I don't get why people expect a kiss to be absolutely earth shatteringly flawless. I mean, my kisses with Manish definitely weren't perfect. Hell, the second time we kissed, I couldn't stop blabbering like an idiot. That kiss wasn't objectively perfect.

But was it perfect for me?

Absolutely.

    10 years of weight, regret, and sorrow had been almost obliterated in that singular moment. That moment of knowing that I loved him, and he loved me was just purely sublime.

But at the same time, gratitude completely filled me up from all corners of the body. 10 years ago, I wasn't honest with Manish, and it absolutely ruined me. I didn't make that same mistake twice, and it paid off in the end, in multiple ways.

    "Are you enjoying the $10 that Anwar gave you?" I ask, as Jen starts to giggle. I pull the sheets over me a little bit more and roll over, though with the thought that Manish and I are together, that extra bit of warmth and comfort seems unnecessary.

"I'm definitely enjoying it. But it's more than that. It's the pure satisfaction of seeing you guys finally together. Do you know how annoying it was for me to just not scream, 'JUST KISS AND BE A COUPLE!' at you two?"

I giggle a little bit more, as I can't help but sympathize with her. I felt the exact same way when it came to her and Anwar before they started dating. I almost wanted to lock them in a room and not let them out until one of them confessed their feelings. "Now you know how I felt about you and Anwar. I guess we're even!"

At that moment, Jen and I both just burst into a fit of giggles, as I hear her sit back even further on the couch. "Enough about that. Are you excited for Anwar and I's wedding?"

Immediately, a little spark of excitement ignites in the pits of my stomach. I can already picture it. Me dancing in my heavily embroidered anarkali, shouting with joy over when they say, "I do," and endless amounts of sweets going around to give me instant diabetes. It's all something that I can barely wait for, but alas, I have to for a few more weeks. "Okay, how am I not excited for your wedding? You're evil for making me wait."

Jen snickers again over the line. "Don't worry. Before you know it, it'll be there, and before we both know it, you'll be next!"

I giggle a little bit, but at the same time, we both know that there's still a lot of time. I literally just started dating Manish. There's no way I'm going to marry him that soon. "That's cute, but give it some time. Nobody is asking us to get married that fast, except for the nosy Indian aunties."

Jen again starts to giggle, but then her giggling abruptly stops. "Hey, my mom is calling me, so I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"For sure, later." I hang up the phone, and then flop back on my pillow a little bit to fully absorb what is going on. Somehow, it still hasn't settled in that I'm Manish's girlfriend.

For the past ten years, my mind was enshrouded in a fantasy that one day he would come back and we'd get together finally. But I always had to snap myself out of it. I constantly had to dispel the clouds surrounding my mind and allow the rays of truth to shine upon me.

But now that we're finally together, it feels unreal. Like I'm going to wake up the next minute and get ready for work and resume my normal, boring routine.

As I'm contemplating the pure shock of this, my phone starts to buzz beneath my fingertips again. I immediately pull it out from underneath my sheets, and see that it's my mom calling. A little smile curls at my lips, I answer the call, bracing for her to squeal down half of the house. "Hi, amma," I greet, as I prepare my eardrums to be tortured by her squealing.

Immediately, my mom starts yelling, "KANNA, I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU! I'm so glad you and Manish are finally together! I've always loved him and I'm so happy you two are together."

I can't help but giggle, as my mom was always one of those people who constantly rooted for Manish and I's relationship to persist. As I keep on giggling, I manage to squeak out in between my laughs, "Thanks, amma. How did appa react?"

"He's even happier than me. You know him, he likes Manish even more than I do, if that's even possible. But you know him. If Manish does anything to hurt you, which I doubt, I think he'll snap his neck."

I giggle, but I know that's not true. One, my dad is not that extreme and wouldn't do anything against the law. Two, Manish wouldn't for one second do anything that would hurt me in the slightest.

"Anyways, I just wanted to call to say that. I have to get some cooking done. Get some work done, too, okay?"

I nod, even though I know deep down I'm probably going to spend half my day in bed and the other half binge watching some action movies with a bowl of popcorn. "Sure, amma. Bye," I say.

Before I flop my phone to the side, I notice that I have a new text message. With the thought of how I missed it plaguing my mind, I open it to only have a pleasant surprise sprung on me. It's from Isha, and when I see it, I feel my heart slightly melt a little.

The text reads, "Hey, Jaya, congrats on you and Manish. I'm really happy you two are together. Manish is really happy, and the fact that he's happier after being with you is just more assurance that you two are amazing together."

I feel like my heart is about to burst. I always thought Isha was the last person to support Manish and I's relationship. But now that I know her prior support wasn't just something she was saying for the fuck of it really warms at my heart.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't smiling like a doofus afterwards.

**********

    As I predicted, I'm still in bed after a few hours. The only times I got up were to wash my hands, make some lunch, and grab my quart of moose tracks flavored ice cream to eat while I continue to binge watch action movies on Netflix.

As I'm probably binging my third film while chewing on a little piece of fudge, I feel my phone buzz one more time. I pull it from beneath my sheets, only to see that it's from Manish.

Immediately, I perk up a little bit and read what he has to say, "Jaya, are you free on Saturday at 6:30? I want to take you on our first real date."

My jaw immediately falls open, and my hand claps itself over my mouth in joy.  As I'm sitting there, basking in Manish's text, little squeals of excitement start to squeak out of the back of my throat.

My hand finally loosens itself from covering my mouth, and my thumbs go to excitedly type out a text. "Yes, Manish, I'm free! What do you have planned?"

I throw my phone to the side for a second so I can picture exactly what it's going to be like. There's a thousand possibilities that are buzzing my mind, and I'm trying my best to paint the most clear picture of each of them.

A romantic candlelit dinner complete with a picturesque sunset to complement it? A sappy romance movie that will probably make Manish cry his eyes out? A simple walk on the beach with the cool sea breeze wafting through my hair?

As I'm drawing out each possibility in my mind and squealing more and more with each one, I feel my phone buzz once more. I lift my phone up excitedly, and Manish's reply reads, "It's a surprise. You'll find out soon enough. I think you'll like it. See you then!"

I giggle a little bit. Manish. So amazingly mysterious, I think to myself. As I'm giggling like I overdosed on laughing gas, I type out, "Oooh, now I'm really excited. See you on Saturday!"

I throw my phone on the comforter and turn excitedly in my bed, burying the side of my face into my pillow. Like a teenage girl who just got asked out for homecoming, I'm excitedly squealing. This is exactly the day I was hoping and praying for so long. Now that it's almost here, it's like my prayers have been answered.

Now, I'm praying that Saturday night will be a magical first date.

I hope that one is answered as well.

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Looks like they're finally having their first date soon! What do you think Manish has up his sleeve? Let me know.

I hope you guys liked this chapter! As always, please vote/comment/share/message/follow (both on here and on my Instagram [svts.writes]) for more updates regarding my works! See you in the next chapter!

Love you guys,

Shree