in her bed and sleep for days, to cover up for all the energy that she has lost. But she knew, it wasn't possible for the time being and she won't be able to sleep also, if she got opportunity. She had lost her peace!

Raihaan saw her moving while he took his phone and called his friend. He called again and again but his friend was too busy with his slumber to reply him. Finally, on ninth ring, his sleepy friend woke up as Raihaan could hear the sleepy groan from other side.

“If you had to sleep like this then why didn't you send me the tickets earlier? ”

Raihaan heald his head, getting tired of his friend's carelessness, regarding everything. He spoke further;

“Before I was on edge of missing my train and now it seems I'll get stuck again, thanks to your Majesty!”

Raihaan heard his friend apologize.

“Okay! Send it immediately. ”

He said before disconnecting the call as he started gathering his things. He took the charger from socket, airpods from one corner of berth, water bottle from the bottle stand and socks from another corner and placed them in his duffle bag.

That's when his eyes caught the book which was laying beneath the front berth. He picked it up and turned the pages.

Ad'ifaah Shafaq.
10th March, 2022.
12:08 AM.

Raihaan read the words and digits written on the right corner of first page,  in cursive letters. Date was fine but time? Strange! He thought. It was the same book which she was reading.

He kept the book too in his bag, to pass it later, to her. He started wearing his socks and then shoes, that's when his phone beeped and he took a sigh of relief.

Raihaan found he sent him bus tickets, which his friend might have booked for him last night. Checking the described destination his eyes widened a bit and lips shaped in a small ‘o’, as he was surprised. He again called his lazy friend.

“Now what's this? Why didn't you tell me earlier about the place, I would have prepared myself.”

He said, while holding his phone with right hand and rubbing his temple with his left hand.

“Didn't get ticket of any other place at such last moment. This also I managed with difficulty. ”

“Alright!”

Raihaan left a frustrated sigh. Though he didn't mind going there, he'd love to go but he knew that he was unprepared.

Taking his bag he got up and went to the care taker of that AC Two Tier coach,  who was gathering all the towels, bed sheets, pillows and blankets from each berth, which passengers left in hurry. The man threw all the things in one blanket which he had spread on one of the berth, ready to make a big bundle and send it to washers before those things could be used for another journey. He was counting the pillows when Raihaan came to him.

“Brother, can I get one of these blankets for few days? I'll return it back as soon as possible. It's necessary.”

The care taker looked at him up and down with a weird expression, thinking when others take away these things as if it's their own, why this man was asking his permission. He remembered Raihaan who had been nothing but friendly with him in last thirty hours and had offered him food and drinks whenever he had himself. Still, he wasn't sure that what should he say, humanity inside him asked to give but the responsibility and fear didn't allow as later the superior officers would demand an explanation with a compensation.

Seeing his afraid face, Raihaan thought to offer him some money in exchange. The man agreed and Raihaan gave him two thousand bucks, which were more than needed.

“Thank you, brother. I'll return it, I promise.”

The care taker wanted to tell him that returning wasn't necessary, now that he had paid almost triple than the real amount, but Raihaan had already rushed outside by then.

As he descended on platform, he somehow stuffed the blanket in his already filled duffle bag and his eyes wandered around automatically, searching for her to give her book back.

But she was gone, already!

........

It was still dark outside as the time was 04:30 O'clock. Coming out of the huge premises of Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station, Raihaan moved forward to the building standing tall beside it, which was called 'Sarai Kale Khan-Nizamuddin Metro Station', located on the Pink Line of Delhi Metro.

“I've to go to Kashmiri Gate ISBT, can you guide me, please!?”

He asked at the counter, after checking his bus ticket once again.

“Yes sir! You can take the next train to Lajpat Nagar and from there you've to change to Violet Line to reach the Kashmere Gate.”

Thanking the soft spoken receptionist, Raihaan got a token for Kashmere Gate and went to platform number 2, as the receptionist guided him.

The train came within few minutes and he got inside, with his bag. The train crossed two stations more and in 8th minute, it stopped on fourth station, Lajpat Nagar subway station, where he has to change to violet line metro.

He got down and waited once again for another train which again came soon. Now Raihaan sat a bit relaxed than before as this train will take 36 minutes unlike the last 8 minute long one.

