NiBir TS- Phone swap epilogue updated pg 15

I went to the caf, ordering my favorite cappuccino; i waited for kabir to come. I may have looked impatient as I was constantly looking at the door and checking my watch, again and again, honestly speaking I was impatient. Finally, I saw a guy coming having the same attire as the guy at the mall. I was not sure if he was kabir or not as I did not even take a glimpse of his face at the mall, unsurely I waved my hand but thank god, he smiled widely seeing me and came towards me. Before sitting down he asked me

"May I have a seat?"

I wondered if he was really this manner- full or it was a show.

"Sure "I answered with a smile.

Sitting he eyed me from head to toe again and again and obviously, I found it creepy. I cleared my throat to get his attention. He smiled sheepishly at me while I gave him a weird look. Breaking the silence he asked,

"So Miss Nisha how are you?"

"I am fine, thank you"

I checked my watch and surely did not have time to sit and chat with him so came straight to the point.

"Now sorry if you found me be true but I have to be somewhere so could you just give me my phone and take yours"

"Hmm sure and I don't found you rude, here your phone"

He handed me my phone and I handed him his.

"Seems you are going for some function or something and that's why you changed," he said

"It's none of your business"

"Oo calm down dear I just asked"

"Ya"

I was getting up from my seat when his voice again stopped me

"Hey yaar Nisha we are meeting for the first time after graduation, which means after nearly 5 years, at least give me your number so we could catch up sometime."

"Graduation.. Does this mean that we were in the same college."

"Surprisingly it does"

"I don't remember you at all".

"I know you don't".

"Seems you were not from my friends' circle."

"I could never be you know. We were very different."

"Hmm give me your phone I will punch my number and then we can meet someday but today I really in a hurry".

"Ya sure"

Punching my number in his phone I hurriedly went out of the caf. I heard him calling out to me saying we will meet soon.

Finally, I reached home and I was full an hour late. I stepped inside the house and seeing me my mom excitedly called out Nisha aa gai' to everyone. An elderly couple same age as my parents who were sitting stood and the lady came forward and hugged me, I felt a little odd as it was the first time I met the lady.

"So beautiful she is," she said kissing my forehead.

"Nisha this is Vasundra ji and he is her husband Vikram ji."

"Namaste," I said to both of them

"Nisha go and freshen up," said my mother, I nodded and went up. I heard vasundra aunty saying that her son will too arrive by that time. I wondered how he was.

Freshened up I stepped out of the washroom, applied a little makeup and went down. I stopped in my tracks when I saw him, seriously I cannot believe my eyes, the same guy kabir was sitting on the sofa chatting merrily with parents. Coming out of my shock state I went towards them, my mother took my hand and made me sit beside kabir, while our parents continued talking. Kabir was looking at me as I sat near him, when my mother went away, he leaned a bit towards me and spoke nears my ears "I told you we will meet soon". I narrowed my eyes at him, while he just kept throwing his cheesy smile at me. Sure he knew all along that I was hurried up to meet him and at the caf was just playing with me. I accept I was not interested in marriage right now and thus did not even see the guy's photo and was here only because of my mom and dad as they wanted me to meet him once, I still remember all the praises mom and Dad were telling about him and all but he was none of them. I accept that he is good looking heck he was the most good looking guy I have ever came across and yes I accept his smile could flatter you but still I was angry at him for playing around with him, in fact, something like mocking me. If he had told me that he was the guy who came to see me, then I would have straight head to home, instead of driving hurriedly to the caf and then to home. He could have saved me from all the trouble, in fact, saved us but he didn't and now was sitting here next to me talking with my family and turning to me very now and then throwing a smile at me , while I use to give him a mocking smile to which he uses to shake his head.

Our parents asked if we will like to talk to each other in privacy before I could say anything, he agreed instantly, so desperate was he and thus we headed to my room.

Reaching my room he made himself comfortable in my bed and then patted the spot next to him for me to sit, I eyed him but he smirked in return.

