38 Eating Ice Dic
The next morning, the bustling railway platform was filled with the sharp whistles of departing trains, the steady hum of morning commuters, and the stubborn, unrelenting protests of one Diya Raizada.
Diya stood beside the open door of the train compartment, her arms crossed tightly over her chest and her bottom lip pushed out in an exaggerated pout.
"I still cannot believe you two," she grumbled for what felt like the hundredth time since sunrise. "Abandoning me like this! I have to travel all the way back home alone!"
Niyati let out a long, weary sigh, resting her hands on her hips as she faced her best friend.
"Diya, yaar, we've been over this fifty times! It's only for a few extra days!"
"A few days is a really long time!" Diya countered dramatically, narrowing her eyes. "I have to sit through this long train ride all by myself, without my best friend to gossip with. You two completely manipulated me! You used my innocent, good nature against me!"
Ansh was coming down the metal steps of the compartment after securing Diya's heavy bags beneath her lower berth when he caught the tail end of her dramatic speech. A quiet, amused chuckle escaped him as he stepped onto the platform, casually wiping his hands against his dark jeans.
"If by 'manipulated' you mean we promised to buy you that jacket you've been eyeing for three weeks," Ansh remarked smoothly, leaning against the doorframe of the carriage, "then yes, we completely manipulated you."
"That jacket was emotional compensation!" Diya shot back instantly, though the corner of her lips twitched before she quickly reinstated her glare.
Niyati shook her head and stepped closer, taking Diya's hands into her own.
"Diya, please... try to understand. Think about how the last few weeks have been. First, we were back home in Mumbai for our revision week, separated from him. Then we came back to the hostel here in Delhi for exams, and even though Ansh was right in the same city,
we barely got to spend a single proper hour together because I was buried under textbooks the entire time!"
Diya looked down at their joined hands before glancing toward her brother. Ansh was watching Niyati with a quiet intensity in his eyes, the softness of his expression impossible to hide.
Slowly, the dramatic pout on Diya's face began to disappear.
Beneath all her teasing and theatrical complaints, she wasn't actually angry.
She had watched the two of them closely over the past month.
She knew how difficult the distance had been for them-first when they were miles apart, and then when they were in the same city during exams but barely had any time together.
And now, with the upcoming two-month semester break meaning another long separation once Niyati eventually returned home to Mumbai, Diya understood why these few stolen days together in Delhi meant so much to them.
She let out a heavy, defeated sigh and rolled her eyes in fond resignation.
"Fine... you two are utterly, hopelessly in love. It's sickening."
Niyati blinked, her face instantly lighting up with hope.
"Really? You're not mad?"
"I am still mad about traveling alone," Diya grumbled, although a genuine, warm smile finally broke through her stony expression.
Opening her arms wide, she pulled both Niyati and Ansh into a big group hug right there on the busy platform.
"I'm only letting you off the hook because I know how much you guys missed each other."
Pulling back slightly, Diya looked between them, a wicked, mischievous glint appearing in her eyes.
"Now... enjoy your little week together, you two. But if you don't bring me back extra sweets when you finally come home, I am never forgiving either of you!"
Niyati flushed a brilliant shade of pink, laughing breathlessly, while Ansh chuckled and pulled his sister into a brief, fond headlock before kissing the top of her head.
"Deal. Call us the second you reach home, okay?"
"I will! Now move, the train is starting!"
A long, loud whistle echoed across the tracks, followed by the low groan of the heavy metal wheels as the train began to move.
Diya stepped up into the carriage doorway, holding tightly onto the handrail as the train gradually picked up speed.
Niyati and Ansh stepped back together on the platform, his fingers naturally sliding down to intertwine with hers. Standing side by side, they waved at Diya as she leaned out of the doorway, waving back enthusiastically with a huge, radiant grin.
They continued waving until the train slowly rounded the curve and disappeared into the distance.
Stepping away from the crowded platform, Niyati welcomed the cool, air-conditioned sanctuary of Ansh's car after the lingering morning heat of Delhi.
She settled into the front passenger seat and glanced toward the rear, where her small overnight bag rested securely, packed with enough clothes for the week ahead.
A subtle, thrilled flutter danced in her stomach.
For the first time in months, there were no secrets to keep, no exams to panic over, and no curfew to rush back for.
It was just the two of them, with an entire week stretched out ahead of them in his apartment.
