| ANGAD |

I looked at her with my eyes wide, praying to all the Gods in the universe to get a positive response from her.

She bit her lower lip for a while before responding. As she was done, she said, "Well, Angad, the offer was good. I understand you know nobody there. But I don't feel good about accepting it. One of my friends runs a tour company in Delhi. Do you want me to pass his number to you?"

Though I initially scowled mentally at her for this, I scorned myself after realising that she was doing that for her safety.

"That's okay, Naina. I can manage on my own." I tried to plaster a genuine smile.

"I hope you are okay with this." The corners of those eyes that had only innocence softened.

"Yeah. Don't worry about it." This time, I shot a smile that was wider than before to look convincing.

She smiled at me genuinely enough to melt my heart and looked outside through the window while I turned away from her and immersed myself in my thoughts.

But it's just she who sees me as a stranger. Not me.

I may seem naïve, weird, or even creepy to ask this to a stranger. But the truth is that Naina is not a love at first sight for me.

***

I met her around two years ago in Central Park. In a bright pink hoodie and black track pants with a high ponytail and no make-up, she looked natural and beautiful the way she was. A smile on her face made her look like some goddess in the form of an urban angel. I heard I Saw Her Standing There by The Beatles playing on my mobile on cue. It didn't take around ten seconds to realise it was nothing but my ringtone. I facepalmed and connected Violet's call while the girl I was looking at vanished.

I thought that it was the end until I stumbled on her at my hospital last year.

I remember my senior doing the craniectomy for her grandmother while I was ogling at her and praying for her grandmother's surgery to succeed so that I could see her face glow in her sunshine-level bright smile. Trust me, she looks the greatest when she smiles.

But it seemed like God had a filter system for His ears. She had to lose her grandmother because of the failure of the surgery.

When I intimated to the Mathurs of their family member's death, Mrs Mathur went on crying while Mr Mathur, who tried to console his wife, ended up being the victim of his sadness.

But I couldn't see a tear from Naina's eyes, which made me take an oath to eat leafy greens and carrots six times a day.

At that moment, I knew that she was beautiful but not that she was heartless.

A few minutes later, when I stepped out of the toilet and washed my hands, she entered the restroom. Her eyes were bloodshot. Mucus from her nose threatened to expose itself while she blocked it with the back of her palm. Letting out loud sobs, she rushed into the toilet where I came from, not before taking a handful of paper napkins from the washbasin nearby.

I stood still, my dense head trying hard to believe what my eyes saw. I asked myself, "Did she just cry?" But in the end, I convinced myself that she was a human.

Soon, I rushed to the canteen in my hospital, bought a Snickers and borrowed a pen and sticky notes from Neil's desk. Gaining a little confidence from within, I wrote her a small message.

"I know that shit happens. But Grandma loves your face glowing while you smile." -- Your lone companion.

I stuck that paper on the chocolate and went to the restroom. To make sure that she was still inside, I knocked on the toilet door.

I'm not some fool to be mistaken, right?

A few seconds later, a shaky voice answered from inside. "Just a second, please."

It was her.

I slid the chocolate with the paper inside the toilet through the gap between the door and the floor. I waited so that she would come out and see me.

First, I heard the sound of the chocolate wrapper, which suggested that she unwrapped the chocolate. The crunching sound from within proved it to be true. Then I saw her sliding the empty chocolate wrapper and the paper outside.

I took them and saw that she had written something on the paper.

"Thanks for your concern and the Snickers. But please understand that it takes time." -- Your lone crybaby.

I chuckled at it and left the restroom without waiting for her response. She reciprocating my approach was more than enough than meeting each other face to face.

Then it took three more months from that day to know that we were living in the same locality. Her apartment was one individual house and two more apartments away from mine.

Though destiny brought me closer to her, I loved the distance we had between each other. I loved how I used to ogle at her doing her morning ritual at Central Park. I loved her expressions while speaking with the florist in our street, Mrs Brown. I loved how my eyes refused to look at someone except her when she relished the tomato pasta at the Stephen's. I loved how proud I was when she published her articles. I loved how obsessive enough I was about what I was doing to her, despite knowing that it could bring me five years inside jail. And I loved how jealous and heartbroken I was when her lips met her new boyfriend's.

Soon, the extended family of the Sharmas dragged me into a dark mission named Bride Hunting.

