One Night Stand

Anitha comes to the meeting and searches for her friend Rahul. She doesn’t find him, just then she hears his voice and turns back. Rahul is standing there and talking something serious as usual and is in his usual posture. She wonders will this guy ever change his style.

Anitha and Rahul have been friends since long, more like hai hello how are you kinds, but they had something which bound them together and made them talk every time they met.

Rahul walks up to her and greets her. Rahul wants to spend time with her too, but as he enquires her about her work and location he is called by someone else for some work and has to leave. He assures her that he will return in five minutes but alas, time waits for none.

They meet similarly at many other occasions but get busy with the work they have at hand, organizing a fund raiser for the destitute. Anitha wants to spend time with him because she will be leaving to Delhi soon after the event for her work. But call it hard luck they are unable to do so.

Finally the day of the event comes. It is a two day event. All of them are present and working for the arrangements from the previous day. Rahul could not make it as he was caught up at office. The first day of the event Anitha searches for him but doesn’t find him. Rahul informs them that he will be there only by evening.

Anitha doesn’t understand why she has been so desperate to meet him this time. But she is. Rahul reaches the premise by evening as promised. His eyes first search for her, but is engrossed in work. The first day goes fine and all of them are resting and having fun.

But hey, where are these two. They are in the reception room talking their heart out after long, in fact for the first time. Rahul had to leave but the rest stayed back at the premise. The next day again he reached in the afternoon and after the event they spoke, this day Rahul stayed there.

They became even closer this time, trying to know each other, calls, texts, meetings. Both were unaware why this was happening.

They started talking till late in the night, texting in the morning, till the night before when Anitha had to leave. She would be leaving for a year. As usual they were talking to each other on the phone.

Anitha started crying

“Rahul, I don’t want to leave”

Rahul says “Don’t worry you will be back very soon, a year will pass by quickly and we will meet again”

“I will miss you, Rahul.”

“I will miss you too, Anitha. “

“Why will you miss me?”

“What sort of question is that? Of course I will miss you.”

“Rahul, I need to tell you something, please don’t freak out.”

“Tell me dear.”

“I don’t know when all this started, but…I feel I have had feelings towards you since long. I don’t know since when. Now when we came a bit closer I have been thinking of this even more. I don’t know what is happening to me, but I can’t stop thinking about you, me, us. It freaks me out. My thoughts only meet a dead end when I think of a way out of it or otherwise. I had earlier planned to leave with my feelings untold, but am unable to do that too. I know it is not possible to take it forward but still wish to lead my life with you. I am unable to decide what to do.” She sobbed bitterly.

Rahul was dumbstruck for quite some time.

“Don’t you even want to reply now?” came a question.

“You know what; I have had the same feelings for you from quite few days. I felt strange about this unexplained feelings for you, but didn’t know that even you had those towards me.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me you moron.” She angered.

“I didn’t want to lose you dear. I didn’t know how you would react to it.”

Anitha scolds him for some time and then they start talking casually.

“Its 2 am dear don’t you want to sleep, you need to catch a train in other four hours, now sleep” says Rahul.

Anitha says, “I don’t want this night to end. I can’t think of being there all alone without you.”

“You are not alone my dear, am always there with you, just close your eyes and you will find me standing there in front of you.”

“What about our future, Rahul? How are we going to take this forward?”

Rahul now is silently thinking.

“Rahul are you there? I asked you something.”

“Yes dear I am very much here, just thinking how this would go.”

Anitha says, “I had thought about it in all perspectives, my parents, your parents, but never found a solution, it is just a dead end. I don’t think this will go forward. I don’t want to lose you but can’t take it forward too.”

“So you say we should stop this even before it has started?”

“I didn’t say so, but that is what a solution I can see for now.”

“How about taking some time for this and then deciding it?”

“What is the use Rahul? Do you think this can go forward without causing problems at our places? I don’t want to create any problems at my place. I am sorry but I don’t think I can do it. I know I should not have told this to you, but could not help it, please forgive me.”

“Anitha you are just tired let’s talk about this later.”

“No Rahul I can’t go there with uncertainties in mind.”

“So, what now Anitha”

 “I don’t know Rahul; I feel it’s better if we stay as friends, good friends.”

“Do you think it’s that easy dear?”

“No, but that would be only a better decision.”

“I can’t force you dear, but then I would still say let’s take some time for this. I will wait for you to come back.”

“Thanks for your support Rahul; you really are a sweet heart. I am sorry I pulled you into this unnecessarily.”

“Now you better sleep, we shall talk very soon, I am sure we will be clearer on this the next time we speak. I shall wait for that day.”

“I am now pretty clear Rahul. Good night dear. Take care. See you when I see you.”

“Sure dear. Bye. I shall call you in the morning before you leave.”

“Bye…”

Some love stories start and end in the same night…