Chapter 3

2. Can't Fight This Feeling

'Hi. How have you been?' Kirti asked when she met Tejas outside the restaurant.

'Arre? Hi hello kya kar rahi hai? Gale mil!' And he pulled her into a tight hug. Kirti's cheeks met the cotton of his white shirt and she was filled with his presence and smell. Spicy and woody. He had been using the same deodorant since his teenage years. In fact, by now she had come to associate the brand with him.

'Missed you,' he murmured into her.

'Same,' she replied feeling the warmth of his words and embrace.

`Next time don't go on such long trips,’ She said once he let her free.

'Tu kehti hai toh nahi jata.' 

'Promise?'

'Pakka wala' and he flashed her his dimpled smile. Kirti felt a deep ache rise in her heart. This smile was her rainbow. It pushed her through the hard days. If he said no, she was going to lose him forever. The thought made her look away from his vibrant smile.

'How was your time without me?'

'Okay.'

'Aise kaise? You should have said I was miserable without you Tejas!'

'Fine. Ask the question again.'

'How was your time without me Kirti?'

'I was miserable without you, Tejas. I counted every minute, every second that you were away. Every day without you felt like a thousand years. I could breathe only when I saw you today. Other days it was only inhaling and exhaling.' 

If Tejas had looked enough, he would have seen the heart in her eyes. If he paid attention, he could have heard the fervor in her words. But he chuckled and commented, ‘Nice improvisation there. Stay with me forever Kirti. You are really good for my ego.'

He wasn't a witness to the way her heart roared in her ears with every step that she took towards their booked table. With every meal, she felt her courage slipping away as if moving further down with each morsel she swallowed.

'You're looking very beautiful today, Kirti. Especially your eyes and lips. Aise hi saja kar. Acchi lagti hai!' 

Kirti blushed, becoming conscious of herself.

'How was your trip?'

'Badhiya! You won't believe who I met there?!'

'Who?'

He was going to tell her when his phone pinged. He immediately dialed someone.

'Great' He said on the phone. Then turning to Kirti he said, 'Just wait for me here, Luv, ok?'

Kirti nodded. While she waited for him, she checked her own phone. Shruti had sent a number of messages asking about the progress of her date. 

'Have you confessed?'

'Not till now.'

'What r u waiting for?'

'I will when he comes back.'

'All the best!!!!'

Kirti practiced in her head what she was going to say. After a dozen rehearsals in front of the mirror, she had decided to keep it simple. Tejas, I am in love with you. I have always been since tenth class.

When he returned, he was nervous himself and kept looking at the door. She was too absorbed by her own thoughts, to notice his preoccupation. Few precious but pregnant moments had passed when she finally decided to confess, 'Tejas...I...' But before she could finish her sentence, someone covered her eyes from behind.

'Recognize me?' A feminine voice asked.

'Umm...I'm sorry?'

When her eyes had been released free, she had turned to find a tall, graceful woman clad in a tee and jeans smiling down at her.

'Sana?' Kirti asked.

'Kirti! It's been so looong.' Kirti stared back blankly.

'How have you been Kirti? Tejas keeps talking about you.'

Formalities out of their way, they sat down. Sana, right next to Tejas and Kirti soon began to realize she had been too late. Once again!

So when Tejas and Sana looked into each others' eyes with their hands joined, saying together that they wanted to share something, she wasn't surprised. Sana and Tejas had dated in the past. 

Kirti had expected they would reveal that they were dating or seeing each other, perhaps she wouldn't have felt that bad. Tejas had been always dating someone. She herself had dated a guy for three long years.

Instead, he had said, 'Guess what? Kirti, my Luv, I am getting married!!!! We are getting married.'

Kirti's heart had dropped in her stomach. She had felt that if she spent a few more seconds there, in the company of the beaming couple, she would puke right onto the table.

 [NOCOPY]

[MEMBERSONLY]