The Heart Wants What It Wants

III_13

The coastline of Bay of Bengal from Bheemli to Beach Road is one of the most beautiful things about Visakhapatnam.

The curvy roads nestled between the hills and the ocean is the best place to have a romantic ride and my obvious choice for a first date.

Anju's enthusiasm made me grin throughout the drive. Even the catcalls and disparaging shouts from a gang of boys outside BITM couldn't dampen my excitement.

It seems nothing can pull me down from this high.

There may have been a considerable gap but Anju's driving skills are still top notch. More than anything, the smile didn't leave her face since we began at home and stopped at Thotlakonda, an hour later.

We went back and forth along beach road before deciding that the ancient Buddhist Monastery is a quiet place to relax.

Located a few hundred feet above sea level, it's almost 2000 years old and overlooks the ocean.

Except for a couple of tourists here and there, the site is almost empty.

We settled on a flat rock in a remote spot that offers a mesmerizing view of Bay of Bengal; with our lays and coke.

"It's beautiful. Isn't it?" I remarked, wrapping an arm around Anju.

"I feel like a hypocrite" she replied with a frown.

"What?"

"I always made fun of couples" she said, looking uneasy "Especially when they sat isolated in public places"

I chuckled "You mean, like we are doing now?"

She nodded with a revolting look "Yeah"

"Karma"

"Shut up!"

"Do you like the place or not?" I asked with a laugh.

"I do" she said grimly.

"I love how excited you are!" I said sarcastically.

She smiled awkwardly "Sorry. I do love it. It's beautiful"

I sighed, squeezing her shoulder "You must have seen better places. In States, I mean"

"I didn't travel much. I worked as much as I can"

"How much money do you still need?"

"I don't"

"You cleared the loan already?" I asked in surprise. That's a lot of money and adding interest rates, it should have been huge.

"My parents loaned me and I paid them back"

"I did not know that" I said quietly.

"I'm thankful they did because if it's a bank loan, I'd be in debt for at least another year and my bank balance would have been in minus. Not that there's any left now"

"How much do you have?"

"$127.25"

"You barely have any"

"I spent a lot before coming here"

I know she'd deny but I couldn't help myself from asking "Do you want me to give you some?"

"No"

"I have money; been saving up since my 1st salary"

"No"

"You can pay me back when you have. Don't be stubborn, Anju."

"Don't" she said irately "I don't want your money"