Ayesha got ready. She was wearing a beautiful embroidery white chikankari kurti with jhumkas. She didn’t tie her waist-long hair. She left it open hanging gracefully down her waist. It was just beautiful. She sprayed some fragrance over her body and she was all set to go.
Here, Arnav was getting ready. He wore a white Alen Solly shirt and a pair of blue jeans. He wore a black jacket over his shirt. A leather strip watch and Envy perfume. He squeezed some of the hair wax on his palm and set his hair in his usual way. He put his wallet in his back pocket. Then he went to his study table. He kneeled and opened the lower drawer. There was a Redmi Note 9 pro max inside the box. He took it and put it in his college bag, put some books and notes and went downstairs. He told her mother that he was going to Sahil’s place to do some study. His mother told him to come soon and waved him goodbye. On the road, Arnav called Sahil and told him to mange if his mother called him. Now he went to Ayesha’s apartment.
After arriving at the apartment, Arnav called Ayesha from the gate. After two or three minutes, she came outside. Both said hi to each other and then silence. The awkward silence. Arnav was the first to break that awkwardness.
“You look pretty.” In a low yet audible voice.
“Um. Thank you. You are also looking handsome.” She was blushing, but Arnav couldn’t see that because it was dark near the gate.
Ritu was on the balcony watching them. When Arnav’s eyes fell on Ritu, he called her.
“Hey aren’t you coming with us?”
She replied, “No thank you. As my friend said, I am busy.” And winked at Ayesha.
“Shall we go now?”Arnav said.
“Yes.”
Ayesha pulled out her scooty from the garage and sat on it and then she waved good bye to Ritu. She then gestured for Arnav to go and both rode off.
Ayesha and Arnav went through the narrow lanes. The lanes make a serpentine path way before opening to the main road. The white rays of street lights were illuminating the road passing through the cobwebs of branches and leaves of roadside trees. There were very few people on the road and few vehicles were passing by. After five minutes, the lane opened to the main road. It was much more crowded as compared to the narrow lanes. The horns and the racing of the automobiles were ear-deafening. They both carefully rode along the road. Arnav was behind Ayesha. He was observing how carefully and slowly she was riding the scooty. “Hey could you ride a bit faster?” Arnav shouted from behind. But amidst the vehicle's engines, his sound just vanished. So, he just sped up his bike and overtook Ayesha. Ayesha was like, ‘What is he doing? Racing in this traffic?’ After few minutes of the ride, they both came in front of the ‘Pathsala café”. They parked their vehicles in the nearby stand and went inside. The inside was so calm and peaceful. Air-conditioned interiors with beautifully designed walls. Arnav went near a table and Ayesha followed him. He pulled out a chair for her and gestured for her to sit. “Sit mam.” Ayesha laughed. “What are you doing? You don’t need to be so formal.”
Arnav replied, “I am not being formal. It’s a manner. Now don’t talk much. I can’t stand here holding the chair forever.”
“Ohk Ohk” Ayesha nodded and sat down.
After that Arnav sat in front of her and hung his bag on the chair.
“This place is really awesome,” Ayesha said.
“Hmm. Have never been her?”
“No, it has been only two months that I have shifted here. During the admission process, my papa and I were staying at my uncle’s house. I thought that I would get a room in the college hostel, but unfortunately, all the rooms were filled. So Ritu and I rented a room. And these two months had been so hectic that we hardly got any time to explore. And you know about the last month, what had happened and things took a turn.”
“Ya. And I am so sorry for that.”
“No yaar. I have also a fault. I just overreacted every time. But about that accident, you should be sorry.”
“Yes. About that too.”
“Aree, I am just kidding.”
“No, seriously I am sorry.”
“Ok ok. But don’t you think that your handwriting is a way more beautiful? I mean who in the engineering college writes such beautiful letters? And there were no mistakes and cuts. How much time do you spend every day in making such notes??”
“Actually that’s my regular handwriting. But I accept that I always keep it clean.”
