All that busy roads are slowly becoming empty. People quit from their busy day. All the bright lights from large building and small houses, bright shine from moon and stars made this dark night more beautiful. We have all that lights and shines in day time also but this darkness of night made them beautiful. 

Everyone make great journey in their life till death. Many people had a particular time in life where they struck emotionally. Time becomes still, no physics or any science applied to that time. I also had that time.

In 3 years, my life changed. I came very far from my starting point. Working hard to build my career. Started my own startup company a year back with a friend. Time became very important constrain. I try to run with time. But my heart struck at a bright and beautiful night like this, where I saw her last time. Emotionally I'm still standing at that same place in that same time. 

"Varun..... come on man", Kumar called. He's drunk. Kumar, Charan and Sam were drinking from past 30 minutes.

"No..... I have work", I denied.

"What's the work?" he asked. He's conscious but not in full sense.

"I think you forget, tomorrow we have a very important meeting.... I want this deal, so I have to work for it", I said with firm tone. Kumar and I were colleagues and good friends. We both together started the company. 

"I know your work very well", He chuckled. 

"How long will you be like this? Hah? Listen to me, come and sit with us. Lets have a drink and dump your past. It's lot better than scrolling that old pictures and wasting your time on that shitty bitch who left......"

"Ey!", I shouted and held his collar with anger "Better watch your words." He came to his sense. Charan and Sam were watching us with confusion.

"If any other in your place.....", I gritted my teeth. I left his collar with a push and he took 2 steps back. 

"You don't know anything..... so don't judge...... You are my friend, you can say anything about my life..... but in this topic....... no...... better stay out of it", I strictly said in angry tone. All the three were looking at me and silence filled in the place. 

"Sorry.... you.... you guys carry on", I said in calm tone and swiftly dashed into my room and closed the door. 

I drank some water and laid on bed. My room was dark just night lamp near the bed was lit. I took out my mobile and scrolled the gallery for 'Her' album. I went straight to my favourite picture. 

It's been 6 years since I captured this pic. At that time she was very close to me, peacefully sleeping on my shoulder ignoring all the world. But now somewhere in this world, very far from me. 'Where are you Chaitra?' 

In these 3 years, I spent many nights just looking at these old pictures and speaking with them. I knew I didn't get reply from them, but I felt her beside me and listening my words. I moved to another picture. 'My heart attack' That day when we had this picture, I literally drooled at her. 

I miss her smile, her mystic eyes, our fights. I'm missing her badly. When she was with me, my life was better than perfect. But now I felt like I'm imperfect in this world. I'm trying to be perfect but failing. 

"Hey Pikachu, you know, today is very hectic.... I prepared everything for tomorrow. I'm very stressed about the meeting. I have a presentation with a company. If they collaborate with us in this project, it will be a great achievement for our company..... I got their appointment twice before, but at last minute canceled. Wish me good luck. I can't effort to miss this chance."

I came out of gallery and opened contacts. Her contact is in 3rd place in favourite list. I tapped on the contact named 'Pikachu'. Her smiling image displayed along with contact details. I still remembered the day I saved this number.  

'Varun you can do this..... just a single tap on that call icon..... just a single tap.... come on..... stop all this..... 3 years are enough for your foolishness and cowardliness...... end this with a single tap..... already you lost it and you have nothing to lose now..... a single tap may change it' I closed my phone and threw it on bed. 

My fear again over powered me. Every single day I'm trying this and failing. I knew I had nothing to lose, still I'm not able do this. I was in deep valley of regrets and fears. 'I love you Chaitra.... I love you..... I'm missing you..... please come back to my life... please' I'm praying for this ever day, still waiting and hoping one day she will come to my life. 

My phone rang beside me, I swiftly check the caller. Whenever I got any call, I hope it should be her. 

"Hello....Varun"

"Umm"

"I think I didn't disturb you"

"No.... not at all"

"How are you?"

"Fine.... What about you?"

"Not fine"

"What happen Vishwa?"

"She again rejected me", he said in sad tone.

"I think it's 10th time in these 3 years", I chuckled. 

"Actually 11th time", he chuckled.

"Then............ what's the plan now?"

"Nothing........ I will try again", he said.

"Stop torturing her", I said.

"I think she is not feeling like that" he chuckled.

"You are....", I couldn't complete it and chuckled.

"At-least I'm facing the truth. I'm not like you.... running away from reality and hiding in dark", he intentionally reminded my mistake. I didn't gave any reply.

"How long will you be like that? Hah? Go back to her and face it or leave her and move on. Choose any one........ You already take very long time. Decide before it becomes late" 

"Umm..." We both pay silence for few minutes.

"Move on Varun", he said suddenly.

"No.... I can't and I don't want to move on", I said firmly.

"Then..... meet her", he said very firmly. I hummed. I wanted to do that, but I couldn't.

"Do you know at-least, where she is?" he pissed off.

"No." Finding her is not any big deal. Meeting her is difficult. No.... I made it difficult.

"One day you will regret for everything", he said.

"I'm already regretting", I said.

"I don't know about her. But you are doing a mistake. Don't make it worse...... Listen to me, just try to meet her, after that think about remaining" he advised.

"You are right..... I need 2 days.... After that I will go for her", I said my decision. This time no back step. I'm ready for everything.

"Again...... Why that 2 days?" he irritated.

"I have a meeting tomorrow......"

"Whatever. As your wish...... "

"Okay then bye"

"Bye." 

************************

Today's meeting went perfect. I'm glad that our deal locked. They accepted to work in partnership in this project.

"Its pleasure to work with you", I shook my hand with Mr. Diwakar. He's around 45 years old gentleman. 

"We really impressed with your presentation." he smiled.

"Thank you", I smiled back. 

