Am I In Your Fate?

‘You are at the wrong place or you are in the wrong outfit.’ A girl must be Isha said.

‘Excuse me?’ I said and turned to look at her. She is in full party wear, heavy eyeliners, open and straight hairs, fair skin and her perfectly curved face cut made me wish if she is not Isha then I’m leaving this pub.

‘No offense but under this Disco lights, your formal outfit seems like cheese on top of ice-cream.’ She insulted and turned to the bartender. Her opinion over my outfit made me realise I should’ve insisted Isha find another place for a meeting.

Before your mind ask who Isha is. Then let me inform you that, she is the first girl my mom chosen for my marriage and she gave me her number. Then last night Isha informed me of the place and timing. I asked my mom to send her picture but she is not that good in Whatsapp and later when I messaged Isha to send her picture, I felt being creepy so I deleted the message, even her Whatsapp DP has a grown-up German shepherd. So I had no idea for whom I am waiting at the pub.

‘Why so confused Mr.?’ She turned to lost in thoughts me again, with her drinks.

‘I am Vipul and god knows why I am here.’ I said and swing my both hand a bit.

‘You really don’t know why you here? Let me guess, break up?’ She asked back and I made a face like, am I look teenager.

‘Actually, I had a matrimonial meeting with a girl, which is fixed by our parents far from this city. They asked us to meet each other and the girl chose this place. I have been calling her but she is not responding.’ I explained to her and she listened to me with full attention.

‘I guess shadi.com is now taking over tinder.’ She said and we both laughed a bit.

‘Kavya’ she said and continued,

‘And what about the outfit you wearing? Didn’t she tell you that she choose a pub for a meeting?’ She gulped a sip and said.

‘I knew it’s a pub but I work till nine and she asked me to reach at ten. I come here directly as soon as I completed my stuff at the office.’ I said looking at her.

‘Why you are not having drinks? You are at a goddamn pub not in your damn office.’ She said and turned to call bartender, shouting his name.

‘I’m not in mood Kavya, I’m tired too.’ I tried insisting her but she didn’t give up, she offered me a cocktail with the unpronounceable name of drinks and moments later I opened my eyes after my last shot of drink, I saw disco lights with thousand present more effects. I started feeling lighter, all the stress I kept inside gone away. The only concern left in my mind was about Isha but with slowly increasing effect of alcohol, decreased the thought of meeting Isha today.

I danced till I puke in the loo and when I come back Kavya wasn’t there. I kept looking for her then I returned back to bartender, I sat on chair and checked my phone, the notification drawer was empty, so do my life is. I asked bartender for bill and he hand me over a piece of paper with printed amount of seven thousand. He informed it’s a combine bill of Kavya and mine.

I went out of pub with toddling feet. After spending seven thousand on unknown girl, I don’t think if I spend more five hundred on cab will make me broke. I booked a cab and driver asked me to wait for five minutes, don’t know why but I get in to pub again and looked everywhere to find Kavya, she wasn’t visible. I kept running my eyes, when my phone started ringing, without looking at screen I picked up and said,

‘Wait for 2 minutes bhaiya, I’m coming out.’ I said as I thought its cab driver, but

‘Hello Vipul, its Isha.’ As soon I heard, I disappointed on myself thinking why didn’t I checked before receiving call? I had no other option than making excuse.

‘Hey Isha, where are you? Actually I can’t make it up today. I am quiet tried today and now going back home.’ I said as fast as possible.

‘Vipul, I am at the pub too and if you are not feeling good then we can meet any other day if you wish.’ She answered and I blamed myself thinking, she knew I’m here, why’d I lie?

‘Yeah that’s a better idea.’ I said and felt relief.

‘Ok then, see you soon.’ Isha said.

‘Hey wait a minute Isha, can you meet me outside the pub, just for few minutes. My cab is about to arrive and I thought to just have a look at you.’ I said and my only motive was to see her face and I succeeded as she agreed.