He kept looking at the monitor in front which was indicating names of the stations ahead and in between he looked outside the big glass windows to see this massive metropolitan area, which was the capital of the country. The view from over the bridge was nice. The city looked in chaos whilst it was all calm inside the train. Though he had been to this city many times before too, for work purpose but he never got to see it from this perspective. He never got to travel in public transports.

Announcements could be heard each time a station arrived. After crosssing the 14th station which was Lal Quila, announcement was made again;

“Next station is Kashmere Gate!
Doors will open on right side!”

Raihaan picked up his bag and got ready to leave. Doors opened and he found himself entering in the chaotic world once again. How great it would be if the Train kept moving forever, and he won't have to come out ever. He missed the peace inside the train.

He came out of the station and walked to Kashmiri Gate ISBT which was only few countable steps far from the metro station.

“Maharana Pratap Inter-State Bus Terminus! ”
Raihaan read out the huge board clearly, as it was past 05:30 am now and darkness of night has gone. He got inside the building once again, sighing in tiredness. He wanted to sleep, badly.

The time of the Bus was at 7 am, and there was still a lot of time, but he wanted to reach there first and then relax after that, because he didn't have much idea about buses and all. He couldn't take chance.

He looked around while walking in. The ISBT was open 24/7, but it was quite silent in early morning. Once again he went to counter and asked about his Bus.

Getting the whereabouts of the Bus, he walked to the Bus standing a bit far corner of the cemented ground. Only a few passengers could be seen around the area, as more than one hour was remaining for Bus to depart.

Standing taller than normal Buses, it was a luxury Bus as the journey could take more than 12 hours. Comfort was more important in such long journeys. He confirmed with the Conductor standing near the Bus, and then decided to roam around until the time of departure.

Temperature was less in March and Delhi was in North part of the country, obviously colder than the South part from where Raihaan belonged. And morning chills weren't doing any good to him. He thought what will happen later if this was the situation from now on.

He took out his denim jacket from his bag and wore it, feeling better than before. Taking a Tea from nearby Tea stall, he sipped on to it, and talked to a few passengers sitting on the thin bench in front of tea stall. They were talking about situation of politics and corruption in country while reading newspapers and having tea.

He also checked his phone in between. Battery was less, he needs to charge it soon. Not only phone, his own battery was less after such a long journey and needed to be charged but another journey was awaiting for him, though not as longer as the former one.

He could see from far, more passengers were getting inside the big Bus with each minute passing. When 10 minutes were remaining in Bus's departure he came back to the place where it was standing.

“Come on! Come on!.... Get inside fast, we will start in 10 minutes.”

Conductor was seen shouting and telling people their seats after checking their tickets.

Raihaan also showed his phone and Conductor told him seat number;

“Seat number 16, left row!”

Raihaan went inside after he told the seat. He saw, it was a chair not a sleeper berth and he felt happy about it as he was tired of sitting and laying on train berth already in last thirty hours. Chair seemed comfortable for now.

He found his seat and also found someone was already sitting on seat number fifteen which was the window seat. His own seat was beside aisle.

Rihaan raised his hand upwards to keep his duffle bag in over head compartment which was below upper sleeper berth.

The lady was looking outside the window and her long open hair was flowing lightly in chilled breeze coming from window. He took seat besides her, fitting his giant body with difficulty in this narrow area provided.

Feeling some rustle beside her, she turned her head slowly, while her hair again flowed with sharp wave of wind, almost covering her face.

Raihaan looked at her as she struggled to remove locks of silky hair from her face, with her long fingers. Her face was clear now.

“Lioness!”

Hearing his whisper which even he didn't know when he whispered, she widened her already big eyes.

Two pairs of eyes looked at each other with surprise. Blinking soon after she moved her eyes, in front of her, looking at the backside of the seat in front of her. He too averted his eyes and looked ahead at the narrow way in between the both rows.

While some thoughts rushed to their minds, fast enough.

What a coincidence!!

He thought!

Coincidence Or Conspiracy!?

She thought!

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Finally! Updating after a long time!

Managed to write it in few days and feel like completing today, when I've to go for a Viva Voce exam in next hour. It's like, making me feel good. Facepalming*

Meet the villain of the story in next update!

Dedicating this part to Aiswarya2018!♡

Anyway, hope you're all doing well!

Keep Smiling! (❁´◡'❁)