Matters Of Heart !

"It's embarrassing to care so much about someone...only to get ignored," she typed and erased this message for the fourth time.

 

Niki was hurt but why give him the pleasure of knowing it, she thought.

Sudden goosebumps on her arms bought her thoughts back to reality. "Why do I care for him? Sometimes he is such a jerk yaar. "

 

She was at the lake side, evening was getting colder and finally it felt like winter. Now what, she thought. In the spur of moment, feeling hurt and angry she had decided to come here.

 

I'll have some lone time...let me enjoy myself..I am great alone...with these rebellious thoughts she had got out of the house and reached here. One place which reminded her of him the most.

 

A small chuckle escaped when she remembered the speed at which she had got ready.. kudos Niki :)Finally looks like I cracked the code to time management !!!

 

Now that you have landed here, enjoy yourself...she thought looking at the reflection of the lights playing hide and seek on the lake water. Some times smallest of the things can take you back in time...down the memory lane.

 

Though the water looked very different..the chilly evening and the ambience reminded her of an evening spend at lonavala, some few years back...

 

It was an office picnic. Finally the professionals were out for some fun. Little pool, lot of rain dance and some barbeque had seen all energy being spent throughout the evening.

The charsis had found their cult and the raising volume of guitar strumming to the tunes of the Summer of 69 was a proof that the party was "rolling" very well!

 

In some other corner you could hear the old monks and antiquity blues luring more and more crowd...well, that's where my boss must be thought Niki rolling her eyes!

 

She looked out of the balcony of the room allotted to the girls. Boozing was not something she wanted to do tonight...no reason but just didn't feel like.

 

But sleep just seems to elude me!!

 

Just then her eyes landed on the swing in the garden..there it was, her escape route.She always felt very relaxed on a swing.

The gossip in the room had just started to get dirtier which also meant more interesting!!

 

What to do ..swing or join the girls??she weighed her options. Chuck it she decided.

 

With a quick peck on her best friend Priya's cheek and clear instructions that she wanted full details of the gossip later, she raced towards the garden.

 

Nights in winter are just so beautiful.I need to destress more often.. she was walking towards the garden with these thoughts when it seemed like some movement near the bushes. She froze and looked around. Nothing in sight, without moving she glanced at her watch...01:20am!!

 

Then again she heard some panting...F*** ,don't let it be a dog..she prayed. That is one thing she was shit scared of...She could take on any ghost right now but dog...God save her!

 

Curiosity prevailed fear and she took a step closer to the sound...Ohh my god...wasn't that Tina with Rohit! This was a sight to capture...though she couldn't make out who was who, she gleamed at her discovery and how it would set the gossip gang on fire.

 

Silently not disturbing the two not that it looked possible anyways, she made her way to the swing.

 

She was processing her new found gossip in her head when she saw it...rather him. Shits! She thought, all this mehnat for nothing. There goes my lone time. She stared at the person occupying the left swing. She hasn't been able to see him from the room due to lack of light there. Forget it yaar, I am not going back. She moved and took the right swing.

 

What kind of person comes to sit on the swing at 01:30 am at night?Someone like you, her mind replied. She hit her forehead in reflex and that made him turn around and look at her. Ohh.. so it was Aatish..the latest entry to the team...

 

"Hi" 

"Hi"

"I hope u don't mind me sitting here?"

 

He just shrugged his shoulders and went back to his phone.

 

So much attitude...thought Niki.

She remembered seeing him at couple of meetings but never really had interacted with him.

 

He seemed to be lost in the world of fb on his phone.

 

As if I care, sniggered Niki...but she did. So much disinterest had bothered her like it would bother any girl. How dare he! However she tried her best and feigned disinterest.

 

"So this is how you treat your seniors ?"

He looked at her and laughed aloud...

 

"What's so funny?" Asked Niki. She was already ready for an argument.

 

 

"I knew you would talk... In fact I am amazed you controlled it for so long"

 

"Really??" Challenged Niki... "Don't give urself so much importance."

 

"Hahaha...no offence... I've noticed you in office and i know your love for talking."

 

"Hahaha...actually true," admitted Niki with a smile. She hadn't missed the "I've noticed u" part though!

 

And this is how it started...topics flowed and niki realized she was enjoying his company but she would die before admitting it!

 

Both of them didn't realize how long they were talking. It was Priya at a distance waving at Niki to come back that broke the trance.

 

   " I guess time to go."

   "Yes, the search party has come for you."

 

She got down from the swing and cried "owch!" bloody stone...what a timing! 

 

"You came without slippers?"

"Ya .. actually didn't realize."

"Here ...take mine." 

"Aur tum kya karoge."

"Mard ko dard nahi hota..." admist the laughter they said their  byes. This small gesture had set a ball rolling somewhere.

 

And like its has been choreographed, exactly that moment a ping from her watsapp bought Niki back to the lake and present.

 

She peered at her phone. Msg was from Aatish.

 

"Hi."

"I am sorry darling."

 

So...

He finally remembered me.

Inspite of the anger an hour back, she couldn't stop herself from smiling... 

"Station jaoge bhaiya?" it was time to go back. In the rick she remembered a post she had seen on Fb.

 

"Saari shikayaton ka hissab

Jod kar rakha tha maine...

Usne gale laga kar

Saara hissab hi bigaad diya!"

 

P.S: btw...those slippers are still with Niki.