It was raining and these two people, strangely not so strangers, were standing under an umbrella, getting drenched from below the knee, looking everywhere else than at each other, not knowing how and what to speak to each other.

They both reminisced their flirty talks on call over the past 3 days and then they reminisced the way they met and fought for an auto. The entire conversation rewinds in their mind. Though it was raining heavily their lips were dry in nervousness now.

They look at each other in awkwardness.

Sid and Sana: (in Unison) Aaa...

They both turn their face away trying to gain some more courage to speak again.

Sid and Sana: (in Unison) I'm sorry..

They look at each other and realise that it wasn't just them but even the other was in same awkwardness. They burst out laughing for long time.

He was so eagerly waiting to see her from the moment he had heard her voice over the phone. Their argument for an auto had hampered the excitement he had.

He looked at her now properly. She was wearing a yellow coloured cotton churidhar with minimum makeup. Straight hair tied into a high ponytail, almond shaped eyes, sharp nose, fuller lips, a maroon bindi, small golden jhumka earrings which kissed the end of the jaw lines when she made movements. She wasn't the most gorgeous looking girl but she was divinely looking simple homely girl.

Sidharth: I am so sorry Sana. We had a bad first encounter. I overreacted instead of letting you take the auto. I spoilt the first meeting experience which you might have imagined or dreamnt of meeting your boyfriend.

Sana: (smiled) Thank you for giving me an extraordinary first encounter. So different from that cliche first meetings which everyone experiences. I am thoroughly enjoying every bit of it. I couldn't have asked for better first meeting.

His mouth fell open agape. She proved him wrong again by showing him the positives of what he thought was the most disastrous first meeting. Indeed this would go back to be the most extraordinary and lovely first meeting down the memory lane.

Sana: By the way, I am still very hungry.

Sid: Me too. Last I ate was in flight last night.

Sana: Huh? Flight?

He bit his tongue since he didn't wanted to show her that he belonged to a different state.

Sid: Hmm.. Actually, I am from Delhi.

Sana: (shocked) What? I.. I thought you were a Kannadiga.

Sid: Huh? Why? Is there any problem in being Delhiite? You wanted only Kannadiga boyfriend, is it?

Sana: (Blushed) No no no! There is no problem at all. I am okay with Delhiite as well. Besides Bengaluru is more multicultural than Delhi.

Sid: Huh? How do you know? Have you ever been to Delhi?

Sana: I am sorry, I didn't mean to be offensive.

Sid: (laughs) Chuck it! So now that you know I am not a locallite, where are you taking me for best breakfast in Bengaluru?

Sana: We've already missed that opportunity since we missed our reservation here. I'll take to you someplace nearer now. Let's go!

She waves at an auto and they occupy the seat. He smiles as he realises how their journey started from fighting for an auto, travelling in a different auto to travelling in a single auto together now. He opens his backpack and gives her Cadbury Silk Bubbly chocolate bar.

Sid: I didn't know what to get for you. So got this for you.

Sana: Oh my God! This is my favourite! Thank you so much. Aaa.. well thank you cancel. I don't think a girlfriend needs to say thanks to her boyfriend.

He laughs with a blush and moves his head in agreement. (Can you imagine this? He did this everytime she took juloos out of him. 🥺)

Sana: How did you know that this is my favourite chocolate?

Sid: I thought a bubbly girl like you might like this bubbly chocolate.

They both laugh. She teared the wrapper and opened it. She broke a piece from it and offered him.

Sid: Arey arey, why are you in so hurry to eat this? Let's have our breakfast before eating this sweet. It will spoil the appetite.

Sana: I don't plan for future. Life is unpredictable so let's live in present. I felt like eating it so I opened it and I am having it.

She cut another piece and gave it to the auto driver who smilingly accepted it.

Sid: But it's just a matter of half an hour or an hour at the max. I am not telling you to preserve it for days.

Sana: I know it's just a matter of half an hour or an hour but the statement won't change. Life is unpredictable even if it's just next minute or the next second. We save money for future by killing our deepest desire but how do we know if we will be able to enjoy it or not in future.

Sid: Isn't that short sightedness? We can't always enjoy and stop saving for future as we might endanger our future by depleting the resources today.

