City At Night

"I have no idea."

For the next few minutes, Neel stood there staring at Aisha, thinking about what she had just said. He knew that to some extent she was right, still didn't want to believe it as well.

He was confused and didn't know how to deal with this situation. While he was deep in his thought trying to find ways to stop the marriage at any cost, another problem popped out in front of him. 'Ria. Shit! I forgot about her. What if—'

"You should leave now if you have nothing to say. Cough!" Aisha coughed for the next few seconds and continued after that. "Also, before you leave, brother. I want to let you know that although this might be good news for me. It isn't. Think about it, with this, I will be free from my misery. I'll be able to escape this hell of a life, I am living. But then again, I love you both so much I do not wish to get separated from you two. Brother? Can I ask something from you for the first and the last time? Can I?"

An awkward silence surrounded between the two siblings. Neel fell deep in thought. He clearly felt the sudden change in his sister's tone. Until now it felt like she was threatening him and now suddenly, she is asking for help. Aisha's smile seemed genuine and lovely, like always but something didn't feel right. 'Since when did she become a two faced bitch? Or could it be she was always like that? —'

" Brother? " Aisha said in her ethereal voice.

Neel broke through his thoughts and finally replied to Aisha, " Yes. What might it be? "

" Convince father to stop this marriage. Brother. Please. I beg you. " Aisha joined her two hands in front of him and looked at the ground innocently.

" I'll see what I can do. " Saying this, Neel left the room, making Aisha feel she succeeded.

"Never knew things would become so easy, just by building an icy wall around my heart and breaking it to look loving when needed, A two faced bitch. Pathetic. Heh!" Aisha whispered but loud enough for Maya to hear.

"Isn't that called being smart and using your skills at the time of crises? What's wrong in that? It can be called evil but—" Maya asked.

" It seems you have started understanding me." Aisha smiled at Maya.

" Indeed. " She closed her eyes." However, it becomes difficult for me to understand the real you. Miss." After looking at the ground for a while, maintaining the silence. She looked at Aisha, who was interestingly listening to her. " I no longer know the true Aisha. The true you. Was she the one who was sweet and angelic in the past? Or is she the present you?"

" And how is the present me, Maya? " Aisha asked, trying to understand Maya's true feelings towards her.

" The present you—" she paused before speaking her mind out. "Pardon me if I say anything offensive, Miss. The present you is evil. Like a villainess. Someone I must fear but deep inside feel love towards."

Maya had fear in her eyes but trust in her heart towards Aisha and that was reflected on her face. But she was curious if Maya liked this present Aisha or the past one. However, instead of asking, Aisha chose save that question for some other time. She was a bit skeptical that the answer might not be in her favor.

———•———

Maya pulled Aisha out of her newly renovated room to roam around the city. She had so many places she wanted to show to her lady. But could only make a list of it as she had no hopes of actually achieving them. And then everything changed, suddenly.

Aisha stepped out of a black BMW limousine, a little away from the hotel they had been meaning to go for the dinner. It was a dark evening illuminated by beautiful street lights and LEDs under the metro treks. Aisha looked around and enjoyed the majestic view that she was witnessing.

She stood there, lost in the mesmerizing beauty of the city at night. Lights were shining everywhere, drawings on the wall, a 3D sign saying 'I love Mumbai'. The road was full of beautiful and different cars.

People walking on the sidewalks. Some crazy people running to cross the main road and some homeless sitting under the metro bridge. So much diversity in one picture made Aisha wonder, how everyone was getting along with each other. 'How can so many people move around in such a wide world without colliding into each other?'

Maya grabbed Aisha's hand, who was curiously moving towards the main road to get a proper view of the scenery that her heart ached for. Just then a metro passed in front of Aisha. Its golden light flashed into her eyes and caught her in amusement. The sight of small windows of light traveling above the land, and passing by at a tremendous speed made Aisha want to travel it once.

"Beautiful," she said once the metro had passed. She couldn't take her eyes off it until it disappeared.

"Miss, we are supposed to go to this restaurant. Please, follow me." Aisha followed Maya, however her mind was captured by the world she had never seen. She could only get the glimpse of the city at night by the car window. This was the first time she got to see it outside that window. Moreover, she was walking among people she didn't know and had never met.

They entered the restaurant, which looked luxurious not just from the outside but also from the inside. "This is the first and best luxury hotel in India," Maya added, they took a seat near the window from where the queen's necklace, Marin drive was visible. It is huge and stretches up to 3.6 km along the Arabian Sea.

A waiter stood in front of them with a huge tray held by both his hands. He placed two glasses of water and a beautiful handmade glass bottle filled with water in front of them. Another one placed the menu book on the table and said, "Let us know when you are ready to order." He bowed and left to the next table to offer them a menu as well.

"What should we order miss?" Maya asked. Aisha opened the menu book and was taken aback by reading the price of a mere cup of tea. It was 355 rupees. "Isn't this way too costly Maya?"

"Miss," Maya whispered. "You wanted to go to the most luxurious restaurant. And so here we are. This is how costly luxury is. Now, that we are here we must drink at least some juice or anything. We can't embarrass ourselves."

"No, it's not that I can't afford this. Father gave me a credit card." Aisha waved her credit card in front of Maya. Maya pushed Aisha's hand down to hide it and scanned around the room.

"We can afford this. I am just surprised by the price it portrays. Wasn't the coffee from the other day cheaper than this tea? Anyways, you can order whatever you want. I'm not sure what all these dishes are."