The four lettered word (LOVE)

Chapter 2

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After staring at the computer and writing pages and pages of a program for the embedded project we were working on for a week, I decided it’s time I took a break and enjoy my weekend. After all those sleepless nights and endless hours before the system and squeezing our brains to write down a perfect program, the project manager found a simple error in the name of worst case analysis and called our program “flawed”. He didn’t stop with that. To exactly repeat his words “Mr. Ashwin a score of 93% in your UG degree and experience in embedded field for a year doesn’t make you a genius. In fact it hasn’t even taught you to identify a simple error. Youngsters nowadays think that they know everything and would never make any mistakes. You never think about the worst case scenario and that’s what makes your every action flawed. Try to rectify it and submit the project within two days. You may go now.” It’s truly a miracle that I left his cabin without chewing his head off or strangling him with a computer cable. Maybe I am too good to do that or maybe I am a coward. Whatever it is I left with a whispered sorry and a tired body to enjoy my much needed weekend break.

After an undisturbed sleep of 10 hours and a stomach filling brunch, I started for the super market to buy some groceries. I paid the bill and collected my purchase and when I was about to mount on my apache, I felt a pat on my shoulder. I turned around to find someone that I never expected to see, at least not with the particular expression she was wearing then.

There stood Nithya with a cheerful smile on her face. “You are Ashwin, right? The one who donated blood to Priya? I am sorry for being so rude to you on that day. I was sad and angry and afraid and I took my frustration out on you. Anyway it’s no excuse for how I acted and I sincerely apologise for my behaviour that day”. She said all of these with sincerity and without her smile faltering even for a moment and I was too shocked to reply anything. Her eyebrows furrowed as if waiting for a reply and that’s when I realised I haven’t said anything. Staring with my mouth open and my eyes widened seems to be my recent reaction for anything involving her and I must really try to talk at least a few words in front of her to save my pride and not make a complete fool out of myself. I tried to smile but it was of no use. Yet I somehow managed a nervous laugh and replied “It’s fine. Apology accepted. No worries”. She let out a sigh of relief and replied with a smile “Thank God! I am so relieved. I was worried that you will be mad at me even after I apologised. Turns out you have a forgiving heart. Anyway do you have something important to do now or can you afford to spend some time with me?”

I was taken aback by her sudden invitation still I gave her an honest reply “No. I don’t have any plans. I could spend an hour or two”, never realising how much I am going to regret that decision.