Date Me! | ✓

08 - the one with her 'bucket list'

Taara sat at her regular spot, scribbling away in the diary. Priya, one of her colleagues who generally wrote for the Explore corner had requested Taara to write something for her. She was busy with her  kindergarten kid who wasn't doing well and to top it her wedding anniversary was the following day. So, there was Taara at her rescue. Taara had read her previous columns, each one of them. They were witty, quirky with cherry on top being Priya's creative English. Taara pressed the back of her pen against her forehead thinking hard. What could she possibly be write about? 

"Hey, journal writing huh?" She looked up when she heard a familiar voice.

"Hey. And the answer is nope. I am trying to write an article, covering up for Priya. She was unable to work on the column this week." Taara explained flipping to a fresh page. She didn't want him to see the page where she had scribbled.

Amused at her sudden act he sat beside her. "So what are you writing about?"

"Haven't decided yet. Can't think of a single good topic." Taara frowned looking at the tetrapods, lost in her thoughts. He smiled as he looked at the rocks. That's when his aqua blue eyes caught a folded sheet fallen beside her feet. Curious he bent down and picked it up. She turned to see what he was up to. "Woah, someone's bucket list!" He exclaimed looking at the paper with scrutinizing eyes. Taara's eyes widened a wee bit in shock. She immediately snatched the paper. How had it slipped out of her diary?

"That's, um, mine."

"Come on, let me read it. It's just a bucket list after all!" He tried taking the paper back from her, but she dodged it away in time. "No."

"You're being a spoilsport!" He accused her.

"You're being nosy, Mister."

"God! You're crazy, Taara. It's just a freaking list.  I anyway read the first few on it."

"Not as crazy as you." Taara gave back to him, keeping the list away from his reach. "Who reads a stranger's bucket list?"

"God. Not again. Fine Miss Stranger. Be happy with your list and preserve it till you turn sixty."

"Haww, that's rude." Taara made a face at him. His lips curved slightly at that.

"Focus on your article." He said pointing to the blank page of her diary. 

"If you let me." Taara rolled her eyes and kept the paper she had been holding safely into her bag. 

"Oh, I am a distraction!" He grinned.

"God, you're so full of yourself. " Taara shook her head, holding her pen steadily to begin writing.

He stared at her and silence followed. She wasn't able to write a single word. She looked at him clueless.  "What you'd like to read about in a magazine's section that is titled 'Explore'?"

He looked at her thoughtfully and silence fell once again.  "Hey, you can write about exploring a bucket list!" He exclaimed excitedly.

"Seriously?" Taara raised her brows staring at him. 

"Yeah." He answered looking very serious about the idea. She looked at him thoughtfully.  Maybe not a bad idea. Although she'd be a hypocrite to write about exploring a bucket list when she herself hadn't ticked a single item on it. But anyway her name wouldn't show up anywhere. Satisfied she smiled. "Bucket list it is!" 

"Well, you don't have to thank me." Aayush grinned taking a small pebble and throwing it into the water. 

Taara giggled. "I wasn't planning to."

"I never anticipated you to." He replied throwing another tiny pebble into the waves. 

"Okay, shut up. Now let me work." She turned slightly away so that he couldn't read and began writing.  

"Rude!" He taunted getting up. 

Taara turned surprised to see him ready to walk away. Before she could say anything he marched away. She gaped looking the direction.  Was she really rude? Weren't they joking with each other? Was this guy so sensitive? She blinked noticing that he was talking to the vendor selling tea and coffee.  Then as he walked back with two cups in his hand, she turned away and smiled. 

"I thought you got offended," she spoke as he placed a cup beside her. The aroma of tea hitting her senses. Just what she needed- chai. 

"That's you, not me. " 

Taara snapped immediately, "I don't get offended easily."

Aayush couldn't help but chuckle. "You just proved yourself!"

"Ahh, shut up, Aayush!" She turned away once again. He glanced at her and smiled. Stranger to Aayush, Not bad! 

━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━

I hope you all liked it! What's on your bucket list?