This post is a continuation of my attempt to write a short story in 4 parts, the first part can be found here, if you read the first part and were waiting for the second part, sorry for the delay, between work pressure and football matches, couldn't find much time for Her ;-)
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The meeting on the bus was nothing close to what I planned. In my mind I walked into the bus, our eyes met, she got struck by my charm(I said in my mind) somehow I managed to strike up a conversation and I managed to invite her for a coffee.
What really happened is this, I boarded the bus, the over friendly driver insisted I was in the wrong bus and the bus route dint go anywhere close to where I stayed(The perils of being known), everyone in the bus was staring at me, I managed to silence the driver with some hushed words and took the only seat I got which was some 5 rows behind her.
I had to resort to plan B, it was risky because I hadnt planned it completely yet but I wanted to talk to her today. I got down at her bus stop, she noticed me and smiled, "so what brings you here, the driver was saying this is not where you stay" she said, perhaps she had guessed my intentions, after all I spent the last one hour in the bus watching her.
"Well I had to meet a friend, she lives around here" I used the cheap trick, you are at some place at 10pm to meet a "she" friend and you hope someone whom you have barely met is intrigued by it. She wasn't intrigued, if she was she hid it well with her "Oh ok".
"Btw Ruchira , about the project, I read the details, its very interesting, when do you want to discuss it, any time is fine with me, I even work weekends" I rushed through my long sentence, it was important that I let her know I was working the weekend and it was important I liked her project and yes it was important that I said her name.
"Oh but I am going out with my friends this weekend, we were planning to go the select city walk mall. Can we discuss the project on monday if you dont mind", she said with all sincerity and professionalism. Damn you gal cant you sense my emotions.
I took a deep breath , one last attempt , God pls pls pls "Oh ok I generally work weekends from the coffee place at Select city walk, If you are around and free , we can catch up there for a bit and get started on the project, can I have your number please, will call you if I am there".
By now I had already walked some 40 steps with her, perhaps she felt connected , she gave me her number and told me that it would be ok to catch up while she was waiting for her friends. I wished her good night, she wished me a pleasant evening with my friend and I watched her leave, it was painful, sad songs were playing in my mind and then suddenly Lionel Ritchie came to the rescue and sang Hello.
I picked up the phone and called her, A beautiful english song which I had heard before but couldnt recollect from where, was her caller tune, "Helloh...." she greeted and I forgot all that I was going to say, "hellllloh "she said again , stressing now on the l, I recovered, "hi this is badri just checking you number, sorry if I bothered, good night" . "Thats okkk Baddriii, is this your number" Thank you god, thank you she said my name in such sweet fashion and for the first time I liked my name, I did have a cool name. "oh ya it is, please feel free to reach me on this whenever u want to", "sure", "good night", "gooood nigggghhtttt" I dont know why her english words had more alphabets than mine but I liked it that way.
The next day morning was busy I had to assign work to my team in the morning staus updates, "So Navin what are you busy with" I asked still lost in thoughts of Ruchira but wanting to chug along at work, "Nothing much just the new project proposal, anything important I must look at". Nothing much, just the new project proposal, this guy was going to be the reason why I was going to get fired, the new project proposal was the only important thing my team was working on, "Hmm,,, I was wondering if you could help me with something, its for a competition, the lines go something like this "....." I need to get some details about the song, like OST where it appeared, the lyrics etc, you get the point" I asked in a bossy but help seeking way. "Who is the gal dude" he smirked , Now he gets smart, when I ask him about the proposal he is dumb god save my team, "no one important man just a friend" I said with a serious face trying to make him think it was really no one important. "Sure will bounce you the details ASAP" he said while leaving the room, he came back for a bit, smiled and said "All the best boss", I suddenly liked him now, I smiled, I had to remember to give him good ratings in the next appraisal what a nice kid.
I called the concierge kid, he was famous for being the babe magnet at work, "Shashank, can you please come to my cube for a sec , need some help". I asked him about select city walk, places of interest there, gifts to take for a gal whom you are meeting "casually for the first time", he was very helpful.
Navin replied with the data he had gathered about the song, It gave me a few ideas for a conversation. I called and made reservation at one of the best hotels in the mall. I ordered a bouquet of 3 red roses and a few roses of other colors, I was all set.Tomorrow was going to be a wonderful day...
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