Abhimanyu always wanted to come to Paris with someone he loved, and she was the only girl he ever fell in love with. It was unlikely that he would fall in love again. She was his first and only love in life. He kept Paris last in the schedule as he wanted to be free of every worry related to work, when he took her around the city of love. From there, she would fly back to Mumbai, and he would fly to New York City to see clients of another project. The long business trip had reached it's last destination.

              Berlin to Paris flight was little more than an hour. They drove by cab and checked in suites in The Westin– Vendôme hotel in Paris. Shanaya was surprised that company had booked her a suite same as Abhimanyu. Lift took them to the top floor and her suite was two suites ahead of Abhimanyu's on the same side of corridor. She opened the door of her suite to a living room with beautiful furnishings. She then walked to bedroom with king size bed, and opened the curtains only to have her mouth agape to the beautiful view of Eiffel tower and other famous monuments of Paris. She quickly opened the balcony door to absorb the stunning panoramic view of Paris at 8 am in morning from the balcony of her suite. She sat on one of the two chairs in balcony with round table. She hadn't had any sleep, but there was no point of a nap now, they had a meeting to go to, at 10 am.

              Her hotel phone rang, she picked it up to Abhimanyu's voice telling her to join him for breakfast in his room, after getting ready for the meeting. Shanaya dressed up in the lavender skirt suit set that she wore for the meeting in Tokyo. She walked to Abhimanyu's suite, and knocked on his door. He opened the door buttoning up the top most button of his shirt, with tie draped around his neck.

Abhimanyu: Bonjour! Come in. He smiled and gestured her in.

Abhimanyu: Almost dressed. Just got to tie the tie.

He smiled letting her in. She was so used to going to his bedroom that instead of sitting in living, she followed behind him to his bedroom and sat on his bed with his suit jacket sitting next to her. She watched him tie the knot of his tie as he did that in front of her, standing with his back against the study.

Shanaya :You never wear a bow tie?

Abhimanyu: Bow ties are not for formal corporate meetings. More like for dinner parties. There also, I always wear tie. You know how ties can come in handy when you are with a girl.

Shanaya: How?

He smiled.

Abhimanyu: Now, that I can't explain to you.

He finished making the knot and adjusted tie around his neck.

Abhimanyu: Am I looking good? He asked her.

She just kept looking at him at loss of words. She didn't expect him to ask her that.

Of course, he looked stunning. He was dressed to impress. Even if he wasn't he still would have made an impression. She just couldn't say anything.

He, anyways, didn't wait for her to answer, and went in the restroom to check himself in the mirror.

Abhimanyu: Do you like my bed? Is it comfortable? He asked when he walked back in the room.

Remaining seated, she checked the cushion of mattress by  jumping up and down on it.

Shanaya: Ya, it's very good..

Abhimanyu: I am even better. He gave his naughty smile.

Shanaya: Oh, God! she cried.

Abhimanyu: C'mon! I can flirt this much with you. He said opening the unlatched door to balcony of his suite

Abhimanyu: Come, let's eat breakfast.

They walked into balcony to the breathtaking view of Eiffel tower, and an amazing panoramic view of the city of Paris. The balcony round table was set with breakfast.

Shanya: Are we going to eat breakfast here in balcony?

Abhimanyu: Why? Don't like the venue? He asked with a tinkle in his eyes.

Shanaya: I love it. It is so beautiful. She said all excited.

Shanaya: Eating breakfast to the view of Eiffel tower is soooo soooo ...beautiful. She wanted to say romantic, but said beautiful instead.

Abhimanyu: We have veg grilled sandwich, juice, my tea, and your coffee.

They sat eating breakfast talking about Paris and he told her about the famous monuments pointing at them.

Shanaya: I have the same stunning view from my room. I can see Eiffel tower lying in my bed. She told excitedly.

Shanaya: Why did company get me a suite in Paris?

Abhimanyu: You deserve it.

Shanaya: Thank you. She said sipping her coffee after breakfast.

Shanaya: I am so nervous about this meeting as it means so much to you. And you?

He laughed a little.

Abhimanyu: I am never nervous when I see my clients. I do all the stressing and thinking beforehand.  After that, I just wait for the things to happen. Now, I am all confident and ready to take them.

Abhimanyu: There is just one thing I don't want to do today, and that is lunch with them. I want to come and crash in my bed and sleep like a log for two days.

