Abhigya OS: You and Me
He had walked in looking for a table. The flowers and chocolates reminding him of the conversation he just had with his now ex-girlfriend. Why she'd waited till Valentine's day to tell him she'd found someone else, he would never know but he was glad that she'd taken the first step. It meant that there was no reason for her to come back to him.
It was at his sister's insistence that he'd taken her out a year ago on the same day. She'd just been dumped by her then boyfriend and had been really upset. He liked her well enough. after all she came home to see Aliyah all the time, but there just hadn't been that spark.
He just wanted to forget that Valentine's day even existed. He wasn't heartbroken. No ways. But it was a very overrated custom which made it impossible to look relieved at being dumped. The lunch bar was full with no empty seats when he spotted a seat across a waifish woman with wild curls and big glasses. He started walking towards her.
*** *** ***
She'd just met with the twentieth potential that her mother had set her up with, who left with the excuse that he had a meeting to go to. She'd gotten tired of telling her that it wouldn't work. No one liked boring plain-jane's like her and she wasn't about to change her whole persona for a guy. She was just debating on whether to just have lunch whilst she still had a table or go back home, when a deep voice asked if he could sit down.
Her gaze shot up to find the owner of the unknown voice, dressed like an advertisement for a high end fashion store. She definitely didn't know him. Voicing her concern,
"Excuse me. I don't even know you? Why do you want to sit here?"
"There's no other seats. The place is full and I want something to eat. Do you mind? Unless you're meeting someone else?"
He hadn't been exactly rude, but he wasn't polite either. Noticing the flower and chocolates in his hand, she thought maybe he hadn't had any better luck than her, although that negated the notion that only plain-jane's got rejected because he looked plain from no angle.
"No that's alright. I was just thinking of whether I should have lunch here or not. You might as well have the table. I'll be off."
"Why don't you have lunch with me. Not like a date or anything, but we can share a table?" He didn't want to sit by himself. Not till he got rid of the gifts that he'd carried in. The last thing he needed was getting sympathetic looks from all the other diners.
That actually sounded like a good plan. She wouldn't have to go home early and explain to her Ma or Dadi why she was back so soon and she could honestly say she shared a meal with someone. Smiling, she nodded in agreement to his suggestion.
Placing the gifts on the table, he appraised the rest of her look. She was...different. She seemed comfortable being in clothes that didn't conform to the latest fashion.
" Hi I'm Abhi." holding his hand out, he introduced himself. Her hand fit against his perfectly as she shook his hand. "Pragya."
"So Pragya, you didn't answer my earlier question. Are you waiting for someone?"
"Not exactly. He came and left. I was supposed to meet a suitor, but he obviously saw this and decided I wasn't what he wanted. Looks matter but I'm not going to change for anyone. Too bad my mother doesn't understand." She didn't realise how bitter she felt at being left yet again till she told him what had happened. Not wanting him to freak out she added, "It doesn't matter. I wouldn't want to be with someone who can't accept me the way I am. Anyways, why are you walking around with a bunch of flowers and chocolates? Are you meeting someone?"
"Actually my girlfriend, ex-girlfriend found someone else. I'm kind of glad. I didn't know how to break up with her." He explained how he knew Tanu and how he'd ended up asking her out and how he couldn't break her heart.
They were interrupted as a waiter came to take their orders. They ended up ordering the same thing from the menu, with her opting for the smaller portion.
For a change sitting with a stranger didn't seem such a chore. Not having the pressure of liking someone for potential marriage made all the difference and she actually relaxed enough to continue having a conversation with him. She opened up and told him more than what most people knew about her.
His thoughts were on the same wave length. He was enjoying himself. He was just rising as a star, gaining popularity and people had started recognising him so it was quite nice to shed the rockstar personality and just be himself. The conversation flowed smoothly from topic to topic and he opened up more about his true self than he normally would.
They had finished their meals and had ordered another round of drinks as they continued chatting. He shared how his Dadi was unaware of his recently ended relationship and how she had started pressuring him to bring home a wife. She sympathised with him, telling him she knew how he felt, as she was getting the same pressure.
Their conversation was interrupted when her phone started ringing. Looking at the screen, she saw it was her mother. Cringing slightly she answered,
"Haan ma?"
"Pragya, where are you? How did you find Sameer? Did you like him? Should I tell his parents that we agree for the rishta?"
"Maa I'll talk to you later. I'm busy." saying that she cut the phone. Sheepishly, she smiled and explained, "Sorry that was my mother wanting to know how Sameer, the guy I was meeting, is? And whether she should say yes for the rishta. God how will I explain to her, that he left citing work and has probably told his parents no already."
"Isn't there a boyfriend or someone you can introduce to her?" he asked curiously. He was trying to be as unobtrusive as possible but at the same time he wanted to find out everything about her.
"Nope. I'll deal with it later. She will hopefully understand and just let it be for a while." Their meals had been cleared and as they continued talking to each other, he opened up the box of chocolates.
Their hands accidentally brushed as they reached into the box at the same time. Her skin tingled at the point of contact and she blushed slightly.
He noticed how soft her skin was and the contact had affected him as well. Their meal was long over, but he didn't want to leave so he talked of random things, till the waiter came to tell them that they were closing to clear up before the evening crowd came through.
Offering her a lift home as they walked out and down the street, he automatically interlaced his fingers with hers. It felt right and sighed when he finally let go to hold open the car door. As he started the engine, he passed her his phone and told her to give him her number, wanting to meet up again.
Waving till the car left, she was glad Sameer left; glad she stayed at the cafe; glad that it was full; glad that they met. She knew deep down that he was the one. Now she had to wait to see if he felt the same.
Abhi on going round the corner stopped the car to message Dadi:
I think I found the one.
Edited by MinMinMehra - 10 years ago
Arjun
Cricket
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