Rahil took out the long kept hundred rupee note from his old black leather wallet and passed it to the taxi driver as he got out from the cab. The driver wore a perplexed expression about accepting that almost dead note.
"Please keep the change ," he said with a nerved smile to make sure that the fat muddled driver accepts it, which in fact the driver did and moved ahead in search for his next tripper. It was thirty minutes past five. Rahil could see a large inviting Food Station board on the opposite side of the road.
In an ideal situation, or as showed in a usual classic Bollywood movies, this place would not be a perfect one for the first date but as it was to be the man never controls the fate, the woman in his Life does. Noisy traffic constantly bustled down the one was lane . Unprosperous beggars line up on the pavements who seemed to be deprived of meal for days.
The winter rain had brought rawness and dewiness to the environment. Busy herd of all strange looking men and women moved up and down the pavements completing their days obligations and in a hurry to be back to their native accommodation.
Rahil slowly crossed the street with a constant sense of fear sparkling on his eyes. He would be meeting Ayesha in person at the dinner. His heart was pumping up with high spirit as he crossed the ever flowing road all with cars and overloaded drainage. Rahil walked towards their planned restaurant. He had always burst into the place with an intention of filling his stomach with the most luscious foods that the restaurant offered before. But today was different, this feeling or the emotional state he was in was different, and much immense compared to any of those before. He stood in front of the place with an aspiration to get all his dreams come true. A chill ran down his spine when a neatly dressed guard with a noticeable mustache opened the tinted glass door for him with an honest looking smile.
"Good evening Sir," the guard greeted him in a jolly tone as Rahil set his foot inside the location.
"Good evening " he replied back with a zeal on his face.
The restaurant din't look busy as it would be on typical evenings. Couples covered majority of the half filled place with a genuine spark on their face, holding hands as they locked their eyes into each others, articulating how they had already entered a different world. A group of immaculately dressed group of women covered the farthest corner while some tables were covered by the ones who looked monetarily and spiritually content with life.
As he entered and started to determine the most suitable table for the night, another neatly dressed gentleman approached him and asked politely,
"May I help you sir?"
"Yes, umm....table for two?"
"This way sir please come ahead"
Rahil followed the manager with heavy steps. The dim lights from tubes etched into the painted ceiling along with the soft jazz music flowing in the background had the potential to command the mighty Hulk. Rahil kept following the manager looking at the couples who seemed to be in deep love with each other. His throat had gone dry, and his body insensate.
"Here you go sir, enjoy the evening" the manager showed him the predestined table for tonight and left with a cheerful amused grin.
"Thank you"
The clock on the colorful glossy painted wall showed the time 5.45. Rahil had already run out of words as he slowly made himself comfortable on the cushioned seat. The renewed passion in his life could do a little good to him. He looked like an incessantly frightened kid on a dark night , as the bright lights strike his pupil . He started looking at the menu, what would be appropriate, one by one he went down through all the dishes that the place had to offer, trying to settle himself down with the ambiance , dressed up in black shirt and denim.
Amidst all these there entered his crush as the tinted glass opened up.
"Ayesha" he shouted in excitement as soon as he saw his crush, acquiring all the unwanted attention of the crowd seated around. He was all lost, what better way to kick off the first meet than acting like a complete witless silly teen right from the start. Wow, Ayesha you look beautiful, he said to himself gazing at his angel.
Blue surely was her favorite color. Dressed up in light blue top that ran a little down her hips, deep black pants and again deep blue eyes. She looked beautiful Rahil had started sinking down in his mindless drunk emotions. The third attempt had finally brought him here, and she was there making way towards him.
"Hey, Hi" the dimples appeared on her cheeks expanding her charm, with that smile. This was a different feeling. Much different than what he had experienced before. Different than the dates he have had before in life. For all those tormenting nights he had spent longing to be in her presence had brought the day where all his trance dreams were to come true, and last for the few weeks to come ahead.
