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"Do you know how lucky you are, Nandini? Matlab army camp mein kaam karna..." Navya used her cutlery and popped a bite of French toast into her mouth. "Where there are only rugged, good-looking men everywhere you see!" She gestured into the space, as if moving a banner in the air.

Nandini rolled her eyes at her overly dramatic childhood friend. No matter how many years passed, the Ranbir Kapoor fangirl in her friend did not diminish in its spirit.

Navya snapped her fingers, bobbing her head in a teasing manner, "And the sexiest thing is they would literally die for their country! Aur jab apne desh ke liye marrne ko tayyar hai toh tumhare liye kya kuch nahi denge, behna!" Bursting into chuckles, she tried to control herself.

They were in a posh cafe, that was several leagues far from the school canteen in which Nandini and Navya would chatter endlessly. Three girls were assembled there one monsoon morning to celebrate Nandini's internship offer–as a clinical psychologist at an army camp in Gujarat for a duration of six months! Wooden tables with no more than three chairs, cottage looking windows, white marble flooring and luxurious green plants decorated the eatery in a chic manner.

When they first looked at the menu, seeing simple dishes in the two hundreds' range had caused Navya to collapse in her chair. A polite waitress had come over to fill their glasses and asked if they wanted their water chilled. While Nandini nervously nodded with whatever option the lady provided, Navya clutched her hand and asked for normal water, worried that the cooled beverage would be another surcharge on their heads.

Soha chewed down her waffles and leaned in, whispering at Nandini's friend who seemed overly joyed in a world of her own, "Navya! Don't you have a boyfriend?" Soha was a lot more sophisticated in her appearance, and made sure to not talk while she was munching.

"Arrey toh kya hua, main apne liye thodi bol rahi hoon! Main toh Nandini ke liye sapne dekh rahi hoon, on her behalf! Just imagine... for 8 hours of everyday, sirf options hi options..." She animatedly said, taking another bite.

Nandini was baffled. "You're making it sound like I am going to work at a brothel! Shut up!" She uttered exasperatedly while swirling her oatmeal bowl.

Nandini had purchased the cheapest item on the menu, knowing that her friends were going to treat her and found it impolite to not be considerate of their college student budgets. Her hands left the spoon and fluttered in the air, "I'm just panicking yeh sochke ki how..." Aiyappa, just imagining the scenario was nerve-racking! "How will I interact with them?" She gasped in shock.

Soha dabbed her mouth with the napkin and put a hand on Nandini's shoulder. "Nands, you are just taking way too much stress! It's just a job, jaise humse baat kar rahi ho, you will behave the same way with them,"

Navya glared at Nandini's college friend. It was because of a friendship like hers that Nandini had a track record of zero men in her life, and had not batted a single eyelash towards guys looming in the opposite college who were head over heels for some girls from her campus. Such terrible influence this Soha was!

Had Navya selected Arts and joined Nandini's college in Mumbai instead of Manipal Institute of Technology with a bunch of engineers, she would have made sure Nandini at least went on one date, if not all the way and sacrificing her virginity!

"Uski baatein mat suno Nandini, tum single hi marogi phir! Mauke ka fayda uthao!" Nandini nodded mindlessly, unsure if her friend's idea was really the best. The girl sometimes had her head up in the clouds, and Nandini could not match that level of delusion or optimism. Navya sulked at Nandini's lack of enthusiasm. Turning a bit serious, she asked, "Accha, did you give the app idea a thought?" Nandini's silent smile was an answer in itself.

"You made a dating profile?" Soha gasped. Navya rolled her eyes, of course she would, I told her to. "Show me!"

Nandini reluctantly handed her phone to Soha.

"Nands, could you have not chosen better photos? What is this ya, kurtis? Seriously? You could have told me, I would have lent you my sexy dresses!"

Navya stretched a hand over the table, flapping her fingers, "Dikhao dikhao!" Navya scrutinised the profile, for the first time agreeing with Soha. She wanted to give Nandini a lecture that dating apps were all about first impressions and that guys would never swipe on her if she posted such modest pictures of herself.

Then, to her own surprise, a small banner popped at the top of the screen. "Arrey you've gotten a match!"

"Who-who is it?" Soha asked eagerly, and Nandini's heart started beating fast. She remembered swiping right on three or four profiles altogether who were the only ones who seemed decent. The rest seemed like gym freaks who were either: looking for something only physical, or who just wanted a girl to show off in public and had a whole list of conditions about how their dream girl must be. On seeing a few of those profiles consecutively, she finally giving up and resorted to her single life.

"Haw! He's a hottie!" Navya said looking at the photos, and smirking as she read his bio, "6"2? You know what they say about height and, ahem ahem..."

Nandini's jaw dropped as the phone went to Soha.

"Manik..." She almost moaned, earning a slap on the back from Nandini. "Wow, what a sexy name! He plays guitar, he knows how to use those fingers! Good pick haan?!"

"Shut up!" Nandini tucked her hair behind her ear, and could neither stop the smile on her face, nor the flush of heat that sat over her cheeks, blazing them from the inside. Feeling two pairs of eyes slyly harassing her, she shrugged and closed her eyes tightly. "You girls are horrible, seriously!"

The two girls roared into laughs, startling some of the customers who had eyed them uneasily when they had begun their selfie spam before their food arrived.

