The car jerked before it stopped. She looked at the gear handle. Gosh! Not again! She had wrongly put on the 4th gear instead of the 2nd. She suddenly panicked and looked up to see if there were any traffic police guys around. Then she realized she doesn’t have to worry as she had got her driving license recently. She started her journey again. The haunting thoughts came back. She needed to make a decision now. It was the most important decision she ever needed to take in her life. She was troubled by it clearly…



She was a workingwoman. She enjoyed her job and the 2 years in the company was the best time of her life. She has been noticed; she has friends and has an inspirational manager. She had everything going her way. From an apprehensive reticent personality that she somehow managed to be throughout her college life, she has transformed into a more vocal and confident smart pretty girl. She had so many guys behind, trying to flatter her. But she has been smart and focused enough not to get involved into any relationship when her career was just shaping up. But now…



She never believed in love marriage. She loved her parents very much and waited till they decided on her guy. They did. He was another software professional in her hometown. She got a chance to meet and interact with him. She liked him instantly. He was loving, caring and a perfect gentleman. There was not a single blemish in him and she felt she was very lucky indeed. They spoke about marriage, company, life, politics, everything they could think of. He told her he would take her to Switzerland for honeymoon and he also that he cared a damn about the population; he needed 16 kids. She liked his childish statements and she truly enjoyed his company. He made her smile like no one could for a very long time. She was thrilled…



He wanted her to quit her job. She knew she couldn’t. She couldn’t leave this happy life and the city that gave her a new life. She couldn’t leave her friends here, the people who have helped her improve her personality tremendously. Her company didn’t have an office in her hometown but his had one in her city. He wasn’t ready to shift to a new city though. She tried her best to convince him. She couldn’t…



The car reached her home. Her parents were inside. Waiting to get her nod for the marriage. She was thinking.

I am an independent confident woman. Shouldn’t I stop some guy who bosses me around before marriage? If he can’t even adjust this, how will he for the rest of our lives? Won’t I get a better guy in my life? Do I need someone better in the first place? Isn’t he the best guy I have ever seen?

She had to make a decision. Soon. She went inside the house…





Epilogue:

Three years later: He whispered to her in the hospital room, “2 down, 14 to go! Great going wife!!” She managed to convince him after all. Confident girls can do wonders. Men simply melt before them. He moved to the same city as hers. But guys can be smart too. He made sure she didn’t have to go to the office much. 2 pregnancies and well, she was in her hometown for most of the time. Their journey continued…

The time was 1pm. One more hour was left. He was looking at his watch with a nefarious smile spread across his round face. I have escaped thus far! I am a born genius! He was. His style was singular and inimitable. “What are the portions?” he asked his classmate. Yes the exam was in an hour and still he was unaware of the portions. Should he care? Not when he had the most powerful technique in hand!

“Bits” as he affectionately called it. He defined it as “A method to succinctly prepare questions for exams upon conjuncture which should be highly surreptitious and must be done assiduously without any compunction” He was a master and considered it preposterous to study hours and hours for a single exam. Here he was, ready to face the final exam in college life…

It all started in his second year of college when he is under prepared for an important exam due to sudden illness. He had no other option to escape from the predicament that he faced. Though his friends reproached, the remonstrance didn’t prevent him from attempting the alluring technique. And as evil always brings some luck with it in the beginning, he got the best grade possible in the subject. This spurious success made him a recidivist. Over time he became highly presumptuous. The journey has been smooth and uneventful thus far…

Here he was ready to face the last impediment in his college life. Without any foreboding he took out the nicely cut out bits of paper and started preparing the subject. Three bits and ten minutes was all that required for him to finish this paper. He walked to the exam hall with a pompous and cavalier attitude that clearly seemed to mock at the people cramming outside the hall. Three more hours and he was a free bird…

The paper was easy. It didn’t matter. He had almost everything in hand. Shouldn’t take much time! Half way into the exam, his mind was wavering. Should meet up with my girlfriend as soon as possible! No first should meet the HOD. That fat ass will stare at disbelief when I go tell him how successful my academics have been. How dare he reprimand me for being languid in second year?! He looked at his watch. God! When will 5 come? He had almost completed the paper. He folded the bits he had used and kept it in his shirt pocket aloofly and tied the answer script. The time was 4.30pm and he had had enough. With a phlegmatic face he made a frivolous walk towards the invigilator to give the answer script…

The time was 5pm. The HOD was staring at him, with his answer script in hand. The HOD’s diabolical eyes met his face portraying deep ignominy. “Why did you?” he demanded…

The time was 4.30pm. He walked towards the invigilator. As he gave the answer script to the invigilator sitting in the other side of the desk, it fell out of his hands. He reached down to take the paper when the bits in the shirt pocket came out and flew beyond his reach, only to be spotted by the invigilator. He was caught. At last!!!

