Not all breakups are toxic. Not all ex-lovers hate each other.  They just let somethings go...

He threw the key on the table and slammed the door shut. He kept his shoes neatly on the rack and kept the office bag on the table. Loosening the tie that almost killed him by fisting around his neck, he took a deep breath. He jerked his strong arms two to three times as cramps took over them. Today was one of the most tiring day he had in this month. Overtime is not at all fun. Though he had a bunch of friends in the office it really did not make any difference. His eyes ached like anything. Well, what can you expect when a person has been looking at that rectangular screen throwing blue light radiations at you for almost 12 hours. Even his fingers hurt due to the constant tapping on keyboard. He switched on the light and a cold wind gushed through the open window. He slammed his head against his palm and huffed. Rubbing his forehead with index finger and middle finger, he groaned. He again forgot to shut that damn window! God knows how many mice might have come by now. He hoped for none. Following his after work routine, he decided to take a bath. Contemplating whether to make a proper meal or simply eat noodles, he completed his bath routine. He wore simple grey shorts and a blue shirt.

Everything was perfect. He sat on the couch with a bowl of maggie...well not just Maggi but Masala Maggi which is literally the same but peas added in it. He picked up his phone and scrolled through various social media applications but nothing was intriguing enough. His fingers glided, double tapped, typed vigorously and then pressed the power button. He switched on the TV to take a look at the news. He did not believe in watching the news online on phone. After all, the damn TV needs to be used! He switched on the TV and pressed some buttons on the remote but the very next moment regretted doing so. The debate happening with people howling like wolves and hurling curses at each other was pathetic. He switched it off and got out of the sofa. Another unexciting day. Taking the bowl and throwing it in the sink, he decided to sit in the balcony for some hours. Yes, hours! After these tiring days when sleepless nights would take over, he often found himself sitting in the small balcony and plug some of his favorite songs and keep working on his laptop.

This was his life.... A simple happy middle class bachelor with a good job and package. Not that he hated his life or how normie his lifestyle is....he had faced 4 years in an engineering college's hostel, so he had almost seen every bad situation in life. There is no better teacher for teaching a less known subject called 'Failure' than an Engineering College Hostel. It teaches you to smoke weed, party, alcohol, dealing with hangover, not talking to girls because of assignments, being single if you are in mechanical department, so on and so forth! So, after dealing with all the problems above, he was practically prepared to even beat Bear Grylls! That is too much but he could make a tough competition tho!

That was not the problem, he was just tired of the sleepless nights. You know that uncomfortable and crying feeling that takes over you, when you really want to sleep but can't....that happened to him everyday. He stayed alone in a two bedroom studio apartment but all that he lacked was the one shoulder to keep a head on and sigh and vent out everything that was inside him. Books did help in passing time and taking him to another world, but after the cover used to shut, he was back to reality.

He sat on the artificial grass with a mug of freshly brewed coffee, laptop and earphones of course! He plugged them and searched for early 2000s songs in slow and reverberated versions. They hit different at midnight. As his search for the perfect jukebox was complete, his lips stretched in wide smile. Mohit Chauhan's Tum Se Hi played and that angelic voice took him to another dimension. Perhaps these songs had a huge hand in making him fall in love with his work and his promotions! The songs kept on changing with different soothing voices of Arijit Singh, Sonu Nigam, Mustafa Zahid, Amit Mishra and finally the most heartwarming song played with the voice of Udit Narayan ji..... Main Yaahan Hoon... Any sane person with a good taste of music can never even think of changing this track once it started playing and so did he. He could feel himself getting into the Veer-Zara era and float.

The song proceeded and his phone's screen lit up with the lock screen of his mother and father's photo. He smiled and looked at the notification. It was the dumb dating app he had installed just to see what exactly it was. He saw the logo and was about to switch it off when a particular name caught his eye. Hurriedly opening the notification, he couldn't believe what he saw. The air suddenly turned cold as chills ran down his spine and goosebumps took all over his skin. In bold letters was written,

"Shehnaaz Gill swiped right on your profile. It's A Crush!"

