Cup Of Adios

|| Part One ||

'Coffee Hut'  the tree sculpture came into view and he could see the letters carved on it... Coffee Hut, a tiny spot away from the hustle and bustle of the main city and placed in the lap of nature... The handcrafted post and beam structure with tall green trees and plants all around made it a comfortable and friendly place for hang-out...

'A perfect place for a perfect cup of coffee...'

The corner of his lips lifted into a small smile as those words chimed in his mind from somewhere... It was her favorite place; she loved to be here... Spending some time in the lap of nature with perfect cup of coffee is bliss... 'Life is too short to drink a bad coffee' that was her answer whenever he protested to drive all the way long for just a cup of coffee... He shook his head remembering the time when she used to drag him here in spite of all his protest... He was not a coffee person but she was a coffee lover and without even his approval she made him fall for her cup of coffee... He never accepted it but with time he started liking it, coming to this place and talking to her whole evening...

Pushing his hands into his jeans pockets he sighed while making his way through a group that was taking up the entire sidewalk. It was a cool December evening, last week of the year and everyone around seemed energetic and excited for the new beginnings... But he was getting some strange vibes... 'Can we meet once'  those words were haunting him for the last two days... She was definitely not the type who gonna ask his permission... She would barge in and drag him out to wherever she wants... It had been three years she barged in his life and he let her drag him to the places unknown to him, but for the past five months she was not around and he realized she had become his habit... was it? was habit a right word? He didn't have an answer or maybe still he was too stubborn to find a right answer... 

He was not convinced when she told him about a new job offer that she didn't want to let go... She was satisfied with her job and she always wanted to be here, in Mumbai- Local trains, street food, humid heat, rains, rush and people, she was in love with everything about the city then why this sudden decision? He never voiced that question... May be because deep down, he was aware... he was the reason... Was she really running away from him? Because of him she sacrificed her dream? She didn't say anything like that then why these doubts creeping in his mind?  Pushing those uninvited thoughts aside he looked around and breathed in the familiar surroundings, even though he was visiting the place after around five months it felt like ages... He could still remember the day three years ago when for the first time he came here with her... No scratch that, it was her who dragged him here... The day she had got her dream job...

--****--

"Just over there" He looked ahead as the girl beside him instructed, "You gonna love this place" She said and he looked at her in disbelief

"Me?! You mean I have to come with you?!"  

"Of course you have to!" She smiled innocently much to his annoyance

"And why we are here?" Glancing at her once he slowed down the car as she asked him to stop. He barely knew this girl, she was his cousin's friend he met at party a night before and he didn't know why he accepted her request to give her a ride when she suddenly appeared in his way from nowhere...

"To celebrate my success" She said simply giving him her dimple smile

A frown creased his forehead, "Don't you think one should celebrate with friends and family and not with strangers?!" 

"Hehh..." She laughed while climbing out of the car and he sighed not having any other option but to follow her, "You seem so conservative" His eyes narrowed at her remark but he decided to stay silent, "We met yesterday, we talked, we danced, I told you about my interview and it was you who was very curious to know if I would get the job or not and today you think we are strangers?" She queried while her gaze wandered around and he could guess the joy in her actions