Yes or No

The atmosphere around them was tensed, Hridhaan was frozen in his seat, the music that was being played in the restaurant was like drowning noise in the background for him.

There was only silence both hadn't uttered a word, Nisha looked at Hridhaan with her breath held, while Hridhaan just stared at the small velvet box on the table that had been put in front of him. He had a lot of questions in his mind but all of them were just jumbled up in his mind, he pushed his fingers through his hair. He hadn't blink for once, he just stared at the box. This was the third time that he had received this velvet box. For the past two years, Nisha had been proposing to him. And he had rejected her both times. What would be the answer today? Only Hridhaan knew that.

He slowly brought his hand towards the small box, not once blinking, his heart pounding loudly against his ribcage, his hands were sweaty as he brought his hands closer to pick the box from the table. He knew very well what inside the box was. He took the box in his hand and looked at Nisha awkwardly and smiled nervously at her. He glanced at the box in his hand.

Nisha observed him keenly, he was nervous, there was hesitation, and her smile slowly started to disappear from her lips. Slowly her excitement, happiness, and nervousness started to fade away, and fear started to take place. She stared at him and he was staring at the box in his hands.

Hridhaan took a sharp breath in and opened the box and let out a nervous chuckle, there was a golden ring in the box. He didn't need to open it, he knew from the moment what in the box was when it was put in front of him. He closed the box and put it back on the table and said, "you're kidding me right?" He closed the lid of the box and put it back on the table and looked at her.

The hope that shone in Nisha's eyes faded away, her hope was crushed by his indecent rejection that was disguised as a question.

Nisha didn't know what to say, she just stared at him, tears had appeared in her eyes. She blinked her tears away, mustered courage, and said in a low voice, "No."

And looked away from him.

Hridhaan watched her, he felt miserable for her sadness, he couldn't blame anyone else for it, he was the reason.

Nisha looked at Hridhaan and their eyes locked on each other. They didn't talk, they only gazed into each other eyes, their eyes reflected the emotions that they felt at that moment. They questioned in themselves WHY did it happen.

Nisha: Why did you reject my proposal, Hridhaan?

Why?

Hridhaan: Why did you propose to me, Nisha?

Why did you want to hurt yourself?

Why?

Nisha had tears in her eyes, she looked away but at the same moment a tear dropped from her right eye and it slid down. She quickly wiped it off from her cheeks and excused herself from there. She couldn't sit there anymore if she stayed there for one more second a dam will burst out. She stood up and made her way towards the exit.

Hridhaan just watched at her retreating figure, he felt heartbreakingly miserable for her sadness.

Once Nisha had exited the restaurant her tears started to flow down. She went to the parking lot where his car was parked. She leaned against the co-passenger side of the car and cried with her face buried in her hands.

Hridhaan turned away when Nisha had disappeared from his sight. The red velvet box was there she hadn't taken it. Hridhaan took the box and shoved it in his pant pocket. He then motioned the waiter to come with the bill.

Once done with paying he left from there.

Hridhaan couldn't find Nisha near the exit so he decided to go to the parking lot where his car was parked. They had come together in his car. He knew that she was there, he walked towards it, he stopped and saw the back of Nisha's head, her high heels had granted her some more height. He could make it out that she was crying. He walked to her side and stopped a few inches away from her. Nisha who was drowned in her sorrow hadn't realized that Hridhaan was a few inches away from her until Hridhaan whispered weakly, "Nisha?"

Nisha looked at him with tears that were flowing down from her eyes and Hridhaan looked at her helplessly.

Both were just looking at each other. Hridhaan's heart clenched for the pain that Nisha was going through. He felt terrible within himself.

Hridhaan was the first one to break eye contact and looked away from her painful eyes. It was very painful for him to see how the pain reflected in her eyes. He tried to say something but nothing came up. He had messed it up too bad today.

This night had nothing more to offer to both of them. It was just this painful moment that they shared here only to remember. They had nothing left to say.

Hridhaan looked back at her and unlocked the car with the remote without taking his eyes off Nisha, he approached to help her get in the car but Nisha put her hands on Hridhaan's arm and stopped him midway from opening the car door, she looked into his eyes with her tear glazed eyes and shook her head from left to right.

Hridhaan sighed a painful sigh and backed away from her. He only looked at her, he hadn't moved until she sat inside. When she had closed the car door, he walked towards his side. He slid inside the car and glanced at her, she was looking outside the window, her tears were continuously flowing and she was wiping it away with the back of her hand constantly. He started the car and drove away from there.