This wasn't how I imagined my night. I wanted a bath, but this was better than anything.

I too was enraptured by the thrills of flying, hours and hours of sitting in the cockpit.

" This is your captain Mrinalini, the flight Airbus 2332 from London lands in New Delhi as per schedule at 11:00 PM IST. We will be landing in the Indira Gandhi International Airport, Terminal 3 . I hope you had a safe flight, we begin our descent now, " I said, switching on the seatbelt sign.

" Excited to get home? " My vice captain Suman asked, he had another flight after this.

" Yeah, I have a reunion to look forward to, " I said casually, as we cruised downwards.

" You don't seem excited about it, boy troubles? " He teased and I laughed.

" No, I have been waiting for months to finally meet my friends, just exhausted, " I shied away, shifting the controls, he didn't know how right he was.

" Alright, well, wish uncle and aunty a hello from me, " He said, having met my parents once.

" I will, fly safe, " I said, as we finally landed.

I watched all the passengers board off, many who looked just as exhausted as I.

" You are so beautiful, " I heard a small voice say and looked down to see a young girl, nearly five years of age.

" That's sweet of you to say, you're beautiful too, " I pinched her cheeks lightly as she giggled.

" I want to be a pilot too, " She said, sheer determination in her eyes, as if she would grow up right now.

" And I'm sure you'll be the best pilot in the world, now run along, I think your mom is waiting, " I laughed as her eyes went wide with fear.

The exhaustion of the day set in as I sat in the Airport Express Metro, ready to head home.

The day ended with me crashing into my bed, my plans for tomorrow yet undecided.

▨

As I finally got off duty, I was relieved. The poor cat had finally gained enough strength to begin walking again and he was at peace.

I left for home in my modest little sedan.

I was far too late, that too to travel all the way to the other side of the town.

I'll meet my  school friends again, Ajay, Srikant, Mayank.. And her.

She was a wild card, like a patient Dr Aryan, Veterinarian never managed to solve.

Her reserved attitude made me wonder if we had ever really been friends?

Once, she'd even said she liked me. I had a girlfriend then. She said she still would like to be friends, it continued, but then one day, she just stopped.

I was worried, but they said she left for flight training immediately after her boards.

But then I didn't't even find time to talk to anyone, my own studies took his time.

And soon, ten years passed, no contact, I lost a friend.

As I looked into his wardrobe,  picked up the most casual smart outfit I could find and dashed out of the house.

▤

"You have to tell us more about París, " My friend Gitanjali asked enraptured by my tales of travels.

" You must, I have never even been to París, " Gitanjali's husband, Amar asked. He was my best friend, wingman. Self proclaimed mind you.

" I would but -"

" Hey guys! Look, Aryan here! " My classmate Shrikant called, welcoming the one reason I dreaded coming.

" Hi guys, " He said, hugging his friends and, against my better judgement, I looked over to him.

He looked good. But that would be an understatement, he walked in, wearing a navy blue long sleeve kurta, which shimmered in the yellow lights of the restaurant, much like the night sky. His cream pants complimented his look, looking every part of the royal prince I imagined him as once in my teenage. His eyes were the same hazel, darkened by years of wisdom, yet they held that harmless mirth, the one I had nearly fallen in love with, his smile just as intoxicating as it had been.

" Aah! " I exclaimed, frowning at my best friend, rubbing my forehead as Amar's hand retracted from the back of my head.

" You do realise why you quite literally fled to flight training don't you? " He scowled at me and I signed heavily, resting my head against the table.

" Amar, how have you been? " He called and I groaned inwardly.

" I'm great Aryan, meet my wife, or well, your nemesis, Gitanjali, " He said, getting up as Gitanjali punched his shoulder, much like old times.

" And you, who are you? " He called and I breathed out slowly, raising my head.

" Hi, " I mumbled trying to look into his eyes.

He went rigid for a moment, but before he could say anything, he was pulled away by another of our classmates.