Soha was the first to feel sorry for Nandini, "Acchha, message him na? When it's a match the girl only has to reach out."

"Desperate nahi lagega?"

"Ruko hum madad karte hai tumhari!" Navya typed up a text, and then showed the two girls over the table, seeking their approval before the message swooshed away into their chat.

*Hey, nice to meet a fellow musician.*

Nandini internally cringed, immediately hating that she was peer-pressured into messaging him almost immediately after matching. Besides, was that how normal women–not women like Navya–chatted with the opposite gender? If only she paid more attention to the gossips and stories drifting around college with regards to boys, then she would know the game better.

*Hey!*

Great, look he's unimpressed by your attempt, Nandini thought while Navya beamed, "Arrey look how quickly he responded!"

Unsure of what to type next or whether he even wanted to continue the conversation, all three girls sat around the phone, completely sidelining their food. Nandini was tapping her feet restlessly.

*Youre beautiful!* He added, bringing a new wave of warmth to Nandini's cheeks, unbeknownst to her.

Soha relaxed in her seat, resuming her meal. "Line maar raha hai!"

"Oh hello, kya bolna chahti ho, humaari Nandu khoobsurat nahi hai?"

Nandini took the matter in her hands and sent.

*You're missing an apostrophe, and you probably say that to every girl you meet.*

Biting her lower lip, she waited. Typing...

Navya peeked in, and twitched her lips, "Kya yaar Nandini, you should have said thank you and waited for him to shower more compliments!"

*Is that your subtle way of asking me to meet you?*
*You're one step ahead already, eager much!*

All three jaws dropped ajar, as Navya gave Soha the 'oh wow!' eyebrow raise and lip twist, and Soha responded with a thumbs up and a nod, so as to say 'impressive'. Nandini confusedly eyed the two girls. The conversation had taken an unexpected turn.

*Is that better?*
*When do you want me to take you out?*

"Wow, he's triple-quadruple texting! Usually guys don't even double text," sulked Navya, sadly finishing up her food that had gone cold from helping her friend sort out her love life. But then again, anything for friendship.

Talking to him was so exciting, Nandini never imagined it to feel that way. She could vaguely understand the thrill other girls from college felt as they discussed their experiences in detail at the college canteen and anywhere outside of class.

*I am not in town this weekend, I'll only be back on the 20th.*

She was not making it up. Her family and Navya's family, along with another friend's family in the neighbourhood were all going on a short getaway to Coorg, one of the hill stations in Karnataka for Independence Day week.

*I cant wait that long!*

The missing apostrophe made Nandini roll her eyes. She wanted to type she couldn't wait either, but decided against it. She barely knew the guy, why was she in such a rush to meet him?

*You said youre not free over the weekend, what about tomorrow though?*
*Its a Friday, I will make sure you get home on time*

Nandini gave it some thought. It was a nice feeling to know Manik was just as restless to meet her sooner. Potentially, Nandini could tell her family she was going out with Navya, but she wasn't sure they would allow her to have fun two days in a row. On top of that, if someone in the colony caught her with a guy somewhere fancy outside, they would definitely snitch on her. The biggest problem was that going out at night with a stranger for a first date seemed like a terrible idea.

*You can use exclamations correctly but not apostrophes and full stops? Very very bad, Manik. Very disappointing.*

Just as Nandini hit 'Enter', Manik had begun typing with a smirk on his face that Nandini could not have known across the screens.

*Aadat si hai, mujhe change karna itna bhi aasaan nahi hai, you see?*
*You do know Hindi right?*
*Did I scare you away already?*

Both Soha and Navya gave the girl some space as they alternated looks between themselves, eyeing Nandini's blush and the shy way in which she tried to hide her smile every now and then. What place could she ask for where there would be the least number of nosy aunties?

*Challenge accepted! I was thinking something along the lines of an arcade?*

"Oh behna, thoda bhaav hume bhi dedo," Navya said sarcastically, earning a chuckle from Soha as an embarrassed Nandini locked her phone, dropped it in her lap and finished eating her meal in happy silence. Once the girls had paid the bill, split two ways, they all hugged each other, took promises from Nandini to keep them updated about Manik, and boarded separate rickshaws, each to a different destination.

Nandini unlocked her phone again in the vehicle, pondering if it was normal to go anywhere outside restaurants for a first date. Perhaps she had spoilt his mood.

*Arcade, like the place where you play video games and all?*
*Interesting! I have a spot in mind, 12:30 then?*
*Will text you the address or come pick you up, we can grab lunch somewhere before or after, whatever works for you*
*Wear something red, I want to see you in red*
*Hello?*
*Chali gayi bina bye bole? Very bad, Nandini, very bad!*

Nandini smiled, recording that that was the most she had grinned since her exam results had come through and she scored within the top 10.

*Bye Manik*

She locked her screen, keeping the device in her lap as she wondered what she owned in red that she could wear. And how would she style her hair? It was her first date ever, how should she dress without giving him the wrong idea!

Her phone flashed. *Youre missing a full stop*
*I won't let you go until you use it*
*See I'm using apostrophes, you cannot back out now*

Beaming, Nandini typed: *See you tomorrow.* And for the rest of the day, she didn't know how to contain her excitement.

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