It may be tough to get a girlfriend but it is even tougher to keep her happy. The guy has to put on various facades, pretend to appreciate everything about her and also criticize things she doesn’t like or believe in. There are trivial things that get more importance while the serious things aren’t even cared about. Maintaining a ‘happy’ girlfriend is an art by itself. There was this guy who had a tough time with his girlfriend. Their story goes like this…

Yes he was very happy when she said yes to him. But that was after so much deliberation. She was modern in her outlook. He was a fun-loving creature born to freak out and is never serious in anything he does. She liked the funny side of him but always feared his insincerity. He, well he liked her. (Does a guy need a reason to like a girl?) Life was fun till they started going out. She liked freaking out too. They decided to meet up everyday at 4pm in the Coffee Day outlet near her house. He was staying some 7kms away and was without any vehicle. So everyday he had to start pretty early.

Day one: He started at 3.30 sharp. Went to the bus stand. To his luck got a bus immediately. Only to find out that it takes a longer route to reach the destination. Heavy traffic and heavily crowded bus made the journey an ordeal for him. He gasped for breath when he got down. Shit!! He was late by 30 minutes. He ran to the coffee outlet. There she was sitting in the corner table looking as gorgeous as ever, at least according to him. With a smile across his face he sat opposite her. “Idiot! Why are you late?! Can’t you at least send a message? I have been waiting here for 35min! Useless creature! You put my mood off! ……” He was shocked when she blasted out at him. He tried convincing her, all in vein. They didn’t even drink coffee properly that day. He came home disappointed.

Day two: He started at 3 sharp. Went to the bus stand. The bus didn’t arrive. It took him ten minutes to get a bus. Alas! He got the same bus as the day before. The same conductor was staring at him! He was smart this time. He got down in the next stop and waited for the shorter route bus. It did come. But… He was late by 20 minutes when he reached the coffee outlet. She was sitting in the same corner table with a lovely face glamorized by the diligent use of make up. “Idiot! Useless! ………” He was furious when he reached home that day. What nonsense is this? Why can’t she understand?

Day three: He started at 3 sharp. This time he took an auto rickshaw straight. Yes never mind the money. She was more important. But the traffic was the same. Fuck! What the hell are these traffic policemen doing? Can’t they set the traffic right for once? Slowly he was moving towards his destination. It was one km away. Ten minutes to go. And as lady luck has her way, the auto rickshaw had one of its tyres punctured! He paid the driver and started looking for another. Not even one on sight. Desperate to go on time, he started running. With all his force he ran and he reached the coffee outlet on time. He looked at the corner table expecting to see her pleasing face. She wasn’t there. He waited. It was 4.10pm. She didn’t come. Suddenly he thought of something. He went out and hid himself in the shop nearby. She came at 4.15pm. He waited till it was 4.20 and went in. “Idiot! How dare you keep me waiting?! It’s been 20 minutes! I am seriously getting tired of you! Get lost ……” He begged and pleaded for pardon. She finally gave him one more chance. He went back home thinking. Bitch! Will teach her a lesson!!

Day four: He started at 2pm. Took an auto rickshaw and reached the place by 3pm. He wanted to be safe. He sat there in the outlet. The time was 4pm. She didn’t come. He was furious. Bitch! Will scold her like anything! How dare can she play this game with me? She came in at 4.15pm. “Wow! I know you’ll be on time dear. Love you so much! Come lets have coffee. You order today ……” He smiled. All the anger and all the things he had planned to say vanished on the sight of her. The date went well.

The moral(?!): Boys remain boys and girls remain girls…

P.S: None of these stories are related to the author and his life unless the post specifically has the label “My life”.

“Excuse me?” she said when she couldn’t go through the gang of people in front of her who were busy chatting on some trivial issue. It was then that she saw him amongst the group. Their eyes met…

“I love you! Do you?” he asked her. She needed some time. He kept asking her out. At last she agreed.