"How long have you been here?" she said as she placed herself on a cushioned chair placed in front of him.
"Ummm.. 15 minutes, yeah please sit," he replied holding a glass of water attempting to stop the flowing involuntary drops of sweat.
"Ok, finally we are here, ummm...and say..." there came the first portion of puzzle towards him, as she said this moving her nimble fingers to use her phone, or to reply to some message that she had received. Rahil just kept gawking into her eyes. The intoxicating bottles of beer had hung into him. What was there to say when he hadn't even started yet.
All possible matter or point passed through his mind as he kept staring his crush busy over the phone.
He was left like a little boy nursing his little black bird to life, come on mate, come to life.
"So hows college going?" he said and felt happy with his own progress.
"Yeah its fun, and what about your life?" she replied continuing to type the message. This seemed little infuriating to him. How can she be so uncaring he thought.
"Yup, have started preparing for my graduation, i hope it goes well" he delivered his first lie to her. He just justified the trademark line Men will be Men.
"OK, sounds good."
"Can I order something? " he took the initiative and decided to order as a few packets of chips and beers couldn't hold his appetite for long.
"Oh, yes...obviously, go on" she sounded little nervous. He smiled back and said "okay sure" and signaled the waiter . How he loved when she used to stop between her words.
Every possible minute felt more exciting and harder than the previous one. His throat had gone dry again as he sipped on the glass of water. He haven't had a peaceful nap since last two days and the reason for it was positioned right in front of him. He started looking at the menu all over once again and once again he failed to make a choice. Sitting in front of him was an ordinary girl, but this girl had been playing around with his mind since then and forever.
"A man-chow chicken soup for me, i guess, and you? he said finally making one of the toughest decision he had made in life till now.
"Umm.. make it two then" she replied agreeing to his choice and catching a sight of her profile in the reflection of the mirror placed right next to the wall. The beer was thrilling and rousing but so was she. The music, the dim lights, the ambiance all matched up, made him lost in sentiments. His fate his search had lead him here. The conversation carried off smooth. The next few minutes were spent teaching about each other to themselves and enlightening each other on choices and opinions until the man-chow soup was placed in front of them.
"By the way , you look beautiful tonight" he said sprawling some chilly flakes over his soup.
"Chilly flakes, seriously?" she laughed off as Rahil continued sprinkling onto the soup. He had no idea what was wrong in it.I said you look beautiful Idiot he said to himself, with a uncontrollable smile.
"Yup, its something i grew used to maybe" he answered.
"What , you grew up with chillies?"
"Oh god, shoot it, so tell me, why did you cancel the plan before?" Rahil finally had the expectation to know the reason that had made him numb all day. I wanna know why you did that Ayesha, you know how I felt , he said it again to himself staring at her abstract eyes, hard to understand but soothing to look at.
"I don't think you wanna know the reason" she said slowly sipping on her part of the soup.
"What if I say, I wanna know?"
"I guess , you won't like it"
"Okay, but how can you be so sure, that i won't like it?"
"I think so, and trust me, I am pretty sure , you won't"
"Okay, I trust you, leave it then"
"Anyway, I will tell you when the time comes"
This further puzzled his world. Deep down there was a hidden coral lying deep inside that deep blue sea, which he tried to bring out, but seeing her getting little uncanny over the topic, he decided to leave the Coral untouched.
"Okay, as you say"
Her cell phone beeped again. This moment Rahil got little displeased, but she decided to be with him for the moment as she slowly pushed the phone aside. She took her free flowing hair down her shoulder and tied it up into a bun. Ayesha I so love when you do that, his mind had been shouting all this time. Several hundred of voices he ignored. There was no way he could resist this. She was Insane , she made her stay up at ungodly hours of the day and her eyes teased him and encouraged Rahil to go more deep into her world. There was certainly a hidden coral in her life , he felt.
