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.