The Day We Met

I love you.

I said instead of wishing her a happy new year. She seemed furious at first but her face softened and her eyes fluttered with tears.

"Dummy", she said, a tear fell from her wrinkled face and her lips quivered. I touched her lips to hush her and gave her a peck. Her lips are still so delicate and mesmerizing. She blushed as always. I remember how I met her thirty years ago.

30 years ago,

The last two days were wild and yes a day's sleep is not going to heal it. I brushed my teeth, wore my boxers, and hit the bed like stone would hit the water film and slowly sink in it, letting the vast and deep water abyss engulf it, just like how sleep was doing it for me.

After going into my REM sleep mode, it was unforgivable how I was woken up so cruelly. My colleagues, Ayush, Ritesh, and Dhruvi, were huddled near my bed, chanting some mantra and stuffing my face with the pillow. I choked and was this close to pissing my pants.

"What the heck guys?" I stood up only for Dhruvi to stare at my boxers, shoot, I was half naked. I covered myself from her stare and looked angrily at Ayush and Ritesh who were busy giggling.

"This is not funny," I said in a serious monotone voice. They looked back at me with concern in their eyes, thinking if I understand humour. Humour? Do you call this Humour? I was nearly suffocated.

"Well-" Dhruvi resumed, while her gaze still fixated on my abs, unfortunately for her, I already wore a T-shirt, "-we were thinking we could go to Goa for this new year celebration"

"No," I said flatly on their face. I won't lie.

Ayush whacked his fist on my head acting as if he was hurt and angry at the same time, "man, please don't do this shit. We barely get vacations now that we have a job", he begged.

"Yeah, I know. And that's why I have to utilize it adequately" I said gazing at the balcony of my room.

"How?" Rishikesh asked.

I turned towards him and gave a small sarcastic smile. "By sleeping"

They begged me for three hours straight and it's four in the morning now. In the next two hours, I have to leave for my office without as usual having any breakfast and drinking chai at a regular stall near the station.

I didn't know what events took place in the next few minutes, but I agreed.

I sighed.

Goa it is then.

Is it the vibe, the people, or just the place? But Goa has something other than beaches that lure tourists to this spot. I remember the last time I went with my parents to Goa, it was a disaster when I accidentally drank alcohol instead of juice and puked all over my father's pants.

So, we were on a bus. Yes, a bus. Eventually, we were just four. But Dhruvi decided to bring her friends too. Now the whole bus is filled with four other friends of Dhruvi, and us. Ayush didn't deny the idea. He was busily wiggling his eyes on each of her companions.

"Damn man. I wish I had more girls as friends instead of you all" he said slapping my back.

"As if we also want to hang out with you," Rishikesh said from the back seat. I chuckled at his blatant truth. Ayush pouted and took out bags of chips.

"Give me the reports as I mentioned by tomorrow itself. Do you understand?"

I heard someone yell at the back of the bus on the phone. Though I was not able to see her face, as she was facing the emergency exit of the bus, which never opens, I gazed at her thick long hair. It swayed with the bus. The curls at the end hugged her body. She wore a long red skirt with a golden embroidery design complimenting her yellow top.

Every minute was making me nosy about how this dominating woman looked. I waited for her to turn but the phone was keeping her busy, the person behind the phone was probably dead by now, as the woman had already blasted the shit out of him. I waited and waited.

"Chal bhai, we arrived," Ayush said tapping my shoulder, and stood up to take the bag from his crate.

"Mayuri, let's go" Dhruvi called. The women turned at last. I was enthralled by her. Her hair complimented her face too. Her round face urged me to pinch her cheeks. Her full lips puckered at the interruption. Her pure black orbs paired with her black hair. She walked past me and a sweet smell came from her. Jalebi? Why the hell she smells like jalebi? I snickered. Interesting.

"Bhai, ab kya idhar hi baithe ga?" Ayush said from outside by tapping the window. The driver seemed completely pissed too. I exited the bus only to be burnt by the scorching sun in Goa. But it was a warm feeling. I looked at her Mayuri. My eyes were not leaving her once. She noticed me. Shit. I averted my eyes.

She stepped towards me.

"Hey, have I seen you somewhere?" She said while pointing her finger at me. She squinted her eyes.

I was tight-lipped. She was in deep thought.

