Ishq ki Kahaani

Misunderstanding - The Meeting

The door to the café bookshop opens causing a ting sound, getting the attention of the girl at the counter. The girl smiles brightly at their regular customer before ringing up the usual order.

"One dark hot chocolate with extra marshmallows, a red velvet cupcake. You'll be having it here. And 4 brownies and an iced coffee takeaway. Coming right up Sarika!"
Dressed in formal cream pants, a white sweater with a matching white shirt under and cream heels, Sarika walks up to the register to pay for her order.

"Thank you, Poonam! But I'll just take my hot chocolate to go and that's it for today," she says as she takes out her small wallet.

"No worries, and I'll bring your drink over to the bookstore! There are new murder mysteries added to the collection today." Poonam winks and gives her best smirk.

Sarika giggles before smoothing her sweater and making her way over to the bookstore.

Sarika trails her finger over the spines of the book and sighs, the books were new to this bookstore, but she had already read them. Maybe another genre. Maybe romance? She moves around the corner of the shelf and bumps into someone, "Oh God, sorry I didn't see you there" Sarika looks up at the source of the deep voice. The green eyes were too familiar but she just couldn't pinpoint where she's seen eyes like that. Where have I seen these eyes?

"You okay?"

"I- ah yes. Sorry."

"No you're okay, I'm Abeer by the way."
He extends him, and she smiles and grabs it.

"Sarika."

"Have we met before? You look way too familiar." Abeer asks, raising his left eyebrow.

"I was thinking the same thing! But I can't recall ever meeting you."
Before they could continue, they get interrupted by a voice.

"Abeer?"
This one was deeper, more intense. Sarika looks over to the source of the voice; a man slightly older than them, he was tall, clean, and tidy. Very put together, contrasting the loose tie and messy hair of Abeer. Sarika looks closer, green eyes. The green eyes she saw five years ago. Her eyes widen as she gasps. Something must have clicked for him too; his eyes also expand, and his lips form a small frown.

"Ummm, guys? Your staring competition is getting a little awkward so. . . ."
Abhay and Sarika snap out of their trance and clear their throats.

"Uh, hi." Abhay says addressing the girls he's been thinking about for years now.

"H-hi," came the reply.

Abeer's eyes wander between the two, "you guys know each other?"

"U-um no. . . .yes, kind of. . . . I don't know." Sarika mumbles.

"She's the girl the articles were linking me to five years ago."

Abeer looks like a lost fish, his mouth flung open, eyes widen and his hand drops Sarika's. Abhay looks at Sarika as she looks at the floor, fumbling with her sweater sleeve, feeling pressured by the emotions returning from years ago.

"Sarika, your drink!" Poonam interrupts the moment. Sarika takes the drink before turning to the two men, "I should really get going." She turns to walk away, eager to get away from that man.

"No, wait!" Abeer says and Sarika turns around.

"Sorry, but umm, we're looking for a book for our sister. She loves to read, since you were here I'm guessing you read. So. . . ."
Abeer peers over at Abhay, whose eyes haven't left Sarika. "Could you help us? Please?"
"I don't-"

"Pretty please?"
"I-"

Abeer pouts at her and she sighs, "Okay."

Abhay stands behind Abeer as he watches the beautiful girl work her way around the store, smiling at everyone who she makes eye contact with, asking Abeer questions about what their sister may like, and running her fingers across the books.

"Here, I think she might like this. I know I did when I read them."

And with that, she gives Abeer a wave and a small, hesitant smile to Abhay and makes her way out. "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder," Abeer reads the heading of the book. Abhay looks at his brother, the interaction with Sarika running in his head. This is his chance to clear everything, something he's been desperate to do. Abhay's heartbeat fasten as he looks towards the way Sarika just left, her smiling face flashes in front of his eyes, then the night when they first met, he remembers her soft weight in his arms from that night, the way she had gazed up at him. He remembered the articles and magazines, the ridiculous headings, and the rumours. This was his chance, maybe his only chance.

Abhay hands Abeer his card before rushing out, he opens the entrance door before searching the road and streets to find her. His eyes catch a glimpse of brown curls, bouncing in the air. He moves towards the curls, his heartbeat rising with every step. 

"Sarika!" He shouts. The curls stop bouncing and the owner of such beautiful hair turns around. She sees a figure of a man running towards her, and soon the figure soon turns into the man she's been trying to avoid. Sarika frowns, she turns around and begins to walk towards her office. Her workplace and the Raichand office are very close, but she's always been careful to avoid him.

"Sarika! Please wait." Abhay shouts when he sees her walking away. He soon catches up and grabs her hand, making her turn.

"Sari-"

She snatches her hand out of his grasp.

"I'm getting late for work."
"Just listen to me."
"I really need to go."

Sarika makes a move down the street and Abhay follows.

"Please, Sarika! Just give me one chance to clear things."

"You should have done that five years ago."

"I tried, really."
"Well, I don't know that."
"Sarika, just hear me out one time. Everyone deserves one chance."
Sarika stops, looks over at him and is struck by the sincerity in his eyes.

"I have a lot of questions about that night."

"I'm sure you do. Give me a chance to explain."

"How can I trust you?"
"You can't. I know that. I'm the reason you went through a lot and of course the few photos. How about I take you out for dinner sometime and I'll try to talk through that night. Just for closure."
"I guess I'd like to get some closure," Sarika mumbled lightly as she shrugged. 

They exchange phone numbers, before Abhay asks, "So, dinner?"
Sarika looks up at him and replies, "I'll think about it." Her phone rings,

"Hello, ji papa. . . . Accha. . . . nahi mein office ja kr phone krti hun. Bas paanch minute mein call krti hun."

(Hello, yes dad.......really.....no, I'll call you when I get to my office. Just five minutes.)

Sarika walks past Abhay, leaving him behind to watch her leave with her phone pressed to her ear.

And just like that the two crossed paths with each other after 5 years.