The Timing- Short Story

An awesome Friday afternoon, first week of February!

I remember the time very precisely, 03.07PM, one message that shook my imagination.

The whole week of putting in the best efforts at work had finally begun to reap benefits. Multiple messages and emails of lots of funds being transferred to the account later, one defied belief.

It’s not easy being a stock analyst in a mid-tier consulting company working for NASDAQ clients. Braving depression, family issues, heartaches and what not all we do is give tips to customers to grow their money and even make some loose theirs. We do remain constant without a hint of surprise when thousands and lakhs flow into our accounts for our diligent work but when the amount has seven zeroes at the end, you are bound to stand up from your seat, leave your coffee on the table and head to the huge window to grab a long lasting look at the view the enormous ocean in front of your office does offer.

The view that is the only antidote to the stuttering heartbeat, the heavy breath, the nervous smile and the passionate eyes, the view that I had for the last some time avoided to be enticed into for it did provide a soothing to the tired eyes but brought back emotions and memories that I believed somehow hindered with the passion of making money.

All the moments over the course of the last four years and many more from the years before that came flooding back and took me back into a trance of procrastination. The school days, the chilling out with college friends, the everlasting booze parties, the first job, the start of professional life, the wild office parties and off course the one woman I still pinned for, all of it did manage to fill me with some sort of an emotional euphoria.

Was this the day that would change my life and let me walk the path I always wanted to? Was the amount I just earned doing some weird things to me? How was I getting emotional all over again when I had made myself so devoid of all this for all these years? I wondered with so many doubts creeping into my mind.

They were just a few minutes of ecstasy before I did manage to come back to reality when someone tapped my shoulder.

Are you alright? Neha, a fabulous colleague of mine came over to check on me. Rarely was I seen looking out over the sea with a weird smile on the face and a nervousness writ all over my face.

All right would be an understatement. I said with a beaming smile.

Neha and me were very close buddies and discussed our professional and personal lives over a few beers almost every weekend. This was one moment I thought need not wait for the weekend to be shared. I looked around to check if anyone else was there, upon finding no body around proudly showed her the message on my cellphone, the message that read an amount with seven zeroes.

Fucking shit! Wow. This is out of the world. She came close and embraced me.

But I won’t say I am happy for you till I get the biggest treat you have ever given anyone. She had the biggest smile I had ever seen anyone have for my accomplishments except for my mom.

For sure darling! Anything for you! I was thrilled with excitement.

By the way, aren’t you going to break this news to the team and boss?

Not yet, let me cherish and soak in this moment first.

Way to go my boy. She soon left for her desk. Work after all doesn’t allow us more than a few minutes to relish each other’s success.

Yet another awesome Friday, second week of February!

It was still dawn when I stepped out of the cab and walked towards the entry gate of the Delhi airport. The early morning February air was pleasantly cold.

I was travelling to Bengaluru to attend a college friend's wedding. It had been four years since we graduated from the same college. This wedding was also going to be a reunion of our batch mates. But what I didn't know was that the reunion would begin much ahead of time; right in the queue in front of the airline counter.

I was almost sure it was she. Same height! Same long hair! Same complexion! Curiosity had my eyes glued to her. And then about 60-odd seconds later, when she turned, she proved me right. My ex-girlfriend stood two places ahead of me in that queue. We had never met after the college farewell.

Adwait’s wedding card had been lying all this while at my desk and it was a SOS by Prashant a few days back that tempted me to make my travel arrangements and head of to the startup capital of India. It had been four years and I had been in touch with just three friends from college time, Prashant being one of them. I had surprised myself when i listened to my heart’s desires and chalked out a plan to take a leave for a day and attend this wedding. Or maybe it was the enticement of seeing a face after all these years, a face that I once imagined would remain with me forever.

Now two days later, as luck would have it, the reason for the temptation, the very same face was standing right ahead of me and my bizarre mind way too busy playing games with my heart.

Should I go up to her and at least say a hello, would there be any animosity that might lead to a scene right here. I thought to myself for a few seconds and stood rooted to my spot. Finally I did follow my gut as I have always done, went straight up to her and stood by her side.

Four years and nothing has changed, the same sparkling eyes. I said with a genuine smile even though I was too nervous on the inside.

Goodness me! It’s so good to see you. How have you been, Mr. Stock Analyst?

She sounded amazingly mature yet a little formal but there was something alarmingly charming in that voice and the poise.

You have been keeping a tab on me, didn’t know this. I have been good and I think I just got better.

Seeing each other after four years and yet trying to flirt? Still the same you are. But i think I should complement you, you look quite dapper. Much better than the college days, I should say. She smiled and winked, for a second I felt a tinge of sensation which I had to quickly brush of.

How about you? How is the life in the corporate management world?

So the keeping of tabs is being done from both the ends. That’s interesting. Life is pretty good, I would say.

By the way are we both going where I think we are?

Maybe if the people over there allow both of us onboard. I said pointing towards the airline counter.

Can we get adjacent seats? As soon as our turn came up, I asked the female at the airline counter while pointing towards Kriti.

