"Hey Naaz, how have you been? Possible to meet you sometime? Let me know" Ajith texted me
I messaged him back.
'Sure, Ajith. Let me know when and where.'
"Lunch, today?" He replied quickly
'Okay, let me know where and I'll be there' I replied back
I had been ignoring Ajith for a long time and thought it was unfair. Even if I did continue to ignore me, he wouldn't stop texting me or keeping in touch with me.
One lunch wouldn't hurt. I thought.
"Let's go to Pesto. 1:30 pm" he replied
'Sure, I'll meet you there.
Ajith was Dev's younger sibling. Basically, Ajith and I were of the same age. But somehow, he always appeared to be less mature than me. Or may be I was too mature for my age. I found Ajith's attitude very casual. He simply cracked jokes, texted me incessantly, spoke too fast. I didn't find him attractive, didn't thinik he was funny and sometimes I thought he was slightly cracked.
Let me see how he eats. I thought
I took a rickshaw to the restaurant. These rickshaw guys drive me crazy all the time. It's almost like they know I hate them and they gladly reciprocate the hatred towards me.
Pesto was like a 9 km drive from where I lived and the rickshaw charged me 180 bucks. I didn't complain because I wanted to keep my mind free from all negative energy. I wanted to think.
****
"Anna, we need to get to Adyar" Dev spoke to the rickshaw guy
"200 rupees" he demanded
"200? 200? Why are you asking for 200 anna? Adyar is just 20 minutes away" Dev rebutted
"So?" screamed the rickshaw guy "I have to take so many U-turns, there are so many diversions, plus this is peak time. Come for 200 or go"
"Ya, we'll go" proclaimed, Dev. "Let's walk, Naaz"
All the while, I was hoping Dev would just say yes to the rickshaw guy. I didn't want to walk.
'Erhm, let's look for another auto na, Dev' I sweetly told him
"No, all of them are like this. Besides, walking is good for us. The weather is not so bad" he assured me
I looked up at the sky and I almost went blind. The sun was out in full glory and as if smirking at me, it tickled my eyes. I surrendered to Dev and the Sun.
"These auto guys are notorious." Dev continued
'Yeah, Dev. They are. Let them be. Why don't be take the bus?" I asked in futile hopes
"Naaz! Let's walk and let's talk"
'Ok, but I don't talk when I walk.'
"Why not?"
'Because that's how I'm trained.'
"Trained?"
'Yeah. In the gym. I walk on the treadmill and I'm not supposed to talk.'
"Ha ha ha Naaz. Man, you are such a lazy girl."
I blushed in embarrassment
"Man, we're going to be really hungry after this walk."
'I hope it rains.'
"That would be awesome. Let's hope so!"
We walked some distance and I was already feeling exhausted.
'Dev, what are your plans in life?'
"Hmmm, I haven't given it much thought, Naaz. Why do you ask?"
'I just like to know what people's aspirations are like.'
"Really? What's yours?"
'I don't know.'
"Are you looking for an inspiration? ha ha ha"
'No. Not like that. I'm happy now and that's all that matter for the moment.'
"Good, good. I may be going abroad for my post graduation."
'Oh.'
I didn't say anything. Dev was 2 years senior to me. He had one year to go and then he would fly away. Just like that.
"What? That's your reaction? Oh?"
'What do you want me to say then?'
"All the best?"
'All the best, Dev' I smiled
"You're not happy, are you?"
'Of course I'm happy for you Dev'
"Then why do you sound dull?"
'Nothing.'
"Tell me"
'Nothing'
"No, tell me"
'I will miss you'
"ha ha ha. That's all? and you're upset?"
'Ok, I won't miss you. But don't be so mean.'
"Why will you miss me. Come with me"
'WHAT?'
"You also come to do your PG abroad"
My heart skipped a million beats. Just imagining being in the same place with Dev was killing me in joy. Such a weird feeling love is. I was crazy about Dev and I think he knew.
'Let's see, Dev.'
"Ok, Naaz." He smiled
'Ok, Dev' I mocked him
We both laughed.
****
"Madam, this is the place no?" The autorickshaw guy spoke
'Ah, yes. Thanks.' I got down and noticed Ajith was waiting for me
"Hey Naaz! Good to see" He extended his hands
'Good to see you too, Ajith' I shook his hands
"Our table is ready. Let's go."