She looked at him like what, and he just smiled.

                 After breakfast, they left for the meeting with the directors and vice presidents of Serra Robotics Pvt Ltd. They showed them the video of Peter performing tasks. Shanaya set up their book reading app in their model of robot with some initial settings and configurations. Using the wireless connection, they showed the applications functionality to the executives of Serra. They asked Abhimanyu to pick the novel of his choice for the app to read for them. He picked 'Da Vinci Code' by Dan Brown. With their app in their robot, it read, rewind and forward the book, told the meanings of words when asked and bookmarked the pages so that it started reading from where it ended last time. They were impressed.

Abhimanyu: What you saw is just the tip of an iceberg. Iceberg has a lot more to offer to leave everyone in awe of it. I can see this robot making people so used to it that they will feel paralyzed without it. It will run their life with it's existence in it, like that of an electricity. It will become an indispensable part of their life. It will be impossible for people to think of life without him in future.

'What he said their robot was going to do to people, he already did all that to her' she thought.

               The meeting was successful, and they went to the unavoidable lunch with them. She couldn't believe how quickly he bonded with the French executives over drinks though they were so much older than him. They were happily talking like lost friends about sports, music, clubs in Paris, food, different varieties of alcohol etc, things not related to business. He just so charmingly wrapped them around his finger.

           After the lunch, they told him that they were looking forward to seeing him again as soon as he wanted them to. They bid bye and drove back to their hotel to their rooms to finally get some much needed sleep.

                 At 7:30 pm he called her to ask if she would want to continue sleeping and prefer to order from service in her room or would like to go out to a restaurant for dinner. She said she would be a fool to stay inside the room and not go out in Paris.

               They met in hotel lobby, and took a cab to Maison Blanche on the rooftop of Théâtre des Champs Elysées with delectable views of the Eiffel Tower, Invalides and the Seine.

Abhimanyu: So, what's it for you today? Fresh lime soda or wine?

She smiled.

Shanaya: Fresh Lime Soda.

Abhimanyu: What?

Abhimanyu: Will that someday ever come? He questioned.

Shanaya: It will. She smiled with dimples.

Abhimanyu: When? You have flight to India day after tomorrow morning. I am flying to New York City that afternoon. And I don't think we'll be dining together in India.

Shanaya: We have Capetown, South Africa. She smiled.

He smiled wider.

Abhimanyu: So, I have to wait ten more days to drink with you. So, that someday is 10 days away.

She laughed and he watched her laugh. He ordered the drinks and food.

Shanaya: Ya, your biggest dream is just ten days away when we'll have Ratnangi Jewellers Company onboard. And then, you'll be able to make the brightest robot in the galaxy of robots.

He smiled.

Abhimanyu: Quite possible when you are there with me. He said sipping his Seagram's whiskey.

Shanaya: You know, I think the book reading app we showed to French company today, can be made aesthetically more pleasing.

Abhimanyu: Yes, but we didn't have that kind of a time when we did it.

Shanaya: I'll do that when I go back, and check in the new version of it in Version control, so that we can show that to Capetown investors. It will not take more than two days. I'll keep it ready when you come back from New York. When are you coming?

Abhimanyu: Friday morning around 10 am.

They looked at the beautiful view of City of Lights and the Eiffel Tower all lighted up in night.

Shanaya: Why is Paris considered a city of love and Eiffel tower a symbol of it. I think our Taj Mahal should be that.

Abhimanyu: Hmmm.. He smiled.

Abhimanyu: Ya, when city around Taj Mahal evolves, nightlife becomes happening, and people start kissing and making out openly whenever they feel like, man to man, man to woman, woman to woman, it will become that.

She looked at him.

Abhimanyu: What? You think it's city of love just because of the Eiffel tower?

Shanaya: I thought so.

Abhimanyu: Are you romantic?

Shanaya: I don't know if I am romantic or not, but I know I am in el, o, vee, e, LOVE. She looked at him.

He forced himself to smile. He had read her chat messages with Harsh.

Shanaya: Were you ever in love with anyone in our college?

Abhimanyu: Hmmmmmm....He thought for a while before answering

Abhimanyu: No

He knew 'Yes'would lead to the question of 'Who'. He was not a fool to confess his love for her when he knew she was in a relationship and in love with another guy. Who does that? Only a fool of highest order would confess love to a girl in such a scenario and he was not one.