I was waiting outside and in a few minutes Isha came out, she was on a dark blue outfit with high heels, swinging ponytail, a little purse, and fair skin. I saw her for the first time and her face carried a sorry expression already.

‘Sorry Vipul, I know it’s my entire fault. I delayed.’ She said it with such a cute way that I smiled genuinely.

‘Yeah, I waited long for you but I enjoyed it there, so no sorry’s.’ I said pointing toward the pub and thinking about Kavya.

‘By the way, you look good in these.’ Kavya said looking at my formal outfit.

‘Now you don’t need to do this ok, I know this looks boring.’ I said quickly and felt someone lying on my face.

Few more jokes and unnecessary compliments later my cab arrived, I asked her to join her friends as she informed that she delayed due to her friends. I waved her bye and turned toward cab driver to confirm OTP when all of sudden the gate of pub opened forcefully by the bouncers and they took out two people, I surprised it was Kavya and a guy, then Isha followed two of them. I didn’t know what’s happening but the situation was on heat.

‘How dare you do this to me?’ Kavya screamed at the guy and Isha was shocked.

‘And you bitch, I was your friend. How could you both do this to me?’ Isha continued and the other two was looking down to their feet.

‘It was a mistake Isha.’ The guy said and the next moment he received a tight slap from Isha.

‘So do our relationship was.’ Isha said and no one utters a single word after that.

‘Sir I can’t wait long, I need to go home.’ The cab driver said as I kept looking at them.

‘Yeah sure’ I said and got sited on the front seat.

The driver started the car and I plugged in the earphones instead of connecting my phone to car’s Bluetooth speaker. I might not get that heat-full scene but as soon I realised that Isha and Kavya are of the same circle, I asked the driver to stop the car and I get out to call Kavya. She was still there and two of them left. I didn’t know how to approach her as she was crying, I hesitated a bit but then I moved ahead.

‘Hey Kavya, you mind if I drop you somewhere?’ I asked at once without wasting time.

‘I live with Isha, I will go with them.’ She answered.

‘I shouldn’t ask you this but before you come to me...’ I was about to ask her something when she cut me off and said.

‘Yeah, I knew you were come to meet Isha and she asked me to engage you.’ She said.

‘That’s quite unethical.’ I said picking humble words.

‘Look I am sorry for that, I agreed to engage you and at the same time, she double-crossed me and...’ she was saying when I cut her off.

‘No need to tell your side of the story. I can understand that.’ I said as I genuinely don’t want to listen to her more and yeah, the cab driver has to go home, too. So I turned without saying anything and sat inside the car.

I plugged in earphones again and with Arijit’s voice, the thought started running. I wonder why people do such, why they promise and then find it hard. Didn’t they think before saying anything? They made promises for lifetime and try to keep the same with different peoples. Isha at some point was wrong; Kavya at the same time was way more wrong than Isha. And my point is, who is crying, who is suffering, why the hell Kavya is not disturbed with her own act. But that’s the Life, I thought and with the end of my discussion with myself, I reached my apartment. I was tired and the next day was Sunday. Before falling asleep, I thought I won’t do anything unnecessary which can cost me a single rupee.

I woke up with obvious headache and find it difficult to help myself. Later I saw many missed calls from mom and from an unknown number. I dialled my mom as soon I fresh up and sat with lemon juice. Mom was asking about the meeting with Kavya but I didn’t utter much and end the conversation saying, find someone better.

