Chapter 11 : Yup! Definitely magical!

At exactly 7 pm on Thursday, I knock on Abhay's door, wearing my most comfortable pair of jeans with an incredibly soft cotton blouse. I have a pair of silver strappy flat sandals on. Though I didn't bother with any jewelry, except for some pearl ear studs, I spent some time perfecting my 'casual' looking messy side braid, with loose tendrils framing my face. After a light coat of mascara and lip gloss, I was done. Casual but pretty.

My days went from busy to crazy soon after our first date, our incredible first date. I got three new orders. I tried my best to politely tell them I couldn't do it, but the disappointed looks on my customer's face immediately melted me into saying yes, and working till late hours to get them done. Even amidst all the continuous work, our wonderful date had never left my mind for too long, and so hadn't my ideas and plans for the second date.

I hear movement on the other side of the door as I wait holding the big wicker picnic basket containing our dinner, in my hands. I want tonight to go as perfectly as the first date did. I want to impress Abhay as well as he impressed me, so I spent a good amount of time and money these past few days, buying the picnic basket and other stuff for today's date online.

Some smart part of my brain knows that Abhay probably wouldn't care about the picnic basket, but the stubborn perfectionist romantic side of me wants everything to go just right, not even a wicker in the basket out of place. I want to create magic.

Seconds later, the door opens revealing a smiling Abhay, "Hello Dia, you are right on time," he says, and simply stands there, staring at me with a smile, and I stare right back, my own smile matching his. It has been a busy week, it's good to be in each others company again, taking time, enjoying these growing emotions inside us.

After a few seconds of staring, he blinks the trance away, steps out of his house and starts locking the door after him, and that's when I notice that he's wearing a white button down with blue jeans...

Wow! We match!

My smile widens. Well, I can just feel how perfect tonight is going to be already. When he turns towards me after locking his door, I shift the basket to my left hand and hold out my right for him to take.

With our fingers intertwined, I walk him towards the staircase. "What's that in your hand? Here, let me carry it. It looks heavy," he reaches for the basket, but I immediately move it away.

"I do all the work today, you just enjoy," I say as we reach the staircase.

"And, what's wrong with the elevator?" Abhay asks, confused.

"Nothing, but we don't need it right now. Remember the first time you were here, I wanted to show you something?" I ask him, barely containing my excitement.

"Of course, I also remember kicking myself for turning you down, I should've called in sick or something," he says, giving me a self depreciating smile, but still looking confused about what I was getting at.

I let out a laugh, "you are fine, I totally understand. Save your sick leaves for when you are actually sick," I assure him. "Anyway, since I'm the embodiment of kindness, I've renewed the offer for you, added with plenty of other bonuses. So, are you ready?" I ask him playfully, nodding my head towards the staircase leading us up to the rooftop.

His face immediately brightens up with both realization and excitement. "How can I ever say no to such kindness? Lead the way," he replies, humoring me.

Together we climb up the stairs, stealing glances, sharing smiles. I have been checking the weather constantly. Today's forecast is clear skies with slight wind. Absolutely perfect for what I've planned.

Soon we reach the door to the rooftop, to the date awaiting us. I turn towards Abhay, "ready?" I ask, feeling nervous. I hope it looks as romantic and magical as I planned it to be.

"Definitely!" he says, giving my hand a squeeze. I nod my head at him, before pushing open the door.

Together we step out onto the community garden, the freshness of green lives, the scent of flowers, the earthy smell of soil hitting us.

I feel my heart soar, when I find Abhay looking at the rooftop covered with plants in wonder. I give myself a pat on the back, when I see his eyes widen, even more amazement colors his features as his gaze falls upon the picnic I've set up right in the middle of all the greenery and under the slowly turning darker, night sky.

I have laid out a soft picnic blanket on the floor, and added a few throw pillows for cushioning. I put a vase of my red long stemmed roses in the middle, and what's a romantic dinner without candle light, so the whole perimeter outside the blanket is lined with glass candle jars I spent hours buying online, all lit up.

When I look at him staring between me and the step up in awe, I realize that each one of the second I spent planning this date is worth the look of amazement on Abhay's face. I can't wait for him to taste the food I've made.

"So, can I assume that you like it?" I tease a still starstruck Abhay.