Shanaya: You know since you never had any girlfriend in college. All girls in hostel wondered why.

Abhimanyu: I thought I was too geek in college to be noticed by girls, let alone be interested in my love life. He said boring into her eyes.

Shanaya: So, you know.

Abhimanyu: Of course, I come to know of everything.

Shanaya: I am sorry.

Abhimanyu: There is no need to be sorry, I rather like the idea of being geek in college. He smiled.

        They talk as they enjoy their dinner.

Shanaya: Why did you never have a girlfriend in college?

Abhimanyu: If I had proposed you, would you have said yes?

Shanaya: No, I wouldn't have said yes to any guy.

Abhimanyu: See, it's not easy. It's not whether a person likes you are not. A person may like you and still refuse you for so many other reasons like family, caste, religion, etc, etc. And I don't like being refused. It's hard for me to take a 'No'.

Shanaya: Okay, but girls might ask you.

Shanaya: Did you have any foreigner as your GF in US? She asked unable to keep the curiosity to know about the blonde with him in the pic posted by Yash years ago.

He looked at her suspiciously.

Abhimanyu: No, never had a girlfriend. I was always too busy. Love demands time and I never had time for romance.

Shanaya: Do you believe in fatal attraction that lives with you day in day out, kills you for years but doesn't leave you. You wish it left but you also know it'll be empty without it, so you want to hold on to it. Basically you are miserable no matter you live with it, or without it. But you live with it because you cannot survive without it. It's your lifeline.

He watched her face travel different emotions in that one question.

Abhimanyu: I think, if attraction didn't vanish even when the person was not there, and absence only grew the heart fonder, then it can't be just attraction. It has to be something deeper, like a connection of mind and soul. It's true love. I know, it doesn't make sense but when has love ever made sense. It's a nonsense of mind. He joked and laughed at his own joke like he always did pleased by himself. And he always looked so handsome and sweet when he did that.

Shanaya: Still, what do you think of love?

Abhimanyu: I think love is a great feeling and everyone should experience it, even if they don't get it. Everyone should know how it feels to live with someone in one's head all the time. I feel sad that many people never get to know it.

Shanaya: You regret not experiencing it. She asked since he said he had not been in love.

He smiled with a little laugh.

Abhimanyu: Yes. He smiled more.

He couldn't tell her that he experienced it like no one else. He couldn't get it out of his head. He wished he could move on in his life and find someone like she had, but it wasn't happening.

Shanaya: Why is love so hard when it's one sided. It kills you, it hurts you, but still is the best thing for you

Abhimanyu: In one sided love, people often feel love so deep that they spend all their lives reminiscing few memories. It's so deep that it doesn't go away with time. You feel even death will not take it away from you, because then also it will go away with you from this world.

Shanaya: It's so sad, right that so many people don't get people they love to love them back.

Abhimanyu: You can't always get what you want but if you have a chance to experience it, live it, then why not. It will feel good that you at least felt it, knew it.

In college, he wished he could travel with her to breathtaking places one day and now he was doing that. He was living the moments he wanted to.

Shanaya: You can live them, but they are not yours to keep. Pain will still be there.

Abhimanyu: Yes, but question is given an opportunity - will you just choose to not live them or choose to live them even if you don't get it. Would you choose to not experience it at all or experience some of it. I think pain and suffering will be there anyways, then why not after living whatever moments you can .

Shanaya: Philosphical, Hmmm. She smiled.

             After all the long conversations on love, they were waiting for the waiter to come to take his company credit card.

Abhimanyu: Shanaya, I want to thank you, and I don't think I can thank you enough for your day and night of remarkable work. Suite in Paris was just a small reward for it. Company will take care of it in Diwali Bonus and appraisal also.

Shanaya: No, I don't want that.

Abhimanyu: It's your right. You have done so much for the company.

Shanaya: Ya, that's why, I don't want. Because I didn't do it for the company. I did it for you, Abhimanyu. I did it for my friend who is so passionate about it.

Shanaya: You were right, pink slip was not the real reason I was working so hard. You were. 

This was the closest she could come to telling him that she loved him, cared about him and that how much he meant to her.

He looked at her, and at that moment, he wanted to cut all the strings attached to her and kiss her.

He gulped the the lump in his throat that had formed by the overwhelming emotion.

Abhimanyu: I treasure your friendship. It means a world to me. He said feeling overwhelmed.

They drove back to hotel and into their suites to sleep like a log for the night.

