July 29, 2015.
'Welcome to Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi.' The in-flight announcement made me excited, as I would be meeting my ‘would be’ better half exactly after 12 hours.
I took my hand luggage and headed towards the gate of the plane. In was walking quite slowly and listening to the songs on my Mp3 player. I was noticing each and everything that was going around just making them the best memories of my life. I was the first passenger to walk out of the plane and last to reach passport control counter.
The immigration officer was fighting with one of the staff. Their fighting scared me and I had switched off the Mp3 player and had put it in my pocket. I tried behaving like a proper gentleman and changed my accent of speaking English when I started talking to the immigrant officer. He saw my face two three times just to confirm whether I was the one to whose photo was on the passport. Finally, he stamped on my passport and allowed me to leave.
After finishing all the formalities and receiving my entire luggage, I came outside around 1.30 AM. I called my dad and informed him that I had reached Delhi safely; he wished me good luck and said goodbye. I purchased a local sim from inside the airport. After coming outside the airport, I took a long breath and felt the air of the city where my love was living. I was finding hard to believe that I reached Delhi finally and for the first time.
‘Kidhar jaoge bhai sahab?’ The person inside the prepaid taxi booth asked me in his typical Haryanvi accent.
‘Ji, Paharganj’ I said
‘470 rupye.'
I paid the money. As I was traveling, I started gazing at the city. I had already started loving the city, maybe because of Hritisha was residing there.
‘Oodh ke Dhani Preet Ki Chadar, aaya tere shehar me ranjha tera' the song was playing on radio. The lyrics of the songs were matching with the situation.
I reached my Hotel at Paharganj; paid advance money and they showed me my room. Out of excitement, I paid two hundred rupees tips to the taxi driver and the housekeeper.
I activated Wi-Fi.
‘Leaving from Abu Dhabi and heading towards home. Good morning and haan, the battery of my phone have run totally out of charge, so it will get switched off soon.’ I messaged Hritisha.
‘Hi Shruti just reached the hotel, I will take a short nap and will wake up around 9 AM’ I texted.
After waking up around 8 AM; I checked message on WhatsApp. One message was from dad carrying good luck note and another was Shruti’s text welcoming me to India.
‘So how's Delhi?’ I saw Hritisha’s text.
‘Yaar, I am not in Delhi. I am in Dubai only’ I answered.
‘Achha listen, today I have a crucial meeting at the office, so I will keep my phone in flight mode. It won’t be possible for me to chat today during the lunch break.
I went out of the hotel to explore Paharganj. There was some strange feeling in my heart. I noticed open electric wires over my head. There were foreigners and backpackers on the street. There was an economical hotel but no grocery store or restaurant had opened till then. I wanted to have heavy breakfast, which was not complimentary in my hotel.
I was very hungry so I had two full cups of masala tea and three Punjabi samosas. By the time I finished my meal I saw few stores were pulling up their shutters. I bought a face pack, just to make myself look better than the rest of the days and I also got recharge coupon, after which I went back to my hotel room.
After applying the face pack, I waited for an hour. By 10.30AM, I took my shower and waited anxiously. I couldn’t access Wi-Fi, If I did so then Hritisha would have easily understood that I was in Delhi and not in Dubai because she could have messaged me and seen me online but if, she would have tried to call me she couldn’t. It was a tough task to pass every single second and I had to wait for another four and half hours to surprise Hritisha.
I asked the receptionist about the route to reach Shastri Park Metro Station. He told me that it would take hardly 45 minutes to reach Shastri Park metro station from RK Ashram Metro Station, which was near to my hotel. Finally, I left the room by 11 am.
After leaving the hotel room, I reached RK Ashram Metro Station. I had to join a long queue to buy tickets. It was a funny experience, as everyone had to give a titanic pose while crossing the checking point and the security would scrutinize the passengers thoroughly.
Suddenly the tune ‘My heart will go on’ started playing in my mind. Thank God I didn’t start reciting the dialogues from the movie ‘I am flying Jack, I am flying,’ If I did so then the police would have forcibly admitted me to the mental hospital
I took the metro from RK Ashram Metro Station, got down at Rajiv Chowk. I realized that Rajiv Chowk is the busiest metro station, just like Burjunam Metro station of Dubai. There was a hell of a rush, people were clashing with each other just to get inside and come out of the train. I was confused with blue, red and yellow lines that were drawn on a map like a spider’s web. I was feeling hesitant to ask anyone about the route as everyone was busy with catching their respective train.
I asked a cleaner who seemed to be quite cooperative. She guided me showing which train would lead me directly towards Shastri Park. One after the other the station passed.
‘Chandni Chowk, Chorui Bazar’ on and on. Finally, I reached my destination around 12.30 PM.