“Hmm. It will be good for me. But I have noticed one thing, Most of the seniors don’t interact with juniors. But you are helping me a lot. May I know why?”
Arnav was astonished by this question. He took a few seconds before answering,
“Listen. When I first met you, I didn’t know that you were my junior. At that time, though you were coming in the wrong lane, the accident was caused by me because I was at a high speed. And after that the quarantine incident and then the letter incident. I don’t know what was happening, but all the situations were like that and I feel sorry about this till now. Again, today I held your hand so tightly and hurt you. So I was always on the wrong side and I am making it up. That’s it.”
“Hmm. But I think you should not worry about anything that happened previously. You should forget about it. And don’t bring that topic anymore. But one thing. You didn’t even tell me why we are here.”
“Ohh yes. I totally forgot about that.” Arnav took the bag from the back of his chair and unzipped it. He took out a Redmi note 9 pro max case. And put it near Ayesha. “Here”
“What is it?” Ayesha was out of speech. “Why are you giving it to me?”
“You are too dramatic. Did you forget what I told you this morning?”
“No, I didn’t. But this is too much. I have already given the phone in the service center and…..” She stopped in the middle. Arnav was curiously looking into her eyes waiting for her to say something. After a pause of a few seconds, when she did not say anything, Arnav said,
“And they said it will cost a lot more. So you refused to repair it.”
Ayesha was shocked. How the heck did he read her mind? Is he a psychic or a magician? Can he read everyone’s brain? Arnav twitched his finger in front of her face to make her come into reality. When she returned to the present state of her mind, Arnav asked,
“What? Am I true?”
“You definitely are. But how do you know?”
“I have gone through similar problems. Once my mama had put her phone near the sink while doing the dishes and it fell in the water for like half an hour and my mama wasn’t even aware of it. When we took the phone to the service center, they said it couldn’t be repaired. Thanks to the memory card no data was lost. But in today’s generation, no one is using it. But I save everything in my hard drives. In case my phone is lost or damaged everything will be safe.”
“Hmm. But I really can’t accept it. I will manage. My father will buy me a new phone next week. So, don’t worry. I am sorry. But please try to understand.”
“Umm ok. But till next week, you can keep it na? Please don’t refuse. I am writing to you because I have done some unmannered thing in this morning. Please.”
“Ohk but till the next week. And don’t give me the whole box. Just the smartphone will be ok.”
“Ohk.” Arnav took out the smartphone from the pack and handed it to her. “And I just want to say that it doesn’t consist sim ejection tool. So you have to use yours.”
“That won’t be any problem.” She replied.
“So now it’s the time for your treat. What do you wanna take? Cappuccino, fappuccino, cold coffee, latte or anything else?”
“Actually…………. Umm…….”
“What?”
“Um……….”
“Tell me..”
“Actually I don’t like coffee.”
“What?” Arnav was shocked. “Are you kidding? Who doesn’t like coffee? You like the chocolates. So I thought you would like coffee.”
“That is not necessary.”
“Why didn’t you tell me earlier? We could have gone to any other place.” A brief pause and he added, “Would you take tea?”
“Hm it will be ok.”
“And in snack some biscuits and cookies?”
“What is the difference between biscuits and cookies?”
“Umm…… I don’t know.” And both laughed.
Arnav ordered two cups of tea and some snacks according to Ayesha. After 5 minutes, the tea and the snacks were on the table. The masala tea was hot but sweet and tasteful and the snacks were salty. They enjoyed their time there and talked about their past life, some fictional movies and global scenarios, Indian politics blah blah blah. And with this, one and a half hour had already passed. Arnav got a notification on his phone. Unfortunately, it was from his best friend Sahil and he knew what he was about to say. He looked at Ayesha who knew nothing and looked like an innocent girl at that moment with a questioning look on her face. Arnav was about to reply to Sahil, that he called him.
Sahil: Abe kidhar hey tu? Once you come here I will beat your ass off.