                  Shanaya's hotel phone rang early morning. She thought it must be Abhimanyu calling to take her trekking to some mountain in Paris. She picked up the phone while still asleep.

Shanaya: Bonjour.

Voice on phone: Hello, hello Shanaya.

Shanaya: Oh, Papa! She instantly woke up and sat on bed.

Shanaya: How did you get my hotel number? She wasn't expecting them to call on her hotel phone.

Dad: This is what you do when you go abroad? Forget about us. Don't call us. We had to get the details of all your hotels from your company HR. For past three days, we have been trying to call you. Even Harsh tried calling you, but you don't pick up your phone.

Shanaya: Sorry Papa, but I was really very busy.

Dad: And what is this with you, you have deleted whatsapp from your cell phone.

Dad: Look at this girl, she is making future technology and is averse to using technology. He said to her mother who was also on speaker.

Dad: Not using whats app when whole world is using it to make international calls. Harsh was also complaining that he can't talk to you now, and for the past two months whenever he wanted to talk you, you always said you were busy.

Shanaya: But, I was really busy, Papa.

Dad: I don't know, your company might be paying you good but they are taking too much work from you.

Mom: Arrey, tell her the good news. You have started bashing her. Her mom told to her dad.

Dad: You tell that.

Mom: Shanaya, we have fixed your marriage date. Oct 20. Two months from now. Harsh parents were here to see their relatives, so they came and visited us. They are very nice people. They wanted to see you, but you were not here. They didn't want any engagement and wanted both of you get married when Harsh came to India on leave. He can now get a paid leave from the company he recently joined in Oregon for you.

Shanaya: He didn't join it for me. He joined because he got a better offer there.

Dad: No, Shanaya. He joined there for you only, it's different thing that you had to come for us before he joined there. He is happy about the marriage date and even tried to call you to tell the same when we couldn't reach you.

Shanaya: At least should have asked me before fixing the marriage date.

Dad: For that you have to be available. You are out of country, you don't have whatsapp on your phone, then you don't pick up your hotel phone, and his parents were here and we fixed the date after consulting a pundit who said it's very auspicious, and your kundalis are made in heaven.

Mom: You were going to get married to him , if not two months later, then may be four months later. Now, if we fixed your marriage date, what is wrong in that?

Shanaya: But..

Dad: No buts, Shanaya. I think it's right age you get married. He is a nice boy, settled in USA. Perfect match. He is son of my best friend's brother. You go to USA after marriage and complete your PhD. You will get a much better paying job there in USA and they will not even make you work day and night like this company.

Shanaya: If I go after two months, who will take care if you fall sick all of sudden.

Dad: Don't worry about it.You anyways can't take care of me all your life. Your brother will come if required. Harsh was telling that when you get your citizenship, you can get us green card. We can come and stay with you and your brother in USA, when you both start working there.

She didn't know what to say.

Dad: Resign from your this blood sucking job. You have only two months for your marriage. Come home and do the preparations. What is the notice period in your company?

Shanaya: One month. But, I'll resign only after one month. I can't sit at home preparing for marriage.

Dad: That I will leave to you.

Dad: Congratulations, beta. It's a big thing in life. We all are very happy about it. And, you don't worry about me. You are my good girl.

Mom: Congratulations, Shanaya.

She didn't know what to say.

Shanaya: Bye Papa, you must have got a big phone bill. I'll talk to you later. I am anyways coming home on leave for one week after I come back to India.

Mom: Good. When you come we all can go together for my niece Nimmi's marrige in Jammu. My sister will be very happy to see you.

Shanaya: Bye mummy.

Mom and Dad: Bye, beta. Take care. We love you.

The good news felt more like bashing of life. She knew she was getting married to Harsh from the moment she knew him, then why was just a date affecting her so much.

              Abhimanyu was with her all the time in this trip. They were together day and night. She had completely forgotten that there was a world where she had her mom, her dad, her brother and Harsh. She forgot she hadn't met her parents for long or she was supposed to call them. She had forgot there was Harsh, she was getting married to. For her, it was only him and her in the world they didn't know anyone. It was all coming to an end. She had only one day with him. Next morning she will fly back to Mumbai bringing her back to the world where he'll be her boss in his office and her an employee in a cubicle. An employee who will resign after a month.