He chuckles shaking his head, then looks at me with his beautiful smile, "you'll be assuming correctly," he says and this time, he leads me towards our date.

We both take off our shoes before crossing the candle boundry into the cozy picnic blanket, sit down and get comfortable.

"This is all really great Dia! The garden too! Is the garden what you wanted to show me then?" he asks lending me a hand in taking the food out of the basket.

"Yeah, a few months back I went to this farmhouse with Rajiv. It is owned by his aunt and uncle, they grow organic vegetables and fruits there. Rajiv buys some of his vegetables from them for his restaurant. It was a good field trip for me. His aunt is a really sweet woman, she showed me around, answered my questions, taught me to plant and talked about gardening, while Rajiv and his uncle talked shop. I was completely hooked. Up until then I had never been interested in gardening, nobody in my family was, as you could probably guess by their jobs and it's demanding natures, but that day, I got totally sucked into the gardening world," I say. By this point, all the food is laid in front of us, but we just sit there, him listening to me talk, me wanting to share another piece of me with him.

"Once I got back, with a new love in my heart, I visited the nursery the very next day. At first I bought only one pot, and a red rose plant. I cared for it with so much love. It felt incredible to grow a life, watch it bloom in front of me, because of my care. Then I wanted more. So I bought few more, then some more until there wasn't enough room in my balcony," I continue recalling, as I take out the glass bottle containing grape soda. I carefully uncork the lid and start pouring it in the two wine glasses I brought along.

When I open my mouth to continue, Abhay interrupts me, " Dia, I'm so sorry to say this, but I don't drink, and I thought that you didn't too," he asks, uncomfortably.

I chuckle, "I know Abhay, I remember, and yes I definitely don't drink either. This is grape soda, I just thought it might give off a vibe, you know," I explain and watch as his face relaxes.

"Okay then," he says. Though he looks okay now, something in his body language tells me that something is still bothering him, but I brush it aside as my imagination.

I hand him his glass and take my own before continuing, "When my poor plants and I both couldn't fit in my balcony anymore, I asked the internet for solutions, and that's when I read this incredible article about community gardens. You see, each patch of soil, each station, as we like to call it here, belongs to one flat. The people can grow anything they want in their respective stations. It's a great way to reduce space, cultivate a hobby and bring people together. As soon as I read about it, I just knew that I had to initiate it here, not just for me, but for everyone. People didn't immediately jump at my idea though. It took me six association meetings, a four times revised budget estimation and lots of bribing with food and coaxing with my charm to bring all this," I gesture around myself with wide arms proudly, " to life. You see that empty station two rows down?" I ask the attentively listening professor, and when I receive a nod of affirmation, I continue, "well, that's yours. If you want to grow anything, I know an excellent gardener who can help," I finish with a playful wink.

He laughs at that, "I'll have to get back to you on that offer some other time, miss gardener," he says, taking a small sip out of his still practically full glass, while mine on the other hand is already empty. I pour myself another glass. Maybe, he was just too invested in my story to drink.

"If you don't want to grow anything, you can totally lend it to me, I already have four other non interested people's stations," I reply, proud of my gardening abilities.

He laughs out again, "why am I not surprised? I'm not not interested though, may be you can show me how it's done first?" he asks, taking another tiny sip.

"Definitely!" I say, already finished with my second glass. Maybe, he doesn't drink soda before food? "Are you ready to eat?" I ask him, taking the plates out of the basket.

"Yeah, definitely," he says, taking his plate out of my hand, "so what did you make for me today?" he asks, drumming his fingers on the back of the plate he is holding to his chest, looking excited.

I grin brightly, "Well, I have Mixed Vegetable Cutlet for the starter, my very famous, very in demand mushroom fried rice and for the dessert, I have gulab jamun and vanilla ice cream, they taste great together," I finish, looking at him expectantly, eager to witness the hearty content expression on his face, the same one he displays everytime I make him something to eat.

He gives me a smile, "it all sounds delicious," he says, and I immediately know that there is a problem. His usual expression is nowhere to be found, his movements get a little stiff, but I'm afraid to find out, afraid to ruin anything. It has all been so perfect so far.

So, when he takes the first bite of his cutlet, gives out an appreciate groan and says "wow, this is delicious," with his usual vigor, I brush aside the temporary unease I noticed, and join him in eating.

