Meeting
//
I was about to deboard the train when I spotted her. I closely looked at her to reconfirm as I didn’t want myself to end up as an eve teaser beaten by the fellow passengers travelling around in metro. It was definitely her but I couldn’t be sure. She did have those same eyes, same dimple on her chin and a very small mole on her neck. I stared at her for a minute then I took a deep breath and went to her. I waved at her as she was fiddling with her smartphone listening to something, She noticed me and pulled out the earphones.
“Hey, you are Devika, right?” I asked her with fingers crossed.
She nodded “I'm sorry, but do I know you?”
“I’m Ayush ” I smiled.
She looked at me with a confused I’m–still- not-getting-who-you-are look.
“We studied together. We were classmates in eleventh & twelfth.”
“I’m sorry. I seem to forget things lately” She said apologetically.
I was so happy seeing her after all those years that I almost forgot it’s been 17 years since our school ended and unlike me, she didn’t ever had any feelings for me. So disappointed, I tried again.
I remembered something. “Oh wait.. my friend used to like you. Rachit??”
Her eyes suddenly lit up. “Oh.. Of course Ayush. You are his silent friend.”
“I was” I corrected “And silent only in front of certain people.”
She moved a little aside from the seat she was sitting and I sat near her. And it was beautiful. I almost forgot which station I need to deboard now but again, who cares if she’s around.
“I never thought I would see you, and it’s also a surprise that you didn’t know I exist” I said and smiled.
She laughed “Well, you should have done something to mark your existence in my mind.”
“You didn’t do anything too yet I remember you and remember you so well.”
A shy smile appeared on her face.
“So, you got married?” I asked her.
“Hmm… I did” She sighed “my marriage was a disaster. We got divorced after 3 years.”
“I’m sorry” I said.
“Ahh, don’t be. Because I’m not” she gave a dry smile “What about you?”
“Ohh I’m single, happily aged” I smiled.
“WHAT ??! Seriously, you must be same of my age right?”
“Yup turning 34 next month”
“Ohk don’t say it that loud” she smiled “So why still single?” She was anxious.
“After my father’s demise all his duties of our business became mine. So workload of the venture and it’s expansion kept me busy. I had been in few relationships but it didn’t worked out. Never really felt the need for a marriage till yet and honestly time is also the issue.” I said.
“Hmmm.. May God arrange your meeting with the right girl soon.”
“We meet the people we’re suppose to when the time is just right” I replied in an instant and we had an eye contact for some complete three seconds. I don’t know why I said that but something was meaningful in it.
Next five minutes went by talking about most notorious students and few good teachers which I hardly remember but I was nodding my head like I’m still in possession of all those memories, the only thing which I remember was unlike today her hair were little bit longer those days and she still tuck the hair strand behind her ear like the old times. God!! How I never managed to asked her out?
I was busy in imagining 16 years old version of us in school uniform when she waved her hand in front of me.
“Are you here?”
“Oh Yes,” I said coming back to reality.
“I was saying the next station is mine” SHIT!! I cried in my mind “Which platform you are heading to?”
“Same as yours” I lied. I was already seven stations ahead and super late for my meeting, But again who cares when she’s around.
We deboarded together and took the escalator for downwards as we reach the exit gates. My expressions were fair enough to judge her it wasn’t my destination.
“You really work in this part of the city?” she smiled.
“Actually, I lied,” I said looking away scratching my head “I have no idea about this route, In fact, I travel very rare in metros. I was on my way to a meeting when the car broke down. So my chauffeur suggested that station. Which I actually missed.”
“I’m so sorry because of my old school chats you missed your meeting” She said.
“Please, sorry for what? I attend such meetings daily but such unexpected meeting with you after all those years was something worth missing work.” It was definitely not me saying such cheesy lines but a smile on her lips and few more seconds of silence was her answer.
And I was happy because a meaningful silence is always better than meaningless words.
She explained me the way back from the opposite platform and I briefed my chauffeur about my arrival.
“You don’t use facebook that much, never saw you there” She asked.
“Yeah very less, I prefer WhatsApp much” I replied.
“Same here.” She smiled and turned to leave “See you there then”.
“Devika”.
“Yes” (she turned back).
“Doesn’t we require phone numbers for WhatsApp?” I asked her to reconfirm whether It’s a relevant question.
She giggled “Aha!! I’m so sorry Ayush.
And we exchanged numbers.
Half an hour later I was sitting in my car gazing and smiling at her WhatsApp dp, my chauffeur was constantly checking in the rear view that why his serious-sane looking boss is acting weird today.
That night more than ten times I typed her number on my mobile keypad and erased it, Maybe I was afraid about coming out of the closet. But I finally dialled it, and after that night everything changed. We share all the missing pieces of our life in those phone calls, the 16 years old Ayush who didn’t have the balls to ask her out, And the 23 years old Devika who married his boyfriend from college and still living in regrets.
We realised that no matter how damaged and rusted we were from the circumstances, we can always restore ourselves and live the new and crisped upcoming future.
It was hard to believe that on my way to a meeting. I accidentally met someone and that simple meeting could lead us to meet a new version of life with each other.