I slumped back into my chair. Okay. I couldn't let my night be spoiled by one small incident.

" I'll just go out. " I said, moving to the balcony, the coca cola glass in my hand.

▤

" Aryan, come here man, what would you like to have? " Siddhant asked, pulling me over to the waiter, but my mind was occupied by the woman in blue.

She wore a beautiful night blue and gold saree, draped elegantly. Her face was far too familiar for me to ignore, but the possibility of it being true was impossible.

" Hey, you alright? " Srikant asked and I shook my head, " Yeah, just tired. Had a heavy duty. I'll just go to the balcony and relax for a bit. "

I walked out to the balcony,  While hoping for refuge, I was confronted by the very woman I wanted to avoid.

" I believe we haven't met? " I tried, gauging her reaction.

Her laughter induced an odd sense of peace in me too as she turned around to look at me with bewitching caramel eyes.

" You say you haven't met me, are you sure? " She asked, her voice more mature than what I had imagined.

" I did imagine, but I didn't dare dream, " I whispered, walking up to her.

▤

He stopped right in front of me, a few feet away, even now he towered over me.

" Mrinalini, " He said, his words brushing against my cheek like the warm April wind I loved.

" Aryan. " I replied, calming my racing heart.

" You've been busy I hear, travelling around the world much? " He said, moving past me to rest against the balcony railing.

" Yes, well, being a pilot does have it's perks, " I said, looking at him.

He had his back to me, shoulders strong from years of caring for animals, a trait I admired, seeing as I ran at the first sight of any stray animal.

" Ah, definitely. So how's life been? I want to know all about it, " He said, turning to look at me, " Seeing as I know about nothing about your life since the past ten years, " He continued under his breath.

My breath hitched as I looked down with guilt.

" I - "

" You don't need to explain yourself. All I want to know is how the world is, I haven't been too far." He said and I shook my head.

" No, you were -are my friend, you deserve an answer -"

" Please Mrinalini, if I was your friend we wouldn't be having this conversation at all. " He scoffed,pinching his eyes.

" I'm sorry, please, tell me how the world is -"

" If you were hurt why don't you just say it! Why do you keep changing the subject!" I shouted and he looked up at me with dark eyes.

Up until now, they were partly mocking and partly hurt. Now they were filled with simmering rage.

" You are hurt by people you consider your own Mrinalini. Not people who ghost you for ten years, leave abruptly with no notice, forget that they have a friend who was worried about them, pick up no phone calls every day for over a month till the friend stopped. So please, I'm not hurt, " He leered, turning back.

▤

My words hurt me more than they might hurt her, but it was the truth. Beyond that one month, even I had no time Or energy to call someone who wouldn't pick up her phone.

I could hear her sniffle and put my head in my hands, of all the things I could have said.

" I - "

" No, you're right, " She whispered,  cleared her throat, " I left without any information, I am at fault. It's fine if you don't want to hear anything, " She said, moving to the huge glass doors of the balcony.

Well, that didn't go as expected.

I hurried uo behind her, pulling her back out to the balcony, her surprised face held just a bit of hope, her hand in mine.

" You must tell me, I know I said all that and yes I am hurt, I was hurt, but I care about my friend more, please, tell me why you left? " I pleaded and her eyes widened.

" Uh, yes, I -" She moved back, walking towards the railing.

" It was just after the result of my exam, I had come home  when someone met me at the door, " She looked straight ahead at the moon.

I walked up next to her, putting my hands on the railing, they brushed hers. I could smell her perfume,  it hadn't changed in ten years. I always found it mesmerizing, her perfume, it made me lose my senses.

" So, I met Shruti, " She said, hands white against the railing.

" I - well she told me that she didn't appreciate us talking to each other and I was confused, so I asked her why, she said that she knew something and that it would be, well, better for me if I don't talk to you, " Her cheeks flushed red, even in the darkness of the night I could see it in the swimmers lights of the city.

