Chapter - 3

                                      The unsaved contact

How I wish he would also look at me, may be not exactly the way in which I desperately search for him but atleast with reasonable efforts. Puzzled and thrilled, I was sitting at the edge of the couch in a café, anxious to know how he approached me.

Kissing the cup for a sip of coffee, it was the first time in my entire life where the wait for coffee wasn't as significant as the wait to hear the answers to oodles of question marks popping inside my head.

Not able to curb my yearning any longer, I started the conversation.

“So how did you know I was looking for you among thousands?”

Placing his cup on the counter, he smiled and said “hi, I am Aadav – Pleased to be sought by you!”

His tiny grin and nano second eye flutter made me forget that his hands were waiting to touch mine for the first time for a gentle shake. Embarrassed I was to realize how brain-dead was I to not ask for his name at the first place but throw random questions at him.

“Hi, I am sakthi – The successful hunter” I said and laughed.

Our hands touched and eyes met. For the first time I looked into his eyes and fell for its depth longing to never get out of it.

After the first physical contact, things were different. It was so different that I started feeling conscious about how do I look or rather how does his eyes see me.

The cracking sound of coffee mug on the table broke our silence.

I didn't know how to start or to put it clear I didn't want to start any conversation because I already failed in my first attempt with distinction.

“So let me tell you how I spotted this hunting Queen.” To much of my relief, he started.

Though I portrayed myself as if I care the least to hear it, deep inside I was craving  to and my tummy was already full of butterflies and I was all ears.

“So Sakthi Ragunath, as your Facebook profile reads, Arts College Student – Aspiring Chartered Accountant by Profession – Writer by Passion.

Loves Books, Coffee, Bike ride, Window seat, the aroma of petrol, long walks;

Crazy over Rajini and Vijay Sethupathi;

Falls blindly for thick beard and moustache, and…”

“I seriously can’t deny the fact that you have completely gone through my Facebook and Instagram Profiles but before my head bursts into million pieces, kindly save it by telling me how on earth you caught me on Social Media?” – The completely clueless me, questioned.

“Madam, kindly hold on your curiosity for a while and give my space to complete” he said and continued.

“Well, let me tell you something, on the first day, when your eyes were all on me, I felt extremely uncomfortable. Being watched or to put in a better way, being absorbed by someone unknown made me feel naked but that was when I realized how it was for every girl when a guy on street stares at her.

 Although I was uneasy at first, later I started enjoying the lime light thrown on me as it is a real scarcity to be sought after by a woman like you. So I made myself available to your sight and never wanted to be missed seen by you. And without your knowledge, I took a few pictures of you.” he giggled and took his baby out to show me my photos.

*Damn, he has noticed me much more than I thought he would* I uttered in my mind and focused on his camera – My eyes glued to the screen and my heart dancing and rejoicing with the triumph of having my stills in his camera.

“So your pictures helped me locate you on social media where I got to know you and liked your likes” he winked and finished his part of story.

Confused between “should I ask further questions” or “should I make a talk” or “just sit there struck with a smile” I finally landed with a half grin.

Grasping my state of unsettled mind, he said “Okay, let me not burden you with more talks, we will call it today and catch up sometime soon.”

We exchanged our mobile digits and bid bye.

Not wanting to miss any of him, I saw him vanish from my sight at the end of the street.    

But the confusion didn't end though.

Struck in front of the café with my phone on hand and thoughts in head, I was contemplating what to save his number as.

Chapter - 2

If I could see you

Not all coffee would taste best like it tasted that day. And that was the moment I realised, it wasn't just the coffee that was pretty perfect but the person beside me added flavours to the air.

I couldn't believe that I was there, sitting with him for a Sunday morning hot coffee.

So let me tell you how I ran into him.

It is not every Sunday that you get up from bed with a sprint of hope and excitement unless and until you are filled in with expectations of meeting a special someone.

Getting ready and reached the shore, I started the search engine operation of my accidental anonymous. Even though I convinced myself that the reason for so much of efforts is solely for me but deep inside I could figure it out that he seemed to be the motivating factor for me to be there.

Like a baby lost in the crowd searching for her mother’s saree, there I was, searching for a male clutching a camera. Though I met with a million eyes, not one brought me to my destination. From one end to the other of the road, I literally wandered in search of him, initially with peace as I had a hope that he will be found but later with hassle having the fear of not spotting him.

Fed up with the hunt, I sat on the sand, disheartened.

Hundreds of “I should haves” came clashing on my mind.

“I should have spoken to him on the very first day itself

Or at least dropped him my number

Or at least asked for his Facebook Id

Or the least is to have got his mail id “

With all the question marks and heavy scolding to my poor heart from my witty mind, I accepted that he wasn't to be found and made up my mind to head back home.

While I stood up with a heart full of disappointments, it was only after 360 seconds I realised I was on the same place where I stood up to pack myself home. Those 360 seconds brought a complete meaning to the 2700 seconds of relentless hunting.

There he was, clutching his camera and capturing moments of unknown people with no clue that a female has taken efforts to come all the way in search of him and invest her 2700 seconds to finally grasp his sight.

I remember pinching myself to acknowledge if what was happening that very moment was actually happening. He turned towards me, saw my eyes glued at his direction and approached me with a cuddly curve on his lips.

I still couldn't digest what my eyes were seeing. The person for whom I took all pains to pass 6 longest days of my life, the person for whom I spent 45 minutes of rigorous hunting, that same person was there, right in front of me, smiling at me as if we both knew each other for ages.

What was happier and delightful was the very first line that he ever spoke to me.

“how about konjam coffee and then nariya talks? “

Seriously flattered I was because coffee happens to be something I go crazy about and I personally believe that anything that started with a cup of coffee is definitely the most beautiful thing happening to me.

So, finally there I was, eagerly waiting to know what was in store for me.