- Familiar Stranger
And then, in the crowd, I noticed them.
Two men sat in the far corner near a fogged-up window. One—warm, smiling, undeniably Indian—sipped his tea with an easy air of belonging. The other, however, was different. Taller. Sharper. His chestnut hair splaying on his forehead, his deep blue ocean like eyes held a depth. His gaze wasn’t casual; it was consuming. He wasn’t just listening—he was searching, as though my song was a riddle only he could solve. They were tourist from foreign countries.
The smiling one nudged him playfully, murmuring something, but the taller man didn’t flinch. His eyes stayed locked with mine. For a heartbeat, I forgot the café, forgot my uncle, forgot survival. It fel