“Are you…?” he asked still not believing that it was her in front of him after all these years. With crisp cold serious eyes she replied, “Yes its me!”

“We are the best couple on earth!” he assured her. “Yes honey we surely are” she said with moist eyes. She was very happy whenever she was with him. He got her gifts, chocolates, flowers anything he could imagine of. They were happy.

“Errr… How are you?” he was shaking. She kept staring at him with her diabolical eyes that clearly had a tale to tell. “Errr… Sorry” was all he could manage then.

“You won’t ever leave me right?” she asked him while lying in his shoulders. “Oh come on! Never! Not till I die!” his reassurance was all she needed to be happy.

“Why did you?” she was choking when she asked. “Why did you cheat me?” “I can explain!” he tried holding her hand and got slapped in his face hard.

“I am leaving to Delhi tomorrow honey,” he told her over the phone. She cried instantly and incessantly. “Hey I’ll be back dear. Very soon. As soon as I could” he tried to console the soul over the phone. “Please don’t go! I can’t live without seeing you…”

“Get out of my sight!” she barked at him. “You are a cheat!”

“No!” he wanted to clarify. “I tried reaching you…” he got slapped again before he could finish that statement.

She waited to hear from him. He had given a landline number that was never attended. She had no other way of communicating him. She tried to reach his office only to find out that he was fired a month before. She waited for him to call her. She waited…

“I still love you,” he told her. “I am married now” was her instant reply.

He never called. She was getting anxious. Her parents had fixed up a groom for her. She needed him now. She needed him to come and take her away. She loved him more than anybody on this planet. She needed him…

She wanted to ask him a lot of questions whenever she got to meet him next. She wanted to ask him why he was so nice to her first and why he left her all of a sudden without any trace. She needed answers from him. Suddenly her mobile ringed. “Hey come over here fast! Me sitting here in this restaurant looking at the blank chair beside me!” her face suddenly brightened when her man called. Her new man. She managed an ‘excuse me’ and walked past him in a hurry. He kept looking at her thinking how much he missed a girl as lovely as her. He wanted to tell her how he was fired from his job. How he suffered in the city one from shortage of money and other by missing her. He didn’t want to call her and tell her that her man was a loser. He wanted to settle down into a good career and then call her. When he finally did, he was told that she was getting married in a week. He kept the phone down, shocked and dejected. He vowed never to interfere in her life again…

The time was 14:49. He had to do it. But he didn’t know how to. His heart started beating fast. He could sense his hand shaking when took his mobile. He couldn’t wait. This was the time……

His mind was racing. It all started on one eventful day when the seemingly innocuous girl required his help. It was a new contact and he was more than happy to help. She was sweet and nice and he liked her innocence instantly. He never did anything to build the relationship but she opted to be in constant touch and slowly they became friends.

The message was typed in a hurry. He edited and re-edited it to make it sound perfect. It had to. With a lot of apprehension and fear, he pressed the ‘send’ button……

The friendship blossomed over the next three months. Messaging and chatting online weren’t uncommon. He always had a soft corner for her for she fondly called him ‘Godfather’ and he also liked her outgoing, loquacious nature. Then things changed somewhere around two months back.

The mobile display showed that the message was sent. He became restless. He anxiously waited for the delivery report to come. It didn’t. It took two minutes, which according to him was eternity, for the message to get delivered. She took her mobile and read……

Things changed. She was facing problems in her personal life. And she was ready to confide all those in him. He was pleased to help her out fully and they became close. They started meeting often. Message count everyday increased exponentially for him. Not a day passed without contacting her. And finally it happened. They mutually agreed to become life partners.

She saw the picture message. A rose, with the message below ‘I think I love you.. Do you?’ Before she could react, he held out his hand holding a gem-studded ring and asked her ‘Will you be my girlfriend?’A big smile spread across her face and a spontaneous YES came out of her lips. He felt he was dreaming. She showed her hand and he slid the ring across her soft finger and it was all over……

Wow!! It was one tense period let me tell you, even though I knew the answer before. Finally I got some courage to propose to a girl didn’t I? March 13^th, 2008 is a date to remember indeed. Our relationship seems straight out a Tamil movie. She was one of the firsts to read my ‘Advice to all young men’ blog post and she had said ‘you have written it well but I don’t think it will work’. She always used to call me ‘Sir’. She was one girl who was willing to be spotted in public with me and didn’t mind the speculations that were flying around. I loved her company and I guess she liked mine too. Time flew off whenever we met and the compatibility levels were so supreme. I admired the consummate else with which she made friends and maintained them. There were so many similarities we shared, nature wise. But only when we started sharing our ‘dark’ secrets did I realize the potential life partner in her. I liked the ‘flaws’ she had and that she was ever ready to listen to my words was encouraging.