"Let me introduce our team", he said and turned to his subordinate. His subordinate and Diwakar discussed something for 2 minutes and exchanged a nod. After that he left and returned in 2 minutes.

"I'm interested to know about your firm", he asked. I was about to say something, but I got a call from an employee. 

"Excuse me", I asked and Diwakar smiled. I raised from my seat and went near the glass wall and lifted the call. Kumar replaced me and explained about us to Diwakar. After few minutes I listened some noises. I guessed it as team members we are going to work. I finished my call and turned towards them. I really got heart attack. 

 Am I dreaming? No.... it's real..... it's really real.... she stood in-front of my eyes. I forgot to breath. My ears became numb. I forgot the whole world around me. No one knew how happy I'm? My eyes denied to look any other direction. 

She changed a little. Actually she became more beautiful and curvy. She wore mustard colored top which embedded perfectly on her body paired with light blue jeans. She left her hair free instead of her signature pony tail. 

I think she was shocked. She was looking at me with wide eyes. She was glancing around with that little black eyes. Why I felt like this that her eyes seemed lifeless which once twinkled brightly. 

Diwakar said about the project and introduced us, "He is Mr. Varun" I forwarded my hand. All the while I was looking at her only. She shook her hand with mine. I looked at her hand. She was still wearing that hand band. I glanced back to her eyes. At this moment only one thing running in my head, I wanted to hug her tightly and never let her go.

Suddenly she left out. Why I didn't know. My heart urged to go with her, but I stood still. I got another chance and this time I won't miss her. I'm ready for everything except loosing her again. I didn't care about the remaining team members. Kumar will handle that. I left to washroom. 

I stood in-front of the large mirror, looking at my reflection. Water slipped out my eyes. I was very happy for them. I missed her lot but never shed a single drop in these 3 years. I kept my tears to myself, never let them out. My heart is drenching in that tears all the while. The more it drenched, the more it became heavy. The more it became heavy, the more I filled it with her. I enjoyed my tears. 

I dragged my right sleeve a little back and looked at my hand band. 'Black bead' she gave a name to it. I didn't know why she gave that name, I assumed this band has black beads that's why she called like that. 'Chaitra, I'm going to start everything from beginning. But this time I won't fail.' Once again I checked confidence in my eyes before going back. 

Conference room was still filled. Everyone discussing what I didn't care. I sat beside Kumar. Diwakar was not here. I checked out the total room for her, but she was not here. I raised and about to leave out for her. Diwakar entered the room so I stopped. 

"Okay Varun, we want to know when we are going to start the work?" he asked with smile. 

"We wanted to start it as early as possible, before that we will take care of required tech and infrastructure because the team is quite large", I said.

"Our firm is well equipped with everything, so if you want we will allot cabin for your team", he offered.

"Thank you so much Mr. Diwakar", I shook my hand with him.

"So I think there is no problem for you to start it tomorrow", he asked.

"No problem at all", Kumar smiled.

"Listen everyone, we are going to start this project tomorrow itself. All the best team", Diwakar said loudly. Everyone clapped and thanked him. 

"Okay gentlemen, meet you tomorrow", Diwakar turned towards us and exchanged handshakes with me and Kumar. After that he left. I kept my laptop back to my bag and Kumar took care of documents and papers.

"Lets leave?" Manohar asked. Kumar said 'yes'. But I wanted to meet Chaitra. If possible I want to take her with me. We came out of the room, I took slow steps while checking entire place for her. But she was not there. I left the place with both heavy and at a time very light heart. I will meet her tomorrow.

***********************

After that a crazy smile sat on my lips all day. All day I spent thinking about tomorrow. What I have to talk to her, how will she react? Is she happy about meeting me? Why she left so sudden from meeting? Present I sat on couch in our living room. Charan and Kumar went out. 

Now my position was same as when I saw her first time in college. I still remembered that day. I searched for words to talk to her. How far I tried to run away, I stand again at the same place. 

I'm preparing to start the journey again. I became most happiest person in the world. She came into my life and my life became imperfect to perfect. Kumar and Charan just came back. Kumar sat beside me.

"Varun.... are you okay?" he doubted.

"I'm good", I shrugged.

"Are you sure?" he asked again.

"Why you are asking like that?" I narrowed my eyes.

"You are behaving very different after the meeting....... More over you didn't open your laptop from afternoon..... "

"It's first time we saw you sitting leisurely without working and your are smiling to yourself we don't know why", Charan cut him. I smiled and glanced at them. They gave weird looks most of their faces covered with confusion.

"I saw her", I said. I leaned back and rested my head and closed m eyes. She flashed in my mind. No... She didn't even left my mind.

"Whom?" they asked in unison. 

"Chaitra", I said with closed eyes.

"That means, the girl whom you are loving?" Charan asked. 

"That means, that girl..... whom you spent hours looking at her pictures?" Kumar asked. I gave smile as reply.

"Where?" 

"When?"

They asked at a time. Charan sat beside Kumar and they both looking at me. 

"She's an employee in Infitech Solution and she is one of the team member which we are going to work", I smiled.

"Is she there in the meeting?..... I didn't met her", Kumar asked.

"She came there.... but she left early", I said. He nodded.

"At-least tell us now..... your are loving her so much..... then...... why she left you?" Kumar asked with hesitation. 

"She never left me", I smiled. 

************************

Varun and Chaitra both ran far too long, but they again stood at starting point. One with burning tears and another with drenching heart. 

Varun is desperate to meet her while Chaitra wants to run away from him.

Varun wants to start everything from beginning while Chaitra afraid to repeat it again. 

But both prepared to face each other. Still loving each other. 

What separated and threw them in different direction? What future is waiting for them? 

**********************

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