Arnav: Listen I am coming. What happened? Did my mother call you?
Sahil: Yes. She wants to talk to you.
Arnav: What? Ok I will call her.
Sahil: No don’t even dare. She will doubt. I cut her call and now if you call her from your phone she would surely want to talk with me at the very same time.
Arnav: So what should I do?
Sahil: Listen, I am taking her in a conference. So be careful and say Ayesha to be quiet. Ok?
Arnav: Ohk.
Sahil took her mom to the conference.
Urmila: Where are you?
Arnav: I had already told you na. I am with Sahil. We are studying here.
Urmila: Why are not you picking up my call?
Arnav: Because you never called me.
Urmila: Hmm. Is Sahil there?
Sahil: Yes Aunty. Tell your son to learn something from me. I picked up your call immediately and he did not.
Urmila: Hmm. You are better than Arnav. Why don’t you teach him?
Sahil: Mere pass rahega to sikhaunga na.
Urmila: What do you mean? Isn’t he with you?
(Here Sahil could feel Arnav’s death look on the side of the phone. But he managed to make up his mistake.)
Sahil: Arrey Aunty, I mean let him live with me. He is such a slow learner. I need more than just five hours a day to teach her.
Arnav: Arey mamma, Why did you call me?
Urmila: Nothing. Just checking if you are reading or not.
Arnav: Ohk. Now can I hang off?
Urmila: Ohk.When are you coming?
Arnav: It will be around 10 o’clock.
Urmila: Ohk. Come soon.
Arnav hung up the phone. He was so busy making up his lies that he didn’t even noticed Ayesha’s changing expression. Arnav looked towards her. And asked,
“What?”
“Did I just hear the right thing?”
“What right thing?”
“You lied to your mom that you are studying with your friend and came here to give me a treat?”
“Hmm..”
“Why didn’t you tell your parents?”
“What should I tell? That I am going to the cafeteria with a girl?”
“So what? You are saying like you had never been to a café with any other girls.”
“Yes. That’s true. I have never gone with anyone. I had gone with my family and friends who are only boys.”
“Ohh. But you should tell her the truth.”
“It’s not the right time.”
“Why”
“I will tell you at the right time.”
“Anything serious?”
“No. I will tell you. But we are gonna be late. It is already 8.15 pm. And …”
“What……………….?” Ayesha cut Arnav off in the middle and looked at her watch. “Oh my God. Oh my God. I am late. Too late. Papa would be calling me. What should I do? Oh my God. Why don’t you tell me earlier? Why didn’t Ritu call me? Why didn’t she call you?”
“Hey, calm down calm down. You are not late. I didn’t get any messages from her. And don’t worry. I will accompany you. I assure you will reach home fine and safe.”
“Thank you. But hurry up.”
Arnav nodded and got off from his chair. He went to the cashier and paid the bill. Arnav went out. Ayesha followed him to the bike stand. Both sat on the bike and rode off. On the main road, Arnav was leading Ayesha and he made sure that she didn’t face any problems. It took about 15 minutes to reach Ayesha’s house. Arnav called Ritu to come downstairs. Ritu took the scooty and parked it inside. Here, Ayesha and Arnav were alone on the road. Fresh and chill air was flowing and it made Ayesha shiver.
“Feeling cold?”
“Hm. And thank you for accompanying me. And yes thanks for the phone. And thanks for the treat.”
“Stop stop stop. Why are you thanking me? I am just making up my faults. So no need to thank . And it was a great time. Thank you for giving me your valuable time?”
“Oh God. Where do you learn this type of formality? Now go to your friend's house or your friend will kick you.”
“How do you… Oh, you overlooked my message… Haaan.”
“I could see it from my chair and from your expression it was clear.”
“So you have learned to read my expressions.”
“Umm…. I can’t answer that. You are just asking awkward and meaningless questions. You just go now. Bye. See you tomorrow.”
“Hm. Bye. Gnsdtc” And both giggled. Arnav bid her goodbye and went off.
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