The conversation starts flowing again, and everything returns back to normal. I completely forget all about my doubts and let myself enjoy the sweet company. And, that's exactly when things start to take a big U-turn.

The gentle winds predicted in the forecast suddenly decides to change it's pace. The unexpectedly strong wind manages to blow out some of the unfortunate candles, reducing our vision a bit.

"Oh! One sec, I'll light them up right now," I say, my hand immediately going inside the basket for the matchbox, and that's when I remember the matchbox lying on my coffee table, forgotten to be packed. I mentally scold myself for my negligence.

"It's okay Dia, this wind is strong, it'll only blow out again, let's just eat," he says and I comply, my mood dampened a bit.

Just as I take another fork bite of my cutlet dipped in green chutney, Abhay cries out, "Ahhh! Something fell in my eye." The next thing I know, his right hand goes to his tightly shut right eye, while his plate with the appetizer, slips out of his left hand onto his lap, "Ugh!" he groans at getting food on his lap.

I react on instinct and reach out to help him. I put my plate aside and rise to a kneel, ready to move to him to help out, and guess what happens next? I'll tell you. I knock over Abhay's still almost full grape soda, spilling soda on him, me, the throw pillows and the blanket! Ughhh!!

This is not how I planned the date!!

"I'm so sorry Abhay! Shit! This is going to stain. Are you okay? Here, let me help you," I tell the still struggling man, and move closer, moving right along the mess, his struggle my priority. Stains and stickiness can wait.

I gently remove his hand, and place my own on his face, and gently separate his eyelids, "open your eyes a little, let me see," I tell him. Once he complies, I examine the whites of his eye for the foreign particle. I see a miniscule spec of dust, "I'm going to take it out, so please hold still," I say, and gently stick my finger and take it out. I sense Abhay controlling a flinch.

I move back a bit, "is it okay now?" I ask him. He opens both his eyes and blinks a few times, "yeah, thank you," he says with a chuckle. That's exactly when I notice two things.

One, my left hand is still on his right shoulder and I'm sitting really really close to him, which is kind of giving me crazy ideas and is making my heart race and butterflies to go wild in my stomach. Two, this is such a cliche!

To make it more cliche, Abhay realizes our proximity too, and by the look on his face and the way his adam's apple bobs, I'm pretty sure he is getting a few crazy ideas of his own.

Are we going to kiss? Maybe this disaster date can turn magical after all. I slowly lean in, and feel him inch forward a bit.

Guess what happens next? Nope, we don't kiss.

The sky opens up and pours on us. There is no warning, the rain starts so suddenly and so heavily that we both jump apart in shock. I immediately right myself. "Shit! Shit!" I mutter as I scramble to get all the food inside, but it's too late, the cutlet is already soggy, the fried rice resembles rasam rice. It's all beyond salvation.

This isn't supposed to happen! Tonight is supposed to be perfect!

I start hastily and angrily putting inside all the dishes, Abhay silently helping me. When the basket is packed, we stand up. As Abhay goes to pick the blankets, I call out over the pour, "leave it, we can't carry all those wet, it'll weigh a ton, I'll come and get those later." I take his hand, and we jog towards the staircase.

As soon as we are under the sunshade of the stairwell door, I involuntarily drop the basket noisily and slump against the wall, defeated. My eyes start to sting a bit, so I cover my face with my hands and will for the clogging in my throat to go away, for the burn in my eyes to subsidize.

I just wanted tonight to go well. I just wanted to give the man I've come to care so much about, a night to remember. I just wanted to eat and talk.

All these thoughts only make me angry, frustrated, and leave me feeling stupid. Without my knowledge, the tears stream down my face, and my shoulders start to shake, which manages to aggravate me even more. Get it together Dia! Do you want him to run in the opposite direction?

That's when I feel two warm plams on each of my shoulder, gently straightening me away from the wall, "Dia, I'm so sorry you're upset. I'm sorry if it's my fault, can I do something? Please don't cry," he says, sounding disgruntled.

I remove my hands off my face. "No, I'm sorry, I just wanted to give you a perfect date, a night to remember. I just wanted for you to enjoy tonight, for us to enjoy being with each other, but it became a disaster. You didn't like the drink, you didn't like the food, then the stupid wind blew, then your eye got irritated, then I stained your jeans with grape juice, and now we are both soaked!" I blabber, my throat clogging up again.