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She thumped on the bed uninterested. Her head was spinning with the continuous bumps she experienced throughout the uber ride. The potholes need to be fixed. She switched on the table lamp and out of nowhere Sparky hopped on her stomach and snuggled comfortably. She yelped but then smiled widely as she saw the little ball of fur jump on her with extreme enthusiasm and rest there comfortably. Running her fingers through the shiny black fur of the little kitten, she decided to sleep early and have a good sleep. As she was about to closed the lamp, her stomach growled and she realized she had been a way too lazy and that she hadn't eaten anything from the evening. Sighing, she looked at the clock who showed her the time: 9.30 pm. She put Sparky down and lazily walked upto the kitchen. Her mind being preoccupied with various things, she started preparing her dinner. She chopped the onions, curry leaves and various other veggies and made a tasty meal for herself.

She sat on the couch with plate in her hand and legs on the little center table and scrolled through her phone. "5 Tips to wake up early in the morning." The title instantly caught her eyes and clicked on the useless video. As she got involved further, she didn't realize that she was already drowned in the magical web of the internet suggestion. "5 Amazing beaches you should visit before you die.' She finished watching the video and casually took a look at clock only to get a electric shock! It was 1 at night? She started at fricking 10! 3 hours? She banged her palm on her forehead and threw that damn phone on the couch. But, phone and procrastination can never be detached from a person's soul.

As one part of her brain gave a suggestion to quickly sleep, her other part of brain told her that she had already wasted so many hours, why not more? And like every other person, she opened the phone again. The top left corner of her phone shined with a bright logo of a app she forgot she even had! Sitting on her bed comfortably with Sparky on the other side, she decided to roam around the app. As she went through the profiles, she laughed on the crazy bios people had put up! Chaisexual? Literally! Well she was actually a chaisexual person then! She swiped left and left and left but suddenly, her fingers stopped.

Her lips stretched in a big smile and eyes widened. The air turned cold within seconds and her ears turned pink. She sat on the bed startled causing the poor sparky take a stance for a fight! A low yet excited giggle left her throat. She was stunned! He was on dating apps? HE????!!!!!

She clicked immediately on his profile with the smile still intact on her face and read his bio. "Just Another Ordinary Guy. I have no idea why am I here! Nope. Wait.... Cause I am single maybe!" She laughed loudly and sparky was startled. What has happened to her? It thought as it looked at her with its green eyes.

"He is still the same! Frank and effortlessly funny!" She exclaimed. Going through his photos she smiled looking at one devilishly handsome photo of his. His hair was messy, he had black Ray-Ban shades on with black t shirt and faded blue denim jeans. His strong biceps were highlighted as he had folded his arms across his chest. His jaw was sharp and of course his attractive smirk took away all her attention. Damn! He has changed! She felt that same tingling and spark took all over her which she experienced years ago.

As that years ago memories flashed she looked up at the sky through the open window and laughed her heart out but then as those memories progressed, her smile shrank and her mistake knocked the door of her heart. The bubble burst and she nodded her head in various no-s.

Within seconds, her excitement drained and she stared at his pictures for a few more moments before clicking back and going on his profile. Sparky sensed the change of her emotions and crawled on her lap. She pressed the back button one more and was about to close the app further when sarpky out of nowhere made his appearance and she lost her balance.

The finger which was supposed to tap the back icon swiped right on the profile in the course of the small accident. She sat back and was looked at the phone when her face was taken over by the expression of sheer horror and she gasped loudly. A humongous wave of embarrassment washed over her and anxiety crept over her heart. Her eyes were out of her socket as the screen displayed,

"Siddharth Shukla - It's A Crush!"

His photo was all over screen. She felt stupid the very next moment and scolded sparky, "Sparky! Dumbo! You made me swipe right on my Ex- Boyfriend's profile!!! Are you kidding me??? What will he think!!!! And this stupid dating app says Its A Crush!!!! Dammit!"

She shouted loudly and sparky showed its kitty-eyes if they exist! She took a deep breath and calmed herself down from the rush of embarrassment and anxiety that ran down her nerves. Taking Sparky's fragile body in her lap she caressed it loving.

"I am so sorry sparky! But this is so embarrassing!

Anyways...its okay Shehnaaz!  It's fine. What's a big deal? You just swiped right on Siddharth's profile. It normal. It's completely normal....Wait what??? Nooo....Its NOT AT ALL NORMAL!!! You are an idiot! What will he think?

