Writer's POV -
Sonia listened and fumed silently as her mom excitedly drew up wedding plans, her sister reeled off her shopping list and her father smiled and looked on indulgently.
"So typical!!!", thought Sonia, "Another decision about MY life taken without consulting ME. My whole life is charted and planned and they just expect me to play the part of obedient daughter and soon the part of an obedient wife."
She slipped away to her room un-noticed and lay on her bed brooding. One name filled her thoughts - Rohit. She smiled, remembering how they had met. HandsomeHunk42... she had smirked at his username. "Man! that guy must have really poor self esteem if he has to parade online chat rooms calling himself that!" she had thought. But as she had read more of his posts, his topics, she was drawn to what he expressed, his pov, his humor and wit. Over time they had started chatting with each other in the threads, progressing rapidly to PM's and then long long emails and online chat sessions on MSN that ran way into the night.
In Rohit, Sonia felt she had met her soul mate, someone who understood her perfectly, someone with whom she could share her inner most thoughts, her deepest fears, her secret aspirations. She loved him. She knew that. She often wondered if he loved her. He had never said anything but Sonia felt that he did. After all he always talked about them being together some day. But he was a struggling writer, waiting for his break. He still lived with his parents. But Sonia always believed in his talent, she had faith that he would make it big someday and then he would come for her.
She swung herself off the bed and as she booted up the computer, she sighed. "Rohit", she thought, "It's time to put our love to the test. I know it's unfair to demand this of you so soon but the marriage proposal has thrown a wrench into all our plans." She logged into her e-mail account and started on her long letter to Rohit.
The next day, Sonia bunked her last class in college and made her way to the neighborhood market.
"Uncle ji, I am expecting a call", she told the PCO guy.
"ok beta, I will let you know", he replied.
She waited until it was dark, but the phone never rang for her.
"He must have been busy", she thought, "I am sure there is an email waiting for me." But her in-box was empty.
The cycle repeated for the next five days, her endless wait at the PCO, her long emails to Rohit, her frequent checks to her in-box. But no call came and neither did any e-mail.
As he looked at her staring dejectedly at the phone, her disappointment writ large on her face, the PCO owner shook his head. He had seen this so many times before. Walking up to her, he laid his hand on her shoulder and said, "He won't call beta. Forget about him, go home, live your life".
Sonia was startled. "How does he know", she wondered, as she gathered her bag and with one last look at the phone walked out.
She wandered aimlessly in the market, a hundred thoughts running through her head."why didn't he call? why didn't he write? Did he betray me? Maybe he is in trouble? Maybe his computer is broken? How could he? Was I a fool?"
Tears stung in her eyes. She felt dejected, hopeless and hurt.
"Oh I am sorry", she said, having absent mindedly bumped into someone on the street. She bent down to pick up her books. The stranger bent down too.
"Sonia????" he said, "Why are you crying".
She looked up, and found herself staring into the clear brown eyes of her future husband.
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