           She decided to shake off the news and not let it bother her from going forward and enjoying her day that she was so looking forward to. She was not going to let the news cast it's shadow on the day she wanted to spend with the man who always lived in her heart.

           Later in morning, Abhimanyu called her, and they walked to a nearby restaurant to eat breakfast.

Abhimanyu: So, what do you want to do today? You have one whole day and one whole night. He asked eating his toasted bread with omelette and mashed potatoes.

Shanaya: I want to enjoy my day. Do everything that I have not done. Can I have one day of your life?

Abhimanyu: Hmm...check with my PA, Parveen, if I'm available.

Shanaya: I am serious.

Abhimanyu: But, I'm joking. He smiled

Abhimanyu: Just one day? You could have asked for all days.

He always joked liked that and she liked it.

Abhimanyu: So, what's the plan?

Shanaya: Can we go out around Paris as friends today?

Abhimanyu: Haven't we been doing that already?

Shanaya: Ya, but today I decide where we go.

Abhimanyu: Ooh! You know where Paris is on map?

She gave him a look.

Abhimanyu: Alright. Today, I am all yours. Take me wherever you want. He declared.

They finished eating breakfast and met again in the hotel lobby.

                 Shanaya looked lovely in a fitted button down cotton check shirt tucked inside blue skinny jeans that emphasized her flat stomach. She had her hair loose with sunglass over her head keeping them away from her face. She wore Nike shoes and came with her handbag and tourist map of Paris. Abhimanyu looked handsome as usual dressed in simple casuals- khaki Bermuda, a navy blue Tee with sunglasses hanging, and canvas loafers on feet. They took a hop on hop off bus to go around in Paris.

Shanaya: We'll go shopping first or else my parents will feel I have completely forgotten about them and don't care about them.

Abhimanyu: Oh, no! He cried.

Abhimanyu: What was I expecting? I should have known a plan made by a girl will start with shopping, end with shopping and perhaps some more shopping in between.

Abhimanyu: Please don't take me shopping. He begged.

Shanaya: C'mon! I'll not take long.

Shanaya: You never go shopping?

Abhimanyu: Never. I don't remember last time I stepped in any store to buy anything. My mom knows all my sizes in different brands, from clothes to shoes. She loves shopping and she only buys everything for me.

Shanaya: I must say, she has a great taste in clothes. She said smiling.

'Of course, his mom wouldn't enter in any shop unless it was some famous designer,' she thought.

'They were just so different. He was so damn rich, but in his nature he never stank rich. He was always polite, gentle, nice, well behaved, never looked down upon anyone or thought himself above all. She knew no wishful thinking would ever make him hers. But when has heart ever listened, it wouldn't stop just because it knew it's ain't happening. It always knew and yet wished. It was foolish to think he ever loved her in college. Hot sexy models must throw themselves on him at a drop of hat. He anyways was not a guy who could commit or else he would have had few serious relationships. What was she thinking? Oh God! Why he still looked like the nicest and most sincere guy in the world,' she thought while looking around the stuff for her dad, mom and brother. He thought it wasn't right to see what she was buying for her family, so he roamed around in nearby departments looking at clothes on mannequins. After quickly shopping for her family she was walking to him when a dress in the women department near the cashiers, caught her eye. She placed the dress in front of her with hanger on, and checked herself in the mirror on column of the shop. Abhimanyu who was standing near the mannequin saw her reflection in the mirror.

Abhimanyu: You will not wear that.

Shanaya: Why? She asked looking at his reflection in the mirror

Abhimanyu: Neckline is deep.

Shanaya: And what makes you think I don't wear a deep neckline.

Abhimanyu: Never seen you in anything less than sleeveless or hemlines above knee.

She smiled.

Shanaya: Which dress you like?

He decided to have some fun with her. He pointed to the mannequin in red dress near him. She looked at the dress. The dress was too too short with neckline too too deep. It had noodle straps and was backless.'She should have known his taste by now' she thought, remembering how he was checking out girls in short skirts. 'He was a rich guy and rich guy and their women preference -always hot.' she thought

Shanaya: That's hardly any clothe there in this dress.

Abhimanyu: Ya, only a very confident girl can carry it.

Shanaya: You like girls in less clothes only, what?

Abhimanyu: No, I like all girls. Less clothes , more clothes, no... He smiled.

Abhimanyu: In fact, I think I like fully clothed girls. They have an element of mystery to them, as they leave a lot to imagination and keep your mind at work. But, I think they should go sexy once in a while.