Kriti, hope you don’t mind me entertaining you lest you get bored in the two hour journey.

Off course not, please get us the seats. We have a lot to catch up to.

We did eventually talk a hell lot during the journey. Professional lives, making money, travelling places, books, writing, people management, corporate rat race and a lot more figured on the topic list. Not even once did we endeavor to go into the questions about the relationship statuses. Maybe my heart still felt she was single and had been waiting for me all this time or maybe it was just me. I knew I would never know till I ask but I dared not to for I was not sure for the first time in so many years about what an answer or a reaction will do to my state of mind.

As soon as we landed at the Bengaluru airport, the so famous rains were out in full flow to welcome us. The reunion that had started for me at the Delhi airport continued, Prashant and a few more friends were waiting for us. After catching the cab we realized that the wedding venue is so far of that our flight timings were actually lesser. We did have a jolly time discussing the post college lives, money making spree, career plans, entrepreneurship ventures and a lot more. Just that the mention of the families brought a lump into my throat for no one apart from Prashant knew about the torrid time I went through during the separation of my parents. I tried to keep to myself till we reached the venue and I wondered what would I have been without this man, this friend, Prashant.

After the usual pleasantries were exchanged at the wedding venue he took me aside.

How on earth did you manage to come out of the airport with her? He was amused and concerned at the same time.

Well, magic I would say. She was in the same flight. We even got adjacent seats. I answered with a smile.

Gosh, you lucky bitch. So what all did you talk about? Did you even give her a hint of the feelings you have hidden inside for all this while?

What feelings? I tried to have a surprised look. We were discussing so many things man. In fact I think we still have a lot in common.

Oh, such hopes. This is great, coming from a workaholic like you.

Chuck all this you moron. Where is the groom? We should be trying to make his life miserable instead of discussing my love life here.

Sure, let’s go and check our rooms first.  Then we can go and play chicken with him. How the hell can he walk the aisle while we are still single?

We both were on our way laughing heartily when suddenly that face appeared from nowhere. Our eyes met, it was more than for an instant. The lips quivered into a smile at the same time, it was a connection I felt. I did stop to cast a glance at her when she had passed us by. My world of emotions was turning upside down.

A Marathi wedding in the sober town of Bengaluru did not promise a grand extravaganza but we were hell bent on making it fun. A group of seven people was way too much for the dull atmosphere. We made the DJ change the tunes to Bollywood and English hip hop. The relatives were forcibly made to get up from the chairs and dance during the afternoon functions. The groom was not spared either once he was ready for the marriage procession. We made him dance as per our wishes but my eyes were always wandering to where Kriti was grooving to the music and our eyes met many times leaving me tranquilized every time.

Oh boy, she still has the moves. I thought to myself. After all this time, what is she doing to me? Her eyes are playing with my heart. I murmured under my breath.

Wasn’t it always this way? I would suggest you do something about it or I will. Prashant had a firm look on his face. He had clearly seen me trying to catch a glimpse of Kriti so many times that he was worried about this sudden transformation of his so called self-proclaimed workaholic friend.

No one is doing anything; let the heart play with my brain. I had moved on many years back.

A workaholic already moved on man doesn’t look at his ex like the way you are. So shut up and go tell her these feelings.

Ok brother, I give up. Let’s wait for the wedding to be over.

That’s like the Raveesh I know. Be the go getter I always thought you would be. He sounded proud of me or maybe it was me who felt that way.

Much after the wedding was over and left us all tired, we went to our respective rooms to get that much needed sleep. Somehow Prashant fell asleep in a fraction of seconds and I had to get out of the room to get some fresh air as I still felt fresh and had a lot of things on my mind.

From the corner of my eye I saw Kriti standing in the porch staring at the clear night skies and this time my feet did not shy away from going near her. I stopped a few feet away from her lest I alarm her out of her stupor.

She looked at me and started to say something. I took a step closer, put my hand reassuringly on hers holding the railing and looked back deep into her eyes.

You know the seat at my office offers possibly the best gaze at the skies extending over the vast ocean and whenever I look at the stars my mind gets transfixed to the twinkling eyes that are staring at me right now. Till today morning i had thought I had moved on and would never look back at my past but just looking at you made me forget who I had become over the last four years. I don’t know if you would agree or not but in the core of my heart I believe that you are the only one for me.

She did not speak a word and tears trickled down her eyes as she opened her clenched fist. A ring fell to the ground with a loud thud and she went inside without even looking back leaving me forlorn staring at the bright walls shining splendidly in the night. My mind and eyes quickly went back to the ring that was still in motion and with a swift move I bent down to pick it up.

What I saw shattered my nimble self and left me numb. Engraved on the ring was “Kriti and Akash”. I couldn’t feel my legs at that moment as i held on to the railing to sit down right there.

My brain went into a daze. Did I touch her emotionally vulnerable side when she had been in a state of shock, did I speak out the hidden feelings of mine at an appropriate time or was my timing so fallacious that it broke the souls of the people involved. The questions invaded my mind as I sat there for hours trying to find answers looking at the daylight break out of the clear night sky and wondering about what this day would bring in our lives.

#shortstories