Telling her my intentions were relatively easy for I knew our relationship was strong enough. But we decided to consult many of our friends before we decided on anything. The age factor was always there and also that my career is pretty much settled when hers is not. And I having a notorious reputation with girls was something she had to ponder over. But even after all the negative reactions she got from many, she was ready to accept me. And that was all I needed. We decided to wait till my interview got over.

On March 10^th, in between my two interviews (read previous post) I told my Dad about her. And I eventually told my Mom and Ranju too and showed them her photo. Being always given the freedom to do anything, they were quite fine about it and wished me ‘all the best’. They were indeed worried about her career and I promised them that this won’t interfere. So the stage was set.

I took her to the Meridian and the story followed (she did not have any idea that I would propose that day! Actually there was a fight on who should propose and I being a gentleman finally gave up). It rained slightly when we came out (it had to! I had at last proposed!). And Dad was the first one to hear the news when he made his everyday routine call. Everyone got to know and we got back mixed reactions. But both of us are happy and contended with everything that has happened. So here ends this colourful post to signify a colourful life ahead! Gosh! Life is very cruel. Even ARS has been made a romantic!!!

Sensex. While the whole of India was contemplating the repercussions this has had in the past one week, there was this group of five people who were discussing (with much vigor and force) about the similarities that Sensex and Love share. Each participant had to come out with a similarity and the best among them was promised a treat in the nearby canteen by the other four. The group comprised of many articulate and imaginative guys who desperately wanted to show off that they were the best. There was also this protagonist of ours who was quiet reticent and never has had any experience in both the topics. But he was destined to win! (Yeah, sorry to break the suspense)

Abhir started “Sensex and love are both quite unpredictable. Today your relationship is riding high, tomorrow there is a fight! It is this nature of them both that makes them quite interesting and compelling” The protagonist was listening, astutely. He didn’t understand why and how both were unpredictable. Isn’t love all about fun, going out every day, enjoying yourselves?

“True, to the word Abhir!” Bhargav catched in. “Here is mine. Both of them are things people die for. Past few days, so many have died due to the shocks the stock market have been giving us. Always money and girls have been the main motives behind the wars registered in history” War?! What has this got to with the topic!! Who will die for girls!?

“Man there is some competition! But mine is better I feel. Both of them are only for people who can take risks with their money!” it was Chaitanya, quite clearly having the impact of his recent break-up. “All I got back from the experience was an empty purse and let me tell you it sucks!!” How can people get so emotional for a thing as small as a break-up?

“Cool it man!” Dharsan took his turn. “I guess both of them have to be monitored every single minute, otherwise you might lose them in a day!” Wow!! Everyone had a good laugh. Somehow they came to the consensus that Dharsan’s was the best analogy the two topics could have had. It all depended on our protagonist now. But he was short on ideas. He kept mum when others looked upon him for his view. He accepted defeat.

So all of them went to the nearby canteen for dinner with Dharsan holding his head high and boasting of how thoroughly he knew girls and love. The order was made but our protagonist was still thinking. Sensex love Sensex girls love girls…… And suddenly it struck him.

“Hey guys I waited for us to get here to tell my viewpoint. I think mine is the best Mr.Dharsan” Elwin beamed. The other three were quite eager to listen to it for they didn’t want Dharsan to get the treat. Elwin, the silent guy, deserved to win. Whatever he says now, he will be the winner (the three would vote for him obviously). But Elwin would have been the winner anyways with his masterly sentence “Sensex and Love. Neither of them makes sense sans the sex!!!”

