The Day The State Split Asunder-13

Four years ago... 

 

It was a late summer evening and everyone in the office was getting ready to call it a day. On the other side, the quality testing team was firing on all cylinders. They reported fifty bugs in the web application and twenty bugs have been assigned in the name of Aarti. 

Aarti hails from the country's financial capital Mumbai. After completing her Bachelor's degree she relocated to Bangalore to start her career as a software developer. Adarsh works in the same development team along with her. In the initial days, she had a tough time learning about product development. Adarsh helped her in the learning and the duo established a good camaraderie in a short period of time. 

Today she was dressed in a pink T-shirt and black jeans that perfectly hugged her body curves. Her glossy hair was swept to the side in loose curls that barely touched her shoulder and the black earrings looked good on her. She was constantly rubbing a balm on her forehead and her eyes assumed a dull red colour. 

'Aarti are you alright?' Adarsh asked as the pungent smell of the balm reached his nostrils.

'No!' she responded in a weak tone rubbing the forehead with her fingers. 'The testing team has reported a lot of bugs in our application.'

'You know, the relationship between developers and testers is like a fish and fisherman. While a developer thinks about how to make it, the tester thinks about how to break it,' Adarsh made an attempt to bring a smile on her face but it proved futile. 

    'Good try! But I don't feel like laughing.'

'No matter how hard the day is, good food can make everything great. There is a Rajasthani restaurant which is three streets away from our office. If you want we can go there?' offered Adarsh.

'Haa! My head is bursting, but we are still not done with today's tasks,' she glanced at the time on her monitor.

'So what! Daily we are working for more than ten hours. We completed fifty percent of the application. We still have one more month to deliver. Let's work upon it tomorrow. Assign a few bugs on my name,' Adarsh said.

'Thank you so much. You have been really helping me a lot. Now I feel like eating,' she replied and her plump cheeks dimpled.

Adarsh and Aarti packed their bags and reached the ground floor. When the two of them were out on the footpath, Adarsh stopped for a second and faced her. 

'Aarti I have to admit, your dress is so beautiful and you look so gorgeous. This pink colour suits you the best,' he said, taking her by surprise.

'Thank you,' Aarti said and started moving.

On the way they were discussing the office matters while walking side by side and after fifteen minutes of aimless strolling, they stopped in front of a Rajasthani Cuisine. They stepped into the restaurant which was already bustling with foodies. They ordered spicy tomato soup, Rumali Roti, egg rolls and Paneer Butter Masala.

'Adarsh, do you stay alone or with your parents?' Aarti asked after the waiter left. 

'I am alone and I don't have anyone.' 

'Oh I am so sorry! Don't say you are alone. Am I not your friend?'

An instant wave of happiness surged inside him. 'No! You are not just a friend. But my best friend.' 

'You didn't tell me about these things anytime before?'

'This topic never came up in our discussion.'

'I am sorry to ask you about this. How did your parents die?' Aarti immediately realised that this kind of question might hurt him but it was already late and cursed herself for her curiosity. 'I am sorry. I shouldn't have asked.'

'No Problem!' He then started giving a brief account of his entire childhood. The sad story of his parent's demise moved Aarti to tears. Even Adarsh's eyes welled with tears as he completed it. He rubbed his eyes and continued, 'If there is any happy moment in these recent years it is only because of you. No one else treated me as a friend except you. I will always remain grateful to you.'

'I am extremely sorry! God acted tough upon you,' Aarti said and wished she could have expressed more eloquently how sorry she was for all that had happened to him.

The waiter arrived with their soup, egg rolls and placed them on the table.

'I never shared my story with anyone except you,' he took a sip from his soup bowl. 

'Even I am also lucky to have met a friend like you,' her lips curved in a smile. 

'One thing I wanted to ask you. Why do you hate doing things twice? When it comes to testing we have to do it multiple times. Every time you will skip it and end up playing the victim role.'

'I have been like that since my childhood. I don't know why, but I don't like going to the same place for a vacation the second time, going to the same restaurant and also watching the same movie. Anything I don't like doing twice.'

'Seems like this is a kind of psychological disorder.'

'Please don't use that name. It stings me.'

'Ok-Ok! I am sorry! Tell me what do you do during your free time?'

'In my free time I just watch movies and I enjoy romantic films a lot,' she crunched on her egg roll and swallowed.

'Then, in that case, your favourite movie might be Titanic?'

'How on earth did you know that?' her dark eyes sparkled with amusement.

'It was just a random guess. I've not watched that movie.'

'Try watching it some other time. You will enjoy it.'

'What is that story all about? Is it only about how the ship went down in the ocean?'

'It is a story about Jack and Rose. They meet on the ship and Jack falls in love with Rose instantly. It's a combination of Romance and History sailing together. A classic love at first sight. 

'Love at first sight! Is it possible in real life? Do people really meet and in moments simply know they're meant to be?'

She raised her head and looked straight into his eyes, her dark eyes glittering with amusement with a smirk across her face. 'OK, I'll admit it. I'm a bit skeptic when it comes to the idea of love at first sight. But it does happen, and not just in Disney or any movies. Two strangers can actually lock eyes and know that they are meant to be one. When a person experiences love at first sight, he tends to think that because he loved the person the moment he saw her, it must be destiny and thinks that the person is 'The One' they have been waiting for. Thinking we have found 'The One' can make us feel all warm and fuzzy inside.'

'Aarti, have you loved anyone in your life?' his heartbeat had suddenly quickened and tried searching for an answer in her eyes. But there are no hidden signs. There were none.

'No!' She was silent for a moment and raised a brow at him. 'Why did you ask me that question?'

'Because you look so cute and I presume you might have got many proposals.'

'To tell you the truth… I got many proposals. I don't have the count but each time I receive a proposal, I have to purchase a new sandal.'

'Why?' he asked her in a tone of surprise.

'I used to beat until my sandal breaks,' she appeared serious and honest. 'I don't believe in this love and other trivial stuff.'

The next minute, the movie of him being slapped by her played in his mind. He felt the cold blood rush to his face and began feeling the pain of her slap on his cheek. He averted his eyes and looked down at his plate.

She wiped the remaining gravy with a slice of garlic bread, which she ate with lip-smacking relish. She giggled and declared - 'The food is lip-smackingly delicious.'

'Do you want anything, sir?' the waiter came and asked.

'Aarti, do you want anything?'

'No! I don't want anything except the bill…' she turned her face towards the waiter and said. 'Give the bill to me.'

The waiter nodded and he walked away.

'Aarti! Why are you paying?'

'I will pay it this time, next time you pay it,' The bill arrived. She took the money out of her purse. 

'This is my favourite restaurant. They maintain hygiene and it tastes exactly like home. But I can't come here regularly so I just go only once in a while,' said Adarsh. 'I think you're getting late. Can you wait here for five minutes? I will get my bike.'

'No need. I will go by auto and from tomorrow I will get lunch for you. Don't bring your box.'

'Aarti! Please don't do that-'

'Let's not argue more about it!' She slammed her palm on the table.

After Aarti paid the bill they both walked out of the restaurant. Aarti took an auto and started off to her home. Adarsh kept watching the auto until it disappeared from his view.

What a wonderful evening and what a wonderful girl Aarti is! he said to himself.