Sana: In another word, you want to stop living today because you want to live tomorrow?

Sid: Huh? (Speechless)

Sana: Can we stop taking in oxygen to save oxygen for tomorrow? Can we stop eating food today so that we can eat it tomorrow? Then why do we need to stop doing something today so that we can do it tomorrow? And just to add, spending to live your desire is not to be mistaken with waste.

Sid: I thought I was the most logical thinking person but you've made me speechless.

Sana: I think our ancestors were right in doing things. Being a Brahmin myself, in ancient time Brahmin never saved anything. Not even food items. They would impart knowledge, take alms from people on daily basis and not think about what to eat for tomorrow. We've made things complicated. We are never satisfied even if we have enough money to survive for years. We still look to earn more money and in this hustle we forget to live in our present.

Driver: Madam, Shanti Sagar Restaurant bantu nodi {Shanti Sagar Restaurant has arrived}

Sana: (laughs) Adu bandilla anna, Navu adara hatira bandidivi.. {It has not arrived anna, we've arrived near it}

She pays him the fare.

Driver: (laughs) Neevu tumba funny madam. Devaru nim ibbaranu tumba santhoshvaagi idali {You are very funny ma'am. May God bless you both with happiness}

Sana: Thanks Anna. (Smiles with a blush)

Sid admired her talking sweetly with an unknown auto driver. He looked at her blushing with curiosity as he didn't understand their conversation. As the auto driver started and went away, they start walking inside a small restaurant.

Sid: What did he say? Why did you smile?

Sana: He blessed us both to stay happy together.

He smiled but then he remembered how short the togetherness will be and became sad. Sana observed the changes in expression and she understood the reason.

Sana: Baby!!

Sid was at once brought back to present with that word. He tried controlling a lot but his blush was out of control. Her calling him baby gave him tingling affect. She smiled at the change of expression.

Sana: What would you like to eat?

Sid: You are the Mallu, you should be the best person to tell me what is the best dish to eat? I only know Dosa and Idli.

Sana: (Giggles) Just the way you club Kannadiga, Tamilian, Telgu and Malayali as Mallu. You know you can get 99 varieties of Dosey itself.

Sid: Dosey?

Sana: (Laughs) Yeah, it's Dosey which you call Dosa.

Sid: Oh! Dosey.. 99 varieties? Why not 100?

Sana: (shook her head in disbelief) God! Why are you crying over that 1? Imagine you have 99 varieties to try. How many have you tried?

Sid was mortified of being a pessimist. Yes! Pessimist because he was ready to give away his life 3 days back. She was an optimist, trying to live in that short period of time she had. None of her words were rubbish. Every word she spoke gave out a lesson to live the life.

Sid: Hmm.. tell me more about the food.

Sana: Dosey, Idli is still common. Have you tried Bisibele bath?

Sid: I know sponge bath and sun bath. What's this BC Bey Le Bath?

Sana: (facepalms and giggles) it's not that bath. Bath means rice. You are saying as if it's a swearing word. It's Bisibele bath. Let's slurp it.

She orders Bisibele bath which was served hot and super quick.

Sid: Woahh!! That was pretty quick!!

Sana: Yes, because it's readily available as it's prepared in huge quantity and kept ready. There are lots of vegetable in it. Very healthy!!

He takes a spoonful and tries stuffing in his mouth when she holds his hand.

Sana: Do you want to burn your mouth? It's very hot. And wait, do you see this boondi? You have to spread it over the bath before eating.

She pulled his hand near her face and blew air on the food to cool it, she then guided his hand to the bowl of boondi and dipped the spoon. He smiled at her instructions. She was  literally treating him like a baby. She guided his had to his mouth and he opened his mouth while admiring her and enjoying the special treatment. She looked at him and raised her eyebrows.

Sidharth: Ummm.. Wow!! This is so tasty. This one is gone be my favourite from now.

Sana: (chuckled) It's my favourite as well. (She picks up a spoonful and lifts it up) Cheers!!

Sidharth: (does the same) Cheers!!

He couldn't believe that he was acting like a kid with her but he enjoyed every bit of the moment.

___________________________

To be continued.. ❤️❤️