4. Togetherness....

“Am I dreaming or you are here Ashish???”

“What do you think dear? I am here. Just for you.”

Nikita turned towards him and returned the hug. It was one of those many best moments. Five minutes in his arms and the World was on a stand-still. Later they realized that it was a public place. She was still flabbergasted. He was actually here. She couldn’t contain the excitement.

On the other side, Ashish was enjoying her innocent expressions. He knew her heart n soul and had anticipated this reaction pretty much the same. That was it. It was this innocence of her which had captivated him all through his college. In his mind, “How dumb I was not to know that I love her since the start. But it’s better late than never.” He smiled and initiated the talk.

“So, how was the surprise? Did you like it?”

“Like it?? You gotta be kidding. I just LOVED it. Everything.”

“That’s good. I was concerned if you would atleast find it okay.”

“You know me thoroughly. There wasn’t a chance that I could not have liked that even a whisker.”

All through the talk, she was hesitant to meet his eyes. And Ashish was again rejoicing this expression. She looked decent yet beautiful. Nikita was not someone who had been a boy’s dream and a charmer in her college. But a decent simple girl who stood grounded all the time and yes with Ashish. She had a concept that a guy who would like her the way she was will be the one whom she’ll be with forever. She had now found that guy and was perfect for her. Ashish was a charmer, but from a distance. Girls came near, got hurt n went back. Nikita was the only girl who could tolerate him. And mellowed him down too.

The eve got along really well. They had good food n loads of talks. The only thing that din’t happen was, their eyes meeting each other. She was still the same.

Later on, they decided onto a walk. Chennai roads are usually busy and crowded. But the two love birds got their solace even in the hustle-bustle. After an hour, they settled near some garden and continued talking.

“I just can’t believe we never fall short of talks.” Ashish remarked.

“May be coz we know everything and what we like and dislike. But then that should’ve halted the topics there itself.”

And they continued to find a reason for next fifteen minutes giving more stupid reasons each time and finally calling it off.

“I have a query Niki. Why aren’t you looking into my eyes? Am I looking that bad today that you don’t want to eye me?”

“I just don’t know that. But am not gathering enough guts.”

“You need guts to look at me? C’mon gal.”

With this, he took her cheeks and lifted her face towards him just to notice she was having wet eyes.

“OMG! What happened sweety? Why are you crying?”

“I have never been so happy in the last year. And this is going to be the happiness for a lifetime. So I just din’t want you to see my ‘khushi k aansu’”

“Awww...”

And with this he gave her yet another tight hug. “This was the last time you did that. Never in life cry for any reason. Coz that will hurt me. And I believe you won’t like that either. Now give a smile.”

She smiled.

“And on this wonderful note, we call it a day. It’s late and you should be back in the bed to reduce that puffiness around your eyes.”

She smirked to this and continued, “Coz we are meeting tomorrow morning for the movie n lunch.”

That was typical Niki. Shy to the World and bindass to Ashish. He was glad to see that crispness back in her and drove her back to her flat. She waved a goodbye. And in a minute, she came running towards him to hug him and placed a juvenile peck on his cheek.

He was astonished. She went back running without another look. N he… he was not going to sleep all night. That was sure.