Shanaya: You want to gift that to someone?

Abhimanyu: I don't have anyone who I can gift this to. Moreover, I never buy gifts for anyone. I just let them buy what they want as a gift from me.

Shanaya: Let's go.

Abhimanyu: No, wait!

Abhimanyu: Shanaya, I want to give you a gift. I really want to. Just pick up anything you like and let me buy that as a gift for you. I really mean it.

Shanaya: No, not today. You give me a gift when I go from your company.

Abhimanyu: That's never happening. You are not leaving me and going anywhere. You know, you and I make a very good team. We two together can make Peter if we want, and I can make you my partner in my company.

Shanaya: You know I'll have to quit some day. I have documented everything so well that no one will face any problem to take my place.

Abhimanyu could feel his heart breaking and weeping already.

Abhimanyu: Nobody can replace you in my..

Shanaya: Office. She said cutting him.

Shanaya: I know, I am your best employee. Employee of the Year. She smiled.

Abhimanyu: Yeah, that's true.

Shanaya: So, you consider me your employee, not a friend. She smiled but the smile that had the pain of thought of leaving him soon.

Abhimanyu: You are the best thing ever in my life. I rest my case. He said looking at her.

Abhimanyu: But please buy a gift for yourself. You know I can't buy one for you.

Shanaya: Don't worry, I'll take any gift you give me when I resign from your company.

Abhimanyu: Are you sure you'll take it?

Shanaya: Why not?

Abhimanyu: You never know what I might give.

She laughed.

Shanaya: I promise, I'll take whatever you give.

Abhimanyu: Shanaya, you can always work for my company. Even when you go back to US, you can work remotely for us. You don't have to resign. You can always work for me unless you want to work for someone else. My company will always have an opening for you.

            He could find tears making way to his eyes. He excused himself to restroom. He ran the tap open and splashed water on his face again and again as the tears kept finding their way to eyes.'How was he going to escape the new memories with her. In college he hardly knew her and yet it took him so long to get used to her absence. What was he going to do this time, alcohol, drugs or undergo a procedure to erase her from his memory like in movie 'Eternal Sunshine of Spotless mind'. He came to his senses and decided to not ruin his day over something that was not happening then. He joined her back and told he washed his face since he felt very hot.

              They start sightseeing with Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur in Montmatre. The highest point in Paris, with beautiful city spread out in front of them. Then, they hopped in bus to L'Arc de Triomphe, and see the famous Avenue des Champs Élysées. Abhimanyu praised how she oriented herself to city so fast. From there, she took him to Louvre museum to see the world's most iconic painting, Mona Lisa. Luckily it was a weekday, so it wasn't crowded. They stood looking at the painting.

Abhimanyu: Mona Lisa smile looks nothing like a smile, more like a smile hiding some pain within.

Shanaya: Is it?

Abhimanyu: Ya, and for some reasons your smile looks the same today, it's not your usual happy smile.

Shanaya: It's not like that, it's just that I am more than happy, like when you are so happy that you are on verge of crying.

He smiled and she smiled. He noticed the same smile that didn't reflect the happiness of heart in eyes. He let go off the topic.

               After visiting Louvre, Shanaya takes Abhimanyu to Cafe Carlus located in the Museum of Architecture at Place du Trocadéro. They sat outside at one of the tables with umbrellas as it was a breezy pleasant summer day. The place had one of the best views of the Eiffel Tower in the city. She ordered Italian bread, Pasta and Soup for both of them. She didn't order any drink for herself, and very unusual of him, he didn't order any beer or gin to drink. He just got water with ice to drink. But then, this was the first lunch they were having without clients.

           After the food arrived, they started talking about good old college days. Shanaya decided to ask something which could give her an indication if he ever cared about her in college.

Shanaya: Do you remember the first time we met? she asked smiling.

Abhimanyu: Do you? With a fold between his eyebrows giving an impression that he doesn't.

Shanaya: Of course, yes.

She blurted and then immediately regretted that now he'll know that she was crazy after him in college. By now, he was sure of her mad attraction to him in college, but that didn't mean a thing since she had someone in her life now.

Abhimanyu: Friday, Oct 10, 8:40 pm. He looked into her eyes as he said.

