Proposal

For a change Raksha came to the Cafe 10 minutes earlier. She was very excited about what was going to happen next. She started to imagine all the sorts of things that Ritvesh would do once she told him. She also imagined her getting embarrassed when he goes crazy. She was getting herself mentally prepared for that moment. She even looked around hoping for a lesser crowd which would mean lesser stares and lesser embarrassment. She was in one dreamy world, where she new no sorrow, no pain. The only thing that she knew was happiness. And she was indeed very happy.

Coming out of the dreamy world she glanced at her watch. They were supposed to meet at 7. The watch was showing 7.10. This seemed a little strange. He was the one who used to come early before. And she was the one with the delay. Today the roles seemed to have swapped. But she was so very happy that anger feared to linger in her mind. But every passing moment made her more anxious, more nervous and above all anger gained courage and take control of the happiness. 

After about 300 glances the clock showed 8 and in between those 300 glances she tried calling him about 20 times. But to no avail. He never answered her calls. And everytime she kept consoling herself that he might driving. But after the 300th glance and one hour of impatient waiting anger took complete control of her mind. She left the place all dejected, disgusted and angry. After she reached her place she thought of giving one last call. She called and was waiting for him to answer. One ring.. two rings... three rings.,.. she was about to disconnect when the call was answered. Even before he could say something she started off

"Ritvesh, where the hell have you been? I was waiting there for one hour all alone. You did not even care to turn up" and before she could say more 

"Hey, I am not Ritvesh. I am his friend, Param"

"I am sorry. Where is Ritvesh?"

"Well right now he is in the hospital"

"Why? What happened? How? When? Where"

"Relax. He met with a small accident while he was on his way to meet you. But now he has been admitted and the doctor says that the injuries are minor and external. Nothing much to worry about. He will be out of the hospital in a day or two."

"OK. Where is he? I want to come over and see him."

He gave her the details and asked her to come the next day as it was very late in the night. 

She could not sleep all night because she was very worried. Next day morning she went off she see him. The sight of him on the bed with so many wounds made her eyes wet. She gained control of herself and went closer to him. 

"How are you feeling?"

"I am fine. Just that the doc doesnt allow me to go home now."

"Oh, really?" and she touched a wound. He shrieked in pain. 

"Ok. Not fine. But I ll be fine in a few days."

She looked at him thoroughly now. His left ankle was bandaged. 

"What happened to your ankle?"

"It got twisted when i fell from my bike and the bike's weight was on the twisted ankle."

"Is there any dislocation?"

"Nope"

Now she could not control herself anymore. 

"Ritvesh, stupid fellow, why did you have to drive so fast. What if something bad had happened?I was waiting there to tell you about the way I feel about you. And you did this. What if the same thing had happened to me? How would you feel?" and she burst into tears.

The only thing that Ritvesh really heard in the whole thing was her feelings about him. His face suddenly lit up. 

"You said something about feelings. What is it?"

"Yes, I think I have fallen for you."

He was ecstatic but at that moment he had to console her. 

He put his hand on her shoulder and told her "Dearie, dont worry. I am fine. And I ll be back to my normal self in a few days. But right now I dont feel the pain. Every part of my body is jubilant. Had I been well I would have jumped but may be god wanted it this way only. Even if I was on my deathbed now I would have come back. You have made my day and you dont even know the amount of happiness you have given me now. These cuts and bruises dont matter anymore to me. The twisted ankle doesnt seem to hurt me anymore because one part is safe. My heart, which is with you. You have no idea as to how I felt when I was home. I felt as if I left something here."

"Ya. Thats my next question. Why the hell did you not call me?"

"I was wondering whether it would matter to you if I call or not."

"It did you stupid. But I guess I would have never known how I feel about you if you had called me"

"Is it? Thank you NOKIA, you really do connect people even with damaged phones. Now I have no qualms."

