Aurora

Chapter One

The last week has been a busy one for Aarushi. She cursed her teachers as she curled her palm around the accelerator, pushing her old motorcycle to its limit in her hurry to get home and into the comfort of her blankets and bed. Why did all her teachers have to set the deadlines of their assignments in the same week? They always expect cooperation among students, yet why couldn't they cooperate some and save their students from staying up multiple nights to get the damned things completed in time?

To say Aarushi was feeling down would be an understatement. She rubbed her eyes in exhaustion. She’d barely slept at all last night, working non-stop to complete her history assignment. She jerked the handle straight, realizing she’d been straying off her lane. She needed to take a break, she realized, or she just might end up flattened against a tree.

Deciding better than to risk it further, she took a small detour to an ice-cream parlor that she hadn't been to in a long time.

It wasn't really the time for ice cream, with the cold October winds blowing, warning them about the coming winter, but for Aarushi, ice cream was the answer to every exhaustion and pain. And so, here she was.

She looked up at the small parlour, its outside adorned with pictures of kids enjoying ice-cream with their parents. They weren’t models, but actual customers who had visited the parlour some or the other time. Aarushi knew this because she could easily spot the pictures of herself and her dad among the collage. There were many of them, since Aarushi and her dad had been visiting this parlour ever since she was a little kid. It had been their place. And Aarushi hadn’t ever come here without her dad. Until today.

She smiled, staring at the picture of her dad. He was looking down at a younger version of Aarushi, grinning. Aarushi swallowed before shaking her head, and dragged her eyes off the photos. She stared at the banner, a board that looked like a block of chocolate. On it—written in a font that reminded Aarushi of ice and snowfall—was the shop’s name. Icy Delight. Aarushi loved that name, almost as much as she loved the woman who owned the parlour.

She stepped into the shop, making the bells jingle. The owner looked up from where she was sitting behind the counter. Her face split into a grin when she realized who it was.

“Aarushi!” she exclaimed, making her way around the counter.

Manju aunty looked exactly like she’d been the last time Aarushi had seen her. She was a bit older than her mom, maybe in her early fifties. Though she didn’t look a day older than forty. Her jet black hair, as always, were braided down her back. Her eyes twinkled with delight as she hugged Aarushi.

“Where have you been? I’ve missed you so much!” Manju aunty exclaimed, caressing Aarushi’s cheek.

“Sorry Aunty, I was busy with college. I just couldn’t find enough time.” Aarushi murmured. Manju aunty was the person who had introduced Aarushi to books all those years ago, and for that she’d always been grateful to her. It felt weird, lying to her, but she wasn't sure she had the strength to tell her what exactly had kept her from visiting for the past two years.

“Yes, yes! Studies are important. And where’s Om, sweetie?”  

Aarushi took a deep breath, contemplating how she’d tell Manju aunty about everything. As she breathed in, she was assaulted by all those sweet, familiar scents. The chill air was rich with the fragrance of Chocolate and Butterscotch. There was even a faint scent of Vanilla in the air. 

Her eyes fell to the comfy couches strewn at random around the small room. She grabbed Manju aunty’s hand and pulled her towards the closest couch.

As they both took a seat, Aarushi faced Manju aunty, and sighed. 

"Aunty...dad...he had an accident. Two years ago. That's why I stopped coming. I couldn’t bear the idea of coming here without him," Aarushi murmured, her voice thick. She bit her lip. She'd cried so much over her dad that she didn't expect any more tears to be left, and yet, the traitors always seemed to find a way to gather in her eyes.