I walked back to the station knowing he's waiting there with the tickets in hand. Smiling I fixed my shawl, so it doesn't think of falling down.

The moment I step foot at the station, I spot him—his suit glistening in the early morning light. His eyes catch mine as I approach. Stopping near him, "Have you been waiting long, Siddhu?"

A chuckle escaped him. "I don't mind waiting for you, since we promised each other. After all we are getting married."

The announcement that the train will leave soon blared overhead. But his eyes never left mine. "Shall we get on?"

"We shall, Annie," he replied which made my heart skip a beat.

We got on the train together but everything felt like a distant dream. The seat we got was the one facing each other. Single seats.

By the time I sat down he had already taken a seat. Our knees brushed sending electric waves up and down my spine as I took my seat. He didn't say a word. And he didn't move his knees away.

A family was next to us on the other wide section of seats. From the look I could tell they spoke Malayalam. "Evide poovua?" (Where are you going?)

The woman who asked wasn't much older than me or maybe is older by a few years. Resting on her chest is a little kid. "Trivandrum, ningal?" I asked when I already knew that answer. (Trivandrum, you?)

"Oh pinne, ee trainil ollu ellavarum angotta." (Oh really, everyone on this train is headed there)

I looked at Siddharth begging him silently not to say anything and ruin it.

"Husband aano?" She asked pointing to him. (Is he your husband)

"We just got engaged," Siddharth replied for me because I wasn't saying anything. My mouth hung open from the way he answered it like a pro.

After the initial shock I held his hand. Hopefully this is more believable. His hands were rough but there is a softness to it.

She nodded and looked at our hands. I put my other hand on top and squeezed them. When she looked away I pulled my hands back.

The train picked up its pace and I occasionally glanced back at him, a smile plastered on my face. Why is this so hard make people believe? My shawl fell down which I didn't notice.

Our eyes meet, his hands on my shawl. What is he doing? Before I can question he pulls the shawl back on my head and adjusts it.

My cheeks painted a bright pink. He sat down after adjusting it for me. I touched it, and he was trying not to look at me. Naughty boy.

"You two make a nice couple," the woman says to us, watching us.

We both thank her at the same time. The train ride was quiet, a soft sort of quiet. It's comforting and not eerie. His gaze was fixed outside. Probably watching the fields we were passing by.

His phone rang after an about three or four minutes so excused himself and got up to take the call. I watched his sexy back retreat to a space where I won't overhear his conversation.

What is that phone call? I glanced back, watching as he talked into his phone softly. He must have ended the call cause his gaze was on me–a soft hazy type gaze. Like there's concern floating in them.

He walked back to our compartment and I watched as he did so. When he sat down I asked without thinking. "What was that phone call about?"

No answer. Just silence. And a soft gaze set on me. What could have that been? "Work," he said finally after a minute more of awkward silence. "A delay in the system."

"What, like a tech glitch?"

"You could say that," he replied looking everywhere but into my eyes.

"Right, I'm sure the tech has some major issues right about now," I say, my voice teetering on the edge of explosion.

And then we didn't speak. I rested my head back against the seat, eyes narrowed on him. Siddharth whatever you're hiding I'm gonna find out.

The train danced its whole journey to Trivandrum in our silent music. A criminal justice student like me needs to know what's going on. Or I'm gonna find it out myself.

When it finally arrived, he got up like his behind was cast on fire. "Let's get off."

And then he walked away like I offended him. I got up and stepped onto the platform after giving myself a minute.

There he was among the many college students, chai vendors and office workers—a dot in the crowd.

"Siddhu!" I shout, hoping my voice reached his ears. It's like he's deaf. He didn't even turn around.