Not always a fairytale.

 

Not always a fairytale!

It has already been late and I cant wait for tanay to pick me up. this idiot never shows up on time. I decided to call him to tell him that Id go alone. “ damm where are you?” I yell as soon as tanay picked up.

“almotttt almosttt there just give me 2 mins ill be there in 5 !” he spoke with the classic inidan attitude of perfect time sense.

I clearly understood that he would take 15 more minutes easily. I walked up to my wardrobe, looked at myself in the mirror and reconsidered my outfit. It was okay-ish. But I had not got any better option. I tried posing a few poses to figure out which profile of me looked better. The left was clearly a disaster. The right profile it was. I shut the wardrobe, sprayed a few puffs of perfume and decided and got into my black formal shoes. They perfectly complimented my orange sweat shirt, and my black formal pants. I know this wasn’t a great look for a reception. But I am clearly not a guy to dress up into a suit for some stranger’s wedding. Of course, Dhanush isn’t a stranger. But to be honest, I don’t think Dhanush and I ever knew each other more than as colleagues.

“dude! ive reached ur place. Tie that stupid dog next time. I wont even come inside next time.” Tanay phoned from the main gate.

I cut his call, picked up the bouquet on the dining table and walked to kiss Khaleesi a bye. She woofed and waved her tail to my response. I untied her, walked her into the house and locked the front door. I cross checked it twice to make sure it was locked and Khaleesi wouldn’t get out.

Tanay was waiting for me in his car outside the gate. I quickly hopped in and we were set to go.

“jo beda tere naino ne kata to ashiq surrender hua.. tune english me jab hamko daanta, to ashiq surrener huaa…! “The radio was on we were literally dancing on the tunes with the windows slid down. We did not care to look around but, people were looking at us while we had stopped at the red light. It took a second for us to realize this shit and we pulled up the glasses with an awkward smile. I saw to my right where a 60-ish uncle was clearly looking at me with his mind voice something like, “ ughh!!! This generation!!!”

It was almost half an hour and we were close to our location. It was a gigantic hall with colourful lights and flower decorations all over. Beyond all this, the only thing I could see clearly was the food section. It was still empty and the workers were still setting up the tables. It was a minute of disappointment to see that. But we made our way towards our other colleagues.

Everyone had a toast to make. The people took turns at the mic and shared their toasts for the couple. I very well knew that, if I made one, it would definitely be a roast rather than a toast. And I wasn’t ready to be sent out of the wedding before tasting the kaju pulav that I had smelled on the way.

It was within no time that, there was somebody new at the mic. She wasn’t from our office for sure. We had never even seen her. But I dint know why she looked a little familiar to me. well, I dint waste much energy on thinking that. Maybe belonged to the bride’s family. She walked in holding her saree plaits carefully in place. She reached out to the mic and began to speak!

“ vidya!! Darling I’m so happy for you.

I don’t even know where to start. It’s so dreamy to give a toast at your wedding. Almost like a dream come true. Thanks for always being there for me. you are an amazing person I’ve ever met. I still remember the days when you first started going out with Dhanush and narrating me stuff. And now, here I am. Standing with a mic at your successful love story. Keep going on and keep being the happily ever after..”

She was almost done with her speech and I noticed she had given me an eye contact a couple of times during the speech. I mean its no big deal where the speakers give eye contact to the audience right..? but at the end, it felt like her eyes were at me. and yes they were they were looking at me for a few seconds and that’s when I heard her say her last line of the toast.

“ and Dhanush! Congratulations to you. for having found vidya! The game starts now bro! khush raho ab! Akhir kaar, vaise, “ ASHIQ TO SURRENDER HUA NA””

I dint understand what it was. The peculiar eye contact and asiq surrender hua? Seriously? Was I thinking too much or was it just a coincidence??

I dint give much thought about it my concentration was set on the food section subconsciously. I just waited patiently till everybody were done with their speeches. i followed the clap timings and clapped along. And it was finally the food! Me and tanay picked up our plats and made sure we tasted everything on the menu. Starting from the kesar vali kheer, the kalu pulav, we made sure there was room for ice cream and rasmalai as well.

As I was done, I walked into the handwash section. There she was. I saw her again this time. She seemed to be struggling with holding her mobile in one hand and trying to use the tap with the other. I went close and gestured if I could hold her phone. “ may i?” she looked at me with a soft smile and handed me her phone. “Please!” she took a few seconds to wash her hands, set her hair and turned to me for her phone. I handed over my phone to her. I was thinking if to ask her about the toast or not. Why did the lyric come in between?? I wanted to I really wanted to but all that came out was, “ nice toast..” she gave me a casual eye contact and uttered, “thanks!” and walked away slowly.

“excue me maam..! may I know your name?” I tried making a small conversation.

“ you still did not recognize me?” she raised her brows.

“sorry but not really. You seem familiar tho!”

“ oh god.. krithika..! Genze global school! 2016 “

“ oh shit right.. how have you been? “ I started formally.

“ well im doing good. How about you? and I really dint expect I would see you here tonight man!”

“ I know right..” there was an awkward silence and I tried breaking the ice.

“so.. hows it going work?”

“ yeah everything is sorted. And you?”

“ yeah working with Kabir actually. Have a pretty sorted life. What more do I wish for?”

I don’t know what kept our chat active. The fact that she was a school friend bought back all memories back. We lost track of time and started going back in time. Starting from the morning assembly to the class 10 farewell, we dived into everything. it was really nostalgic and I enjoyed being teleported back to my teens. We laughed at our memories, the school gossips and all the other stuff.

“ well.. you haven’t changed a bit shorya!” she seemed pretty happy too with the nostalgic talk.

It was nearly an hour that we had talked. It was getting late and we walked through the drive way as she fetched her car.

“shourya!” she called me with a sharp tone.

“ well.. I don’t know if we would ever meet again. But I just wanna say, you have not changed a bit and you still seem the same to me. and if you think they were rumours back then in school, no, they weren’t! I really liked you back then. And., I don’t know how to put this to you, but,,, can I just ask you out? If u don’t mind?”  her expressions were in between embarrassment and relief. She was just waiting for me to talk something.

tanay bought his car out and he honked from a distance gesturing me to come over. I looked at tanay and back at krithika. I dint know how she would react if I told her if I was committed. But yeah I had to, I know it wasn’t a big deal. But it was krithika.. the nostalgia she gave me, the talk we had, I really wanted to keep in touch with her as buddy. But I dint know how this would go.

Tanay honked once again. I looked at krithika and finally put myself up in words.

“ um.. krithika.! Iam sorry. But…”

“well I knew there would be a but. Its okay.. I knew it anyway.. “

“ yeah.. got to go! And.. that’s tanay! If u haven’t met him. My boyfriend!.. have a nice day krithika. Bye.” I turned and started walking towards the car but I turned to her again.
“ hey I know this is insensitive to ask right now, but… ashiq surrender hua???” krithika’s mood lightened and she chuckled. “ yeah.. the signal. I was there..” she smiled again and this time I gave her a nice handshake and bid her a bye.. “ nice outfit by the way! You slayed it …bubye! Take care”.