I still had one and half-hour in my hand. I started roaming here and there; took a bottle of water and looked for a place where I could easily disguise myself and Hritisha would not notice me.
Finally, I found a place behind the lift to hide. I could see the IT Park from the metro station, where Hritisha used to work. I was waiting there for one and half hours and the guards were continuously monitoring me. To prevent the guards suspecting me as a terrorist, I gave them a sweet smile.
‘Yes, we are leaving’ Shruti messaged at sharp 2 PM
‘Ok, how much time will it take?’ I asked
‘Maximum fifteen minutes.'
‘Okk. I am at Rithala platform just behind the lift, is Hritisha with you?’ I asked.
‘Haanji, she is with me and we have already left the place.' Shruti replied.
‘Okok I am hiding behind the lift’
‘Lol. Great, be there.’ She texted.
Almost fifteen minutes passes but no message from Shruti.
‘Where are you, guys?’ I asked impatiently, after all, I was going to meet her two years.
‘Ji, very near to station.'
‘Okk, so where you guys will be standing, women coach side?’
‘No, we'll come near stairs.’ Shruti answered.
‘Superb, I am there only.' I said with huge excitement.
‘We have reached’ Shruti messaged
‘Okk great I am coming.'
I saw Hritisha along with Shruti and another colleague from behind the lift. Her natural look, no makeup, messed up hair, flattered me once again. I noticed that she was also looking around at the station; maybe she must have felt my presence.
I took a long breath and appeared in front of her. She had a smile on her face and anger in her eyes. She wanted to say 'why you have come one day before?’ However, she could not speak anything. I wanted to hug her tightly that time, but it was a public place, therefore, I controlled myself.
Shruti and another girl were smiling. They asked Hritisha to stay with me, and they would take the next metro to their respective houses. We shook hands and realized that we both were nervous and excited. We boarded next metro and I could not stop looking at Hritisha. I went on staring at her, during the entire metro journey
‘What Siddhant? Stop staring’ Hritisha told me with a smile.
‘I can’t, you are beautiful.'
She felt shy and looked at everyone except me. She was behaving as if she was meeting me for the first time. I could not keep my eye away from her. She found me staring at her whenever she looked at me.
‘Had your lunch?’ Hritisha asked.
‘No.’
‘Why?
‘I was at the metro station for last one and half hours.’
‘Pagal. What will you have?’
‘Piiizzzaaaaa.'
‘Motu.' She smiled.
Thank God, she started talking to me and came out of the shock, that I surprised her. She called Reet and told her that I was in Delhi already and we were going to eat pizza. Reet suggested taking me to the Pacific Mall. We reached there and started strolling. She told me that she tried to find similar shoes from ZARA, which I had replaced due to size difference and she liked it a lot.
‘May I hold your hand?’ I asked for her permission.
‘No, not here’ she was still feeling shy.
We went to the first floor. Hritisha asked me if I want to purchase 'Being Human' T-shirt from the splash. I denied.
‘Starbucks is in Delhi also. Wow, lucky people like Dubai people.’ I teased her when we reached in front of Starbucks.
I ordered her favorite ‘cloud-nine’ pizza from Dominos. As we were sitting on the table, I insisted her to sit beside me but she sat opposite to me. She looked at me and nodded as if she wanted to say how crazy I was, especially to visit one day before the scheduled date of arrival, just to give her a surprise. As we were having Pizza and we noticed a couple, who were hugging and kissing each other in the food court. Hritisha noticed that I was feeling embarrassed. She told me that it's normal there. I thought if that was normal then, I should have also hugged Hritisha at least once, but I controlled my emotions.
Our order was ready; she went to take the pizza. I asked her to eat but she was already full because she already had heavy lunch in the office. After I insisted, she grabbed a single slice. I was quite sure that she was not hungry but she could not have said no to cloud nine pizza. Somehow, her behavior was changing; she stopped smiling and appeared to be, not interested in whatever I was saying. I felt a little bit awkward. I noticed her face and was confused. I tried to figure out whether she was tired or not happy to see me.
In the metro, too Hritisha asked me to sit far from her. I understood that she did not want someone to see her with a boy. I asked her two to three times that what was bothering her. She said she was too much tired after handling work pressures. I agreed with her statement.
We reached to RK Ashram Metro Station. I asked again if I could at least hold her hand. She rejected.
‘Leave my hand Siddhant; we are near my home’ Hritisha said angrily when I held her hand without her permission as; I just could not control my emotions.
‘Ok sorry sorry’ I apologized immediately, but it did hurt me a lot.