"So they banned 50 shades huh?" she said.
"Seriously yaar, that was lame"
"I so wanted to watch it"
"Anyway, its good that they did, I feel now"
"Why?"
"Atleast I met you earlier, and here we are today"
"I agree, umm...so you believe in destiny?
"Not exactly, but in fate I do"
"But aren't they the same?"
"Nope, they aren't, and they never will be...."
So far it was quite well for him, except that he would want to hold his breath once and tell her how much he was liking it to be with her, at that moment.
"Okay, so the writer side I see now, anyway enlighten me please", she said in a casual tone.
A message again beeped away on her phone and took away his serene life , and this time she decided to reply. The free flowing jazz notes in the air, the stroking dim lights and the smell of her perfume was the best new year gift he could have asked for. The couples inside were still in love, holding hands. Women who sat on the far side of the corner were preparing to leave now and Ayesha was there, just in front of him, teasing him with her deep dimples, hair bun and her smile.
"Just a second Mr. writer,"
"Okay, go on."
He never wanted the hour to end. He was liking this power she possessed over him. For him it was the perfect new year gift,
"Rahil, can you help me?" she asked after replying to the messages.
" Yes, obviously, tell me what?"
" I was wondering ummm.......what If I say I gotta go right now?" she said.
"But why? Like....I mean...the lunch?"
"I have a problem, so If you don't mind, I have to I guess"
He was left all unanswered . How can life be so unfaithful. What was he to do now? What was he to say? He sat there just looking at her expressionless.
"Ayesha will you mind if i say that you do this every time?"
"I don't know what to say Rahil, I don't know how to explain right now,"
"May be you should explain it to yourself first"
"Please Rahil, please don't mind and yes we will meet again soon " she made her voice soothing compelling as it could be.
A second was what it took to change everything. The music, the lights,the mood, the atmosphere.
"Okay, thank you, hope you won't mind"
"Leave it now, but promise me one day I will know the reason for all these you are doing"
"Promise" saying this she opened her hair and started typing the reply to the receiver best known to her.
"Excuse me.....may I have the bill" he called the waiter.
"I will pay, I invited you, so let me"
"Nope"
"Rahil please, don't embarrass me more"
"This is your punishment so keep quiet."
She was left more embarrassed.
The bill was placed after a minute and Rahil completed the process. So lets go he said.
The clock had struck seven. How time flows when one is lost. They both moved slowly out of the restaurant into the road. The ever standing guard greeted him again with a pleasant smile. Little drops of drizzles touched him, he kept looking at her as she stood there, silent waiting for an empty cab to pick her up. Two minutes more and she would be gone. The sky was clear and the cold wind blew. He just wanted to hold her hand and let her never go but he was left helpless and right now he was nowhere near to that.
As he saw an empty cab approaching towards them and stopped, his heart grew heavy. She slowly launched herself into the back seat and told driver the destination.
"Rahil I am sorry, and it was nice to meet you"
"Promise me we will meet soon" he shouted as droplets of water started pouring down.
She raised her eyebrow and laughed. The taxi moved ahead through the one way. He kept staring at the moving cab. The heart was heavy and mind full of love. He smiled and made his way towards the pavement. It was raining heavily. He looked up at the night sky, looked deep into the stars above, and moved ahead, all filled with emotions. He had the best time with his crush on one hand and on the other his first date had turned out to be just a 'soup date' for him.
With earphones plugged in, he decided to walk back to his room, his balcony. The never ending Kolkata Traffic was at its peak. Cold wind and rain continued hitting him on his way back. Walking through the pavement he slowly took out his phone and played a song.
Well i'm so far away that each step i take is on my way home,..
....
still I run out of time or its to get through,
till the bird on the wire flies me back to you,
I'll just close my eyes and whisper,
Baby blind love is true,
I wanna lay you down on the bed of roses....for tonight I sleep on a bed of nails.....
**************
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