1. New Beginning...

2.30 p.m. Nikita was confused. Million things running through her mind. She considered the pros as well as the cons of the situation. Took her cell in hand, but placed it on the table again.

3.30p.m. The confusion mounted leaps and bounds. What will be the prognosis of the scene? Will things be brighter or gloomy? Her heart pounded. She could not concentrate anywhere. The work seemed like a distant thing that day. She knew he was genuine but couldn’t judge the after-effects and so again reverted.

4.00p.m. the last hour of work at office. Everyone was eager to finish it off soon, so that boss would let them run home early. But Ashish was least interested in work today. He was eyeing the cell since morning. Work… well; today it was off-on, mostly off. He was at his nervous best today. Anxious to the answer, Nikita was supposed to give.

The phone rang. He went to the café and gulped enough water to moisten his throat which had gone dry at the thought of talking to her. He picked up the call. “Hey Niki”

“Hi Ashish”

“So, did you think about it?”

“Ummmm. Yes I did.”

“So, what’s your take?”

After a deep breath, “YES”. And the phone disconnected.

His mouth yet again went dry. Not for the tension, but for the excitement, the joy, and the unbound happiness he got from that small yes by Nikita.

It was yesterday night, they both were chattering like the usual they did. They shared their day and went into the nostalgic college days they had with the entire fun n frolic. Just then Ashish took a pause and said, “Hey Niki, mind if I ask you something?”

“C’mon you don’t need a permission to do that. Of course you can.”

He again took a pause. A long breath. And spilled his heart out at once.

“Niki, I guess I am in love with you. It’s not about now. Nor is it about the past. It’s about these 12months that we have not been able to see each other. In the college time, we being the best of friends always spent time with each other, inside the class or outside. It used to morning 9 to eve 5 that we were with each other. And followed by those tuitions which lasted till 9 at night.”

Nikita was astounded. She wasn’t expecting anything of this sort anywhere.

Ashish continued, “Never did I get a chance to miss you then. But now that we are not even in the same place, I thought at first it won’t be tough managing without you. But you know what. IT IS. Every time it’s you who runs through my mind. Right from the cup of caffeine in morning which I had with you in the canteen to the dinnertime call, everything makes me miss you.

“The giggle on stupid jokes. The cry over trivial matters. Me taking care of all the nerds behind you. 5 hours of a single coffee and then the owner thrashing us off. Those late night calls just to tell your dog irritating you. Those last minute exam notes I borrowed from you. The result phobia that we shared. The excitement about the campus selection. Feeling bad for each other when some mishap occurs. Those weekend escape from home to have a bit of fun.

“Every small moment, makes me miss you loads. I never had thought this to be love. But it turned out to be one. Previously I knew you are there right at the corner and so into reach that I never gave it a thought. But now that you are miles apart, I succumbed to the exemplary feeling of love for you. I LOVE YOU NIKI. From the heart, for a lifetime.”

Nikita was speechless. Things had changed in these 15 minutes. She was still expecting “Arey m kidding dear. Chill”

But it din’t come up. That’s when she realized that he was true to the core. 

For next few minutes neither did he talk nor did she. They hung up the phone on a simple bye without another word.

The very next minute, her cell beeped to a text message, “I don’t know how are you going to take it. I will be waiting for a reply tomorrow. If by eve you don’t respond, I’ll take it as a no. But that won’t spoil anything. I assure you that. We’ll stay as we are always. It was just what I wanted to tell you what was in my heart. Take care dear.”

She was so unsure what to do. Sleep magically waved off even after a tiring day. She was into another world right now where perplexity clouded her mind. She din’t know what to say, what to do. Every statement banged her mind. Thinking upon it for a while made her aware of the same feelings even she had for him. They just needed a trigger to come out. She was sacred. Will it work? Will things get better? With this notion, she closed her eyes and left it all for tomorrow.