14th July, 2022
6:15 PM
Bangalore
SkyDeck Cafe
Naira's Outfit
Kartik's Outfit
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Naira is seen waiting eagerly for someone at one of the tables of the rooftop cafe. She is continuously glancing at her wrist watch, her gaze is fixed on the entrance to the cafe.
Just then, a waiter approaches her.
Waiter(politely; smiling): What would you like to have ma'am??
Hearing his voice, Naira darts her gaze towards him.
Naira(smiling nervously): Uhh....I'm actually waiting for someone....(tucks a strand of hair behind her ear)
Waiter: No worries ma'am...just call us if you need anything.
Naira(smiling): Sure...thank you!
The waiter walks away briskly and Naira looks around momentarily at her surroundings. The cafe was packed up with couples, teenagers, college students and office colleagues. It had to be like that, because it was undoubtedly one of the high - end cafes in the suburbs of the Bangalore City. The weather was pleasant and breezy in the evening, adding profitable advantage to the roof top setting of the cafe.
Naira had been waiting at the table for past half an hour, but much to her disappointment her visitor had not showed up yet. The waiters of the cafe were also getting impatient to take down her order. But she only seemed to be busy on her phone, and gazing at things here and there.
She glanced down at her phone screen for the hundreth time and scrolled down the texts.
Naira sighed looking at the texts and propped her chin on her hand and started gazing around.
Just then, he appeared at the entrance and Naira sighed in relief once she noticed him. He was looking around the cafe, searching frantically for Naira and once she caught his sight, he smiled warmly at her and waved at her grabbing her attention.
Naira adjusted her kurti and sat upright on her seat and waved at him, exchanging the same warm smile.
Kartik approached her briskly and settled on his seat, facing her and looking at her with an apologetic expression across his facade.
Kartik: Sorry Sorry....I was stuck in traffic...woh Indira Nagar mein naya flyover ban raha hai na...toh pura congestion hai udhar...pura time wahan hi fase raha....(chuckles)
Naira(chuckles): It's okay....I know how gross can Bangalore traffic be!
Kartik smiles at her and pulls up his sleeves.
Just then, the waiter approaches their table.
Waiter(smiling): What would you like to have??
Kartik turns to Naira, startled.
Kartik: Don't tell me tumne abhi tak kuch order nahi kiya!
Naira(shrugging her shoulders): So what??
Kartik: I made you wait for an hour Naira...you should've ordered something!
Naira(smiling): Akele coffee peene mein maza bhi kahan aata hai....??
Kartik looks at her amusingly for a while, but then turns towards the waiter.
Kartik: One -
But Naira interrupts him.
Naira: Two filter coffee please....
Kartik looks at her surprised.
Waiter(noting down): Sure Ma'am...anything else to go with it??
Naira(smiling): No....that's all...
Waiter: Sure Mam...
The waiter walks away. Naira turns towards an amused Kartik.
Naira(chuckling): What??
Kartik(settling on his seat): Nothing.... (asks curiously) how do you know that I like filter coffee??
Naira: (sighs) Humesha shaam ko jab tumhare ghar aati hu, toh tum filter coffee peete huye nazar aate ho...wasn't it too obvious for me to figure it out??
Kartik: (chuckles) Haha....Suman ne aadat dilayi thi...abhi tak nahi chooti hai...(smiles to himself)
Naira smiles at him. Her black, silky straight hair was flowing back in the breeze.
Naira(smiling): Tab hi main sochu ek punjabi itne shauk se filter coffee kese pee raha hai...??
Kartik chuckles at her remark.
Kartik(to Naira): Waise...I must say Miss Ahuja aapki observatory skills badi acchi hain....!!
Naira: I'm a primary teacher Kartik....I need to be a keen observer.
Kartik nods agreeing with her and relaxes back on his seat.
There is awkward silence between them for a while, when the waiter enters with two cups of filter coffee and places them on the table and walks away.
Kartik(picking up his cup and gently blowing cool air over it): Mausam kaafi accha hai, nai??
Naira(taking a sip of coffee): Hmm....I can smell the scent of soil....aaj raat baarish hogi shayad...!!
Kartik(shrugging his shoulders): Honi toh chahiye....
Naira looks at him with veiled glances, while sipping her coffee leisurely.
Kartik: By the way....(clears his throat) what did you wanna talk about Jiya?? (takes a sip of coffee)
Naira(nods): Hmm....about that....
She bends forward and places the cup on the tray. Kartik looks at her face and chortles lightly.
Naira(baffled): Kya hua??
Kartik(chuckling): You grew a moustache...
Naira looks at Kartik for a while. But then, she picks up a tissue paper and tries to wipe the stain off but she could not reach the exact spot.
Kartik(standing up): Here....lemme help you...!!
He takes the tissue from Naira, bends forward and wipes the stain off her upper lips. Naira keeps staring at him blankly all this while. She was starting to feel some different emotions for him, but she wasn't ready to accept or admit them yet.
After wiping away the stain, Kartik got back to his seat and started sipping his coffee.
Naira(biting her lower lip and trying to start the topic): Umm....so.....Jiya -
Kartik(raising his gaze): Hmm...??