I kept distance while coming out from the metro station. After saying simple bye to each other we went apart, she looked quite upset and afraid, I did not know why. I started walking towards my hotel and was quite depressed after seeing her behavior. I did not find her excited or happy, seeing me after so long. When I turned around to see her I saw that she was talking to some other girl, maybe her friend. Therefore, I decided to leave and not to look back again.
I missed three calls from Hritisha due to the poor network.
‘I reached home’ she answered when I called her back
‘Okok, Me too.'
‘I will message you in a while, bye take care’ she said in very soft voice.
‘Haanji.' I also started speaking 'Hanji.'
‘Sorry.’ I texted her.
‘For what?’ she replied
‘For my today's behavior. I won’t make such mistake again.'
‘Bhaaag jaaaaaaa’ she started behaving funny.
‘Sure? Bhaaag jaau?’ I asked her seriously whether I should leave or not?
‘Shut up! Dramme’
‘Actually, you were looking damn cute, so I tried holding your hand.'
‘Hehe, don’t worry Mottu.'
I asked Hritisha whether I was looking fat or not. She told me that I was still a little bit fat compared to her, but in my photographs, I never looked that fat. It is obvious that I did not send her the photos in which I looked fat. I told Hritisha that I did not want to stay anymore in Delhi neither did I want my parents to meet her parents. I did not want to give her parents a single chance to reject me.
Hritisha told me that she would try her best to convince them by saying that I can quickly lose weight. Her mom knew how I was before when Hritisha showed her my old photographs. I had lost almost 10 kg in 6 months. She told me that it would be difficult to convince everyone. Relatives would not see only the bonding between us. They will judge me like the whole package from my background, income, status; your inside looks as well as outer looks.'
I asked her why she was worried about her relatives. She answered me saying that in future she did not want anyone pointing fingers at me and claiming me to be fat. In addition, forget families, what if her dad would say that I am fat? How difficult it was to convince her father for the family meet.
Hritisha insisted me not think only about myself and to think about everyone. I thought a lot, and she was right. Even I would have also felt the same way if, I would have been in her situation.
‘Hmmm,’ I said.
‘Hass de bettu. Do not worry I am with you always. You know na I am a straightforward girl.'
‘Hehehe.'
‘That's like my baby. Muuuuaaaah’ she replied.
‘Sorry again.'
‘It's okay.’
I felt relieved after the conversation. I took a shower and ordered Chinese Hakka noodles. Still, I was thinking about my weight. I had decided that, as soon as I would reach Dubai, I would concentrate more on my weight loss.
‘Don’t go office tomorrow. Otherwise, you would become tired again.' I texted Hritisha.
‘Hahahahahahahahahahaha.'
‘I don’t want to ruin my excitement for surprises.’
‘Another surprise?’
‘Yes.'
‘Sudhar jaa mottu.'
‘No, today I did not feel excited due to your silence.'
‘Lol! I was worried and turned red out of nervousness.’
‘I noticed that.’
‘Smart boy. and I am quite expressionless.'
‘I know. That is why I was asking you so many times that what was bothering you’
‘Ohh Hello. You were also nervous.'
‘Only in starting, hardly for 10-15 Minutes.'
‘Yes, you were staring at me continuously; I couldn’t speak a single word.'
‘I will do the same tomorrow also.'
‘I will wear Burkha.'
‘You will be baked inside due to hot weather.'
‘No worries, there will be AC in the restaurant.'
‘Hehe. I want this message wali Hritisha tomorrow. Not Grumpy or else I will directly come back to Hotel.’
‘Woww freedom! Lucky me.’
‘Shut up! How can you be so naughty while chatting?’
‘Arrey baba at that time I was at home, so’
‘Then you have to be the same tomorrow also with me or else we’ll hang around together but, will talk to each other through WhatsApp only.'
‘ROFL. Idiot’
‘And I will hold your hand for sure.'
‘it’s okay bettu, but not at public place.'
‘Hmm, achha now let’s be serious, I will marry you only, I have decided.'
She also confirmed that she would marry me only and ordered me to lose more weight as well. Hritisha informed me that she would leave her house for office by 8:00 AM and asked me to plan accordingly. I suggested that we should go for a movie, then lunch and after that some nice place where we could spend quality time.
She agreed.
I checked the timings for the movie ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ at PVR Rivoli, Connaught Place, which was, of course, Hritisha’s favorite movie theater. It was a morning show at 9:30 am and the hall was almost empty, as it was a weekday. I tried to book the last row through my Credit Card, but the transaction failed. Immediately without thinking further, I hired an auto rickshaw and went to PVR Rivoli to book advance tickets.
The security guard at the cinema hall informed me that the ticket counter gets closed by 10:00 PM. I messaged Hritisha the show timing, she replied in the morning saying that she would reach by 9:00 AM.