Meeta Grover was her name. She was exactly how my mom wanted her daughter-in-law to be: homely, obedient, a good cook, a great multitasker, and a "family before career" type. I did not have reasons to say yes or no, which made me her fiancé.

While I tried to fit into the great Indian mess, a conversation with Meeta brought light to my dark life.

"So Angad, these are my best friends. This is Sonam Singh, that's Simran Ahuja, that one is Kavya Arora, and she is Naina Mathur." She pointed out each person in the picture she captured five years ago, and I focused better than before when I heard her say Naina's name.

"Naina Mathur? I think I have heard her name somewhere." I furrowed my eyebrows and scrunched my eyes, trying to be real.

"You should have. She works as a blogger in Vogue." There was a proud grin on her face I had never seen since we met.

"Ah, yes. I remember now. Is she your friend?" I sounded as if I couldn't believe the truth. And that's the truth.

"Yeah." While she kept narrating stories, my mind almost convinced me that destiny had something in store for myself and Naina.

***

The shaking sensation in the flight brought me back to reality when I realised that the flight was into turbulence. And I felt Naina's hand on mine while she closed her eyes and was chanting holy chants. I placed the other hand on hers and patted it. Though I behaved like a knight with shiny armour, I didn't have the guts to keep my eyes open; hence I closed it as well.

A few minutes later, the flight stopped shaking, suggesting the turbulence ended. I opened my eyes and saw the flight as bright as before. I looked at Naina, whose eyes were on me, taking her hand out that was sandwiched between mine.

"I wish you didn't take your hand away," I whispered, which gained Naina's attention, and she raised her eyebrows, demanding me to repeat it. But I nodded a no and brushed it off soon.

***

"Thanks for the trip, Angad." We were at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi.

"That's okay, Naina." I plastered a smile.

Though there was a sudden silence, it was like we spoke a lot in the silent air. Our eyes told each other how we enjoyed each other and some more feelings; as they met each other.

"I hope we'll meet again." Naina smiled wide and went away without allowing me to say goodbye.

That was when it struck me.

Why say goodbye when she wishes to meet me again?

***

THREE DAYS LATER...

Violet: Let me repeat it, Angad. This is not good for you.

I was chatting with Violet over Instagram, sitting on a couch at a bar near Radisson Blu, where I was staying.

Me: What do you mean, Vee?

Violet: I mean that you can't have feelings for someone when you are betrothed. And especially when she is your fiancee's best friend.

Violet: This will complicate everything.

Me: Come on, Vee! There is nothing to get it complicated. I knew Naina before Meeta entered my life.

Violet: You can't be THIS stupid, bro.

Violet: Does Naina know you?

Me: No.

Violet: I guess it's better to ditch your feelings for Naina.

Me: I can't, Vee.

Violet: Why not?

Me: Naina was my everything. I have known her for two years.

Violet: But you have Meeta, who loves you as if she knew you for a lifetime.

Me: That doesn't matter. Arranged marriage makes everyone lovesick.

Violet: Okay. But do you want to cheat her?

Me: When did she hear what I wanted to say?

Violet: When did you say that to her, Angad?

Me: Vee, please.

Me: I love Naina. Period.

Violet: Only assholes will believe this shit.

Me: Okay. Let's have a deal.

Me: I swear that I won't contact Naina once again. But if destiny wants me and Naina to be together, it will bring her to me.

Violet: Fuck your destiny, Angad.

Violet: I can't trust you and get into this game.

Me: This isn't a game.

Violet: IT IS.

Violet: I wonder how did you end up being so immature.

Me: Okay. What if she appears at this moment?

Violet: I don't give a fuck about it.

Violet: It's your life that is going to spoil.

As I got off from my place to leave the bar and took two steps away from the couch, I bumped into someone strong enough for my physically unprepared body.

"What the--" Before I could swear more, my tongue tied itself after seeing the girl in a satin yellow mini dress, frizzy hair, smudged mascara, and innocent black eyes.

"Can't you see properly or what? Did you place your eyes in your butthole?" Allowing her to swear more, I looked down to text Violet for one last time.

Me: I saw her.

Violet: Saw whom?

Me: Naina.

***

I can see that Violet is the representative of us. But then, Violet was right. Or, was she wrong?

Stay tuned to know more!

Song Courtesy: Tum Hi Ho from Aashiqui 2