Shanaya was stunned. Usually guys are not good with day and dates and here he remembered the time also. She didn't know what to think. Shanaya couldn't believe he remembered the date with time. She never expected him to. Her's was an entirely different case, she always held that date and day close to her heart, so question of her forgetting didn't arise. But, how come he remembers it. 'Does that mean he was into her like she doubted those days?' she thought.

Shanaya: You remember date with time?

Abhimanyu: How can I forget it?

Abhimanyu: You were there, rain was there, dark lonely flooded roads were there. He said in a poetic romantic way in his, to die for voice.

Her heart filled with all the love and passion for him as she gazed him speak those words. She beamed with happiness and smiled wide with dimples, as she felt love emitting from his words.

Abhimanyu: It was my B'day that day and I was out to party with Yash and Ram. I missed the 8:30 pm bus when you came running to stop.

Abhimanyu: Remember, bus timings from there used to be like 6:30, 7:30, 8:30 and last bus at 9:30. Since I was at the stop to catch the last bus and had just missed the bus, it means it was 8:30 pm. So, what do you have to say about my analytical skills?

Shanaya: One word. Awesome. Shanaya's all the high feelings came falling flat like a balloon lost out on air.

Abhimanyu: I don't have a great memory like you, so I have to use analytics and reasoning. He teased her.

Shanaya: We don't have to reason everything in life. There are things in life that don't have any reason for why they are there. They are just there.

Abhimanyu: No, there is a reason for everything in life. There is a reason we are in Paris, to meet investors. There is a reason we are sitting here in a cafe , to eat lunch and there must be a reason why we are remembering the first night we met. We might not want to acknowledge the reason, but there is always a reason for everything. He said looking in her eyes.

Shanaya: Love has no reason.

Abhimanyu: It has. It's attraction, a very strong physical and emotional one that we can't win over, with the effects we cannot erase. Sometimes we act over it, and sometimes, when we don't, we like to believe it's there without a reason.

Shanaya: You think one should act on attraction.

Abhimanyu: I don't know. I wish I knew.

The waiter got the bill. She took out her credit card to pay for the lunch. Shanaya had insisted on paying for all the tickets to monuments that day.

Abhimanyu: Keep that in your bag. I am paying with company credit card. Company is supposed to take care of this lunch.

Shanaya: But company money is your money only.

Abhimanyu: Not exactly, I draw a monthly salary for myself.

Shanaya: But you don't have any partners as of now.

Abhimanyu: Ya, but the money reserve of company, I wouldn't want to consider as mine, since it gets used for so many things. I can choose to draw any salary I want, but what I draw is sufficient for me.

He paid the bill and they walked out the cafe.

Shanaya: Imagine, we met for the first time on your birthday?

Abhimanyu: Yah! He also smiled wondering at it.

Abhimanyu: You will be there on my birthday this time. We'll go out drinking. He looked at her and laughed a little.

Shanaya just smiled feeling sad that she wouldn't be there.

            After lunch, they went to Eiffel tower and then she took him to the banks of river Siene at the foot of Eiffel tower for a scenic boat ride.

Shanaya: We are not taking tourist boat. Let's rent a private boat with a driver since you don't have the license to drive.

He looked and smiled at her.

Abhimanyu: So, you think I can drive a boat?

Shanaya: I am sure you can, because there isn't a thing you can't do.

Abhimanyu: But company is not going to reimburse this luxury. And my pockets don't run that deep.

Shanaya: Come, I'll pay for it. She said gesturing with her hands as he was walking behind her.

Abhimanyu: Of course, you can. After all, company doesn't pay you so much for nothing. He laughed.

And she just looked at him. He always looked so good when he laughed like that, completely enjoying his own words.

                 She rented a Bowrider boat with a driver. They sat in an open bow area with seats, forward of the helm and felt the breeze on their faces as they enjoyed gliding under one bridge to another with a view of the finest monuments. They sailed past Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre Museum, Tuileries Gardens, Orsay Museum and the Grand Palais. He had been to Paris a few times before, but never discovered Paris like this by boat. The view of monuments from river was feast to eyes.

              They went to a cafe for a bite of burger after an hour of boat ride, and then drove back to their hotel at 7 pm. Abhimanyu was standing at his suite door, and Shanaya was inserting the magnetic key in the door of her suite.

Abhimanyu: Thank you.

Shanaya: For what?

Abhimanyu: For making my day.

She smiled.

Abhimanyu: Can I ask for your night?

She looked at him.

Abhimanyu: You made my day. Now, let me make your night.