Strangers with memories S2 (Episode 5)

I threw my coffee in the sink. I didn’t want to drink coffee anymore. It was just a day since Ani left and he had left a big hole in my heart. I didn’t know if I would love someone the same way again. Love hurts a lot! I picked up the phone to call him, but he didn’t pick my any of my calls. Suddenly a message from Ani! I was so excited and I was like the old Deepthi again. It took me back to the days when I received his first message!

It was 2 months already since I joined Engineering. We had 2 coffee dates till now. Aditi didn’t like him at all. She was jealous that there is a third person in between! When I told her about the coffee date she jumped out of her bed “ What deeps, stop kidding! You don’t even know him properly, why did you go out with him. You don’t like coffee. You should have said No!”
I said her “ No Aditi, coffee is good actually. I liked it. Aniket took me to a nice café and I really liked the coffee there! It is not bad like I thought”
She cut me “ So, it is not bad like you thought. It means it is not good either? Correct? What is this sudden change Deeps, do you have a crush on him?”
I blushed. She screamed” OMG! You have a crush on him! Deeps, be careful with guys, you cannot trust them. They will hurt you. You know what happened with rakshit and me.”
Rakshit was the ex-boyfriend of Aditi. Even though they dated in high school. He was a jerk and just after 2 months of relationship. He broke up stating that if his mom gets to know she will kick him out of the house! I do not blame him. Aditi was hardly 14 when she was in love. Now we are grown up but Aditi is still stuck in that old age and relationship and thinks all guys are like that.
I shrugged and told aditi “ grow up aditi! Not all guys are like that”

She told “ Okay, when I am alright, take me to that café, I want to taste the coffee that you liked so much” I smiled and said her a bye and hugged her to get well soon!
It was during our second coffee date Aniket asked me my phone number. I was a little hesitant at first but then he was looking upto me waiting with his eyes looking big and his fingers ready to type the numbers in his new iphone! Damn, how can I say him know. My mouth just said the numbers and I didn’t even realise it. He stored my number and gave me a missed call and while I was storing his number, he told me to enter his name as Superhero! I laughed. He said “ Wheneven I call you, you get a message Superhero calling and you will feel that a superhero no matter how hero he is, is looking out for your help!”
I laughed but I stored his name as Ani! Ani, such a cute name. He saw it and said” aaaaa.. Ani sounds nice too!”
I looked up and pulled my phone towards me “ Don’t you know you shouldn’t peep into others phone like this!”
He smiled and said “ It is not others, It is yours”
I was like “ So?”
He replied still smiling “ So, I have the rights to look into it”
I questioned “ And who you gave that rights Mister?”
He laughed and said “ No one! I make my own rights. I am the constitution! The democracy and everything out there. No one tells me what I do or what I don’t”
Just then a couple next to our table looked up to him and the guy said “ hello Mr.Democracy, can you be a little low, we are trying to have a conversation here”
Aniket apologised and said “ Oops, sorry to you” and sat down!
I burst out laughing! I had tears and I couldn’t control them. Aniket was embarrassed and blushing “ You do what you want to right? You are the superhero who is shut down by the couple” I was laughing and laughing!

Slowly Aniket too started laughing seeing me. Laughing is contagious! Suddenly out of blue he said “ Deepthi, you look very beautiful when you laugh. I want to do all the things in the world even though and won’t care any embarrassment if I can make you laugh like this!”
I turned to him and suddenly my laugh vanished and only a smile remained. I shrugged my shoulders and didn’t know what to answer. I don’t consider myself very beautiful. I am an average looking girl. I don’t have a body like a model or have an attractive personality that people look out for. Even though my mom and Aditi have told thousand times that I am very beautiful, I never believed in them and there is this greek god look alike guy sitting across from me, all the girls look at him twice. He looks that good and he tells me I am very beautiful! Am I really that pretty? Suddenly my phone started ringing and it was Aditi. She told me it is late and I have to come soon as she is waiting. I told bye to Aniket and left. We didn’t speak much after all that happened.
I come home and go to Aditi’s home. We studied sometime as we had internals coming up. I didn’t tel about what Aniket told to Aditi. I wanted it to be within myself.

I go home and mom looks at me and says “You look very happy today”
I smiled and said “ Nooo, I am the same. Just that I laughed a lot today!”
Mom smiles and asks me to eat and then go to my room. I ate and then come up to my room. Check my phone. There is a message from Aniket.
“ Hello, I am Aniket here! Just wanted to message you that’s all. Good night”
Another one:
“I can never ever stop messaging you. Are you there or are you ignoring me? Reply reply reply repy!!! I am waiting for your message! What are you doing? Will you start messaging me? I am feeling sleepy”
I smiled and sent him a “ Goodnight” I think he was already sleepy.
I am still with my phone and thinking about the past. I come back to the senses and unlock my phone again to see his message and I wished he didn’t sleep off. He was a fast sleeper. The message was similar to his first time but the irony was it read “ Deepthi, will you stop messaging? I am feeling sleepy”!
Sadness surrounds me and I cry myself to sleep!