The sage pondered over this “Which is more fruitful? Being a perfect man or being a cool guy??” And like all sages, wanted to test this out practically. He handpicked two young men in the city, transformed one person to Mr. Perfect and the other Mr. Cool. He then transformed himself into a young innocent guy, became a mutual friend of them both and monitored the life of the two persons to find his answer. He was in for a surprise…

Mr. P was a sincere and dedicated guy, who planned every event in his life scrupulously. He made sure to anticipate happenings and was prepared for every situation. He believed in being on time for things and was an ardent follower of the saying “kal kare so aaj kar, aaj kare so abb,pal mein paralai hoyegi bahuri karega kab” He aimed for very high things for he knew he was capable and was a staunch believer that anything done with devotion always ends in a success. He maintained everything in his life perfectly; the cleanliness, the orderliness, the discipline; everything in his life was unblemished. Everyone around him envied him for his qualities but since he wasn’t all that outspoken (or he didn’t have time for friends), his fans were numbered and people remained distant. He expected all around him to be like him, which did not happen. The imperfection in the world irked him for he couldn’t accept the fact that people can be careless about trivial things. Yes he was indeed successful in almost everything he touched. But he couldn’t stand the occasional failure that he came across. He couldn’t believe that there are things which can go wrong to a person who has achieved infinite perfection in his life. The sage oversaw him crying incessantly after very small letdowns. “This guy is ill prepared to face this cruel world” he deduced…

Mr. C was a carefree and good-for-nothing bloke who took ‘life as it comes’. He had no plans about his future, was disordered and still was happy with it. He never aimed for big things and consequently didn’t achieve anything great. But he always took failures, however huge they are, in their strides and was over-the-moon when he got something out of luck. He derived happiness in small things and was oblivious to the bigger ones. He had a huge fan following and people liked to be with them. Girls labeled him a ‘sweet rascal’. There was an intangible charisma around him which made everyone still back and gawk at him and his way of life. He always made fun of others; Mr. P for being such an idiot and not enjoying things when they ought to be; termed our sage as Mr. Fruit for being so innocent and innocuous. Life seemed so easy and gay to him. “He isn’t going to achieve anything this way” the sage construed…

The sage was left disappointed. He could not find the answer to his question. It boiled down to whether “success or happiness” is more important. But wait; suddenly it struck him. He as an innocent guy who was neither perfect nor cool was more happy and satisfied than both Mr. P and Mr. C and now having found the answer, was more successful than them. Yes, being a Mr. Fruit is more fruitful in this world!!

P.S:This post has nothing to with Saraswathy Sabatham, the tamil movie :D :D

“I want another one!” was my usual demand whenever dad completed his story. His stories where always short, illogical and improbable but yet I liked them for it was a nice way to time pass and also to be close with my dad who used to come home only in the weekends(he was working in Chitoor). This was before Ranju was born, after that either I lost interest or he was busy playing with her. His stories somehow seemed to have an inherent message for me. Guess it was purely coincidental. He never advised me in person (except about studies!) for he might have thought I was smart enough to handle anything which actually it made me independent and to have my own opinion on things. One of the stories that I still remember (or I suddenly remembered when I went for jogging today) is about a greedy guy who wanted to own the world. It goes like this (I have used my own imagination to make it look more real and sophisticated. The story he told was crisp, banal and childish)…

This guy wanted to own the world and he asked God to concur with his wish. God granted him the wish with a condition. He was told that he could rule whatever land he can cover with his foot by sunset. But he must return to the starting place (by sunset) to claim the lands. It was 12pm. He started from Choolaimedu, Chennai (that’s where I live) and started jogging towards Tambaram. He was doing fine with the pace and had occasional breaks in between for tea. He reached Tambaram by 3pm (yeah not a fast runner) and ideally he should have returned. But the greedy devil in him didn’t allow him to. He continued to jog. He crossed Perungalathur and still didn’t turn back. By the time he reached Vandalur, it was 4pm. Now he had no other choice. He started the return journey running as hard as he can. It was hopeless but he knew he can achieve improbable things for he was a born ruler. His started experiencing pain in his legs; he had no time for tea now. All he could manage by 5pm was Chrompet. Last one hour and still a long way to the destination. His heart was beating rapidly and still he was not the kind who gives up easily. He tried increasing his pace but his legs weren’t responding. Half an hour to sunset and still some solid 5kms to run. He was beginning to lose consciousness and he felt an excruciating pain in his heart whose magnitude increased by the minute. He resembled a cadaver, running with sweat covering his entire body, yet he was sure to succeed. 5minutes to go and one km to travel. He could now see his destination at a distance. He was running like a mad sprinter into the last minute. He lost his consciousness almost but still he ran. Seconds to sunset, a few yards separated him from ruling Chennai forever. With all his energy (?!) and willpower he jumped and his hand touched the start line at the stroke of sunset. He had won. But… At the stroke of sunset, his body cheated him and his soul left him. He died, as a ruler of Chennai of course……

