"Thanks for helping me out with the food... I'll treat you some time." Ajay called Anjali and said thanks for the help.
"Anytime... Ajay, there is something important that I wanted to discuss with you." Anjali said.
"Yes. Tell me"
"I am afraid we won't be able to go on a meal together."
"Why, Do I really eat a lot?" Ajay asked humorously.
"Aa.. yeah.. that could be one reason too. But, it's because I am leaving."
"Leaving?"
"Yes. Some time ago, I applied for the student exchange program, to get some fresh air. And I was selected. So, I have to leave in a few days."
"And how many are those few?"
"Four days from now."
"Ohh. Which university are you going to?"
"I am going to UC. I was planning to extend my tenure there if everything goes well."
"Nice yaar... So, that's why it was only 12 days." Ajay said.
"Yes. I wanted to tell you but.." Anjali replied in a sad tone.
"But??"
"But somehow I started liking these 12 days so much that I was not able to come to tell this."
"This is something similar to what is happening to me." Ajay replied with a smile.
"Means?"
"I also want to get angry with you for telling me this now, and in this way. But I can't help thinking about what we should do for the rest of the days."
Anjali sighed, "So nice of you."
"Let's plan to meet tomorrow then."
"Yup. Obviously."
As discussed over chat, Anjali was waiting for Ajay near the running track in college.
"Hi," Ajay shouted from a distance.
"You are late." Anjali said smilingly.
"Am I?"
"Yes.."
"It's ok, I have the right, right to get late, right to get angry.." Ajay teasingly said.
"Okk.. ok.. tell me what is it you wanted to do?" Anjali asked.
"Hhmmm. Yes.. this." Ajay moved a t-shirt in front of Anjali.
"What?? Should I wear this? Is it some sort of prank or what?"
"Nahin yaar... It's just a small gesture. See I have this too." Ajay pointed to another t-shirt in his hands.
"Ooo.. "
"Yup. Let's do twinning. The next thing I want us to do is to wear similar t-shirts and roam around in college, together obviously. And lastly.."
"Lastly??"
"Let's keep the last... till last... Ok?" Ajay said with a wide smile.
"Ok.If you say so. Then, I will go and change." Anjali said, smiling beamingly.
"See you there in 10 minutes," Ajay said and Anjali gestured ok and both of them ran to their ways.
"You know, I usually don't like the Gray colour. But unusually, I am liking it today." Anjali said to Ajay, showing him the t-shirt she wore.
"Ohh. Freak! I chose the colour because I knew you wouldn't like it. And it feels so good to tease you." Ajay said, teasing her.
"Hahaha... Thanks for all the care that you show to me." Anjali said acting cool.
"Care.. When did I?"
"It's even better that you don't know that.." Ajay and Anjali kept teasing each other like this while roaming in the college.
"Ok. Chlo leave everything. Tell me one thing, don't you want to know about the last part of this thing?" Ajay asked.
"Well... Hhmm. I do. Tell me What it is." Anjali said.
"This.." Ajay pointed to a small tree in front of Anjali.
"Aa... I have to climb a tree or something?"
"Ohh. Sorry... It was supposed to be a.. there. Never mind, I just wanted us to have a photograph together."
"Huh?"
"Yes. We don't even have a single good click together. I should at least have some memory of my friend who is leaving soon."
"But we did get a click together."
"Yeah. I know the click from the party. But it was blurred. So it should not be counted."
"What do you mean by blur. There is a good one. Let me check."
"N... No. Can't we just take a photo and finish this. Is it so hard to take a photograph?" Ajay questioned Anjali who was looking through her phone for the photograph.
"Hhmm. Actually, thinking about it, it is not. Let's get Clicked then." Anjali said with a confident smile on her face.
"Cool."
"Should I take it on my phone?" Anjali asked.
"Nope. Actually, I have a friend in CS Class and they have a class photoshoot today. He has brought a Camera for that. So he will click photos for us." Ajay explained.
"Okk. But don't forget to email me the pictures." Anjali said.
