"H...Hi!"

"May I?"

"Yeah! Sure! Please come in!"

He ushered her in and collected the scattered parts of his mobile. He wanted someone to pinch him.

"Hi Aditya! How are you?"

"I'm good!" he replied.
'Actually fantastic now!'

"You tell me?" he asked.

"When I went back home, I realised my folly. So, I have come here to apologize. I was very rude. You were just trying to help me and instead of thanking you, I yelled at you. I'm really sorry!"

"Oh! No, no! It's okay! Anyone else at your place would have done the same." he said with all the politeness he could!

"Thank you so much! I was really upset with myself. But I'm relaxed now. Thank you so much, again!" A broad grin spread across her face.

"You're most welcome!" he replied in a gentlemanly tone.

"I hope you don't mind me asking but...eh... how do you know me?"

He stared at her. He didn't know what to say. Last night, he had glibly exclaimed to have seen her before but now he didn't have an answer. He could neither tell her the truth, nor a 'believable lie' because her presence had blocked his mind.

"Oh! Did I say I knew you? I don't remember saying that." he replied and immediately realised that that was the most idiotic answer he could give.

"Sorry?"

"I mean... yeah, I have seen you before but...I...I don't know you. We had never met before last night, right!"

"But you CLEARLY said you knew me."

"I said it because I wanted to show the security guard that we are old acquaintances so that he lets you stay." Aditya justified as a drop of sweat dripped down his face.

"You're lying! The guard had already left when you said that. I distinctly remember it. Huh! I had come here to apologize but I shouldn't have. You didn't deserve it. I think I should leave now. That's better!" she got up and proceeded towards the door, harrumphed.

"The dialogue sounds similar!" he muttered. He jumped up from his seat.

"No, no! Please! Listen! I admit I had lied but with no bad intent. Believe me."

"But why should I? You're a stranger and above that, a liar. How do I believe you?" she said in a piercing voice.

"Why don't you understand? Just because my well-intentioned words came out in a wrong way, it doesn't mean that I'm a bad guy. I agree it is difficult for you to trust me. But please! You can at least try giving me one last chance! *sighs* I request you. Please stay!" he pleaded.

"Okay. Last time!"

"Thank you! Please come and sit!" he closed the door.

'Phew! Why are girls so difficult?' he exclaimed as he wiped away the sweat from his forehead.

"Would you like to have something? Tea...coffee?" Aditya asked like a hospitable landlord to his most awaited guest.

"I don't drink tea. Coffee will do." she replied, now in a softer voice.

"Okay! Great! I'll just go and order it. I'll just come in a minute." he proceeded towards the door.

"But..." before she could say anything, he had left the room.
'But he could have ordered it on the phone too!' she spoke to herself, with a queer expression on her face.

She got up and began to examine the room. It really looked like a bachelor's room, dirty and mismanaged. But still, she felt quite nice being there.

In the meanwhile, Aditya went to the reception to place the order. He was in a dilemma as to why he was so conscious when he ought to behave normally. Of course he knew the reason, but he didn't want this to happen. He didn't want to express his feelings to her but anyone could guess, through his perspired forehead, agape eyes and shivering hands, that there was something wrong with him. Her unexpected arrival had almost made him lose his senses.

The receptionist even asked if everything was alright, to which his 'obvious' answer was "Yes!" A boy came with the tray with two cups of cappuccino. Aditya snatched the tray from his hands and marched towards his room. The boy and the receptionist exchanged confused glances at his weird behaviour.

He rapped on the door. As soon as the girl opened it, she was perplexed to see Aditya in that condition; holding the tray in his hands which were quivering badly that made the top layer of the cappuccino spill around the cups, his forehead filled with sweat and his expressions as that of a guy followed by a dreadful apparition.

"Is everything OKAY with you?" the girl asked.

"Yeah-Yeah! All well. Don't worry." he replied in a shaky voice.

"No! You're lying! Look at your face. You're sweating badly and you look like a robbed businessman. You're fighting for breath and you say everything is alright!" said the girl, her pitch increasing with every word.

'The reason is you dear!' he mumbled in his heart.

"I'll be alright. Don't worry. It's nothing. You have your coffee!" he replied, trying to look normal.

The girl stood there for a while, observing him and suddenly dropped the cup.

"No! Oh my god! Oh my god! Are you...are you...going to...get a...a HEART ATTACK?" she said in a quivering voice.

Aditya stared at her. He couldn't understand whether his actions were more stupid or her interpretation.

She started shouting, "Help! Help! He's going to die! Help! Somebody please Help!"

"Stop! Stop! Relax 'Lady Bheem' Relax! There's nothing like that. I'm perfectly fine. My left arm isn't hurting, you see? Please don't shout. Everyone will gather around the room. I'm fine! I'm absolutely fine! Calm down! Calm down! Deep breathing! Deep breathing! Inhale... Exhale... Inhale... Exhale... Feeling better?" Aditya coaxed her.

She nodded.

"You have my cup. Just relax! Okay?"

"Yeah! Okay!" she took the cup from him and emptied it quickly. Aditya kept on staring at her.

Someone rapped at the door constantly, which reverberated throughout the room. Aditya opened the door and saw the same boy from whom he had snatched the tray.

"Is everything alright, sir?" he asked when suddenly his eyes fell upon the broken pieces of the cup.

"Yes! Yes! Everything's fine. All well. Look at me. Don't I look alright?" Aditya said angrily, frustrated with what happened.

"Okay, sir! But I heard her scream, so just came to check."

"To check! Ohh! So, are you done? Checked? All well? Now, PLEASE pick up these pieces and go." he replied so rudely that the boy began to feel as if he was at fault.

"I'll call the sweeper, sir. He'll do that."

"Okay! Do whatever you want. I just want it to be cleaned. I don't want a speck of dirt on the floor!" Aditya ordered.

'As if the room is already sparkling clean!' the boy muttered to himself, observing the messed up room.

The sweeper was called. He collected all the pieces, swept the floor and went out of the room.

"I think I must leave now. That's better!" said the girl, now in a lower tone, and rushed out of the room.

The boy was about to leave when he suddenly asked, "Is everything REALLY alright, sir?"

Aditya gave him an intense look and pounced upon him with his 'verbal' claws, "Listen chap! If you ask that question again, I'm going to give you a 'choke slam'. Got it?"

The boy fled. Aditya shut the door and sat on the bed holding his head.

He ordered his dinner to his room, had it to the full and went to bed. This time, he didn't even bother to look at the beach. He was so exhausted that he fell asleep in a few minutes of lying down.