 The headache was gone after lemon juice but my muscles were not cooperating properly. And the relief of stretching muscles while lying on the bed was making me lazier. A half-hour later my lunch arrived; I started eating as soon I closed the door. Either the food was delicious or my stomach needed anything to accept alcohol. I again fall asleep and woke up with phone call, I wasn’t interested to know who is dying to talk to me, so I was leaving every calls unanswered. After some attempts, the caller sends the text asking,

‘You are not marrying that bitch right?’ 4:37PM

I wonder what on earth made Isha dial my number. I replied back asking,

‘you kno I am m not and why are you calling me? And who gave you my number’ 4:49PM

‘Same bitch and you’re still blaming me?’ 4:49PM

‘No, I’m doing my stuff.’ 4:57PM

‘I need your address.’ 4:57PM

‘No way’ 4:58PM

‘I just wanted to return my share of the bill.’ 4:58PM

‘I’m sending u my bank details, transfer it online.’ 5:01PM

‘I’m not good at online banking.’ 5:01PM

Her last reply irritated me and I dialled her back and said I don’t need my money back and disconnected without even listening to her. Don’t know what’s in my head, which made me so rude from last night. I know exactly what happened last night but I wasn’t that mad then, but right now, I really want to talk, neither with Isha nor with Kavya.

Sun was going down, clouds turned reddish and the city lightened up with lots of colours. I was on my balcony when I heard my door bell, I thought it was my friend and opened the door but I guessed wrong. She was Kavya, with a bottle of wine with a ribbon tied on it.

‘What is this?’ I said.

‘This is for you.’ She said and approached the bottle till my hand.

‘You don’t need to do this.’ I said and didn’t hold the bottle.

‘By the way, I wanted to ask you, are you free tonight?’ Kavya said and get inside my apartment.

‘No, I am not.’ I said, meanwhile she started running her eyes all around my apartment.

‘Ok then, I should leave now. I am leaving this bottle right here.’ She said placing the bottle on the table and started walking toward the main door.

‘You can keep the bottle with you, I really don’t need that.’ I said following her till the main door.

‘Look Vipul, I’m sorry for last night and I’m leaving this city in a few days. So I’m just suggesting you that, instead of caging yourself in here, we can share some good time together somewhere out, or at the same place, where we first met.’ She said with really soft and convincing voice.

‘I’m not sure but will think about it.’ I too answered in a convincing tone and she smiled.

‘If you make a positive move, then you’ll find me at the same place in the same pub, at 9 tonight.’ She said and waved a bye.

Life is way complicated than what normal people live, our generation has updated issues and most of us never find themselves trapped cause they never allow themselves to live freely. Or you can say, they live like, Life is an official job to them. And I am one of them.

I went to the pub a little late but felt good about Kavya’s effort toward me. I didn’t know why she is doing this but what I assumed is that she got cheated last night and she has no trustful friend left from her side. Now when she already had decided to leave this city, then spending a night with her won’t harm me anyway, at least I can listen to her if my sense of humour won’t work.

‘You are late Vipul.’ Kavya said as soon as I joined her at the pub.

‘You clearly told me that, coming to meet you is up to me.’ I said and asked the bartender for a soft drink.

‘Who drinks soft?’ She said and get off from her seat.

‘Where you leaving?’ I asked while cancelling my soft drink.

‘I need some fresh air and this place sucks now.’ She said and cued me to join her.

We were on the street, the cold wind and dark sky full of stars were turning the dark moment, more beautiful. We were not talking but once I turned to her, she was smiling now. Her laugh, her smile, her face, her charm carries something really special. She was wounded emotionally and I thought, that’s not the right time to engage her emotions with my feeling. I let my feeling disappear in that night, just like she is doing with her own. I only wish to have her company back with the same energy but at the same time, she is leaving the city.

‘You believe in fate Kavya?’

‘I used to believe people, not fate. But I guess, I’ve to make some changes.’

‘Let fate play its game. Think everything happened for reason, maybe for teaching you or for executing the toxic people you cared.’

‘Vipul, this is our last meeting and you might never see me like this. My past needs a change in me. Even if we met again you’ll never see me like this. I need to cry and let the older Kavya drown away. I need to find better ways to keep myself happy without having another’s company.

‘Will you ever come back?’ I asked and she smiled.

‘Let fate play its game.’