" Why do I think you know that 'something' she was talking about? " I probed and she shook her head.

" It's better you not know that. But yes, as she was your girlfriend, I felt it wise to not speak to you on her insistence. That's all. No other reason. " She turned her head, hands clenched at the railings.

" Are you sure? There's no other reason? " I asked, bending low to her ears.

▤

When he asked me that question, every atom in my body threatened to burst and tell him the truth, that I did love him, that yes, it was because I was too scared to admit my guilt. That even though I'd promised him that we'll be friends, being friends with him wasn't working for me.

" Mrinalini, you're hiding again. Please, don't you trust me? " He placed his hand on my shoulder. I bent my head low, traitorous tears making their way past my eyes.

" Aryan I -"

" No, you have to be honest. I promise, whatever it is, I won't judge, but if you hide now, you won't find me again. " He said and I felt a certain seriousness in his eyes that I had never seen before.

So I slowly turned around to face him, " Do you remember the evening of 16th June 2014 ? " I asked and he shook his head in affirmation.

" Yes, we played that Instagram game, you told me that you liked me, I told you I had a girlfriend and then you said you'd still like to be friends. I don't see what is so wrong about that, " He frowned.

" I - well, after the board results, I found it harder to be just your friend. " I cringed at how that sounded.

He looked worried, " Why, did I do something wrong? If I did I'm sorry -" He began, holding both my hands in his.

" No no. It's not you, it was me. I couldn't  be just your friend. I was, " I shook my head, when he put one hand under my chin, gently pulling it up, nodding at me, his beautiful eyes showed the most sincere of trusts in me, no judgements,
" Well, I -I couldn't be just your friend because I wanted to be more. " I whispered, watching his eyes widen in disbelief.

▤

I couldn't believe it, she still liked me.

What I couldn't believe was my own stupidity..

Of course I liked her, can you imagine not liking someone like her? Beautiful, smart, one of the craziest and most annoying person you could meet, your closest friend, one who knows you inside out. The dumb woman respected my relationship so much that she literally stopped talking to me without even telling me my girlfriend hurt her.

If that doesn't tell you I love her, have loved her, then I don't know what does.

" You don't wear a ring? " She said and my eyes snapped up to see her eyes trained on my ring fingers.

" Yes, why would I? I'm not engaged, " I laughed, watching her giggle..

" I just assumed-" But I had enough, I picked her up in my arms, against her flailing and set her on one of the tables.

" Mrinalini, if I tell you that I love you, what do I get? " I asked her, boring into her eyes as she looked at me as if I made a joke.

But then, her words made through, " You are sure? You aren't playing with me? " She asked and I shook my head.

"I want to be your support, spend time massaging your feet after long flights, have you finally overcome your fear of animals as you and I have lunch together in my clinic, go with the wanderlust and explore all the different countries with you. I wanted to sleep by your side at night and wake up to your laugh in the morning. An eighteen year old Aryan had different thoughts, more short term, but this one was improved, I had learned what love meant, having fallen only once, with you. " I said, her tears fell freely now.

" Why are you crying? " I asked,she laughed, hitting my shoulder

" This isn't how I imagined this happening, " She said and I tilted my head.

" What else, do you want fire works -"

" No no. I meant I thought I'll live a spinster. If ten years didn't cure my disease, then I don't know what would. "

" Am I a disease? Really-" But I was shut up by the press of her lips against mine, soft, enveloping my own in her love.

I was stunned, but not for long. You're a gentleman Aryan.

I pulled her closer, one hand on her head and the other at her back, her perfume enveloping my own as I sighed.

" All this could have been solved with one phone call, " I whispered to her, she tinkled with laughter.

" The fruit shall be received by the patient, but I won't be patient anymore, " She said, pulling me into a hug.

This wasn't how I imagined my night,but it was better than anything ever.

▤

TEEN_FIX this is my entry for the short stories contest

Word count for the story, 2500.