The wind howled as the rain descended in rapid succession one early evening in Mumbai. Occasionally, lightning would collide with the ashen clouds in the sky, creating a majestic performance for by-standers like me, who were taking shelter from the downpour.
Just another rainy day and my bad luck! I sighed, checking the time on my phone.
In doing so, I was reminded of a man I had the misfortune of meeting. The man who had caused me so much trouble last week. My grasp on my phone tightened at just the memory of it. Every time his face crossed my mind, something would burn like a fire in my chest. Maybe it's hate, I'd always tell myself.
While I was deep in thought, my phone began to ring.
"Hello?" I answered and almost immediately, Henna spoke.
"You are joining us tonight, right?"
"For what?" I pressed my phone closer to my ear in an attempt to hear her over the heavy rain.
"For the night out! I told you last week remember? You, me and Vanhi would have a girl's night out on Saturday."
"Have you looked outside your window lately?" I raised my eyebrows, even though she couldn't see it.
I cast my glaze at the dark and gloomy sky once again. The clouds gave the atmosphere a hazy look and it was very chilly. This was weather to stay inside with a hot drink, wrapped up in a blanket with a good book or show.
"It's seven-thirty p.m. and we leave by nine p.m. It should stop by then," she replied.
"What are you? The weather forecast? There's no telling it will actually stop." I sighed. "Besides, I'm stuck in the rain right now. I have no idea when I'll get home and when I could be ready to go out again. I need my bed."
"You're already outside then?"
"You're impossible." I rubbed a hand across my forehead to ease the creases over the bridge of my nose. "What I'm saying is: No. I can't make it tonight with you two. I am going home when the rain stops and sleeping in till tomorrow afternoon, because it's Sunday and I can!"
"This isn't fair! I was looking forward to spending time with you. I don't even get to see you anymore. I can't remember when last we spent time together. I don't even remember your face." She whined, like she usually did when any slight inconvenience happened.
"We met last week, Henna." I reminded her, finding her whining amusing.
"And how did that go? Don't you remember? You collided with a handsome man-"
"Stupid jerk." I corrected her.
"- as I was saying, handsome man." I rolled my eyes as she continued. I knew I was right anyway. "He broke your phone and left you with a bruised arm, and he ran away like a coward. That left me and Vanhi listening to you cry about your loss of money, time and failure of plans. I didn't even get to eat my mud cake that day."
"You talk like I was at fault for those things. Damn that man! Every time I use this phone all I can think of is punching him―"
"Yes, enough of that. We know." She interrupted me. "Fine, let me know if you are still on for tonight by eight-thirty."
"I will," I agreed, hanging up the call after we exchanged goodbyes. As I pocketed my phone in my jeans, I noted that the lightning had ceased but it was still raining. Well, at least it was better than before.
Goosebumps danced across my skin as a gust of chilly wind raced by. I rubbed my hands together, in need of some heat to lace over my fingers, but it all went in vain. It was too cold and I craved warmth badly.
I cursed myself for not paying attention to my mother's warning about the weather and leaving my raincoat behind. The day had turned from a sunny, happy and bright day to a stormy, dull and chilly day, in a matter of a few hours.
Luckily though, the place I had taken shelter at was close to a Starbucks branch. I waited for the rain to lighten up a bit and when it did, I made a quick dash through the light drizzle towards my destination.
Within 10 minutes I got there, heaving for breath and even more so, craving for a cup of hot coffee. Once I stepped inside, I was greeted immediately by the heavenly scent of coffee.
I placed my order for a cappuccino, before taking a vacant seat by a huge glass window of the store. I was going through my phone when I looked up momentarily and saw a familiar face. The face of the man who I despised the most.
"Oh my god." Before I could've thought about anything thoroughly, I was up on my feet and reaching out to grab his arm, surprising both him and myself.
It was then that I realized I was still drenched from the rain and my fingers were icy cold compared to his warm skin. I could've barely said anything when our eyes met. His face paled as he probably our incident and I held onto his muscular arm even firmer. "I'm not letting you go. Not this time!"
"I don't know what you're talking about, miss." He gritted out, tugging his arm free from my grasp. Damn that strength of his!
I glared intensely at him. "You know exactly what I am talking about. You thief!"
"How dare you call me that!?" He snarled, coming up in my face. He was tall. Tall enough to overshadow my 5'1 height. It was intimidating. But at the back of my head all I could think was: my money! My hard earned money he made me spend for his mistake!
"Oh! you didn't like that?" I held up my chin defiantly, matching his glare.
"I don't. I don't like you calling me something I am not, and I definitely do not recall stealing anything from you because, might I add, there's nothing you can offer me that is worth stealing."
"Allow me to fix that, then." I nodded as a sly smile spread across my face. "You're not a thief." I took a dramatic pause, glancing at his face. He looked smug and was probably awaiting an apology.
I bit my lip to stop myself from snorting in his face before continuing, "you're a jerk! An irresponsible human being, who can't pay for his own mistakes. You're a coward, who runs away from trouble and, might I add, a narcissist who doesn't care about anyone but himself." By the time I was done talking, his face was beet red and contorted into a look of fury.
Satisfaction washed over me, like a cold wave on a hot day. I felt like I had won the Olympics.
"Excuse me, sir and ma'am." A worker at the counter interrupted our mini showdown.
"Yes?" we responded in unison.
"Could you please keep it down or take your personal dispute outside. It's bothering our other costumers." He informed us, a polite but strained smile on his face and a pleading tone lacing his every word.
His tone said something more like 'tamasha idar maat karo, aur mera kam maat badhao, hae bhagvaan!' (i.e. don't make a scene here, don't increase my work, dear god!), though. It was only then that I looked around and realized where I had chosen to confront him. About ten to fifteen people seated inside the coffee shop were staring at the two of us and whispering. The coffee shop workers were staring at us too, in midst of their work. Once again, we had created a chaotic scene in public.
When I turned to him, I found him cursing under his breath. He looked at me then at the worker. "I'll have a frappuccino. Also, I'll be paying for whatever she ordered and if you could, please, parcel a take away quickly. We'll be out of here soon to discuss our... matter."
"but-" I went on to protest but he waved his in my face, silencing any other word to leave my mouth. A gasp escaped as he placed his credit card in the machine and paid for both of our orders. Almost immediately, the workers went back to making coffee and cleaning, while the customers resumed whatever they were doing.
"The order is under which name?" the worker asked, preparing the takeaway cups of coffee. There was a beat of silence as the man watched me intently. I had no idea what was going on in his mind. He made me angry and confused in seconds. There was no telling, what he would do or what he was up to.
"Aahan," he said finally, "place both of them, under Aahan."
So, he had a name. Interesting. I was calling him jerk all this time.
"No." I cut in, "place the frappuccino under Saloni and the cappuccino under Aahan."
The barista looked between us uncomfortably but I only smiled at Aahan, my challenging stare never leaving his. "I had a change of heart. For my drink, I mean ― I want yours, now."
A/N: this chapter is highly unedited currently. So, I'm sorry, if you come across any mistakes! Also this chapter was much smaller than the previous one.
update : never fear, no more mistakes (hopefully) because it's edited now.- her editor.
QOTU : Do you prefer smaller updates or bigger/lengthy updates??
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