"finally we can talk in private" he said.

"private my foot" I yelled and stamped his feet.

"ahh are you mad or what" he hissed in pain which made me smile .

"no I am not mad because that is you"

"sorry"

"you knew all along that you were the guy coming to see me, phirbi mujhe bataya nhi. I mean hum seede ghar aa kar phones le sakte the na"

"I didn't feel like" he shrugged his shoulder

"what the hell do you mean you didn't feel like hann... you.."

He cut me off in between, "miss gangwal I guess it should be me should be shouting and being angry and not you"

"accha why, enlighten me"

"surely I will... You could not recognize me at the caf so I guess you didn't even bother to look at the photo of the guy coming to see you, did you?" he raised his eyebrow

"ahh no I didn't"

"may I ask why??"

"I am not interested in this entire arranged marriage thing, so that's why"

"so even before seeing me, meeting me, knowing me you decided that you will say a no"

"ya" I was now feeling really uncomfortable with him, it seemed I hurt him unknowingly and all my anger had flow to some unknown place now.

"look Nisha you don't remember me from collage is fine with me, really it is.."

This time I cut him off , "wait so you were not lying back at the caf"

"no I was not, we studied together at collage, you not remembering me is totally fine because you were the topper, most popular girl in the collage then why would you even notice someone whom no one noticed.." he paused and sighed "see Nisha the thing is I wanted to see you personally once before our family talks as you might know your mom and my mom are friends and I don't want to ruin it in any way but you never said yes in fact you never talked to me over phone and didn't even let anyone give me your number, it clearly indicated how much you were interested in this, I was at the mall as I wanted to get something for you and when we collided I deliberately swapped our phones as I for once before you reject with straight, I wanted to meet you, the real you and only for one reason and that is ..." He stopped and kept looking here there, not meeting my gaze.

"that is.." I prompted him

"that is .. that I loved you all these years, from the day I saw you for the first time and that dates back to seven eight years. Back in collage I could never propose you but I just wanted to tell you this cause I have just not being able to forget you all these years though I haven't seen you since 5 years so just wanted to at least tell you what I feel"

I was speechless such straight confession no beating around the bush had given me a shock. I was at loss of words, not knowing what to say, I looked at him only to find him staring straight back at me with a look that said say something.

"i.. I" I started but failed miserably

"it's ok.. we both know your answer...let's go down and tell everyone that we are not interested" saying so he walked out of the room while I, I just stood there speechless. I sat on my bed and took a breath which I didn't knew I was holding. All his words were revolving in my mind like a tape recorder and I was not able to do any rational thinking.

Sighing I stepped out of the room and found him leaning on the adjacent wall, our eyes met, his displayed hurt, the playfulness was gone.

"shall we" he asked and I nodded

When we reached the hall, our mothers shot questions at us

"kabir did you liked her?" his mother asked. He looked at me before nodding his head

"Nisha you??" my mom asked. I stayed quiet not knowing what to say

"mom actually the thing is.." kabir started but cut him off "I like him mom, I thing we can go forward with this but please I request I don't want to rush anything, I would like to know him fully first" I said with a smile

"sure beta we would like both of you to spent time with each other, know each other and then tell whether you thing are both are suitable for each other or not" said his mother.

I smiled and nodded. I looked at kabir and he looked shock.

As the elders proceeded to the dining table for dinner, I went to him and before he asked me anything I raised my hand to stop him, " I did not want a arrange marriage because I didn't believe in this entire thing. I mean two people meet each other see each other for few months and then decide that yes he is the one or she is the one. For me love is important for marriage."

"so what made you change your mind "he asked

"I strongly believe that two people who meet each other for the first time you know with the mindset of choosing someone for them as life partner and fall for each other is impossible, one might while the other may not but here in our case I guess it's only me who requires to fall in love so you know we could take a chance or precisely I can take a chance"

His face broke into a huge grin hearing me, "and I promise the chance will not be wasted" he said.

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Epilogue