Okay? Okay.

                                         Okay? Okay.

Pani-puris spilled across the terrace as they gulped them in, with their mouths watering. A chair for one held them two. Punjabis danced around like people had already touched their rainbows. Her half sari was glowing past all of the contemporary paintings. The sweet sauce fell on her beautiful gown and spoilt it all along.

Their chair’s leg was already trembling, he got up, leaving her to occupy it for the whole. Different sides of the same terrace had different stories blooming. One among them is this. The story of the…

*You’ll read.*

“Can I leave now?” He asked her  

He knew he had to. Hindi songs had totally taken everything in. Her friends sat by the end of the terrace, these hearts fighting for contradictive reasons.

Her girl talk overtook him.

“This is the only time you get to spend time with me. You want to go, ‘cause things have changed. Everything’s up to you. Don’t ever talk to me.” Her known response hit him.

Crackers were heard with the beautifully spoilt faint yelp of their wishes.

She lay supine on him, leaving the streets telling him to choose it himself.

He stepped out of the place, into the peaceful corridors.

She saw him leave. She felt like swallowing her own tongue. Her night already perished. Playlists containing depressing songs had started playing on her mind. She missed his, actually, she missed him.

She realized,

“No.” She said to herself.

She finished one of those left out Pani-Puris, she felt a hand touching her back. She prayed as she turned that it should be him.

The kindest they could be was to leave her all alone.

She got up and merged inside the crowds, her bangles shining brightly through the dark people. Dark hearts.

She danced to the beats, and, finally realized that he wasn’t watching her.

She jumped amongst the crowds and fell onto the music. Minutes passed by, and she got happy. Happier. Happiest.

She still dreamt that he would be standing behind her when she was dancing. And that he would see her, and come back.

Dreams apart, comedy was all that her life had for her now. She got high, and put her hands up in the air, through the crowds.

Her eyes closed, she enjoyed.

And tried everything her brain wanted her to.

She opened her eyes, people were watching her, clapping for her, shouting her name,

Encouraging her.

She got out, with an appealing smile. Ineffable, it was.

She sat with her friends. Now, she could not imagine him coming and things.

She opened the fizzy Coke bottle as a fountain went up in the air. She shook the bottle and gulped it in turns.

Everything she did was, ethereal.

She saw him, standing by the entrance.

A smile was put up on his face. It explained, he was watching her all along.

She went near him, through the high crowds.

He came near, and without a word, their shoulders nudged,

And, smiles exchanged.

Settled everything was.

Years later,

She told him how much she loved the way he was standing at the entrance, waiting for her.

He told her, how much he loved the way, she tried to forget him.

And, that was how they still loved each other.

                                                    ***

“Actually, why did you want to leave that day?” I asked.

“'Cause I knew you wouldn’t leave me.” He replied.

“Okay?"
          -“Okay.”