He will think I am a psychopath going around dating apps at 1.30 am in the night swiping right on her ex-boyfriend's profile!!!!! Wait....is that what he will think or you think you are! Damn! Rip self-esteem. Okay you know what? Just throw that damn phone away and sleep."

She told herself and kept the sleeping Sparky aside. Taking the blanket, she closed her eyes and felt sleep take over her when her phone pinged with a notification.

"Matt Dekh. Mat Dekh. Mat Dekh.....ugh!!! F*ck it." She picked the phone, clicked the power button and notification took away her breath. Her eyes grew wider, goosebumps took all over her senses. A warmth crept on her heart. She felt a  huge smile break on her face and cheeks turn red. This was not the adult Shehnaaz....this was the 9th Standard Shehnaaz simping madly over the class topper and her best friend Siddharth Shukla!!!

The notification spread over the screen as her photo and Siddharth's photo enclosed in a small circle shined with,

"It's A Match!"

Written on the screen. She threw away the blanket and stood at the window looking at the sky and wind gushed in. She ruffled her hairs as they blew along with it. She quickly took out her earphones and plugged on the music which she searched. As the music started, she smiled like a baby and giggled. The nostalgia that hit her with the song took her to the other dimension. As Shreya Ghoshal hit that mesmerizing note of the word 'Bahara', the 9th Standard Shehnaaz inside her came out dancing like a love sick girl. The tingling, goosebumps and feeling of ambiguity rushed through her nerves and this level of happiness was escalated when a message pinged her.

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"Shehnaaz Gill swiped right on your profile. It's A Crush!"

He opened the profile and was flabbergasted. He gripped the artificial grass between his rough fingers and bit his lip in excitement and controlling the stupid 9th Standard Siddharth inside him come out and scream his heart out. It was HER!!!! She is on dating app? SHE?!?!

He scrolled on her profile and read her bio. "My friend made me install this because she thought I was lonely af!"

"She is still the same! Idiot!" He said and took a look at her photo. He was amazed by her new look! She had highlighted her hair tips in burgundy color which suited her perfectly. She wore a simple black colored jumpsuit and sharp pencil heels. Her doe eyes were finished with perfectly winged eyeliner. And her smile took his breath away! It felt damn difficult to stop himself from squeaking in happiness.
With huge grin, almost red cheeks and happy heart he swiped right on her profile.

"It's A Match!"

He found himself smiling like an idiot after so many years! Though it felt suspicious at first as how after so many years she suddenly did this, Siddharth threw that thought out of the window and decided to enjoy that very surprising moment. For one time, he wanted to push away all those bad memories that came, all the heartbreak, the pain, the judgment and the negative mind, and decided to secretly relish this moment. No one will ever know. No one will ever know that the ever mature Siddharth allowed the teen Siddharth inside him jump and dance. No one will ever know that in this world of his where he constantly under pressure, Siddharth danced remembering his ex! The special one! No one will ever know. Not even her! And sometimes it's okay to let just somethings take over you and let out the weird flow of emotions.
Maybe that's what love is! You try so much to let them go off your life and memory, but they still come back. And when those memories come back, you cannot stop that strong feeling that takes over you and inside you. It's funny how a mere swipe of her's on his profile made him go crazy! He had moved on long back but he was still standing there somehow. Is that Love? Love.... so many definitions and yet it is undefined.

After biting his nails or almost the finger, he decided to text her.

"What should I text!" He exclaimed. "Same thing I used to do in school?" 

"Well, in school you used to text her 'Abey Lukkhi' I guess that won't sound good now!" His brain said.

"Hmm... How about this?" He said and typed away a message.

Siddharth Shukla:
"Shehnaaz Gill? SVPT High School? 10th A?"

Shehnaaz Gill:
"Siddharth Shukla? SVPT High School? 10th A? Roll Number 35?"

Siddharth Shukla:
"Yess!"

Shehnaaz Gill:
"Damn! After so many years! How are you?"

Siddharth Shukla:
"I am Good! You on dating app? I remember someone saying she doesn't believe in dating!"

Shehnaaz Gill"
"Well fair enough! But people change and so do their opinions! Also, the habit of taunting hasn't left your bones yet!"