Naira(trying to find correct words): Jiya.....she.....she's behaving strangely since she saw us.....she saw both of us - (hesitates to speak further)
Kartik(completes her sentence; straight faced): Kissing....
Naira blanked out for a second, but this was the reality and she had to face it. She had to face the consequences of her actions.
Naira(nodding her head hurriedly): Hmm....(lowers her gaze and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear)
Kartik sighs and continues staring at her with a straight face.
Naira(raising her gaze): She thinks we both like each other and that we should move in together....(looks nervously at him)
Kartik chuckles at Naira's statement.
Kartik(scratching his head): Vihaan is worse....
Naira looks on curiously.
Kartik: Usne apne dimaag mein ek imaginary story bana li hai....you won't believe....the other day he brought a drawing to me....it was a family picture type drawing....he was like "Papa yeh dekho"....
Naira(nodding): Mhm...
Kartik: Usme main tha, Vihaan tha...(pauses)....Jiya thi....aur....
Naira looks at him with anticipation.
Kartik: Tum...(smiles nervously at her and lowers his gaze)
There was awkward silence between them for a while.
Naira: I....I believe.....we should've been more careful around kids....
Kartik(agreeing and nodding): Yeah....
Naira(more like murmuring to herself): They....they should have never seen that....agar unhone woh sab nahi dekha hota toh....aaj woh dono hume woh saare sawaal nahi puch rahe hote...aur aisi ulti - seedhi cheez unke dimaag mein aati bhi nahi.....(sighs) bacche hain woh Kartik....they don't know all this stuff...unhe jo dikhega, wohi sach lagega na...!!
Kartik: (sighs) Humne bhi kuch intentionally thodi kiya hai Naira....woh toh bass flow flow mein.....(hesitates to speak further)
Naira was staring at him blankly.
Kartik: Hume kya pata tha ki bacche peeche se aa jayege....I thought dono cake khaane mein busy honge....
Naira(meekly): What are we gonna do now??
Kartik: (sighs and rubs his forehead) Kuch nahi....we are gonna tell them directly that what all they are dreaming about is never gonna happen....we should....we should make them understand that sometimes things go out of control....and.....and.....(sighs) grown ups end up doing things like that...but kuch serious nahi hota....!!
Even though Kartik was speaking facts, Naira was hurt somewhere after hearing all that. Even Kartik could not convince himself to speak further....because his feelings were in contradiction to his words.
Kartik(quivering voice): Hume unhe batana hoga ki.....
Naira was looking at him bluntly.
Kartik: Ki.....it was all a mistake...nothing more than that...!!
Naira(broken - hearted): Mistake...??
Kartik(ignoring his feelings): What else??
Naira looked at him hurtfully.
Naira: Unka dil toot jayega....
Kartik: (sighs) Well....mene Vihaan ko bol diya hai ki hum dono ek dusre keliye kaafi hain....we.....we don't need anybody else....and I'm sure that....you have the same thoughts....right??
Naira(trying to curb her emotions): Yeah....main aur Jiya ek dusre keliye kaafi hain...we don't need anyone else....
Kartik smiles faintly at her and places his cup of coffee on the tray. He hadn't finished it yet, he wasn't willing to.
Naira was staring blankly at the polished marble floor, when Kartik interrupted her -
Kartik(concerned): Naira...??
Naira(raising her gaze): Hmm...??
Kartik: It would be better agar tum bacchon ko samjhao...I would surely mess things up...
Naira(smiling lightly and nodding): Hmm....main dono ko samjha dungi...!!
Kartik smiles at her and turns his face away.
Awkward silence continues.
Kartik takes a deep breath and turns towards Naira sharply.
Kartik: Naira....
Naira(raising her gaze from her phone): Haan...??
Kartik(hopefully): We're cool right??
Naira looks at him for sometime, but then nods - "Haan...we're cool". She smiles assuringly at him.
Kartik was at peace to some extent. Just then, Naira wore her sling bag on her shoulder and got up from her seat startling Kartik.
Kartik(looking up at her): Kahan jaa rahi ho...?? (stands up)
Naira: Meri cab aa gayi hai....I need to go...
Kartik: Arrey....cab kyu?? I will drop you....
Naira(smiling faintly): Not needed Kartik....mujhe abhi thoda market ki taraf jaana hai...aur tumhe....tumhe bhi toh Vihaan ko Karate classes se pick karna hai na??
Kartik: (remembers and grows panicked) Oh shoot....I completely forgot about that....I need to hurry...!!
Naira: You still have time....don't worry....(sighs) I'll take leave now....
Kartik sighs in defeat and nods meekly.
Naira smiles faintly at him, turns front and walks away, trying to control and hide her tears.
Kartik continues staring at her retreating figure blankly.
("Tere Mere" from Chef starts playing)
Tere mere darmiyaan hain baatein ankahi
Tu wahaan hai main yahaan
Kyun saath hum nahin
Faisley jo kiye
Faasley hi mile
Raahein judaa kyun ho gayi
Na tu ghalat, na main sahi
Le ja mujhe saath tere
Mujhko na rehna saath mere
A/N
Hey guys this is the new story. It's going to be a short story. Hope you liked the prologue.
Please vote and comment...!!