Heart-strings

Chapter 12

I got ready on time and left for Tea Villa. I could feel my heart racing and to be very honest, I felt a bit nervous because I did not meet Darshan since long and now, I was going to meet him in a new city at a new place. I pushed the cafe's gate and entered looking for a vacant table. The front ones were already occupied and the only one which was vacant was at the right corner. I ran to it before someone else could book it. I liked that particular corner because it was at a separate place and I could talk to him properly because many times I happened to get the table at the centre and it was a sight of attraction for others. People would just go staring at me, clumsily.

I sat on the chair facing the door so that I could see him first when he would enter the cafe. I knew he would be late because that was his birth right to never show up on time. I had butterflies in my stomach that fluttered their wings so fast that I could hardly control my anxiety from surpassing me. I scrolled through my feeds, looked here and there, or stared at my wrist watch. Every second was too difficult to spend in patience. Finally, after 45 endless minutes the door opened inwards and a tall, fair boy stepped inside the cafe making every maiden turn to look at him. It was Darshan who searched for me in the crowded cafe. I waved my hand at him; he noticed me and passed on a broad smile. I smiled back.

Chills went down my spine on looking at him after 8 months. He walked to the table with his gaze fixed at me. He pulled the chair, sat right in front of me and said, "Hi". He smiled broadly. "Hey", I replied grinning at him. He kept his hand on the table, holding his left wrist with his right hand and asked, "How are you?". I replied, "Well I'm completely fine. What about you?". "I'm good", he said shaking his head to his side. "See, now I don't feel scared of you", he said raising his brow and we chuckled. I raised my forefinger and said, "Where did your specs go? You know, so many girls in college used to go crazy after you because of that". He blushed and his cheeks got tinged in red. He said, "I don't know what magic happened that my power got reduced to zero". "Let's call it a miracle then", I said and we both cracked up.

After talking to him about some random topics, I asked him about something by which I was intrigued. "There has been a question in my mind since months. Tell me, where you went all of a sudden after the result declaration day?". "Actually...", he stammered. "It's okay if you don't wish to tell me", I said in order to comfort him. "There's nothing like that. Actually, the day results were announced, my mom ringed me but my phone was switched off so she gave Abeer a phone call and told that Dad met an accident. My parents live in Ahmedabad so I rushed to them without any delay because they were alone. After that, I stayed at home to take care of him because Mom was not in the state of looking after him", he explained calmly.

"Is he fine now?"

"Yes, now he is all fine", he replied.

"What about your phone number? I tried reaching you so many times"

"I blocked that sim card because I lost my phone when I went to pick up Dad from the highway, it just slipped out of my pocket", he replied. "So irresponsible, stupid", I almost shouted but fortunately no one heard me because the cafe was already were noisy. "I was only in touch with Abeer because he had my Dad's number so he somehow reached out to me", he answered back.

"By the way, we won the dance competition", I said in high spirits. He said nodding his head, "I know, Abeer told me. I wanted to congratulate you but my contacts were lost so I couldn't. I asked him to congratulate you on my behalf but he is such a coward that he refused to do that" and we chuckled.

I kept my hand on the table, interwove my fingers and said, "Darshan, apart from jokes, I wanted to thank you because you saved me from embarrassment that day. I owe you so, so much". "No, you don't need to thank me. I just did what I felt right", he said smiling. "But still if you think you owe me then you can order coffee for us". I bumped my head with my right hand and said, "Oh, I just forgot about that". I placed the order, after 15 minutes, the waiter came and kept two coffee-mugs on our table. I picked a mug and took one sip from it, Darshan was about to pick his mug but suddenly his phone ringed. "Hello, yeah. No! I'm with a friend. I will be there in the next 30 minutes, okay? I understand, Divya. I will be there. Bye", he talked with some Divya on the phone, blushing and smiling during entire conversation.

"So what are you doing in this city?", after he disconnected the call, I asked him while taking a sip. "I'm doing music. I have composed a few songs on my own but before that I'm going to cover some songs so that I can get exposure", he replied. "What about you?". "Umm, I have joined a dance institute here and I am doing a part-time job to earn a living", I replied. He kept his coffee mug on the table and said, "That sounds amazing". "Err, Darshan, I think I should leave for my office now", I said looking at my wrist watch. "Oh. Even I have to meet a friend so I will drop you", he replied. I said hesitating, "But...". "No ifs and buts, I will drop you, don't worry. Are you feeling scared that you might break your bones if you sit with me on the bike?", he said and we burst out in laughter. "Okay, let's go then", I said picking up my cross-body bag from the chair while he searched for money in his wallet. "Hello, I will pay the bill so don't you dare to take out even a penny from your wallet", I shouted pointing my forefinger at him. His wallet fell, he raised his hands up in the air and said, "Chill. I won't". I giggled and said, "See, you're still afraid of me". He shook his heads to his side which made his hair ruffle all over his head. His messy look and that innocent smile made me feel something, something which I felt 8 months ago when I used to practice with him. He was the peace, I found in a chaotic city. He was like that perfect sculpture which I could stare for my entire life and beyond but still never have enough of it. Everytime I looked at him, my heart fluttered, I don't know why but I would not even stop it from feeling so.

"Hey, where are you lost? Let's go", he said snapping his fingers in front of my eyes when I stood still gazing at him. "Err...nowhere....let's go", we walked out of the cafe. "What job you do?", he questioned. "Umm, a content writer", I replied. "Good", said he and went to the parking lot. He rode his bike out of it while I waited in front of the gate. He offered me to sit at the backseat. I told him the address where he had to drop me. All the way, he kept telling me about his career plans with much delight and I listened to him with keen interest. I was so busy in listening to him that I did not even realise when I reached my office. I stepped down from his bike, said goodbye and parted.

I walked to the entrance door where stood Ruhi, my colleague and the first friend I made in Mumbai. "I hate you. You did not tell me that you have a boyfriend?", she said while walking to our cabin. "Boyfriend?", I asked looking in her direction. "Yes, that cute boy you came with", she replied.

"Come on, he is just a friend", I answered.

"Are you sure? You guys don't look like 'just friends'".

"Yes, I'm very sure about it and it would be better if you too understand this. Put your brain to work while the content writing, you don't need to put it everywhere", I said and started walking ahead of her. "Okay, I'm sorry", she said following me. "Huh, that's okay", I said without even looking at her. "Why am I feeling so strange? I had a good day out but still I feel something is distressing me. I don't know what's wrong?", I said to myself.

Entire day, I kept on thinking about what Ruhi said to me. It even reminded me of what Dhriti and Aarohi used to tell me at college that Darshan liked me but I don't think that it made sense anymore because he never confessed anything. I was so much bothered about him but why. I was breathing in complete confusion where I did not know what I should do and what I shouldn't.