Though an ironical climax, this story had lots of message. One, you can achieve impossible things if you have willpower and that your body will never be the hindrance (at least till you achieve the thing). Two, do not give up anything in between. Three, always have an eye for the time (he should have started back by 3pm!). But the ending makes me ponder over a lot of other issues. Why should we struggle so much to achieve a thing, only to be distraught and be burned out at the end? Is it worth? Is success defined for only something you achieve or for something you enjoy after achieving? Is being greedy good or bad? Hmmm… My dad surely does make me think!

The time was 4.00pm. He was anxiously waiting for her. It has been a dream, this relationship. Something that started a month ago, in the place where most arbit relationships begin, online chatting. It was one of those days when he found her in a social networking site and became friends. They chatted daily and he liked her candid nature. She was stunning and gorgeous (going by the photos she sent). He asked her for a meet once. She rejected it. He was disappointed then but over time he accepted it. About an hour ago, she called him up from some number and asked if he was free. Though he had planned to give his car for servicing, he didn’t want to waste this opportunity. He readily accepted. At 4 ‘green day’ she said. He was there at the restaurant by 3.30, seated in a table at the corner, glancing at the door, awaiting her entry.

The time was 4.15pm. She came hurrying in. Wow!! She looked hotter in real. He stood up appraising the value of her beauty. She smiled and asked sorry for being late.

I’ll wait for a lifetime!! If only you accept me…

He told her that he already ordered a Chinese veg-pizza for her.

“Hey that’s my favorite!” she beamed.

“Well I ordered because it is my favorite!” he smiled back and he just loved the “lol” that came back.

This is the happiest day this year! She is getting impressed all right!!

She asked him if he could lend his mobile for making a call as she had forgotten hers at home. She made the call walking away from the table.

She thinks I am so close to her! The lovely way she asked for my mob… She is divine and she is mine…

They talked of various things and he liked every bit of it. In between she kept asking him the time as she had forgotten her watch too. “I hope you don’t forget me!” he tried to tease.

“lol! Never!”

She said never! She likes me! This relationship is eternal…

At 5.15 sharp she said she wanted to leave. “So when is next time?” he wanted to know.

“lol. I’ll give you a ring,” she said with her lovely caring eyes.

Her baffling eyes!! Did they mean love??

She left in a hurry and he went to pay the bill.

———————————————————————————————-

The time was 3.00pm, Sunday. Anu was inside ‘coffee day’. Anu is an extrovert to the core. She knew she was beautiful and had great fun watching the boys doing their best to impress her. Made many online buddies to help kill her time in hostel. Sunday was the day she meets up with them to try to find if someone is really fascinating and charming. And she hated guys who try to put on various facades to impress her.

Now, She was having her favorite black coffee with Ravi. She had to meet Gaurav at 5.30pm, the same place. This conversation was getting nowhere.

This guy is an idiot! Can’t continue till 5.30! Damn! I forgot my mob!

She asked for his mobile and called up Siddarth and asked him to come to ‘green day’ by 4pm. Ravi went on and on about the things he liked and how he managed his pets blah blah.

This guy is prosaic and banal!

She left the place at 4 to meet Siddarth. Siddarth was no better.

“I ordered because it is my favorite!” he said.

Huh! You read my blogs thoroughly all right!!

She called up Gaurav in between to confirm the appointment. She only hoped Gaurav would be interesting.

“I hope you don’t forget me!” Siddarth teased.

Yeah I certainly hope I don’t!! Check up tomorrow btw!!

She kept counting the minutes and felt that Siddarth was a dullard. Exactly at 5.15, she wanted to leave.

“So when is next time?” Siddarth asked.

There is no next time buddy!!!

“lol. I’ll give you a ring”. With that she hurried to the next appointment.

Gaurav greeted her with a chivalrous smile. They started conversing. Just as when Anu thought this guy was indeed interesting, Gaurav beamed “And I ordered black coffee for you, I like it and hope you also do!”

Concealing her disappointment, all she managed with her lovely caring eyes was “lol!!”