One weekend, she called me early on a Saturday. I was still
asleep as I had slept at 2 in the morning after watching the latest release in
my laptop.
“Can we meet today at Starbucks?” she said.
I looked the wall clock. It was 10:30 am.
Seeing the fog outside in the chilly morning, I said, “Isn't it too far? Let’s meet somewhere nearby if you say?”
“I don’t know. I want you to wake up and get ready. I will
see you at 2 pm at Starbucks, else you are dead”, she disconnected the call.
Kritika & I have been more than just friends, but less
than lovers from over two weeks. I was wondering that I was going too fast like
I went last time in Apoorva’s case.
I woke up and didn’t bath. It was too much low temperature to
bath.
I decided to tell her about Apoorva that day and so I picked
up printed copy of my book and took the metro to the Rajiv Chowk for Starbucks.
I couldn't find her anywhere inside the coffee shop. I dialed her number.
“Where are you?” I said in a soft voice so that foreigners
could enjoy their own coffee in our country.
“Look at the gate, I am just entering”, she entered with like
12 odd carry bags with different brand labels printed over them with her phone
between her ear and shoulder.
I walked towards the door and helped her to carry her bags.
She had already booked a table for two.
She sat and took out her rubber band from her pony and tied
it again. She looked hottest among all the foreigners sitting around.
“What will you have?” I asked.
“Ahhh…just one Caffe Latte. I just wanted a cosy place to sit
and drink the coffee with you.”
“Okay, I will order the same then.”
While our coffees took a little time to brew, I myself
touched the topic of Apoorva. A cunning smile appeared on her lustrous pink
lips. She asked me start from the start. I took out the copy of the printed
book from my bag and passed it to her.
“I want you to read it yourself”, I said while she read the
title of the book.
“Sweetly Broken- Every Time I see you? Ummm…Not bad…Looks
like lots of hard work had been put it.”
I smiled and she read the first chapter without uttering a
single word. I kept checking out pretty faces of the
hot girls around but none
could beat the bomb-shell sitting with me on my table.
“Will you do me a favor?” she said while we sipped in the
world’s best coffee.
“You just have to say. I won’t say no to you.”
“Let’s go from here. Let’s sit in the garden outside. I will
tell you what you have to do then”.
We paid the cheque and went outside. I carried half of her
shopping bags for 350 meters. I could
easily see a black colour one piece inside one of the bags.
Sun had risen up after 3 days. The sunlight made the chilly
day much better to sit in the garden.
We took a bench and she settled her shopping bags all around.
“Yes, what do you want me to do now? Let me tell you, I am
very bad at singing and dancing”, I said.”
“Stupid. I am well aware of this fact”, she teased and
continued, “I want you to read book to me here, right now and you can’t leave
until you complete it”, she said in a cutest tone I ever heard from her.
“I want you to read it yourself.”
“No, I want to listen it from you. I want to see your facial
expressions when you read. I want you to relive those days again”, she said looking
at my face and tapping the cover page of the book.
“Kritika, I don’t want to read it. Please, I don’t want to
read anything about her. I have moved on.”
“Oh, I See Mr. sweetly broken, every time I talk about her. You
think you are smart enough that you could just change away a topic in a second.
I am a lady, and you should remember that please. I will never let the gossip
go away just like that.”
“I get it. Miss Sagittarius where do you want me to start”,
there was no point of discussing when I knew one can’t easily beat a Sagittarius.
Kritika’s too much cuteness at her face couldn't stop me to
pull the book from her lap and open it. I could end up writing another chapter
to describe her beauty. Should I? No. Let’s keep that part later.
She asked me to take out my phone and switch it off because
she didn't want to get disturbed. She switched off her phone as well.
“Should we sit here only or do you want to sit somewhere
else?” I insisted.
“Is Nikhil at home right now?” she asked.
“I guess he must have for the movie. He was talking about it
last night. Should I call him and confirm it?”
“Yeah. That will be great. Here…call him”, she said passing
me my phone.
I dialled his number. The loud music as soon as he picked up
the call cleared my way to move back to my flat with Kritika. I still
confirmed.
“Nikhil, where are you?”
I couldn’t listen to what he said due to lot of background
noise. Just then, he messaged.
‘I am out with Shika. The keys are near kept the electricity
meter. Will be back late in the night *wink* ’
The winking smiley at the end made me curious
that we both might have our best night of life. Follow @nitishparnami