The next morning, Astha walked out of her apartment, adjusting the strap of her bag as she made her way to the parking lot. She wasn’t particularly excited about the carpool arrangement, but she had agreed to it without much thought. These initiatives never lasted anyway.
As she neared the car, she found Arin already waiting, leaning against the driver’s side with his usual composed expression. He gave her a polite nod before opening the door. “Morning. Ready to go?”
She slid into the passenger seat, buckling up as she adjusted her glasses. “Sure. Let’s get this over with.”
Arin started the car, the engine humming softly as they pulled out of the parking lot. The silence between them was not awkward, but rather filled with an unspoken understanding—neither was particularly interested in forced small talk.
Astha glanced out of the window, watching the city wake up. “So, what’s the plan? You drive this week, I drive next?”
Arin nodded. “That’s what we agreed upon. Unless you’d prefer a different arrangement.”
“No, this works,” she said with a shrug. “Just don’t expect me to be chatty in the mornings.”
Arin’s lips twitched in what might have been amusement. “Noted.”
They continued the drive in comfortable silence, the only sound coming from the faint hum of the radio. Astha appreciated that Arin didn’t feel the need to fill the space with unnecessary conversation. He drove smoothly, his focus unwavering, as if even this simple task was part of a greater purpose.
Astha found herself sneaking a glance at him. There was something about the way he carried himself—calm, unshaken, yet strangely observant. It was as if he was always paying attention, always trying to piece together the world around him.
As they approached the office, Arin finally spoke. “Would you like me to pick you up in the evening as well, or would you prefer to manage your way back separately?”
Astha considered for a moment before responding. “Might as well keep it simple. Pick me up when you leave.”
Arin nodded, as if he had expected her response. “Alright.”
The moment the car came to a stop in the office parking lot, Astha was already unbuckling her seatbelt. “Thanks for the ride. See you later.”
Before he could respond, she was out the door, making her way inside without a second glance.
Arin watched her go, a faint trace of curiosity flickering in his expression. She was different from anyone he had met before—unmoved by his presence, indifferent to the little changes he was introducing into her life.
And that only made him want to understand her more.
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