I was challenged by a friend to write a "touching" love story. Having never truly experienced what those in the know would refer to as the "pangs of love", this is uncharted territory for yours truly.
Treat this as the interesting insight into one man's affairs of the heart from the eyes of someone whose closest exposure to "romance" is through the mushy tales of Katherine Heigl in her numerous avatars of the girl next door who "found love in a hopeless place".
Here's Part I of the story.
Read Part II of the story here.
Treat this as the interesting insight into one man's affairs of the heart from the eyes of someone whose closest exposure to "romance" is through the mushy tales of Katherine Heigl in her numerous avatars of the girl next door who "found love in a hopeless place".
Here's Part I of the story.
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The only light in the room was the faint green glow of the digital clock that shone through a pile of books on the overflowing desk.
Thursday, 9th June, 1:00 am
The calendar perched precariously on top of a sheaf of hastily scribbled sheets fell finally to the floor with a soft thump, bringing along some more papers with it. More scribbles on the calendar page open -
10th June – Amna’s Defence at 5 (Must go!)
There was a sudden break in the silence as a phone began to beep from deep inside the drawer. Sahil woke up as Beethoven’s Ninth reached its highest note.
The voice on the other side was one he hadn’t heard from in a long time.
“Sahil, this is Meera. I’m so sorry about the timing. This is actually an urgent phone call. I’m flying out to Indianapolis in a few days and you’re the only person I know. Would it be possible for you to receive me at the airport? I might need a place to stay for a night too since I’m reaching before the week begins…. Sahil?”
His mind was at once in sleep and actively processing an overload of extremely surprising information. Meera.. in Indianapolis…after such a long time. Last he had heard, she was living in with her boyfriend in New Delhi and working at some MNC that she had been very proud of.
“Err..yeah. Yeah, I’m here. Sorry, are you calling from Delhi?”
“Yes Sahil.. So will I meet you at the airport? I could really use a friend..” Her voice sounded distinctly different from the last time he had heard it, which was logical since it had been pretty loud fight. Sahil tried not to remember the disastrous events that had culminated in the complete absence in his life of the once omnipresent Meera.
“Yes, okay. I hear you. Yeah, when do you reach?”
“10th June, 7 pm at O’Hare. United Airlines flight UA30.”
“Right, right. Great. I’ll be there. You have a safe trip.”
“Bye”
Sahil looked at the watch. Then the messy cubicle. He picked up his bag and left, assuring himself he would clean up next morning.
Sahil raced into the lab the next morning. He was late for work. His cubicle was still messed up, and he was unable to find half the papers of his assignment due in the afternoon. He ran right into Amna.
“What is up with your office all the time?” She was holding up some papers from the stack on the floor.
“There they are!” Sahil said, with a nervous grin stapling the rest of his assignment with those Amna had just found. “Thanks a lot, sweetie. Love you”. Big hug. Did she feel the same tingling he did, he wondered? Everytime..
“I got you some coffee, Sahil. You look like a dead man walking right now. Freshen up!” She was smiling though. The hugs were never wasted on her. He liked ruffling up her long straight hair. Noticing her latest effort to dress up, he had a sudden impulse. “Amna, let’s go out tonight. I feel like getting some fresh air”.
Amna looked back at him, scandalized. “Its my defence tomorrow! I can’t go dancing, Sahil”.
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