Love Again...

They say "Love happens when you least expect it". Titir being a careerist girl and after surviving major heartbreak always used to think these are all trash talks, before one day it actually happened. She wasn't expecting love; she wasn't even welcoming the thought. Sitting alone in a street-facing window of a coffee shop, trying to read a holiday book she bought from the street side. More than reading the book, she was actually face reading people around her. Mmm "The couple sitting in the corner, looks like a forced alliance made by the family. The guy seems to be too shy to even start a conversation"..."That group of friends sitting in a corner all emersed in their phones. Why do even people meet people these days if they are not going to engage in face to face talks". There are a few folks like Titir as well who are sitting alone, some buried their faces in laptops, and others are just enjoying a cup of coffee peacefully.

Suddenly a man came and forcefully occupied the space in front of her. Neither asked for her permission ( at least as decency) nor respected her personal space. She hates this kind of man who barges into someone else's life suddenly. They are mostly the ones who disappear without any caution. Even though she was annoyed she couldn't stop looking at his charming smile. Actually, it might have been a stare. Eyes with long lashes, probably too long for a guy...neatly trimmed beard, lightly styled hair. He had a habit of shaking his right hand to adjust his wristwatch. Not even two seconds and she noticed all this! Girl! Control yourself. Their eyes met and he smiled like they are not strangers, like they knew each other long before this ordinary day.

He suddenly made a face and asked "who taught you to drink this black poison, looking at the cup Titir was holding between her palms".

Titir was clueless for a few seconds or maybe she has too emerged into his features. His question brought her back to this world. Not knowing what to answer she just smiled.

He snatched her cup and mixed a few ounces of milk and three spoonfuls of sugar into her cup. "Here taste it now. Much better than the poison you were drinking, isn't it".

Titir being taught "always be a people pleaser" couldn't say much just nodded. She was really getting annoyed from inside. What a shameless man!

Seems like the man didn't know how to stop. Her agitation was showing up on her face. He said, "You should smile more, otherwise the dimple will disappear. God doesn't let you keep things if you don't show gratitude for them".

Really "God"? This time Titir couldn't stop herself. "Smiling without any reason makes one look crazy. That too when you are sitting alone and smiling, people around you might think you are possessed".

To this, he laughed a head-turning smile, so loud and so hearty that Titir couldn't stop herself laughing with him.

Then for the next few hours, they discussed topics after topics, from politics to movies, and social structure to human history. A few times he made silly jokes about her, a few times they looked a bit too long into each other's eyes. Both of them forgot to look at the time, enjoying each other's company so much that didn't realise when the afternoon became evening, the evening became late evening.

Realising it's too late for a first date which is not even a date Titir abruptly stood up, packed her purse and was about to leave. He also got up and said he will walk with her. She became so comfortable by now, that she didn't even doubt a stranger's intention. She was actually sort of frowning from inside that her place is only 5 mins away from the cafe.

Finally from her apartment's lobby, she said bye to him and took the lift without even exchanging numbers. She opened her door, threw her purse and sat in dark silence for a few minutes with a smile on her face.

Her therapist suggested manifesting an imaginary person whenever she feels like sinking. She didn't believe it could do any good but she finally tried and it made her feel so happy. It's like dating herself and falling in love once again even when she least expected it.