Ansh started the engine and shifted into gear, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips as he glanced at her.
"So... no hostel, no textbooks, and no Diya to interrupt us."
Niyati leaned back against her headrest, a brilliant smile lighting up her face.
"Just us."
They drove to a quiet, upscale restaurant, where the afternoon passed in an easy, joyous blur.
Away from the pressure of the past few weeks, they lingered over a lavish lunch, sharing bites from each other's plates, laughing effortlessly, and catching up on everything they hadn't been able to say during their rushed phone calls.
When they finally walked out of the restaurant, Niyati spotted an artisanal ice cream parlour across the tree-lined street.
Her eyes immediately lit up.
She tugged on Ansh's sleeve.
"Ice cream! We have to get ice cream, Ansh."
"You just ate a full lunch," Ansh pointed out, though his fond expression gave away the fact that he was already walking in its direction.
A few moments later, they were sitting side by side on a shaded bench outside the parlour.
Ansh leaned back lazily, holding a simple cup of chocolate gelato, while Niyati happily enjoyed a thick, cylindrical vanilla ice cream bar coated in a rich layer of dark chocolate.
She took a bite, letting out a soft sigh of appreciation as she licked a stray drop of melting cream from the smooth chocolate surface. Completely absorbed in her treat, she paid no attention to the way she was savoring every delicious bite.
Beside her, Ansh suddenly went still.
His spoon remained suspended above his cup as his dark eyes settled on her. Something in his expression shifted, his gaze taking on an unmistakable intensity.
He swallowed heavily before leaning closer, his face only inches from hers.
Then, lowering his voice, he murmured near her ear, his deep voice carrying a quiet, dangerous edge-
"Niyati, baby... when you lick it like that, all I can see is you taking my dick into your mouth." His breath brushed hot against her skin as his jaw tightened. "Please eat it properly. I'm getting hard right here on the street."
Niyati froze, her ice cream hovering inches from her lips. A sudden wave of intense heat rushed straight up her neck, painting her cheeks a deep, fiery crimson. She turned to stare at him, her eyes wide with shocked amusement.
"Ansh! Kuch bhi?!" she gasped, looking around nervously to make sure nobody had overheard his shameless remark.
"I'm just stating facts," Ansh murmured, his hooded eyes burning into hers, devoid of any regret. "I'm genuinely turned on right now."
"You are unbelievable," Niyati grumbled, giving his shoulder a firm push while a breathless blush stole over her face.
She opened her mouth to take another normal bite, but as her eyes caught the heavy, dark hunger in his gaze, a sudden spark of daring confidence flickered in her chest. If he wanted to play this game, she wasn't going to back down.
Slowly, deliberately, Niyati locked her gaze directly with his.
With unhurried precision, she brought the cylinder of vanilla and chocolate back to her lips. She didn't bite it.
Instead, keeping her eyes fixed firmly on his, she parted her lips and slowly wrapped them around the tip, letting her tongue trace a long, slow stroke up the entire length before pulling away with a soft, deliberate pop.
Ansh's breath hitched violently in his chest. His grip tightened around his paper cup so hard the cardboard crushed under his fingers, a muscle feathering wildly along his jawline as his chest rose and fell in heavy, exaggerated breaths.
Satisfied with the devastating impact of her move, Niyati pulled the ice cream back, a slow, wicked smirk curving her glistening lips. "Better?" she purred innocently.
Ansh's dark eyes narrowed, a lethal, possessive glint flashing beneath his long lashes. The muscle in his jaw worked overtime as he stared at her glistening lips, his entire posture stiffening with an overwhelming, raw hunger.
"You think you're very clever, don't you?" he rasped out, his voice dropping into a dangerous, gravelly register that vibrated straight down Niyati's spine.
Niyati simply tilted her head, her eyes sparkling with playful defiance as she took another slow, deliberate lick of her ice cream, completely unbothered by the sheer intensity radiating off him. "I'm just enjoying my ice cream, Ansh. You're the one with the dirty mind."
Ansh let out a low, dark chuckle, tossing his half-eaten gelato cup into a nearby bin. He didn't say another word. Instead, he reached over, grabbed her wrist with a firm, unyielding grip, and pulled her off the bench.
"Hey! What are you doing?" Niyati gasped, her heart taking a sudden, thrilling leap into her throat.
"We're going home," Ansh grunted, his long strides carrying them briskly toward the car. "Right now."