They were in the middle of their conversation when Ajay's friend arrived.
"So, should we start?" Ajay's friend asked.
"Yes. But where should we get it clicked." Ajay asked.
"I think it will be good here." His friend said.
"Cool. Just a minute, let me just keep the bag down." Ajay said and moved to a bit side to keep his bag on the grass, but his foot got tripped.
"Ok. Done. Chlo Bye.", Ajay's friend shouted.
Anjali was laughing hard when Ajay stood up again on his feet.
"I know I should not have been like this but I can't help laughing." Anjali defended herself.
"Oye... Why are you going?" Ajay asked his friend.
"Because I got the perfect pic. You were lying on the ground with that humorous expression and Anjali was looking beautiful laughing at you. We got a perfect candid bro." his friend said with a big smile.
"I know I said one, but can you click two to three normal pics for us please," Ajay asked.
**************************************
"So, how's it? You got the pic na?" Ajay asked.
"Yes. I got it." Anjali replied.
"So madam, this was the last thing that I wanted to do. You just enjoy your next three days."
"Yeah. You know what, I am thinking we did nine of these things that you wanted, now let's do the rest of what I wanted." Anjali said looking at the photo of them standing next to each other. In the grey t-shirt and black jeans, Ajay looked handsome enough to have butterflies in Anjali's stomach.
"Ok. So what do you want to do tomorrow then?" Ajay asked.
"Let's meet tomorrow after class."
"Okie Dokie Madame."
The next Day, Ajay waited for Anjali near the exit gate.
"So what do you want to do?" Ajay asked the approaching Anjali.
"Walk.. "
"Aww... That's cheating. We have already done this." Ajay replied to Anjali's idea.
"Yes. But we haven't done it in this way!!" Anjali came close to Ajay and slid her hands into his hands, holding them firmly. Ajay got nervous for a second or so, but then he also held her hands tightly and started walking.
*************************************************
"How could you be so clumsy that you forgot the day of your flight?" Ajay asked over the phone.
"Hey... I am already feeling like stupid. At least I was well prepared with the things." Anjali replied.
"When will you leave for the airport? I will also come along."
"I will leave around 4."
"Cool. I'll reach your home then. Let's go together."
"Ok. Papa (Father) is also coming along, by the way." Anjali told Ajay.
"Wow. Good for you. Chlo see you then. Bye." Ajay said happily.
"Bye"
As decided over the call, Ajay reached in time. He greeted Anjali's father and they all went to the airport.
"Anjali, I have some urgent work, beta. I have to leave. You go and take care." Anjali's father said to her. "Beta.. You too take care." He said moving toward Ajay and went his way back home.
"He loves you a lot yaar," Ajay said to Anjali.
"Why? Because he came to drop me? Then I think you love me more than him because you are still here." Anjali replied.
"Do you think he went because he had something important?"
"Yes."
"No. He left because he was not able to hold his tears, and those reached almost till his eyes." Ajay explained to Anjali.
"Please don't give me false hopes." Anjali replied.
"I am not. You might feel the same. Just wait for some time." Ajay said confidently.
"Let's hope," Anjali said, crossing her fingers.
"We still have the last two things left. But you are going today.." Ajay said with a pinch of sadness in his tone.
"Ohh. Yes, the twelve things thing.." Anjali said and moved towards Ajay. Moving close to him, she hugged him and helding him a bit tightly. She said, "This is the next thing I planned for."
Ajay also hugged her back holding her a bit more tightly.
With Cold and puffy eyes, they both bid their Bye's and went along their ways.
Ajay was on his way back to his home when his phone made a beeping noise.
"Thanks for all the wonderful time that we spent in the last few days. Those were some of the memorable days of my life that I will cherish for a long time in my life.
By the way, I have the twelfth thing for us and it is the most important of all. 'Don't you dare forget me and stay in touch until I come back for which I am pretty sure, it will be soon.' That's all I wanted.
Ajay was both cherished and sad upon receiving the message.
"Let's have a 100-day challenge then!!!" he replied to Anjali.