But, unexpectedly, the first real magic happens then, Abhay cautiously and gently pulls me towards him, and wraps his hand around my back. I stiffen from the foreign contact for a second, before melting into him. I slowly wrap my own arms around him.

"It is not a disaster, you know why?" he asks softly, hugging me a little closer, "because I got to spend time with you after five days, because I got to witness how much you care to make others happy, make me happy, because I got to see your beautiful face in candlelight glow, because I got to hear you talk, because I got to witness you share another part of your life with me," he says, making my heart burst, my stomach to flip over, and then he adds, "also because I get to hold you so close," then places a soft yet lingering kiss on my forehead, completely undoing me. How exactly did I get so lucky?

So, exactly like last time, my body reacts before I do, I lean back a bit and stare into the beautiful eyes staring down at me with so much affection. I lean forward and angle my head upwards a bit and plant my lips on his.

Except, unlike in my thoughts, my lips don't fully touch his, my upper lip touches his lower, while my lower lip kisses his chin, and when that little contact alone jolts me with feelings and harmones, I immediately pull back. Mumbling a "sorry" I shyly resume hugging him, lowering my gaze and burying my face in his chest.

Next thing I know, I'm gently pushed back, I make eye contact with Abhay for a second, before his one warm palm cups my cheek, while the other snakes around my neck and his lips comes down on mine, this time, properly. My whole body tingles for a shocking second. I've never felt anything like it before.

I freeze up for a second in shock, before my own hands wind around his neck pulling him closer. Our lips stay on each other's, sealed, unmoving. Both inexperienced and unsure. Then, slowly he moves his lips to lightly hold my bottom lip between his, applying light pressure. My stomach flips. I move my own lips, adding pressure, teasing, testing, feeling.

We slowly pull apart, my arms still around his neck, his still cupping my cheek. I shyly look at him from under my lashes, to see him looking adorably shy himself.

In that moment, staring at his beautiful face, I realize something that I should've a long time ago. The date wouldn't have been perfect even if it had gone a hundred percent like I'd planned it, if it wasn't for him. He makes the date perfect for me, just like I probably make it for him. We make it all perfect for each other. Magical for each other.

At the realization, a big smile forms on my face, I lean forward and kiss his cheek, making him even more adorably flustered, "thanks for making another date perfect for me, for us, " I tell him, looking at him.

He regains his composure, "well, you've made most of my days after meeting you, perfect for me, so I should be the one thanking you," he adds placing his forehead against mine, giving that beautiful, meaningful smile of his. There goes my heart fluttering again.

"Hey, don't say such things with that beautiful smile, or else, I'll end up falling for you," I say softly, only half joking.

Instinctively, he pulls me closer, "that's the plan. And of course, I'll be right alongside you, falling myself," he says, the smile never leaving his face, eliciting a content smile on my own face. Yup! Definitely magical!

"That's good to hear," I say, and we stay like that for a few seconds. Clothes sticky and soaked, face and hair a mess, barefoot, but completely content wrapped in each other's arms.

That is, until Abhay's stomach let's out a loud growl, and I immediately burst out laughing, "that's what you get for not eating. Why didn't you want to eat, anyway?" I ask him, looking at the sheepish guy.

"Maybe I should've told you this before, I don't really like drinks containing soda. I just hate the burps and the pressure. I've never liked them. And, it's not that I didn't want to eat, it's just we don't eat mushrooms in our home, that's a cultural thing too. Again, I should've told you. I'm sorry if I made you think that I didn't appreciate your efforts," he explains, placing a quick peck on my forehead. I feel so happy when he kisses me like that. As if it's so natural for him to shower me with such affection. I like this new development between us. I like it a lot.

"It's not a problem, I totally understand, we'll just have to order in today," I smile, shrugging at him.

"You okay with Subway? I feel like getting subway now," he tells me, as we untangle ourselves. He picks up the basket in one hand and takes my hand in the other, leading us down to either one of our homes.

"Sounds perfect," I tell him, absolutely meaning it. Abhay plus subway or pizza or vada paav or curd rice, anything sounds perfect as long as it's with him.