The Day After That Night...

Nikhil, the guy who used to live in every moment, one who used to create a great atmosphere wherever he used to go, who was the star among his friends...; was in a completely engrossed mood today, way different than his normal self.

To Arun and Vyomkesh’s surprise, Nikhil got up very early today and was the first to catch the office bus, the same bus which he either used to miss or used to come running to catch it at the very last moment. Usually the atmosphere at home also was full of music…loud music and lots of crazy hullabaloo, courtesy Nikhil; but today, there was pin drop silence coz the one who used to be the trouble and laughter creator was in a different world altogether…

Riya, the girl who sits next to him in office waved in the normal chirpy style, “HI NNikheeeel…wasssssssup dude?”, but Nikhil was staring his computer screen deeply engrossed in his own thoughts with three lines of tension clearly visible on his forehead. Having felt unnoticed, something which a beautiful girl can never stand. Riya puffed Nikhil hard on his shoulder…”Kya bi…where are you?” Khair leave all that. Tell me, “Kaisi lag ri hoon?” “Look! I have got this new shade on my hair…don’t u think it’s awesome…””Also, what about the new sexy pair of sandals…don’t u think they rockkk?”

Perturbed enough and moving his eyes wherever Riya was forcing them to, he just could say, “Wonderful Riya!” in the end and he got back to his screen again. By this time, chirpy Riya was already mad, she threw her dazzling bag and went straight to the canteen to fetch her daily dose of Sugar Free Black Coffee, and yes, she obviously didn’t ask Nikhil to tag along.

Nikhil realized he had committed a big mistake; this is not the way he should behave with his good friend, Riya. Though he didn’t want to engross his mind anywhere else but at the same time he even didn’t want to hurt Riya. He went to the cafeteria where Riya was sitting already facing the window sipping her hot cuppa coffee. Nikhil took a glass of water and sat in front of her, with the same long face.

“SORRRY RI…I’m sorry!” just those words and Riya burst out with laughter, “Baj gai naa! Aage se never behave like that with mighty RIYA!!! Chal bachhha Nik, now quickly tell me Mai kaisi lag rahi hoon? And then tell me your Love story.”

Nikhil was surprised and a thought again crossed his brainy neurons, “Why and how is it that true friends understand the entire situation so quickly without even your saying a single word. And when the friend is of the opposite sex, the understanding is always Bang On…!”

Before he could say, “How do you know?” Riya said, “I know mahn, don’t I know you?..Well, that’s the only reason I have spared you for your misbehavior today. And by the way, even I haven’t heard annnneeeeething interesting from a long time now”...She winked with a cheeky smile.

It took only a few moments for Nikhil to narrate the entire night’s happening to Riya and he ended the scene-by-scene account by just saying, “Riya!!! Dammit….I don’t know what’s happening to me, but I really..truly..madly..deeply have fallen in love with her.”

Listening to the entire account like a sweet small kid, Riya gave her typical big-time consultant look and popped out her suggestion, “Look my dear Nik, why are you so tensed???...DUDE!!! You have her number…right? Call her and ask her, how does she know you?”

Nikhil thought, “Goddamn! Riya is great as a friend but I hate her when she becomes a consultant friend…OH!” Grasping his emotions and controlling the same for that moment, Nikhil could only show a smile.

Whatever Riya would have suggested, Nikhil liked the idea of at least calling Bhargavi to meet her somewhere because at this time, He couldn’t concentrate on work; in fact he was not able to concentrate on anything. Wherever he was seeing, whatever he was doing, wherever he was going, he could see only those beautiful eyelashes and those curled hair...

Since, his thoughts were going nowhere, he picked up his phone and dialed in the number…