Three Hearts

Epilogue #1

The sky had a pink glow and soft beams of sun rays peek-a-boo from the marshmallow clouds. In the approaching winters, the wind was dry and cold and Garima wisely draped herself in a purple wrapped skirt, white peasant top and thin-knitted grey shrug. She rubbed her calf with her heeled foot and gazed outside the window, waiting at CCD with a hot cocoa before her.

She was ingratiatingly smiling, cherishing the anticipation of seeing her handsome companion and sighed dreamily, insulating her hands with the warm cup. This ‘coffee date’ would clear the way for their friendship and she hoped to form an unbreakable bond with him. She finished her cocoa and rubbed the coldness from her arms before folding elbows on the table and checking her phone to see any text from him.

None, she huffed, flipping it close and drummed her fingers on her cheek. In a week, he had just sent her one text. ‘Sure. I will be there at time.’ Except that, there were just some casual greetings exchanged between them. However, they made little progress as they became friends on all the available social media and she appreciated the fact that he earnestly liked her old pictures as well as new ones. It also provided her the chance to stalk him and get to know him better but they never made any efforts to go beyond the informal chit chat.

While she was dilly dallying in her thoughts, she spotted Abhay entering through the glass door and her face lit up. She straightened up and smoothed down her skirt before waving at him, “Hey!”

Abhay heard her and grinned, holding a palm up. “Hi.” He sauntered his way through the people and stopped before her. “Hope you didn’t have to wait much. I was stuck in traffic.”

“No. I just arrived.” She lied, shrugging with ease and gestured towards the empty chair, “Please sit.”

“Thank you.” he smiled, sinking into his chair and picking up the menu card, perusing it with great interest. He flipped the card and read the contents while Garima waited impatiently for him to say something. Without thinking much, she grabbed the card away from him and set it aside.

“I ordered us coffee already. You are ten minutes late by the way.” She abruptly said in an attempt to drive the conversation and winced under her breath as his knowing eyes caught her and she saw his lips forming a smirk. Her eyes narrowed slightly, “I mean didn’t you say coffee was on me?”

“I did.” Abhay agreed, nodding his head and tilted his chin towards her empty cup. “And, I guess you enjoyed it.”

Garima flustered, looking down on the table and compressed her lips together, “No. I was… actually I felt a little cold.”

“It’s okay. I was pulling your leg.” He added, cutting the awkward air and leaned back into the comfort of his chair, “Is there nothing you want to add to the coffee? I mean any other…”

“Not necessarily.” She interrupted with a casual wave of hand and folded her palms under her chin, “Tell me, how are you?”

“I am doing great. How have you been doing? You didn’t wait that day.” He trailed off, unwontedly slipping that he was hurt. Obviously, he had no mood to hear why she left without a bye.

“I already gave you a reason.”

“Sounds more like an excuse.” He retorted and closed his eyes to remind himself that he wasn’t there to confront her but he was somewhat hurt when she neglected his presence and absconded, leaving him alone.

“You were too shy.” She answered honestly and caught him off guard. He faced her, blinking perplexed. “What?”

“Yes.” She maintained, “I mean you are a generous, obliging gentleman but honestly, you are way too reserved. It was hard to imagine a car ride with you without a word.”