Indeed the significance of the word ‘Meeting’ has completely changed in my world now. It’s been 3 months we are talking since that unexpected metro-meeting, now we almost meet daily and honestly meeting with her is a bliss now. There is just one such meeting tomorrow and I’m a little nervous about it right now, you know that nervous feeling when you are about to meet her parents.
“Hey, you are Devika, right?” I asked her with fingers crossed.
She nodded “I'm sorry, but do I know you?”
“I’m Ayush ” I smiled.
She looked at me with a confused I’m–still- not-getting-who-you-are look.
“We studied together. We were classmates in eleventh & twelfth.”
“I’m sorry. I seem to forget things lately” She said apologetically.
I was so happy seeing her after all those years that I almost forgot it’s been 17 years since our school ended and unlike me, she didn’t ever had any feelings for me. So disappointed, I tried again.
I remembered something. “Oh wait.. my friend used to like you. Rachit??”
Her eyes suddenly lit up. “Oh.. Of course Ayush. You are his silent friend.”
“I was” I corrected “And silent only in front of certain people.”
She moved a little aside from the seat she was sitting and I sat near her. And it was beautiful. I almost forgot which station I need to deboard now but again, who cares if she’s around.
“I never thought I would see you, and it’s also a surprise that you didn’t know I exist” I said and smiled.
She laughed “Well, you should have done something to mark your existence in my mind.”
“You didn’t do anything too yet I remember you and remember you so well.”
A shy smile appeared on her face.
“So, you got married?” I asked her.
“Hmm… I did” She sighed “my marriage was a disaster. We got divorced after 3 years.”
“I’m sorry” I said.
“Ahh, don’t be. Because I’m not” she gave a dry smile “What about you?”
“Ohh I’m single, happily aged” I smiled.
“WHAT ??! Seriously, you must be same of my age right?”
“Yup turning 34 next month”
“Ohk don’t say it that loud” she smiled “So why still single?” She was anxious.
“After my father’s demise all his duties of our business became mine. So workload of the venture and it’s expansion kept me busy. I had been in few relationships but it didn’t worked out. Never really felt the need for a marriage till yet and honestly time is also the issue.” I said.
“Hmmm.. May God arrange your meeting with the right girl soon.”
“We meet the people we’re suppose to when the time is just right” I replied in an instant and we had an eye contact for some complete three seconds. I don’t know why I said that but something was meaningful in it.
Next five minutes went by talking about most notorious students and few good teachers which I hardly remember but I was nodding my head like I’m still in possession of all those memories, the only thing which I remember was unlike today her hair were little bit longer those days and she still tuck the hair strand behind her ear like the old times. God!! How I never managed to asked her out?
I was busy in imagining 16 years old version of us in school uniform when she waved her hand in front of me.
“Are you here?”
“Oh Yes,” I said coming back to reality.
“I was saying the next station is mine” SHIT!! I cried in my mind “Which platform you are heading to?”
“Same as yours” I lied. I was already seven stations ahead and super late for my meeting, But again who cares when she’s around.
We deboarded together and took the escalator for downwards as we reach the exit gates. My expressions were fair enough to judge her it wasn’t my destination.
“You really work in this part of the city?” she smiled.
“Actually, I lied,” I said looking away scratching my head “I have no idea about this route, In fact, I travel very rare in metros. I was on my way to a meeting when the car broke down. So my chauffeur suggested that station. Which I actually missed.”
“I’m so sorry because of my old school chats you missed your meeting” She said.
“Please, sorry for what? I attend such meetings daily but such unexpected meeting with you after all those years was something worth missing work.” It was definitely not me saying such cheesy lines but a smile on her lips and few more seconds of silence was her answer.
And I was happy because a meaningful silence is always better than meaningless words.
She explained me the way back from the opposite platform and I briefed my chauffeur about my arrival.
“You don’t use facebook that much, never saw you there” She asked.
“Yeah very less, I prefer WhatsApp much” I replied.
“Same here.” She smiled and turned to leave “See you there then”.
“Devika”.
“Yes” (she turned back).
“Doesn’t we require phone numbers for WhatsApp?” I asked her to reconfirm whether It’s a relevant question.
She giggled “Aha!! I’m so sorry Ayush.
And we exchanged numbers.
Half an hour later I was sitting in my car gazing and smiling at her WhatsApp dp, my chauffeur was constantly checking in the rear view that why his serious-sane looking boss is acting weird today.
That night more than ten times I typed her number on my mobile keypad and erased it, Maybe I was afraid about coming out of the closet. But I finally dialled it, and after that night everything changed. We share all the missing pieces of our life in those phone calls, the 16 years old Ayush who didn’t have the balls to ask her out, And the 23 years old Devika who married his boyfriend from college and still living in regrets.
We realised that no matter how damaged and rusted we were from the circumstances, we can always restore ourselves and live the new and crisped upcoming future.
It was hard to believe that on my way to a meeting. I accidentally met someone and that simple meeting could lead us to meet a new version of life with each other.
Indeed the significance of the word ‘Meeting’ has completely changed in my world now. It’s been 3 months we are talking since that unexpected metro-meeting, now we almost meet daily and honestly meeting with her is a bliss now. There is just one such meeting tomorrow and I’m a little nervous about it right now, you know that nervous feeling when you are about to meet her parents.
//
Trains huh! That's the secret then.
ReplyDeleteU r always too good😍
ReplyDelete