Krish stood in the middle of the college conference hall, surveying the preparations there. His friends, Om and Swayam were helping him set everything up.
"You realise you are mad, Krish?" asked Om, heaving a table into the corner.
"Nooo!" said Krish, ignoring the comment and dragging the table back into the centre of the room. "And where is this Paurav, I would like to know!"
"He will come, chill" said Swayam, leaning against the wall, one leg crossed over the other, head tilted to survey his best friends.
"Help is welcome" groused Om, whining and glaring at Swayam, who made no sign he heard the input. He swiped down on his phone screen, apparently absorbed in something. A grin took over his face.
"Pro's friends are coming now" he said, looking up for a second before resuming his perusal of the news feed his phone was pinging. Om wrenched the phone from his grasp and pocketed it.
"Come and help" he said, standing on one of the chairs, to hang decorations from the ceiling.
"It isn't my girlfriend's birthday!" said Swayam, nonetheless helping Om. He glanced around to see boxes of decorations strewn all over the large room.
"No, idiot, it is the last day of college, and we are going to have fun, Mister, so HELP" came the annoyed retort.
"I am, I am" he said, idly handing Om some streamers, and trying to see if he could retrieve his phone from said man's pocket. "Can I have my phone back?"
"No, unless Medha calls" said Krish, now engrossed in drawing something on the large white board.
"Whatcha drawing, Kri?" came a voice from the doorway. He answered without even bothering to turn.
"I am gonna kill you, Pau!"
"Why is that precisely?"
The banter is never ending, thought Swayam, in fond exasperation, as he walked around trying to fix the small detailing on the walls. He half wished he hadn't taken this up, but then he and Krish were very close, and it was worth the effort.
"Finally done," sighed Om. He, Swayam and Paurav rushed out of the room before Krish registered what he said. But Krish was too engrossed in his own thoughts.
'This will be the last party before we officially graduate from here', he thought, smiling to himself. 'I hope we do a good job of the decorations, I want everything perfect.'
He finished up quickly and surveyed the room. He thought it looked fine. Satisfied, he locked up and pocketed the key. Checking his watch, he cursed fluently under his breath. He was going to be late. Running down the stairs two at a time, he ran to his car, and revved it up.
At the mall, she was waiting impatiently, when she felt a tap to her shoulder. A tap she knew very well. Rounding on Krish, Proteeti crossed her arms, and raised an exasperated eyebrow.
"Krish Oberoi..." she said, sarcastically. "What a pleasant surprise!"
"Hi, sweetheart," he said rather foolishly, as he didn't know what else to say. He attempted to hug her but she fended him off.
"What is the time?"
"Ahem, 5.30?"
"And you were supposed to be here at?"
"5?"
"Ahuh" she said, turning and walking away from him, and made a beeline for the first shop on her agenda.
"Pro, Pro, Pro," he said, hurrying to keep pace with her. "Listen, sorry I got cau-"
"Om, Swayam or Paurav?" she asked, hiding her amusement as she browsed the shelves for the perfect dress for the party.
"None" came the surprising reply. She turned to face him, a questioning frown forming.
"Here, I got this" he said, holding up a small box. "Open it?"
She took the box from him, and opened it, to find a silver locket in it. She flipped the locket open. It carried a picture of her and her friends from college. Grinning, she slipped around her neck.
"Forgiven" she said, holding up a dress for him to survey. He nodded, but handed her another one. He sighed in relief. Thank God he had remembered it.
Krish smiled at Proteeti, as both of them walked out of the store in the mall in sync with each other. In comfortable silence, one that was filled with love, they walked on, not caring about the world that was around them, and not looking at the ones who watched the two of them in a feeling close to awe.
"Do you want to go somewhere else Pro?", asked Krish.
"How about the book store?", asked Proteeti, grinning as she saw a childish grin light up Krish's face. If there was something Krish loved, it was books. That is one time he turned into a shopper. He was patient when she did her shopping, even if she took hours, but when it came to books, he competed with her shopping levels.
Shaking her head fondly, she followed him into the bookstore, her love for him increasing every second.
Two days later...
Krish ran around the place, crazed.
Everything needed to be perfect before Proteeti arrived. She should remember this day forever.
Om and Swayam watched Krish in amusement, as he rushed around the room, setting everything right.
"Kri, you already finished that", said a bored Paurav.
"Shut up Pau. I want it to be perfect", said Krish, glaring at Paurav.
"And it is", said Swayam, soothingly.
"But she should like it right?She should remember this day..", started Krish.
"Krish Oberoi! It will be fine!", said Om, cuffing him on the back of his head.
"Ouch!", whined Krish, as he rubbed his head.
"Is everything ready?"
Medha and Bhavani, Proteeti's friends walked into the conference hall.
"Yes! But your brother is being an idiot", said Om, to both of them, smiling amusedly.
"Shush Om. Krish Bhai just wants it all to be perfect for Pro", said Medha, supporting Krish.
"Thank you baby sister", said Krish, grinning and hugging Medha.
"Guyyysss! Pro is here", said Bhavani, scrolling through her phone.
'It's time', thought Krish, excited, yet nervous.
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