"Oh wait. I remember. You visited the hospital once for the seminar and you gave the speech too right, Mr. Rudra Rao"

She remembered me. I wanted to say but words were intertwined within my tongue. I swallowed them and just nodded. She smiled and two small dimples appeared on her cheeks.

"I am looking forward to this trip with you", she said heartily.

Me too.

For the next few days, we had a great time together. Though we barely saw each other as I am with my friends more. It always gives me tingles whenever she comes in sight. But it changed after we started getting comfortable with each other. Instead of those butterflies, I started to feel calm and safe. As if the world stopped when she conversed.

She told me about her being a senior doctor and about her family issues. I too shared my thoughts on how luxuriously tiring it is to be a software engineer.

We exchanged this bubble space and I loved it.

Our travel was ending. For the first time, I felt, this trip was something I want for my entire life.

I will confess.

I confess my love for her.

Is this too fast? Will she judge me? Will she find me a creep? Will she stop talking to me?

The questions started consuming my neurons in the brain, it was going haywire.

I saw firecrackers being set up on the beach. It was just 4 hours remaining to a new year. I should confess to her at 12 sharp. That would make it special. Right? Again a dilemma started filling my mind and I failed to notice what kind of conspiracy someone was planning behind my back.

Mayuri's pov,

I saw him again. Rudra. His presence makes me so cheerful. So many things have happened in my life, that I thought living alone by stern rules was all I should do. But I was wrong. Someone proved me false.

Rudra was dressed in black formal pants and a plain white shirt tucked in, hair gelled back slickly. All about being so professional and serious but people fail to notice that child within him.

I notice that his absence makes my life incomplete now. Can someone make one so miserable and special at the same time?

The new year will begin in the next two hours.

"Heyyyy Mayyuu" Dhruvi came and hugged me tightly taking my breath away. For the past few days, she has not been talking to me that much, I don't know what's the reason, did I do something wrong?

"Can you help me with something?" She pleaded. I nodded not knowing that she was going to turn the lights off and lock me inside a room. I hate the dark. I crouched in the corner of the room and all I could think of was how pathetic I was.

I should have assumed what a snake she was. I won't be able to celebrate the New year. I wouldn't be able to be with him. I want him. The doors were locked from the outside. I don't know how many hours I have been inside but it looks like I will die inside with the rats.

Thud. Thud.

"Mayuri, tu thik hai?" A voice boomed from outside.

Rudra's pov,

It was just 15 minutes before the new year. Mayuri was nowhere to be seen. I saw Dhruvi coming from the resort with sweat all over her complexion.

"Hey, do you know where Mayuri is?" I tried not to focus on her hands which were smudged with grease.

"I don't know, asshole" She seemed irritated and nervous at the exact time.

One of her friends joined the conversation and seemed to know the issue.

"Weren't you with her?" She suspected Dhruvi. Her pupils dilated. Fuck, she is lying.

I grasped her tightly and too tightly, I guess that she was weeping now.

"Why do you care about some girl who just met you days before? What do you know about her?" She shrieked. We were now the center of attention.

I sighed.

"Well, it takes years to know a person but also a few months or even days. I connected to her more than anyone. That's not her fault. Neither mine" I said sufficiently. She seemed defeated and pointed somewhere.

I followed the directions of her finger. I entered the main house and saw heavy chains locking a door, a soft sobbing sound echoing inside. I screamed and the sobbing stopped. It was her.

I took the chains out and opened the door. I could hear the chaos outside.

10.

The people shouted.

"Are you ok?" I embraced her and she sniffled on my shirt.

9.

"Yes", she replied with a crack in her voice.

8.

"You found me" she replied stroking my cheeks.

7.

"I always will" I grasped her hand from my face and kissed it softly.

6.

She winced. She must be injured. I carried her outside.

5.

"I am sorry for ruining your new year", she said with embarrassment.

4.

"You made my new year much better", I said while kissing her forehead.

3.

She caressed my neck and hair. Allowing me to lean on her.

2.

Firecrackers started booming in the air early enough. We were in awe. Not just because of the view but also because we kissed. A heavenly kiss transmitting thousands of emotions.

1.

Happy new year. Everyone shouted.

I love you. I said.

I love you too. She said.

A new year that brought happiness forever.