We sat down and the waiter brought the menu cards. Ajith ordered for a bottle of water and he let me read the menu in peace. I took my own time to understand what was on the card.
"I really like this place, Naaz" he interrupted
'Do you come here often?' I asked him
"I've come here with my office colleagues. The food is really good."
'Oh alright.' I placed the menu card on the table
"So, what will you have?"
'Since you've already been here, I thought I should let you decide. I am good with anything.'
"Wow. That's quite a task." He sighed
He ordered a Basil Tortellini soup to being with.
"Thanks for coming, Naaz. I had my doubts. You hardly reply to my texts."
'I know. I just don't text that much.'
"How's work?"
'Not bad. But I'm in no mood to discuss it'
"I understand. ha ha"
He laughed just like Dev. I ignored it.
A little baby girl in the adjacent table was seated on her baby seat and was playing with her food. She looked up at me and smiled. I smiled back and made funny faces at her. She laughed and clapped her hands.
"Hey, she seems to like you" Ajith spoke
'I'm good with kids. I can easily make funny faces'
"It's cute"
'Huh?'
"The baby"
'Hmmm, yeah' I ignored his last comment
"Let me see if I can solve this puzzle" Ajith announced as he got busy with finishing the puzzle on our table mats
For the first time, I took a good look at Ajith. I had seen him a couple of times, but I never took the trouble to notice how he looked, his features, his hair, nothing. It was none of my business.
He was tall, very tall, lean and dark. He had a weird smile. When he smiled, his teeth on his right extreme would jut out. It was cute but weird cute. He had a rather long nose. He had thick black hair and sported a french beard. One cannot miss his great sense of dressing. I should say, he was dressed to kill.
"Ah, done' He looked up
I quickly looked away, as if I was never looking at him in the first place.
'Oh, good good.' I congratulated him
The waiter brought our soup. It was steaming hot and I was getting hunry.
I ate my soup silently.
When I looked up, Ajith was looking at me.
"Where is Dev, Naaz?" He asked me.
That's when I knew, all this while, Ajith didn't want to tell me anything about Dev.
He wanted to know something about Dev.
I messaged him back.
'Sure, Ajith. Let me know when and where.'
"Lunch, today?" He replied quickly
'Okay, let me know where and I'll be there' I replied back
I had been ignoring Ajith for a long time and thought it was unfair. Even if I did continue to ignore me, he wouldn't stop texting me or keeping in touch with me.
One lunch wouldn't hurt. I thought.
"Let's go to Pesto. 1:30 pm" he replied
'Sure, I'll meet you there.
Ajith was Dev's younger sibling. Basically, Ajith and I were of the same age. But somehow, he always appeared to be less mature than me. Or may be I was too mature for my age. I found Ajith's attitude very casual. He simply cracked jokes, texted me incessantly, spoke too fast. I didn't find him attractive, didn't thinik he was funny and sometimes I thought he was slightly cracked.
Let me see how he eats. I thought
I took a rickshaw to the restaurant. These rickshaw guys drive me crazy all the time. It's almost like they know I hate them and they gladly reciprocate the hatred towards me.
Pesto was like a 9 km drive from where I lived and the rickshaw charged me 180 bucks. I didn't complain because I wanted to keep my mind free from all negative energy. I wanted to think.
****
"Anna, we need to get to Adyar" Dev spoke to the rickshaw guy
"200 rupees" he demanded
"200? 200? Why are you asking for 200 anna? Adyar is just 20 minutes away" Dev rebutted
"So?" screamed the rickshaw guy "I have to take so many U-turns, there are so many diversions, plus this is peak time. Come for 200 or go"
"Ya, we'll go" proclaimed, Dev. "Let's walk, Naaz"
All the while, I was hoping Dev would just say yes to the rickshaw guy. I didn't want to walk.
'Erhm, let's look for another auto na, Dev' I sweetly told him
"No, all of them are like this. Besides, walking is good for us. The weather is not so bad" he assured me
I looked up at the sky and I almost went blind. The sun was out in full glory and as if smirking at me, it tickled my eyes. I surrendered to Dev and the Sun.