Siddharth Shukla:
"Well, unlike opinions habits don't change!"
"Um...You free this weekend? We can just hang around!?"

As he saw the 'seen' below the message, the level of his anxiety increased and he bit his nails in anticipation. "You are a f*cking idiot! Can't you just wait! What if she was uncomfortable? What if she thought you of a creep? What if she blocks you? Tf Siddharth!" He cursed himself loudly and kept the phone on the artificial green grass. He tried concentrating on the laptop but the eagerness wouldn't leave him. He shut the flap down and closed his eyes.

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

"Um...You free this weekend? We can just hang around!?"
She read the message and her anxious self went up into the sky straight through the ceilings! She bit her upper lip and looked at the fan thinking what to answer when the shrill vibrations of the phone buzzed her hands. She looked at the screen instantly and saw the small red color box with power button display before it switched off. "Damn you! Idiot hopeless tin ka dabba!" She shouted on the phone and quickly ran to the living room. She plugged the charger into the socket and numerous thoughts occupied her mind.

"You kept him hanging there! What will he think of you? Hard to get? A serial killer who swipes right on her ex's profile starts a good conversation and ends it abruptly and goes to kill him?" Her brain mocked.

"Wtf! That's not even gonna happen! I ain't killing anyone! Brain. You. Need. To. Shut. The. F*ck. Up. You and your over thinking was the reason for our break-up. You better stay in limit." She said to her brain...well...technically herself and the phone switched on.

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

He lied back on the bed keeping all his equipments namely laptop, coffee mug, earphones aside and kept the phone on his stomach. He rested his head on his folded hand and stared at the ceiling. It's been 5 minutes and she hadn't texted him back. His heart slowly took off the bandaid he had put on it years back. "It happened again Siddharth. The same thing." His heart sighed and so did he. Their last conversation played in his head.

"I don't think this will work out..."
"It can....we can make it work...."
"What if we end up hating each other...."
"We won't Shehnaaz....I neither can nor could ever hate you...."
"This is about you....but I am not sure about myself.... I am sorry but I can't..."

As the conversation ws about to proceed further, his phone beeped.

"Yeah! Sure! Actually my phone died! Had to plug it! So this weekend, Rose Café?" 
His eyes lit up straight from the small water drops to shiny dark eyes shining under the yellow night lamp. A serene smile crossed his face and heart and the bandaid was put back in it's place, filling up the cracks.

"Sure!"
"See you then....Goodnight!"
He texted away and waited for her reply.

"Goodnight!"

He closed the phone and took a deep breath. His eyes closed and his heart whispered 'it won't happen again...' His eyelids shut softly and a sound sleep took over him. A peaceful sleep he craved for so many months. Soft snores resonated in the room and the curtains flew as the wind rushed in. Perhaps this time the wind was actually chill and had not turned cold suddenly!

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

She smiled and texted Goodnight with her very favorite exclamation mark and kept the phone aside. She felt calm. But the little bandaid was torn already! The little crack was still there. She sighed deeply and covered herself with the soft blanket. The lamp was turned off and she closed her eyes. Within seconds she was transported to her dreams. Light snores reverberated in the room. The faint beams of street light entered her room and hit on the photo hanging on her wall. "Class Photo- 10th A" The letters shined and so did the two widely smiling faces.

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What exactly happened that day?
What exactly happened with them?
What was the reason behind the breakup of relationship and friendship?
What exactly happened that even after she broke his heart, he couldn't even come close to hate her?
What exactly happened that even after she broke up with him, she wasn't able to forget him?
What exactly happened they still haven't moved on completely?
What happened that even after so many years, they still feel those butterflies, tingling and goofy smile!
But most importantly, how will the date go?
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Hope you guys liked it! Thank you so much for all the love you have showered on the previous chapter. All the comments, votes and follows were so much fun and lovely!

This is totally different from the first one. If I would have continued, it might have created a mess so, I am sorry, but you guys have to wait for the next chapter! Hope it would be worth the wait. Also, I have zero knowledge of how dating apps work....if you think that it's not how it works, apologies! Sorry for the mistakes if any. Drop a vote if you liked it.

What do you think must have happened? Do let me know in the comments!