"Ok Ritvesh, I need to go now. I have work. I will come as soon as possible in the evening"

"Do you really have to go? You have come just now. Cant you stay back?"

"If I stay here I might cry every five minutes. Do you really want me to do that?"

"No. But..."

"I shall be back. Pleaseeee..."

"Ok fine. Bye..."

After one eventful day of pain and pills and injections another eventful day of getting what he had desperately hoped for made Ritvesh smile in pain!!!

Realization

Somewhere deep down in his heart, Ritvesh knew that Raksha had feelings for him. He was thinking that either she did not know that she had them or she did not want to express them. He felt like giving up on her because the 'Friendship' thing was killing him. Roaming around with Raksha and not being able to hold her hand was killing him. Trying to console her with his words and not with a hug was killing him. Being just a friend and nothing more was killing him. He decided to go home for a vacation. He wanted to go as much as he did not want to. He would miss her but then being with her just as a friend was also as bad. He finally made up his mind and decided to go home. He wanted to inform Raksha so he called her up.

"Hi Raksha"

"Hey Ritvesh. Tell me whats up?"

"Nothing much. I will be going home tomorrow."

"Oh!! Ok. Have a great time."

"Ok. Bye"

"Bye"

He was sad that she was not feeling sad that he was going. She did not even bother to ask him how long the vacation would be. Sadness made him more resolute. Off he went.

Ritvesh was with his friends. A party was going on. Everyone burst into laughter. Even he did. But something was holding him back, the thought of Raksha not being with him at that moment. It was four days since he came home but he avoided calling her. Actually there was a reason behind his not calling her. His mobile stopped working for some strange reason. So he could not call her from his mobile. He did not want to call from any other place and create an impression of him being desperate. He could not blame Raksha also for not having called him because she did not have any other number apart from his mobile number.

All was not well at Raksha's end either. She was doing pretty well for the first two days of Ritvesh's absence. Third day somehow she was feeling wierd. She thought that he would call her by the end of the second day which did not happen. Third day morning she was expecting a call, even that did not happen. She was starting to miss him. She tried calling him on the fourth day morning but he was not reachable. By the end of the seventh day there was a restlessness in her. She was hoping to see him the next day and talk to him and even scold him for not having called her. She thought that Ritvesh had taken a vacation for a week. She was sure even though she never asked him. 

Ten days passed and Raksha did not hear from Ritvesh. The restlessness turned into fear now. She was scared about his safety. But she had no means to contact him. Two more days passed and nothing happened. Now she started to think as to why she is so restless when he is just a friend. She doesn't talk to other friends and feel sad if she did not. Why is it so very different with Ritvesh? It did not take long before she realized that even she had feelings for him. Her desperation to meet him and let him know about her feelings knew no bounds now. Time seemed to be the villain of her story, not letting them meet.

14 days, 14 long fought days, fight between ego and love, fight between confusion and clarity, fight against time and distance, fight against technology and networking had finally ended. Ritvesh came back. And the first thing that he did was to get his mobile repaired. And the next thing that he immediately did was to call her. 

Raksha was surprised to see her mobile buzz with Ritvesh's name. She had been waiting for this for long now. There were times when she used to stare at her mobile blankly hoping that he would call. The wait seemed to be over. 

"Hi Ritvesh"

"Hey Raksha, how are you? How have you been doing?"

"I am fine. How about you? How was your vacation?"

"Vacation was good, nothing spectacular happened. It was just OK."

"I want to ask more and talk more but I need to go now. Shall we meet up today evening?"

"Sure!!"

"Ok then. You know the place and time right?"

"Nope. Where and when?"

"Huh!!!"

"Yep, you got me. I was kidding. I will see you then"

"Bye"

Raksha did not have any work but she did not want spoil the moment by telling him about her feelings over the phone. She wanted to see the look on his face when she would propose to him. She wanted to see the joy, the exuberation when she told him. She wanted the clock to tick, the time to fly and for the moment to come.