"These auto guys are notorious." Dev continued
'Yeah, Dev. They are. Let them be. Why don't be take the bus?" I asked in futile hopes
"Naaz! Let's walk and let's talk"
'Ok, but I don't talk when I walk.'
"Why not?"
'Because that's how I'm trained.'
"Trained?"
'Yeah. In the gym. I walk on the treadmill and I'm not supposed to talk.'
"Ha ha ha Naaz. Man, you are such a lazy girl."
I blushed in embarrassment
"Man, we're going to be really hungry after this walk."
'I hope it rains.'
"That would be awesome. Let's hope so!"
We walked some distance and I was already feeling exhausted.
'Dev, what are your plans in life?'
"Hmmm, I haven't given it much thought, Naaz. Why do you ask?"
'I just like to know what people's aspirations are like.'
"Really? What's yours?"
'I don't know.'
"Are you looking for an inspiration? ha ha ha"
'No. Not like that. I'm happy now and that's all that matter for the moment.'
"Good, good. I may be going abroad for my post graduation."
'Oh.'
I didn't say anything. Dev was 2 years senior to me. He had one year to go and then he would fly away. Just like that.
"What? That's your reaction? Oh?"
'What do you want me to say then?'
"All the best?"
'All the best, Dev' I smiled
"You're not happy, are you?"
'Of course I'm happy for you Dev'
"Then why do you sound dull?"
'Nothing.'
"Tell me"
'Nothing'
"No, tell me"
'I will miss you'
"ha ha ha. That's all? and you're upset?"
'Ok, I won't miss you. But don't be so mean.'
"Why will you miss me. Come with me"
'WHAT?'
"You also come to do your PG abroad"
My heart skipped a million beats. Just imagining being in the same place with Dev was killing me in joy. Such a weird feeling love is. I was crazy about Dev and I think he knew.
'Let's see, Dev.'
"Ok, Naaz." He smiled
'Ok, Dev' I mocked him
We both laughed.
****
"Madam, this is the place no?" The autorickshaw guy spoke
'Ah, yes. Thanks.' I got down and noticed Ajith was waiting for me
"Hey Naaz! Good to see" He extended his hands
'Good to see you too, Ajith' I shook his hands
"Our table is ready. Let's go."
We sat down and the waiter brought the menu cards. Ajith ordered for a bottle of water and he let me read the menu in peace. I took my own time to understand what was on the card.
"I really like this place, Naaz" he interrupted
'Do you come here often?' I asked him
"I've come here with my office colleagues. The food is really good."
'Oh alright.' I placed the menu card on the table
"So, what will you have?"
'Since you've already been here, I thought I should let you decide. I am good with anything.'
"Wow. That's quite a task." He sighed
He ordered a Basil Tortellini soup to being with.
"Thanks for coming, Naaz. I had my doubts. You hardly reply to my texts."
'I know. I just don't text that much.'
"How's work?"
'Not bad. But I'm in no mood to discuss it'
"I understand. ha ha"
He laughed just like Dev. I ignored it.
A little baby girl in the adjacent table was seated on her baby seat and was playing with her food. She looked up at me and smiled. I smiled back and made funny faces at her. She laughed and clapped her hands.
"Hey, she seems to like you" Ajith spoke
'I'm good with kids. I can easily make funny faces'
"It's cute"
'Huh?'
"The baby"
'Hmmm, yeah' I ignored his last comment
"Let me see if I can solve this puzzle" Ajith announced as he got busy with finishing the puzzle on our table mats
For the first time, I took a good look at Ajith. I had seen him a couple of times, but I never took the trouble to notice how he looked, his features, his hair, nothing. It was none of my business.
He was tall, very tall, lean and dark. He had a weird smile. When he smiled, his teeth on his right extreme would jut out. It was cute but weird cute. He had a rather long nose. He had thick black hair and sported a french beard. One cannot miss his great sense of dressing. I should say, he was dressed to kill.
"Ah, done' He looked up
I quickly looked away, as if I was never looking at him in the first place.
'Oh, good good.' I congratulated him
The waiter brought our soup. It was steaming hot and I was getting hunry.
I ate my soup silently.
When I looked up, Ajith was looking at me.
"Where is Dev, Naaz?" He asked me.
That's when I knew, all this while, Ajith didn't want to tell me anything about Dev.
He wanted to know something about Dev.
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